The decision a bonus page forces on a reader
A player who opens FT's bonus page is usually not deciding whether to take a gift. They are deciding whether a set of conditions is worth meeting. Almost every offer on a casino promotions page is a contract: the operator puts a sum in front of the player, and in return the player accepts restrictions on when and how that sum can become withdrawable money. The bonus page is where the contract is printed. Reading it well means finding the conditions before the offer, not after.
The central question is not what the bonus is called. It is what the player must do before the bonus stops being a number on a screen and becomes cash they can take out. On FT's page, as on any operator's page, that question is answered by the terms attached to each offer. The offer's name, its headline amount and its artwork are the least informative parts of the page. The terms are the offer.
What each offer type costs in conditions
Casino bonus pages tend to organise offers into a small number of families. Each family has a different cost structure, and the reader should identify the family before looking at any figure.
| Offer type | What it normally gives | What it normally costs | Where FT states it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit match | Bonus funds added when the player deposits | A wagering requirement on the bonus, sometimes on bonus plus deposit, before withdrawal | The offer's own terms block on the promotions page |
| Free spins | A fixed number of spins on named games | Winnings from spins become bonus funds, subject to wagering; spins may expire | The offer terms and any game restriction list |
| Cashback | A return of a portion of losses over a period | Often credited as bonus funds with wagering, not as withdrawable cash | The cashback terms, which state the qualifying period and the loss basis |
| No-deposit bonus | Bonus funds or spins without a deposit | The strictest wagering and withdrawal caps of any offer type | The no-deposit terms, which usually sit in a separate section |
A deposit match is the most common offer and the easiest to misread. The player deposits, and the operator adds bonus funds. The cost is that the bonus funds are not withdrawable until the player has wagered them a fixed number of times. Whether the deposit itself is also locked into that requirement varies by operator and by offer; the terms state which basis applies. If the terms say the wagering applies to bonus and deposit together, the offer is materially more expensive than it looks from the headline.
Free spins are usually attached to specific games. The spins themselves have no cash value; only what they win matters. Those winnings typically convert to bonus funds, which then carry the same wagering burden as a deposit match. A reader who sees free spins should look for two things: the wagering multiple on winnings, and the expiry window on the spins themselves. Both are stated in the offer terms, and both can be different from the deposit match sitting next to them on the same page.
Cashback is the offer type most often mistaken for a refund. It is not a refund. Cashback returns a portion of net losses over a defined period, and on most operators' pages the returned amount lands as bonus funds, not as withdrawable cash. The reader must check whether the cashback is calculated on all losses or only on losses above a threshold, and whether the credited amount carries wagering. FT's cashback terms, like any operator's, state the calculation basis and the wagering condition on the same page as the offer.
No-deposit offers are the most conditional of all. Because the player has risked nothing, the operator protects itself with the tightest limits: a high wagering multiple, a cap on the maximum amount that can ever be withdrawn from the offer, and often a short expiry. The no-deposit terms are where those limits are printed. A reader who skips them has not understood the offer at all.
How a wagering requirement is computed, and on what basis
The wagering requirement is the mechanism that turns a bonus from a gift into an obligation. It is a multiplier applied to a base amount, and the product is the total sum the player must stake before the bonus funds can be withdrawn. The reader needs to know three things to compute it: the base amount, the multiple, and which games count toward the requirement.
The base amount is the single most important variable, because it changes the size of the obligation without changing the headline. If the base is the bonus alone, the player must stake the bonus amount multiplied by the requirement. If the base is bonus plus deposit, the player must stake a larger sum. The difference is not trivial, and it is stated only in the terms. FT's bonus terms specify the base for each offer; the reader should read that line before anything else.
The multiple itself is a figure the reader must take from the page. No general statement can supply it, because it differs across operators and across offers on the same operator's page. What the reader can know in advance is that the multiple is always a condition on withdrawal, never a benefit. A higher multiple means the player must stake more before the bonus becomes real money. The terms state the multiple as a number, usually next to the base amount.
Game weighting is the third variable, and the one most often missed. Not all games count equally toward the wagering requirement. Slots commonly count fully; table games commonly count at a reduced rate or not at all. The weighting table is part of the bonus terms, and it decides whether the player can realistically complete the requirement on the games they want to play. If the reader's preferred game counts at zero, the bonus is worthless to them no matter how generous the headline looks.
The computation itself is simple once the three inputs are known: base amount multiplied by the multiple equals total stake required. The reader can do that arithmetic on any offer. What they cannot do is guess the inputs. All three are stated on the bonus page or in the terms linked from it, and no article about bonuses can supply them for a specific operator.
