A bonus is not free money. It's credit with a condition attached — you have to wager a multiple of it before anything becomes withdrawable. Most disputes about casino bonuses come down to someone claiming one without working out what that multiple meant in dollars. This page shows you how to do that maths in about thirty seconds.
Last reviewed: September 2026
The multiple tells you how many times the bonus amount has to be wagered before the balance can be withdrawn.
Take a AUD $50 bonus with 20x wagering. That's 50 × 20 = AUD $1,000 of total bets before anything derived from that bonus becomes withdrawable.
The number that surprises people is how quickly wagering accumulates. If you're betting $1 per spin, $1,000 of wagering is a thousand spins. Each spin counts toward the total whether it wins or loses — you're not betting $1,000 of your own money, you're cycling a balance through the game repeatedly until the cumulative total reaches $1,000.
Check what the multiple applies to. Some promotions apply the multiple to the bonus alone. Others apply it to bonus plus your deposit. On a $50 deposit with a $50 bonus at 20x, that's the difference between $1,000 and $2,000 of wagering — the same headline number, double the obligation. This is the single most important detail in any bonus's terms.
Not every bet counts the same amount toward wagering. This catches out more people than the multiple itself.
| Game type | Typical contribution | $100 wagered counts as |
|---|---|---|
| Pokies | 100% | $100 |
| Video poker | 10–20% | $10–20 |
| Blackjack | 10% or excluded | $10 or nothing |
| Roulette | 10% or excluded | $10 or nothing |
| Live dealer games | Often excluded | Nothing |
The reason is house edge. Pokies have a larger built-in margin than blackjack or baccarat, so a dollar wagered on a pokie is worth more to the operator than a dollar on a table game. Weighting reflects that.
The practical consequence: if you claim a bonus and then play live baccarat, your wagering progress may not move at all. Someone who plays $1,000 through live dealer tables and finds their requirement untouched hasn't been cheated — they've hit a weighting rule they didn't read.
If you're clearing a bonus, play pokies. That's what the weighting rules are steering you toward, and fighting it just costs you time. See how RTP and volatility work if you're choosing which ones.
Many promotions cap your per-spin stake while wagering is outstanding — often somewhere around $5 or $10. Exceeding it, even once, even accidentally, can void the entire bonus and everything won from it.
This is the rule that produces the angriest disputes, because the consequence is total and the mistake is easy. If a bonus is active, check the cap and stay under it.
Bonus balances typically expire in 7 to 30 days. If wagering isn't complete when the clock runs out, you usually forfeit both the bonus and anything won from it.
Work out whether the requirement is realistic in the time given. A 40x requirement on a large bonus with a 7-day window may need more play than you actually have time for.
Some promotions cap how much you can withdraw from bonus winnings regardless of how much you've won. Anything above the cap is removed when you withdraw. Check whether this applies before assuming a large win is yours.
Four questions, in order. If any answer bothers you, skip the bonus.
There's no obligation to take a bonus. Plenty of players decline every offer and keep their balance fully withdrawable at all times. That's a legitimate strategy, not a missed opportunity.
The offer: Deposit AUD $100, get a AUD $100 bonus with 30x wagering on bonus plus deposit.
The maths: ($100 + $100) × 30 = AUD $6,000 of total wagering.
At $1 per spin: 6,000 spins. At roughly 500 spins an hour, that's about 12 hours of continuous play.
If the window is 14 days: that's around 50 minutes of play every single day, on pokies only, without exceeding the max bet cap.
Verdict: achievable for someone who plays daily. Not realistic for someone who plays twice a week. Same offer, completely different answer depending on who's looking at it.
If you request a withdrawal with wagering outstanding, the withdrawable portion of your balance may be restricted, and the request can sit pending rather than being rejected outright.
Check your account for an active bonus and how much wagering remains before assuming something has gone wrong. This is one of the three most common causes of a pending withdrawal — the others are covered in the pending withdrawal guide.
Most platforms allow you to forfeit a bonus if you'd rather withdraw than finish wagering. You lose the bonus and anything won from it, but your own deposited funds become available. If you're stuck, ask support whether that option exists.
The bonus amount must be wagered twenty times before the balance becomes withdrawable. On a $50 bonus that's $1,000 of total bets. Check whether the multiple applies to the bonus alone or to bonus plus deposit — the difference doubles the requirement.
Almost always game weighting. Pokies usually contribute 100%, while table games contribute around 10% and live dealer games are often excluded entirely. If you're clearing a bonus, play pokies.
The bonus-derived portion of your balance is usually restricted until the requirement is met. Many platforms let you forfeit the bonus instead — you lose it and anything won from it, but your own funds become withdrawable. Ask support whether that option is available.
Exceeding the max bet cap while a bonus is active can void the entire bonus and everything won from it, even if it happened once by accident. If a bonus is active, check the cap before you set your stake.
You generally forfeit both the bonus and any winnings derived from it. Your own deposited funds are not affected. This is why it's worth checking whether the requirement is realistic in the time given before claiming.
No. Declining keeps your balance fully withdrawable with no restrictions, no wagering and no max bet cap. Plenty of players skip every offer for exactly that reason.
Not necessarily. A $200 bonus at 40x needs $8,000 of wagering; a $50 bonus at 20x needs $1,000. The smaller one is far easier to clear. Always multiply it out rather than comparing headline amounts.
Your account area should show any active bonus and the wagering still outstanding. If you can't find it, ask support — knowing where you stand is reasonable and they'll tell you.
Play within your means. Wagering requirements can encourage longer sessions than you intended, simply because stopping means forfeiting. If you find yourself playing to clear a bonus rather than because you want to, forfeiting it is the better decision. A bonus is never worth chasing. Strictly 18+.
iJoker88 provides deposit limits, session reminders, cool-off periods and self-exclusion — see the responsible gambling tools guide for how to switch them on.
Need to talk to someone? Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support to Australians 24/7 on 1800 858 858, or at gamblinghelponline.org.au.