Great Britain’s Gambling Commission has released new guidance on upcoming rules for gambling promotions. First announced in March, the rules are meant to stop operators from combining different types of gambling in a single offer. After a delay, the commission has confirmed the rules will take effect on 19 January.

The rules were first expected to start in December, but the later date gives operators more time to get ready. The commission said the changes are designed to better protect customers and make bonus offers easier to understand and fairer.

Clear limits on mixing gambling products

In a blog post published on 12 December, the commission said gambling promotions must now stick to one type of gambling. This means the action a customer takes and the reward they get must be for the same product, such as betting, casino, bingo or lottery.

The only exception is when an offer is completely open. In these cases, customers must be free to decide how to use their bonus. The commission said, “The important point to note is that the customer must have full freedom of choice in which product category (betting, bingo, casino, lottery) to use their credits or bonus money – it must not be restricted in any way by the operator.” For example, an offer to spend £5 on any product to receive a bonus would be allowed if there are no limits on how the bonus is used.

Examples of non-compliant bonus offers

Most bonus offers must now be linked to just one type of gambling. The commission made clear that mixing products is not allowed at all. This means offers like betting on sports to get free spins, or playing casino games to earn a free sports bet, will break the rules.

The regulator also warned about offers that look open but are still not allowed. For example, betting £5 on sports to get £10 credit for any product would still be against the rules. These examples are meant to help operators understand how the rules will be applied from January.

Free-to-play games also affected

The guidance also covers free-to-play games in gambling apps. Operators will no longer be allowed to offer free games that give bonuses across different products. Any bonus must be limited to a single category, such as betting, casino, bingo, or lottery, to keep promotions clear, fair, and easy for players to understand.

Pradeep Rajania of the Gambling Commission said the rule applies even if no money is staked. “The provision applies irrespective of whether a stake on the product category is required or not in order to receive the reward,” he said. Operators are now expected to update their promotions before the January start date.