With the technology powering iGaming evolving so rapidly and the competition encouraged by the market creating inventive new ways to appeal to and appease players, the UK’s Gambling Commission is regularly seen tinkering with its rules and regulations. Of course, the regulator can do this at will, requiring operators to keep up as it does so. One of the UKGC’s more recent sweeping changes came to bonuses, setting new rules and limitations.

The changes come in line with the efforts of the regulator to protect customers as much as possible from gambling harms. As a result, all licensed online casinos and gambling sites have had to uproot their usual bonus structures and practices. Looking at the new requirements set by the UKGC, here are some regulatory insights to help platforms planning to offer the ever-popular no deposit bonus remain compliant.

New 2025 Rules for UK iGaming Bonuses

As a blanket description of the new rules showcased by the UKGC at the end of March 2025, the regulator has reined in bonuses a great deal. Primarily, anything seen as potentially harmful or that bundles multiple products – such as free spins with free sports bets – will get the business banned. Stopping the mixed product promotion comes down to seeking better clarity in offers and avoiding the risk of harm caused by engaging with multiple products.

In a welcomed move for players, one of the most testing aspects entrenched in online gambling bonuses has also been given a cap. As detailed in their publication for safer and simpler promotions, bonus wagering requirements have now been limited to 10x. Previous wagering requirements of 35x – a rough average – or even 50 times were seen as being too confusing and likely to increase harm.

Operators do have a bit of time to become compliant, with the changes not coming into force until 19 December 2025, but all are being encouraged to align as swiftly as possible. Operators can refer to the UKGC’s publications in March or the Social Responsibility Code 5.1.1 (Rewards and Bonuses) section of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

Best Practices for UK Casino Bonuses

Operators must ensure that promotions, such as those found when choosing the best UK casino for no deposit bonuses, adhere to strict regulatory standards. Looking at the list of iGamingNuts’ rated platforms, many have already realigned their promotions to meet the upcoming changes. Top offers stick to free spins or bonus sums. On the page, a couple have already turned their wagering requirements to 1x wagering.

The best practices for adhering to the UKGC’s rules often revolve around clarity. Operators need to be very clear as to what restrictions there are on bonuses, such as bet sizes and withdrawal caps, and there needs to be a distinction for players as to whether they’re playing with bonus funds, bonus spins or their real money. This is less of an issue with no deposit bonuses, but where players do also deposit, the two balances need to be distinct.

Finally, operators need to offer a way for players to walk away at any time and let them keep whatever’s left of any deposit that they make and any winnings that come from that deposit. Some generally outdated practices would involve bundling real money deposits with bonus funds, which would now be a clear violation of the regulations in the UK.

No deposit bonuses offered in the UK do offer an easier path to reducing harm and avoiding confusion in their promotional structures. Even so, efforts have to be made to offer clarity, avoid crossovers, and cap wagering requirements.

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Categories: Articles, Policy, Regulation

Tags: games, UK