The UK gambling industry is facing the biggest shake-up in bonus structures in years, with new rules from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) preventing cross-selling on bonuses and stipulating a maximum 10x cap on wagering requirements.
But will these reforms encourage a fairer playing field and signal a new era for British bonuses, or push players toward unregulated operators? To delve deeper, iGF spoke with key industry figures, PlayOJO and NoWagering.com, two brands that have long advocated zero wagering requirement bonuses.
UKGC Gets Tough
Last week, the UKGC followed through on its promise of bonus reforms. The new rules cap wagering requirements at 10x and prohibit cross-selling bonuses that encourage players to engage with multiple verticals, such as slots and sports betting.
Previously, the Commission had warned operators against offering bonuses with high wagering requirements, particularly those paired with short validity periods, as these practices encourage “excessive gambling” beyond the boundaries of responsible play.
These concerns have now been enshrined in the rulebook, coming into effect on December 19.
The End of Match Deposit Bonuses?
According to Pavlos Sideris, Director of Double Up Media and founder of NoWagering.com, one of the most significant impacts of these changes will be the end of match deposit bonuses, a staple of the UK gambling landscape for years.
Sideris predicts the new rules will render this popular bonus model unsustainable: “For years, many operators have relied on ‘huge’ bonuses with wagering requirements of 30-50x to compete. That simply won’t be possible anymore,” Sideris explains. “Reducing those requirements to 10x is unaffordable for most operators, too costly and far too risky.”
Sideris believes that match deposit bonuses will either disappear and be replaced by lower-value, but more innovative offers like wheel spins or free spins, or they will be significantly reduced, with £10 or £20 matches becoming the new norm.
Peter Bennett, Chief Marketing Officer at PlayOJO–which has operated in the UK since 2017 with a zero-wagering policy on all bonuses–agrees that the industry is on the brink of a major overhaul. “There’s no doubt that these new regulations will lead to smaller bonuses overall”, Bennett says. “The industry will need to adapt quickly.”
Competing on New Terms
While many operators have voiced concerns that the new bonus rules may drive more players toward unregulated black-market sites, which will continue offering high-value bonuses with high wagering requirements, Sideris remains optimistic.
He believes the new rules will push operators to evolve, shifting the focus away from bonus size to factors like fairness and player experience. “For a long time, we’ve said that casinos should compete on fairness rather than the size of their bonuses. Now’s the time to make that happen,” Sideris says.
“Operators need to review their offerings, redefine their unique selling points, and enhance the player experience to remain competitive.”
Squeezing The Market
The new rules may have consequences for the UK’s gambling operators. Smaller companies, in particular, might find themselves unable to compete and squeezed out of the market.
Sideris suggests that a 20x cap would have struck a better balance between fairness and commercial viability, but the UKGC’s 10x cap may be too restrictive for many operators, especially smaller ones.
“I suspect the larger operators pushed for 10x, knowing it would put pressure on smaller competitors,” he says. “This cap will undoubtedly drive more operators out of the UK market. Many have already left, and many more will follow.”
A New Era for British Bonuses
With bonus structures set to change, the question remains whether players will see the value in lower, fairer bonuses or seek out more lucrative offers from offshore, unregulated operators.
And can the industry step up to the challenge, leveraging the chance to remould bonuses and create new and compelling offers that meet players’ expectations and regulatory requirements?
As the industry adjusts, the coming months will reveal whether these changes mark the beginning of a more sustainable and fairer bonus landscape or whether they will spark a new wave of challenges for UK gambling operators.
