Canadian Gaming Guide

Understanding wagering requirements

Wagering requirements are the reason a “C$500 bonus” is rarely C$500 you can withdraw. Understanding the arithmetic is more useful than hunting for the largest headline number.

The basic formula

A wagering requirement is a multiple of the bonus, or of the bonus plus the deposit, that you must bet before bonus funds or related winnings become withdrawable cash. If you receive a C$100 bonus with 40× wagering on the bonus only, you must place C$4,000 of qualifying bets. If the same 40× applies to a C$100 deposit plus a C$100 bonus, the requirement is C$8,000.

Only bets on eligible games, at or below a maximum stake, during the offer’s time limit, usually count. If you exceed the maximum bet — figures such as C$5 or C$8 appear in many terms — the operator may void the bonus and related winnings.

Game weighting

Slots often contribute 100% of each bet toward wagering. Table games, live dealer games, video poker and some speciality titles may contribute 10%, 5%, or nothing. A C$100 spin on a 100% game counts as C$100 toward the requirement; the same stake on a 5% game counts as C$5. The headline multiple assumes you are playing the games the operator prefers.

When to skip a bonus

Skip the offer if you cannot see the multiple, the contribution table, the maximum bet, and the expiry in writing. Skip it if the wagering is unusually high and you were only going to make a few bets. Skip it if you need to withdraw quickly. Playing through a large requirement in order to “not waste” a bonus is how many people deposit more than they planned.

This site does not publish a table of current welcome-offer amounts. When you open an offer, do the multiplication yourself before you opt in — the wagering calculator will do it in CAD, and game contribution and max-bet rules explain why the stake can be much larger than the turnover. Our bonuses overview and welcome-bonus reading guide have the checklist. If you need a cash-out soon, read how withdrawals work before you accept wagering you may not want to finish.

Frequently asked questions

Does 40× wagering apply to the bonus only, or to my deposit too?

It depends on the terms. 40× on a C$100 bonus is C$4,000 of qualifying bets. If the same 40× applies to a C$100 deposit plus a C$100 bonus, the requirement is C$8,000. Always read which base the multiple uses.

Do table games count toward wagering?

Often only in part, or not at all. Slots may contribute 100%, while table and live games may contribute 10%, 5%, or nothing. The headline multiple assumes you play the games the operator weights fully.

When should I skip a bonus?

Skip it if you cannot see the multiple, contribution table, maximum bet and expiry in writing, or if you need to withdraw quickly. A bonus is not a reason to deposit more than you planned.

Ontario notice: we cannot recommend the operators discussed on this site to residents of Ontario.