Wagering Requirement
A wagering requirement is the multiplier a player must bet through before bonus funds become withdrawable — the number that defines what a bonus really costs.
What it means
A wagering requirement (playthrough) states how many times a bonus — or bonus plus deposit — must be staked before winnings convert to withdrawable cash. A 100 bonus at 35x means 3,500 in bets before withdrawal. Game weighting complicates the math: slots usually count 100% toward playthrough, while table games and live dealer count 10-20% or nothing, because their low house edge would let players grind through cheaply. Max-bet clauses (often 5 per spin) stop players from gambling the whole bonus in a few high-variance bets.
Why it matters for operators
The headline bonus is marketing; the wagering requirement is the actual cost model. Expected bonus cost is roughly the bonus amount minus what the house edge claws back over the playthrough volume, so the multiplier directly sets how much of each bonus survives to withdrawal. Set it too low and bonus abuse erodes NGR; set it too high and regulators and players push back — several licensed markets now cap multipliers or require prominent disclosure. Bonus terms are also a common dispute trigger that ends in a chargeback when a player feels misled.
Example
An operator offers a 100% match up to 200 at 35x on bonus only, slots weighted 100%, blackjack 10%, max bet 5. A player taking the full 200 must wager 7,000 on slots — at 96% RTP the expected loss over that volume is around 280, more than the bonus itself.