Anyone asking "How do wagering requirements work?" is usually weighing a bonus offer. A casino bonus arrives with a wagering requirement, and that single number decides whether the bonus is worth taking. It states how many times a sum must be staked before the bonus, and anything won with it, can be withdrawn. Two offers of the same size can ask for very different amounts of play once the multiplier, the base it applies to and the games that count are read together.
Games do not count equally toward a requirement. Slots usually contribute their full stake, while table games, live games and video poker often count for a small share or nothing at all, because their low edge would make the requirement easy to clear. A contribution table in the terms lists the percentage for each game type. A stake on a game counting at ten percent clears only a tenth of its value, so the same requirement takes ten times as much play.
The multiplier matters less than the sum it applies to. A requirement of thirty times the bonus on a bonus of one hundred units means three thousand units of stakes, while thirty times the deposit plus the bonus doubles that figure on a full match. Terms state the base in a single line that is easy to skip. Working out the total turnover before accepting shows the real size of the task, and it often turns an attractive headline into a modest one.
Short answers
Do all casino games count equally toward wagering?
No. Slots usually count in full, while table games, live games and video poker may count for a small share or nothing, as listed in a contribution table.
Why do table games clear wagering so slowly?
Table games have a low house edge, so casinos weight them at a fraction, so a stake counting at ten percent clears only a tenth of its value.
Which balance is used first, cash or bonus?
The order is set by each casino: where cash goes first, a player can win and withdraw before touching the bonus; where the bonus goes first, winnings stay locked.
Does the requirement apply to the deposit plus the bonus?
Some terms apply it to the bonus alone, others to deposit plus bonus, which doubles the turnover on a full match.
What happens if an excluded game is played with bonus funds?
The casino can void the bonus and every win attached to it, even when the game loaded without any warning.