To guarantee that UK licenses provide safe and equitable terms for customers, the UK gaming Commission (UKGC) will implement new regulations on gaming incentives and promotional language.
Changes to stop damaging marketing tactics and enhance consumer comprehension of bonus offers and terms are among the new measures, which the Commission previously identified as a persistent concern.
After consultation, the Commission will implement a cap on bonus wagering requirements, prohibit promotional incentives that combine several gambling product categories, and clarify the language in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).
As part of a larger regulatory reform program in line with the 2023 White Paper “High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age,” new regulations and reforms will go into effect on December 19, 2025.
Prohibition of bonus mixing
The trend of providing promotional incentives that mix wagering applications with casino, bingo, sports, or lottery products is one of the headline changes.
Bonuses that require a client to play a slot machine and place a sports wager in order to be eligible will no longer be accepted under the new regulations.
In response to worries that providing several gaming formats in a single offer could confuse customers and lead them to take greater risks, particularly among vulnerable customers, it has been established that bonus mixing is prohibited.
However, for clients who only bet on sports, poker, or casinos, rewards may be combined within the same category.
According to the survey, 50% of participants supported the prohibition on bonus mixing, especially those who support public health, academia, and charities.
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They cited studies like the Pattern of Play report (2022), which showed that certain groups are more vulnerable to injury when they gamble on a variety of products.
As a responsible step in harm prevention, these respondents praised the policy. Additionally, they contended that streamlined offers would be simpler to comprehend and less likely to deceive or coerce customers into gambling more than they had planned.
However, the ban was challenged by a large number of trade associations and casino licensees. They argued that the customers can exercise their free will and expressed doubts about the strength of the evidence.
Internal research conducted by certain operators revealed that their clients valued and adored mixed-product deals.
Others expressed worries that the prohibition may limit company flexibility and the range of goods available to consumers. Clarity was also sought regarding the potential impact on general credit-based incentives, such as a £10 bonus that can be applied to any product.
The Commission responded by making it clear that the prohibition only applies to incentives in which the words are connected across different product categories. The UKGC also pointed out that this approach differs from the recent modifications that, beginning in May 2025, will require consumers’ agreement to marketing by product and channel.
Bonus wagering requirements cap
An further modification will limit the online bonus wagering requirements to ten times the bonus amount: “a £10 bonus cannot require more than £100 in bets before any winnings can be withdrawn.”
The Commission aims to eliminate deceptive or excessive promotional terms that are considered unfair and may compel customers to wager more than they had originally intended. High wagering thresholds, according to the Commission, make it harder for players to comprehend the terms and lead to faster and riskier gaming practices.
After a consultation, most answers were again split between supporting and opposing the 10x cap. Just under half of the respondents desired a total prohibition on wagering requirements, while slightly more than half favored a limit.
Even low wagering requirements are detrimental and difficult to understand, according to consumer activists who advocated a ban. They noted that a lot of patrons can be duped into playing for longer than they intended to since they are unaware of the minimum stake needed to win.
Since licenses require some sort of wagering restriction to prevent fraud and abuse through strategies like bot use or coordinated free offer exploitation, the majority of industry participants opposed a total ban on wagering requirements.
Since any lower threshold would effectively act as a ban, many respondents thought that the 10x cap was the only commercially viable approach.
The 10x restriction is seen by the Commission as a strategy that reduces possible harm while preserving consumer flexibility.
Moving toward a fair and secure gambling environment
The Gambling Commission will reorganize the LCCP’s Rewards and Bonuses section in order to increase comprehension of the Commission’s expectations and strengthen these measures. This program aims to reduce misunderstandings about how licensees apply and interpret promotional rules.
“These changes will better protect consumers from gambling harm and give consumers much better clarity on, and certainty of, offers before they decide to sign up,” stated Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the gaming Commission.
In order to stop harmful practices that it believes have damaged license trust, the Commission will implement amendments to promotion terms.
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