Was the bonus cancelled, spent, converted or put under review?
Start with what changed, not just the fact that a bonus tile disappeared. A promotion can stop appearing because its credit was spent, its conditions were completed and eligible funds moved to cash, or its period ended. Those events are different from an adjustment removing a previously recorded balance.
| What the account appears to show | What to establish |
|---|---|
| Offer visible but never active | Was an opt-in or qualifying action recorded, and were you eligible? |
| Credit reduced during play | Was the credit used as stakes, rather than removed as a penalty? |
| Promotion marked complete | Did eligible money transfer to a withdrawable balance? |
| Expired, cancelled or forfeited notice | Which condition caused the status, when, and what amount was removed? |
| Funds unavailable during a review | Is this a temporary restriction, an account check or a final balance adjustment? |
Account labels are not standard across casinos. Ask what the specific status means in money terms: which balance changed, by how much, and whether the decision is final. A missing promotional display alone does not prove that winnings were confiscated.
Which possible reason should you check first?
The following are diagnostic possibilities, not a finding that a casino has acted fairly or that every listed restriction is enforceable. Match the reason actually given to the terms that applied when you accepted the offer. Our bonus-terms guide explains eligibility, game contribution, stake limits and expiry together.
| Possible explanation | Evidence to check |
|---|---|
| The claim or play period ended | The applicable deadline, time zone, start event and your transaction timestamps |
| The offer was not activated or you were ineligible | Opt-in confirmation, account eligibility and the qualifying deposit or payment-method condition |
| You cancelled or declined the promotion | The confirmation notice, action time and stated effect on each balance |
| A withdrawal triggered bonus forfeiture | The withdrawal warning and terms, plus whether the action was confirmed |
| The operator alleges a stake or game restriction was broken | The exact clause and version, named bet or round references and the amount at issue |
| The operator alleges duplicate accounts or fraudulent use | The particular allegation and supporting explanation; do not assume a shared address alone proves wrongdoing |
If the explanation is ‘bonus abuse’, request the actual conduct and condition rather than accepting an undefined label. Keep the reply and use the complaints process if the facts or fairness remain disputed. Creating another account or making another deposit does not resolve the original record.
A wagering progress bar measures qualifying turnover under its rules. It does not by itself establish the cash value of the bonus or explain every adjustment. Our wagering-requirements guide separates the turnover calculation from the money actually remaining.
Can requesting a withdrawal cancel an active bonus?
An active promotion can have a disclosed consequence when you leave it or request a withdrawal. Check the specific notice before confirming: which credit or restricted winnings would be forfeited, and whether the action ends the offer. Do not assume every casino or every bonus uses the same trigger.
The important GB distinction is between remaining own deposit money and promotional funds. The Gambling Commission's deposit-balance guidance requires access to remaining deposits and deposit-derived winnings, including while a bonus is pending or active, subject to general regulatory obligations. The operator must distinguish those balances; a bonus wagering condition should not lock your own deposit balance into further play.
That does not mean every withdrawal must be immediate or that no legitimate check can apply. Verification or another lawful regulatory restriction is a separate issue from a requirement to finish wagering a bonus. Our withdrawal guide explains processing and review stages without promising an instant payment.
The same guidance permits a cost-reflective processing fee disclosed before deposit and reasonable partial-withdrawal limits under fair, transparent agreed terms. It also says an operator must not wait until withdrawal to request information it could reasonably have requested earlier. Ask whether a deduction is a disclosed fee, a bonus adjustment or another restriction.
Worked example: what money has actually been removed?
Imagine a record already separates £20 of remaining deposit money, £7 of winnings from that deposit, £10 of remaining bonus credit and £15 of still-restricted bonus winnings. The displayed combined amount is £52. These are assumed, already classified balances; they are not a formula for assigning mixed cash-and-bonus bets.
| Component before the adjustment | Amount | Assumed classification |
|---|---|---|
| Remaining own deposit | £20 | Own deposit balance |
| Winnings from that deposit | £7 | Own deposit balance |
| Remaining promotional credit | £10 | Restricted promotional funds |
| Still-restricted bonus winnings | £15 | Restricted promotional funds |
| Combined displayed amount | £52 | £27 own money + £25 restricted funds |
Assume a fair, applicable cancellation condition removes exactly the £25 restricted promotional portion, with no other legitimate hold or adjustment. The arithmetic is £52 − £25 = £27 remaining. It is not £0, and the own-money portion does not become bonus money merely because both amounts appeared in one headline total.
