Refer a friend casino bonuses: how they work and what to check

By The Casino Deals team · Updated 1 November 2026 · 5 min read

A refer a friend bonus rewards you for introducing someone to a casino you already use. When your friend signs up with your link or code and meets the conditions, you get a reward, and sometimes your friend does too. Here is how refer a friend offers work at UK casinos, the terms that decide whether you get paid, and when one is worth sharing.

How a refer a friend bonus works

You find your personal referral link or code in your account, usually under promotions.
Your friend opens a new account using that link or code.
Your friend completes the qualifying steps, such as verifying their account and making a deposit, or depositing and wagering a set amount.
Once they qualify, the casino credits your reward, often within a stated number of days.

The reward might be bonus funds, free spins or, less often, cash. Your friend may get the casino’s normal welcome offer instead of, or as well as, a referral reward.

Refer a friend terms to check

What your friend must do: the qualifying deposit and any wagering they must complete before you’re rewarded.
Your reward and its wagering: referral bonuses often carry a bonus balance with wagering, just like other offers.
Limits: many casinos cap how many friends you can refer, or how much you can earn, in a month.
Who counts as a new customer: people at the same address, on the same device or using the same payment details are often excluded.
Time limits: your friend may need to qualify within a set number of days. See our guide to bonus expiry.

Refer a friend example

A casino offers “refer a friend: get £20 in bonus funds when your friend deposits £20 and plays £20 on slots, within 30 days”. Your bonus carries 10x wagering.

Your friend signs up through your link, deposits £20 and plays it through on slots in week one. You get £20 in bonus funds.
To withdraw winnings from it, you need to wager £20 × 10 = £200, under the casino’s other bonus terms.
If your friend signs up without your link, or plays only on excluded games, no referral is recorded.

Referring friends responsibly

Only refer people who already want to play and are 18 or over. Don’t pressure anyone to deposit or play more than they would anyway, and never open an account for someone else. Casinos check referrals, and using fake or linked accounts can lead to rewards being removed and accounts being closed.

Is a refer a friend bonus worth it?

A referral reward can be good value if your friend was going to join anyway and the reward has low or no wagering. Check whether your friend would get a better deal by claiming the casino’s standard welcome offer instead. Our casino deal checklist helps compare the two.

Refer a friend FAQs

Does my friend get a bonus too?

Sometimes. Some casinos reward both of you, others reward only the person referring. The terms will say.

Why didn’t I get my referral reward?

Usually because your friend didn’t use your link or code, didn’t meet the qualifying steps in time, or was treated as an existing or linked customer.

Can I refer someone in my household?

Often not. Many casinos exclude people at the same address or using the same device or payment details.

Does a referral bonus have wagering?

It often does, but some casinos pay referral rewards as cash or wager-free spins. Check the terms.