Live casino bonuses: how they work and what to check

Why many casino bonuses exclude live games

Live table games such as blackjack and baccarat have a low house edge compared with most slots. If live play counted in full towards wagering, a bonus would cost the casino more. So many offers either exclude live dealer games completely or let them count for only a small percentage of each bet.

That means a general welcome bonus is often a poor fit if you mainly play live tables. Casino Compare explains how wagering requirements work in more detail.

Types of live casino bonus

• Live casino welcome offers: a bonus or free bet designed for live games, sometimes on a named table or game show.
• Cashback on live play: a percentage of net losses on live games returned, often as cash or bonus funds.
• Game show promotions: free plays or prize drops on live game shows.
• Table leaderboards: prizes for the players with the most wins or rounds over a set period.

Each type has its own rules, so a live offer at one site can work quite differently from one at another.

Terms to check on a live casino bonus

• Eligible tables: the bonus may only work on specific tables or game providers.
• Wagering contribution: how much each live bet counts towards wagering, which can be 10% or less.
• Wagering amount: on UK casinos it is capped at 10 times the bonus since January 2026.
• Maximum bet: a stake cap while the bonus is active. Going over it can void the bonus.
• Restricted bets: covering both sides, such as red and black, is often banned. Our guide to bonus abuse explains why.
• Expiry: see bonus expiry.

A simple live casino bonus example

Say a casino offers a £10 bonus for live games with 10x wagering, and live blackjack counts at 10%. You would need to wager £100 of bonus play, but each £1 blackjack bet only counts as 10p. That means £1,000 of blackjack bets to clear it. The same offer would be far easier to clear on a game that counts at 100%.

The numbers here are for illustration. Always use the figures in the offer you are claiming.

When a live casino bonus makes sense

This kind of offer suits you if you already play live tables and the offer is built for them, with full or high wagering contribution or cashback paid as cash. If the main offer is for slots and live games barely count, you may be better off forfeiting the bonus and playing with cash only. That keeps your winnings free of bonus rules.