Marketing
Sticky Bonus
Definition
A bonus whose funds are combined with the customer’s deposit into one balance that cannot be withdrawn until the wagering requirement is met, so that the deposit is locked with the bonus. Contrasted with a non-sticky or parachute bonus, under which real money is played first and kept separate.
Key takeaways
- A sticky bonus locks deposit and bonus in one balance until wagering is complete; a non-sticky bonus keeps the deposit separate and withdrawable.
- Non-sticky (parachute) bonuses are far more valuable to customers, since a real-money win can be withdrawn without wagering.
- Britain has ruled deposit-lock terms unfair and capped wagering at 10x; other regulators have followed on the deposit point.
- The label is loose; the terms on deposit separation, withdrawability and forfeiture are what to read.
Why it matters
The sticky bonus is the older and, for the customer, the worse structure. A customer deposits 100 and receives a 100 bonus; under a sticky bonus the 200 is one balance subject to 35x wagering on the bonus, and a customer who wins early cannot withdraw anything, including the original deposit, until the requirement is cleared. Under a non-sticky bonus the 100 deposit is played first as real money, fully withdrawable at any point, and the bonus only becomes active if the deposit is lost; a customer who wins on real money can leave with the winnings and never touch the bonus.
Operators used sticky structures because they maximise play: a customer with a locked balance keeps playing, and most clear the requirement by losing the balance. Regulators noticed. Britain's Gambling Commission ruled that terms which lock a customer's own deposit behind bonus wagering are unfair and required operators to let customers withdraw their deposit at any time (forfeiting the bonus), and rules it announced in 2025 capped wagering at 10x from 19 January 2026, which reduces the difference between structures. Other regulators have followed on the deposit-lock point, and consumer sites rank non-sticky bonuses as more valuable for the obvious reason.
The terminology is loose and the terms are what matter. A "sticky" bonus in some usage means one whose bonus amount is removed at withdrawal (only winnings above it can be cashed out), which is a different mechanism with the same effect of keeping the bonus in play. In every case the questions are whether the deposit is separated, what is withdrawable and when, and what a withdrawal request forfeits.
Sources
- Gambling promotions to be safer and simpler - Gambling Commission
- Restrictions on withdrawing deposit and deposit winnings - Gambling Commission
Frequently asked questions
What is a non-sticky bonus?
One where your deposit is played first, as real money, and stays withdrawable. The bonus only activates if the deposit is lost, so a win on real money can be cashed out without any wagering.
Can an operator lock my deposit until I clear a bonus?
Not in Britain, where the regulator has ruled such terms unfair and requires that customers can withdraw their own deposit at any time, forfeiting the bonus. Elsewhere it depends on the market’s rules and the operator’s terms.
Why do operators offer sticky bonuses at all?
Because a locked balance keeps a customer playing until the requirement is cleared, which most do by losing it. Regulation and competition have pushed the market toward non-sticky structures.