Can a Casino Keep My Winnings? What UK Rules Say in 2026
Rachel Doughty
Updated
Short answer: rarely, and never your own deposit. A UK casino can void winnings only under a clear, written term that you actually broke, and it must tell you which one. Here is where the line sits, using the Gambling Commission's own guidance.
- Your deposit balance
- Yours to withdraw at any time, bonus active or not. It cannot be confiscated, except where the law requires, such as money laundering rules.
- Winnings from your own money
- Only lost for cheating-type breaches, such as fraud or multiple accounts, set out in clear terms.
- Winnings from a bonus
- Can be voided if you broke a bonus rule that was written down before you played.
When a casino can keep your winnings
These are the situations where casinos can protect their interests.
- Cheating and fraud
Colluding with other players, using automated software or a third party to influence the game, or exploiting a fault in the game. The Commission states that terms relating to bonus offers and terms related to game manipulation should be clear and distinguishable from one another.
- More than one account
Having multiple accounts to take advantage of a welcome offer is grounds for seizing your winnings.
- A bonus rule you broke
Betting over the maximum stake with a bonus active, or playing excluded games to clear wagering. The rule must be listed, and the casino can void the bonus and its winnings. Your own deposit balance still comes back.
- Legal duties
Should a casino have a reasonable belief that a customer is engaged in money laundering or some other illegal activity, the casino can freeze the customer's funds and need not provide any explanation to the customer.
When a casino cannot keep your winnings: the terms it may not use
Each of the examples provided are terms which the Commission states are unacceptable for casinos to include in their agreements with customers.
Before making any withdrawals from your deposit account, you must first wager the value of this 5 times
Wagering can apply to a bonus, never to the money you paid in.Your withdrawals are limited to one per day and no more than five per week
You can take your deposit balance out at any time, without restriction.You may withdraw up to £50 per day and up to £500 per week
No maximum limit may apply to what you withdraw from your deposit balance.We reserve the sole discretion to determine prohibited types or patterns of play
Banned play must be listed in the terms in advance, not decided afterwards.If you do not log into your account for a period of 90 consecutive days, we may decide to remove your winnings and void your account.
Inactivity is never a reason to take money from your deposit balance.If you do not provide this within fourteen days of our request, we may remove winnings and terminate accounts.
A casino cannot confiscate your balance because ID checks were not completed.
The Commission’s rules on fair and transparent terms and practices are described in more detail in a separate document. These rules are tied to License Condition 7.1.
In the separate document, the Commission describes rules concerning the clarity of terms and conditions and the exercise of discretion by casinos. In the absence of clarity, terms and conditions will be deemed to be unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
The Commission acknowledges that some Casinos have taken the position that the rules do not apply to them, because the Casinos did not enter into the CMA Undertaking. The Commission states that all Online Gambling Operators are subject to the same requirements as the Casinos that entered into the Undertaking.
Your two balances: why it matters which money won
Of the disputes, the vast majority concern the classification of winnings.
- Deposit balanceYour money and what it winsNo wagering can apply to it. You can withdraw it at any time, even with a bonus active. Bonus rules such as a maximum bet only bind it if the game itself blocks the bet.
- Bonus balancePromotional money and what it winsWagering and play rules apply. The casino must remind you when you are playing with restricted funds, and again each time you log back in.
If the two are shown to you as one pot, that is itself against the guidance. Before you accept any bonus, check the cashier shows both figures. If you want out of a bonus, most casinos let you cancel it and keep your deposit balance, losing only the bonus and its winnings. Since January 2026, wagering on a bonus is capped at 10x; our guide to UK casino bonus rules in 2026 explains what that does and does not change. Offers with no wagering at all avoid most of these disputes; see our list of no wagering casinos.
Withdrawal and inactivity fees: what a casino may charge
There are strict limitations on confiscation, but a fee can be charged.
Withdrawal fees. Although a casino is allowed to charge a fee to process a withdrawal, the fee must be disclosed to the player and must not exceed the casino’s actual cost to process the withdrawal. The Commission has advised that players should not be charged to withdraw their own funds. In the review of casinos that we have conducted, most casinos do not charge players to withdraw funds. For withdrawal fees, see our casino review. Casumo charges £3 to process withdrawal requests that are less than £10. Duelz charges a fee of 5% or £5, if the player withdraws funds that have not been wagered.
Complain and/or raise questions about the fee to the casino, if the answer is not reasonable, or does not relate to the cost of processing the withdrawal.
Inactive accounts. A casino is not allowed to charge a fee to process your withdrawal simply because you have not logged into your account for some time. After 12 months of inactivity, the casino is allowed to charge an inactivity fee. The casino must also attempt to return your balance to the last payment method you used and notify you 30 days in advance. For more information, see our inactive account fee comparison.
What to do if a casino keeps your winnings
These should be the three most important concerns for a player.
- Ask for the exact termIn writing, ask which term you broke and which bets or games broke it. The casino must give you a full explanation, including the specific terms.
- Complain formallySay it is a formal complaint and quote the Commission's guidance if the term is vague or discretionary. The casino has 8 weeks.
- Go to the dispute serviceIBAS or eCOGRA, as named in the terms. Both check whether the term was fair, and it costs you nothing.
Our guide provides a sample letter and explains what to do if a casino refuses to cash out and how to represent yourself if a casino delays a cash out for checks. If you need to provide evidence to a casino representing yourself, take a screenshot of the bonus terms before opting in.
Casino winnings: questions
Can a gambling site keep my money?
It can’t keep your deposit unless there are laws that require it to do so, for example, if there are ongoing investigations for money laundering. It can’t keep your winnings unless there are rules that state so and you have broken a rule by means of fraudulent or illegal activity or you have done something to abuse the bonus, such as creating multiple accounts, and it has to state which rule it is referring to.
Can a casino refuse to pay out after a big win?
It can’t refuse to pay you because you won a large amount. It can, however, do a series of checks to determine where your funds originated. Once those checks are completed, it is obligated to pay out your winnings.
How long can a casino keep my winnings?
There is no set limit, but you must be able to withdraw without unreasonable delay. Holding money for checks the casino could have done earlier goes against its licence.
Can a casino take my money if I do not log in?
No. A casino cannot take money from your account because you have not used your account for a long time. A casino can charge a fee after 1 year of inactivity, but only after they give you notice 30 days in advance.
Do I pay tax on casino winnings in the UK?
No. The gambling winnings are not taxable and therefore, a casino cannot withhold any tax.
Can someone else claim my casino winnings?
No. The person whose account has been verified is the only person who can receive the winnings. Allowing someone else to use your account can result in a person's winnings being forfeited.
Rachel Doughty
Editor, Casino Warnings · Bristol
Rachel reads the Gambling Commission's registers and enforcement notices, and the terms casinos publish for British players, then writes them up in plain English.
- Sources
- Gambling Commission guidance "Fair and transparent terms and practices" (all sections) and licence condition 7.1; Competition and Markets Authority online gambling case and 2018 undertakings; Consumer Rights Act 2015; the published terms of Casumo and Duelz.
