Most readers arrive at a promotions page looking for the biggest number on it, and most of the value on that page is decided by five smaller items that are not in the headline. A welcome package can look generous and still leave a player with nothing withdrawable, because the headline figure is a condition, not a payment. The page that matters is not the banner; it is the terms block attached to each offer, and the five items below are what a reader should confirm before treating any promotion as real.
Read the wagering multiple as a condition on withdrawal, not as a detail
The wagering requirement is the number of times a bonus amount, or a deposit plus bonus amount, must be staked before any winnings derived from the offer can be withdrawn. It is the single item that most often turns a headline offer into a holding pattern. A player who deposits, receives a bonus, and then attempts to withdraw will find the withdrawal blocked until the wagering condition is met.
What a wagering requirement does mechanically is simple: it forces turnover. A player must place bets whose total stake equals the bonus amount multiplied by the stated figure. The requirement is not a fee, and it is not deducted from a balance. It is a threshold that must be crossed before the withdrawal function will accept the relevant funds. If the threshold is not crossed, the bonus and any winnings attached to it are typically forfeited when the offer expires or when the player attempts to withdraw the deposit portion.
The wagering multiple is always stated in the terms block of the individual promotion, not in the banner. On Scarabet's promotions page, a reader should look for the section labelled "terms", "conditions", "wagering" or "playthrough" attached to the specific offer, not to the page as a whole. Different offers on the same page can carry different multiples, and a welcome package may split its multiple across several stages.
Confirm the basis of the wagering requirement before calculating anything
The multiple is meaningless without its basis. A wagering requirement can be applied to the bonus amount only, or to the deposit plus bonus amount combined. The difference is material. A requirement based on deposit plus bonus can be more than twice as demanding as one based on the bonus alone, even when the printed multiple is identical. Two offers can display the same multiple and carry very different real conditions because one basis is larger than the other.
The basis is usually printed in the same terms block as the multiple itself, often in a single sentence such as "wagering applies to the bonus and deposit amount". Where the page does not state the basis, the reader cannot calculate the turnover required, and the offer is not fully specified. An offer that does not state its basis should be treated as unspecified rather than as generous.
A reader should also note whether the wagering requirement applies to winnings from free spins separately from the main bonus. Free spins often carry their own multiple and their own basis, and the two may not be combined. The promotions page will normally list free spin terms in a separate block or a sub-section of the main terms.
| Item to confirm | Why it can change | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering multiple | Different offers carry different multiples; a welcome package may split them across stages | Terms block of the individual offer |
| Basis of wagering | Bonus only or deposit plus bonus; the same multiple means different turnover on each basis | Same terms block, usually in the sentence defining wagering |
| Eligible games | Game weighting varies; some games contribute fully, others partially or not at all | Game contribution table or list within the terms |
| Time limit | Offers expire; the window may be days or weeks and differs per promotion | Terms block, often under "validity" or "expiry" |
| Maximum cashout | A cap on withdrawable winnings from bonus play; may be a fixed amount or a multiple of the bonus | Terms block, often under "maximum withdrawal" or "cashout limit" |
Check which games count toward the requirement, and at what rate
Not all wagers count equally toward a wagering requirement. Most operators weight games by type: slots commonly contribute fully, while table games and live dealer games may contribute a lower percentage or nothing at all. A player who tries to clear a wagering requirement on blackjack may find that only a fraction of each stake counts, or that the game is excluded entirely.
The game contribution table is the most important part of a promotions page that many readers skip. It is usually a short list or table within the terms block, showing which game categories count and at what rate. The table can change between promotions, so a contribution rate read from one offer does not transfer to another.
Where the promotions page does not include a game contribution list, the reader should look for a link to a general bonus terms page or a game weighting page. If no contribution information is available anywhere, the reader cannot know which games will clear the requirement, and the offer is effectively unmeasurable. The absence of a contribution table is itself a finding: the offer is not fully specified.
Find the time limit and the maximum cashout before depositing
Every promotion carries a validity window. The wagering requirement must be met within that window, or the bonus and any winnings attached to it are forfeited. The time limit is usually stated in days, and it begins from the moment the bonus is credited, not from the moment the player reads the page. A player who deposits on the last day of an offer's validity may have less time than the printed figure suggests.
The maximum cashout is a cap on how much of the winnings derived from bonus play can be withdrawn. Any amount above the cap is removed when the player requests a withdrawal. The cap may be a fixed amount, or it may be a multiple of the bonus or deposit. It is stated in the terms block, often under a heading such as "maximum withdrawal" or "cashout limit".
Both items are commonly changed between promotions, and both are sometimes moved to a separate terms page rather than printed on the promotions page itself. A reader should confirm both for the specific offer they intend to claim, not for the promotions page as a whole. Where the page does not state a maximum cashout, the reader should not assume there is no cap; it may be stated in a general bonus policy or applied at withdrawal time.
Read the promotions page as a set of conditions, not as a menu of gifts
A promotions page is a collection of conditional offers. Each offer is a contract with five moving parts: the multiple, the basis, the games, the time, and the cap. A reader who reads only the headline has read none of the contract. A reader who reads the terms block has read most of it. A reader who confirms all five items has read the offer.
The page itself is not static. Offers are added, removed and re-weighted. A welcome package advertised today may be replaced tomorrow. A wagering multiple printed this month may be different next month. The only version of an offer that binds is the version live on the operator's own site at the moment the player claims it. A cached page, a review site, or a screenshot from a previous visit is not the offer.
Where an offer's terms are incomplete, the reader's position is simple: the offer is not fully specified, and the missing item is the one most likely to determine whether the offer is worth claiming. A promotions page that does not state a wagering basis, a game contribution table, a time limit or a maximum cashout is a page that has not finished describing its own offer.
FAQ
What does a wagering requirement require?
A wagering requirement requires a player to stake a total amount equal to the bonus, or the deposit plus bonus, multiplied by the stated figure, before any winnings from the bonus can be withdrawn. It is a turnover threshold, not a fee. Until the threshold is met, the withdrawal function will not release the relevant funds.
Why do two offers with the same multiple feel different?
Because the basis may differ. One offer may apply the multiple to the bonus only, while another applies it to the deposit plus bonus. The second basis can require more than twice the turnover of the first, even when the printed multiple is identical. The basis is stated in the terms block, not in the headline.
What happens if the wagering requirement is not met in time?
The bonus and any winnings attached to it are typically forfeited when the validity window expires. The deposit portion may remain withdrawable, but the bonus-derived funds are removed. The time limit is stated in the terms block and begins when the bonus is credited.
Where is the maximum cashout stated?
The maximum cashout is stated in the terms block of the individual offer, often under a heading such as "maximum withdrawal" or "cashout limit". It caps the amount of bonus-derived winnings that can be withdrawn. If it is not stated on the promotions page, it may be in a general bonus policy or applied at withdrawal time.
This page is an independent summary of what a promotions page covers and how to read it; it is not published by Scarabet, and it states no figure or status for the operator, whose own promotions page is the only binding source for any offer.
Play responsibly
Gambling should be treated as paid entertainment, never as a way to earn income or recover losses. 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738)
18+ or 21+ depending on where you are; follow the minimum age that applies to you.
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.