Which items on the page commonly change
Bonus terms are not stable documents. Operators revise them, and the revisions usually move in one direction: toward more conditions, not fewer. A reader who memorised a multiple last month may find a different one this month. The bonus page is the only place the current terms are binding.
| Item to confirm | Why it can change | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering multiple | Operators adjust the multiple per offer and per season | The offer's terms block on the promotions page |
| Base amount (bonus only or bonus plus deposit) | The basis can change between offers even when the headline does not | The terms line that defines the wagering base |
| Game weighting | Weighting tables are reissued when game libraries change | The bonus terms or a linked weighting table |
| Expiry window | Offers carry a validity period that is reset for each promotion | The offer terms, usually near the eligibility section |
| Maximum withdrawal from bonus | Caps are adjusted per offer, especially on no-deposit bonuses | The terms section on withdrawal limits |
| Eligible payment methods | Some deposit methods are excluded from bonus eligibility | The offer terms or the payments page |
The expiry window deserves particular attention. A bonus that expires before the player can complete the wagering requirement is a bonus that costs the player their deposit with no return. The expiry is stated in the terms, and it is not the same across offers. Free spins often expire faster than deposit match funds. A reader who plans to play slowly should check the expiry before depositing, not after.
Eligible payment methods are another changing item. Some operators exclude certain deposit methods from bonus eligibility, meaning a player who deposits with an excluded method receives no bonus at all. The exclusion is stated in the terms, and it can change without notice. The reader should confirm their deposit method is eligible before relying on the offer.
Working out whether an offer can be completed at all
The most useful question a reader can ask about any bonus is not whether it is generous, but whether it is completable. An offer with a low headline amount and modest conditions may be worth more than a large offer with conditions the player cannot meet. The test is mechanical, and the reader can run it with the numbers printed on the page.
The first step is to compute the total stake required. The reader takes the base amount from the terms, multiplies it by the wagering multiple, and writes down the result. That number is the total amount they must stake before withdrawal. It is not a target they are likely to hit by accident; it is a sum they must plan to reach.
The second step is to check the game weighting. If the games the player plays count at a reduced rate, the effective stake required is higher than the nominal total. If they count at zero, the requirement cannot be completed on those games at all. The reader should identify at least one game they enjoy that counts fully toward the requirement, and confirm it is still available.
The third step is to compare the total stake required with the player's own budget and time. A player who deposits a small amount and plays occasionally may find the requirement impossible within the expiry window. That is not a failure of the player; it is a property of the offer. The terms state the expiry, and the reader can do the arithmetic before committing.
The fourth step is to check the maximum withdrawal cap. Many bonuses, especially no-deposit offers, cap the amount a player can ever withdraw from bonus winnings. If the cap is low, the offer is worth little even if completed. The cap is stated in the terms, and it is the last number to check before deciding.
If any of these items is missing from the page, the reader should treat the offer as unreadable. An offer without a stated wagering multiple, a stated base amount, or a stated expiry is not an offer the reader can evaluate. The absence of those terms is itself the answer: the reader cannot know what they are accepting, and the only safe move is to ask support or pass on the offer.
What the bonus page does not say
A promotions page is a marketing document first and a terms document second. The reader should expect the page to lead with the most attractive framing and to bury the conditions in smaller text or a linked terms page. That is not unique to FT; it is how bonus pages are built across operators. The reader's job is to ignore the framing and find the terms.
The page will not usually state the expected cost of the bonus in plain language. It will not say that most players fail to complete the wagering requirement, or that the house edge on the eligible games eats into the bonus value with every spin or hand. Those facts are consequences of the mechanics, not statements the page is designed to make. The reader must infer them from the multiple, the weighting and the expiry.
The page also will not state which offers are worth taking. That judgement belongs to the reader, and it depends on their own budget, games and patience. The page supplies the conditions; the reader supplies the decision.
FAQ
Where does FT state the wagering requirement for a bonus?
The wagering requirement is stated in the terms attached to each offer on the promotions page. The reader should look for the line that defines the base amount and the multiple. If the terms are linked rather than printed on the page, the link is the binding source.
Does a deposit match bonus lock the deposit itself?
It depends on the offer. Some operators apply the wagering requirement to the bonus only; others apply it to bonus plus deposit. The terms state which basis applies, and the reader should confirm it before depositing, because the difference changes the total stake required.
Can free spins winnings be withdrawn immediately?
Usually not. Free spins winnings typically convert to bonus funds, which then carry a wagering requirement before withdrawal. The terms state the multiple on winnings and the expiry window on the spins themselves.
What happens if the bonus expires before wagering is complete?
The bonus funds, and usually any winnings derived from them, are forfeited. The expiry window is stated in the offer terms, and the reader should compare it with their expected pace of play before accepting the offer.
This page is an independent summary of what a casino bonus page covers and how its conditions work; it is not published by FT, and it states no figure or status for that operator. FT's own promotions page and the terms linked from it are the only binding source for any offer.
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This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.