Ask how the operator identified which funds paid for the relevant wagers and how each adjustment affected cash and bonus balances. A sticky bonus also needs separate treatment: the original promotional credit may not itself be withdrawable even after conditions are completed.
Can the casino change the terms after you accepted?
Do not assume a clause saying ‘at our sole discretion’ settles the question. The Gambling Commission's guidance restricts varying or stopping an accepted promotion and recognises a limited exception where necessary to prevent fraud or similar unlawful behaviour. Compare the accepted terms with the reason now being relied on.
The CMA also expects important promotional conditions to be clear and timely. A restriction appearing in today's terms does not by itself establish that it was presented when your offer began. Save the version, offer identifier and acceptance time where available, then ask the operator which version it applied.
This does not decide whether an individual disputed bet breached a fair condition. A genuine expiry, an alleged breach, a change to the offer and a temporary review are different issues. The records and applicable terms need to be considered together through the relevant complaint process.
What should you save and ask support to explain?
- The offer name or identifier, accepted terms and significant conditions shown at the time.
- Activation, deposit, expiry, withdrawal and cancellation dates and times, including the time zone.
- Cash and bonus balances before and after the adjustment, with the affected amounts.
- Relevant bet or round references, stakes, game titles and wagering-progress records.
- The cancellation notice, support correspondence and any formal complaint reference.
Keep copies in your own records and share documents only through the operator's verified support route when necessary. You do not need to gamble further to preserve a complaint. A vague response can be followed up as a formal complaint under the published procedure.
What if the explanation is missing or you dispute it?
- Complain directly to the gambling business using its published complaints procedure, stating the disputed amount and requested explanation.
- Provide the relevant dates, terms, transaction references and earlier replies. Keep a copy and a record of when the complaint was received.
- The Gambling Commission says the business has eight weeks from receiving the complaint to resolve it. Follow its procedure and keep the final response.
- If unresolved or you are dissatisfied, check the operator's named ADR route. The regulator describes ADR as free and independent after the complaints process and eight weeks; follow any deadlock letter's referral instructions.
An ADR provider considers whether the dispute falls within its remit before accepting it. A disputed financial adjustment is different from simply being declined a future promotion or disliking customer service. Referral does not guarantee repayment or reinstatement of an offer.
If you are unsure which business is responsible, our casino-licence guide explains how to match the website's exact domain to its GB licence record. This article covers the Great Britain framework; an international complaint website's general advice is not a substitute for the applicable GB process.
Related questions
Does a cancelled bonus mean the casino can keep my deposit?
Cancellation of a promotion does not by itself remove access to your remaining own deposit balance and deposit-derived winnings under the GB guidance. Legitimate regulatory checks or other separately justified restrictions still need to be distinguished from bonus wagering.
Can I get an expired bonus back?
There is no universal reinstatement rule. Check the deadline and applicable terms, then ask whether the recorded expiry is correct. A disputed error and a request for a new discretionary offer are different matters.
Why did the bonus vanish when I requested a withdrawal?
Some promotions attach forfeiture to leaving an active bonus or confirming a withdrawal. Check the actual warning and condition, what was confirmed and which balances changed. Do not assume the same trigger applies to every offer.
Does a missing bonus tile prove my winnings were confiscated?
No. The credit may have been spent, the promotion may have completed, or the interface may display the funds elsewhere. Check transaction history and the cash/bonus breakdown before identifying the disputed adjustment.
What should I do if support only says ‘bonus abuse’?
Ask for the specific conduct, applicable condition and version, relevant transactions and amount removed from each balance. Preserve the reply and follow the formal complaint route if the explanation remains disputed.
Do eight weeks guarantee a refund?
No. Eight weeks is the regulator's period for the business to resolve a complaint, not an automatic refund trigger. The applicable ADR provider can assess an eligible unresolved dispute after the complaints process.