What it means to forfeit a bonus

A casino bonus comes with conditions, such as wagering, a maximum bet and a list of games you can play. While it is active, those rules can apply to how your balance is used. If you decide you don’t want the bonus any more, you can usually cancel it. Casinos call this forfeiting, cancelling or removing the bonus.

It is different from a bonus running out. Our guide to bonus expiry covers what happens when the time limit passes.

What you keep and what you lose

• You keep: your own cash balance, including what is left of your deposit, and usually any winnings already in your cash balance.
• You lose: the remaining bonus funds, and normally any winnings still held in your bonus balance.
• You may also lose: any free spins not yet used from that offer.

The split depends on how the casino keeps its balances. Read bonus balance vs cash to see how the two wallets work and which is used first.

How to forfeit a bonus

1. Open your account and find the bonus or promotions section.
2. Look for the active bonus and a cancel, forfeit or remove option.
3. Read the message on screen, which should tell you what will be removed.
4. Confirm, then check that your balances look right.

If you can’t find the option, ask customer support before you request a withdrawal, and keep a copy of the reply. At some casinos, requesting a withdrawal while a bonus is active can cancel the bonus automatically, so check the terms.

A worked example

You deposit £20 and claim a £20 bonus with 10x wagering on the bonus, so you need to wager £200. After some play you have £35 in cash and £18 in bonus funds, with £150 of wagering left.

• If you carry on, your balance stays tied to the rules until the wagering is done or the bonus expires.
• If you forfeit, the £18 bonus goes and you can withdraw the £35 cash, subject to the usual checks.

These figures are only an example. Offers work differently, so always check the terms. In Great Britain, wagering on casino bonuses has been capped at 10x since January 2026.

When it makes sense to forfeit a bonus

• You want to stop playing. If you have reached your limit, there is no reason to keep going just to clear wagering.
• The bonus is nearly gone. A few pounds of bonus money may not be worth the wagering left.
• The rules don’t suit you. Perhaps the games you like are excluded, or the maximum bet is too low.
• You have a cash win you want to keep. Taking your cash out can be better than risking it on wagering.

It may be worth keeping the bonus if the wagering left is small and you were planning to play anyway. Don’t let a bonus push you to play for longer or for more than you planned.