A wagering requirement (also called playthrough) is the number of times you must bet a bonus, and sometimes your deposit as well, before any winnings from it can be withdrawn.
It is written as a multiplier, such as 35x. The figure is the total you must stake, not the amount you must lose, and it applies either to the bonus alone or to the deposit plus bonus, which is roughly twice the work. Game weighting then decides how quickly each bet counts toward it: slots often contribute 100%, while table games may count 10% or nothing.
Wagering requirements exist because bonuses are marketing, not gifts. The requirement is how a casino protects itself from anyone who would otherwise withdraw a bonus instantly, and it is the main reason a large advertised bonus can be worth less than a small, clean one.
For example, a 35x requirement on a 100-unit bonus means 3,500 units of total stakes before you can cash out bonus winnings. Because every one of those bets faces the house edge, it is common to lose the bonus before clearing it.
Related terms
Put it into practice: try our free tools · read the guides · see top casinos.