Game Contribution Tables Explained

Most bonuses come with a wagering requirement, and that requirement does not treat every game the same way. A contribution table sets out how much of each bet counts towards clearing it. This guide is for adults in the UK, USA, Ireland, Canada and Australia, and it explains the idea in plain terms.

Understanding the table matters because it changes the true cost of a bonus. The same bonus can be cheap to clear on one game and costly on another. Nothing here is a tip. Gambling carries a built-in house edge, and a bonus does not remove it.

What a contribution table is

A contribution table, sometimes called game weighting, lists the percentage of each stake that counts towards the wagering requirement. You will usually find it in the bonus terms, on a promotion page or in a help article.

A common pattern is that most slots count 100%, many table games count a lower share, and some games count nothing at all. The exact percentages are set by each operator, so there is no standard table. Always read the one attached to your offer, because it can differ from one promotion to the next.

Why operators weight games differently

The reason is the house edge. Weighting reflects how quickly a game tends to cost the player money. A game with a low edge, such as blackjack played well, loses less per pound staked than most slots. If every game counted fully, a player could clear a bonus on a low-edge game while giving up very little, and the operator would be paying out the bonus for almost nothing.

Lower weightings on low-edge games protect the operator against that. Some terms also exclude certain games entirely, or exclude bets that cover most outcomes at once, such as backing both red and black on roulette. For the maths behind these edges, see RTP, house edge and payout rate.

A worked example

This example is for illustration only. The percentages and edges are not real market figures.

Imagine a £20 bonus with a wagering requirement of 10 times the bonus. You must generate £200 of qualifying wagering (£20 x 10).

• Slots at 100%: every £1 staked counts as £1, so you need £200 of stakes. If the slot had an illustrative 4% house edge, the expected loss across £200 of play is £8 (£200 x 0.04).
• Roulette at 10%: every £1 staked counts as 10p, so you need £2,000 of stakes (£200 / 0.10). European roulette has a house edge of 2.70%, so the expected loss across £2,000 of play is £54 (£2,000 x 0.027).

The expected cost of clearing on roulette in this example is £54, which is more than the £20 bonus itself. The lower edge per bet was outweighed by the extra turnover that the low percentage forces. Expected loss is an average, not a prediction: any one session can end well above or below it.

Why a low contribution can cost more

Cost to clear is roughly the wagering amount, divided by the contribution percentage, multiplied by the game’s house edge. A table game with a small edge can still be a bad route if it counts for only 5% or 10%, because the required stakes become very large. More turnover also means more time, more variance and more chances to break a term such as a maximum stake. See max bet rules in bonus terms.

Other details that change the maths

• Stake only: contribution usually counts the amount you stake, not what you win, so winning spins do not shorten the requirement.
• Excluded games: some games or features may be excluded or count less. Check for lists by name.
• Sports terms: sports offers often use minimum odds rather than weightings, so bets below a set price may not count.

Rules by country

• United Kingdom: since January 2026 the Gambling Commission caps wagering requirements on promotions at 10 times and bans mixing different product types, such as betting and casino, inside one incentive. The cap sits on the requirement itself, so contribution percentages still change how much play it takes in practice.
• United States: promotions are regulated state by state, and online casino is live in only a handful of states. Terms and wagering structures differ by operator and state.
• Ireland: online licensing is being rolled out by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland, betting first. Check the current position and the operator’s own terms.
• Canada: provinces regulate. In Ontario, operators must disclose all material conditions of an offer when it is first shown, with the remainder no more than one click away, and an offer may not be called free if conditions apply to it.
• Australia: online casino games and pokies are prohibited for people in Australia, so casino contribution tables do not apply there. Licensed operators offer wagering on sport and racing only.

How to use this information

Before accepting an offer, read the contribution table first. Work out the total stakes you would need on the game you actually enjoy, and ask whether you would play that much anyway. If the answer is no, the bonus is likely to push you into spending more than you planned. Declining is always allowed. For the wider picture, read how bonuses actually work and types of welcome bonus explained.

Setting a budget before you play helps. The free spend tracker includes a bonus wagering calculator and an expected loss calculator.

The bottom line

A contribution table decides how many pounds, dollars or euros you must stake to clear a bonus. Slots that count 100% need the least turnover, while low-percentage table games can need many times more and cost more in expected loss than the bonus is worth. Read the table before you accept, treat any figure as an average rather than a promise, and keep to a budget you set in advance.

Sources

• Gambling Commission: Socially responsible incentives consultation response (gamblingcommission.gov.uk)
• Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario: Registrar’s Standards for Internet Gaming (agco.ca)
• Wiggin LLP: Wagering cap and product-mixing ban for incentives (wiggin.co.uk)
• Australian Communications and Media Authority: Illegal online gambling (acma.gov.au)

18+ only (21 in most US states, 19 in most Canadian provinces for casino and betting). Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available: Great Britain: England and Scotland 0808 8020 133, Wales 0808 2819 265 (free, 24 hours), and GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk); US: National Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-MY-RESET (the older 1-800-522-4700 also works); Australia: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 and BetStop (betstop.gov.au); Ontario, Canada: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600; Ireland: speak to your GP or the HSE. Never gamble money you need for living costs.