How we review UK casino bonuses: grades, pounds and proof
Every casino on this site holds a Gambling Commission licence, and every offer is turned into one figure: the pounds you must bet before you can withdraw. This page sets out how that figure, and the grade beside it, are worked out.
By Gareth Llewellyn · Updated 14 October 2026
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- UKGC licence
- public register
- Offer terms
- as shown in the UK
- Game weighting
- slots at 100%?
- Max bet, expiry, caps
- all of them
- Payouts and funds
- terms + cashier
The same checks for all 10 casinos.
How the casinos we review are chosen
Two filters, one after the other.
- What UK players already see
We started from the casinos that UK comparison pages list most often for low wagering searches.
- Licensed only
Each one must hold a Gambling Commission licence, checked on the Commission's public register.
- Fits the niche
The current UK welcome offer must ask for 10x or less, with slots counting 100%.
- Named, not hidden
Casinos that failed are named with the reason, such as a deposit-plus-bonus base.
That gave the 10 casinos reviewed here, from MrQ to Casumo. Grosvenor, Videoslots and Mr Vegas were left out because their offers count the deposit in the wagering or ask 35x on a deposit tier.
How we grade casino bonuses: A, B, C or fail
One letter for how much an offer makes you bet.
| Grade | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | No wagering, or 1x at most | MrQ, BetMGM, LuckyMate (1x on spin winnings) |
| B | 2x to 5x the bonus only, slots at 100% | None of the 10 at the moment |
| C | 6x to 10x the bonus only | Casumo, 10x its 50% bonus |
| Fail | Deposit + bonus base past 10x the bonus, slots under 100%, or a cap that guts the offer | Not reviewed |
Grades as of 14 October 2026. They change when offers change.
Betway carries two grades because it offers a choice: A for its no-wagering spins, C for its £50 bonus at 10x. Grades describe the offer, not the whole casino. Payouts, licence history and catches are covered in each review.
How the pounds-you-must-bet figure is worked out
Four numbers from the terms, one sum.
The sum on every page
Where an offer needs your own stake first, such as BetMGM's £10, that stake is part of the figure. Where a page gives an average value, it assumes a slot returning 96% of stakes and says so. Real results vary a lot around any average.
The wagering calculator uses the same sum, and wagering requirements explained walks through it.
What we check in every casino review
Beyond the welcome offer.
- Licence and record
- The account number on the Gambling Commission register, and any regulatory action in the Commission's published news, read in full.
- Offer terms
- The offer, the general bonus terms and payment terms as shown to UK players, from a UK connection.
- Payouts
- Withdrawal times, limits and fees from the terms and the cashier pages.
- Player funds
- The protection level the casino declares for customer money.
- Catches
- Anything in the terms a player would want to know first: fees, caps, dormant account rules.
Reviews are based on the casinos' published terms and public records. Each claim that rests on a clause has a screenshot of that clause beside it, dated.
How reviews and grades are kept up to date
UK offers change often, and so do the pages.
Every page shows the date its figures were last checked. When a casino changes an offer, the figure, the grade and the screenshot are updated together.
Spotted something out of date? Write to Gareth; details are on his author page, and more about the site is on the about page. Some links on this site are affiliate links, explained on the affiliate disclosure.
Written by
Gareth wrote this method and applies it to every casino and offer on the site.
Play safe
18+. Gambling should stay fun. If you’re spending more than you can afford, or if it’s affecting your life in any other way, you can block all UK casinos instantly with GAMSTOP or call the National Gambling Helpline free on 0808 8020 133, any time.
You can set a limit on how much you deposit before you play. More info on our Responsible Gambling page.