Free spins means two different things in a casino app: a slot feature where the reels spin without taking more of your stake, usually triggered by scatters, and a promotion where the casino gives you spins at a fixed value, normally after you deposit or play. Knowing which one you are looking at tells you what the spins are worth and which rules apply.
In-game free spins are a slot feature played at the stake that triggered them.
Promotional free spins come with conditions: usually a deposit or qualifying stake, a set spin value, chosen games and an expiry date.
Multiply the number of spins by the spin value to see their face value: 100 × 10p = £10.
Since 19 January 2026, any wagering on UK casino bonuses is capped at 10x.
Two meanings
Slot feature or casino promotion
Typical promo spin value
10p
Face value
Spins × spin value
UK wagering cap
10x (since 19 January 2026)
Where promo spins appear
Promotions area, bonus hub or in-app inbox
The two meanings of free spins
The phrase covers a game mechanic and a marketing offer, and the difference matters.
In-game feature
Casino promotion
How you get them
Land enough scatter symbols
Meet the offer’s deposit or stake condition
Spin value
The stake that triggered the feature
Fixed by the casino, often 10p
Which games
Only the slot you are playing
Selected games listed in the terms
Extras
Often multipliers, sticky wilds or retriggers
None beyond the normal game
Winnings
Paid as cash to your balance
Cash or bonus funds, depending on wagering
Time limit
None: the round plays out
Claim and use deadlines apply
Both kinds share one fact: each spin is a normal, random spin of the game. A promotional spin on a slot with a 96% RTP has the same odds as a paid one.
Free spins as a slot feature
Most video slots save their biggest moments for a free spins round. You trigger it by landing the required number of scatter symbols, and the game then plays a set number of spins at your triggering stake without deducting anything more from your balance. These rounds usually add something the base game doesn’t have, such as a growing multiplier, extra wilds or an expanding symbol, and many let you retrigger for more spins.
In Book of Dead, three or more books give ten spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol. In Big Bass Bonanza, the free spins add a fisherman wild that collects fish cash values. On UK slots you can only reach the feature through play, because feature buys are not offered in Great Britain.
What promotional free spins are worth
The quickest test is face value: number of spins times value per spin. Then think about the expected return, which is face value multiplied by the slot’s RTP, and remember that real results swing well above and below it.
Offer
Spins
Value each
Face value
Theoretical return at 96% RTP
Ladbrokes (after £10 played on slots)
Up to 500 (50 a day for 10 days)
10p
Up to £50
About £48
Coral (after £10 bet on slots)
100
10p
£10
About £9.60
PlayOJO (first deposit of £10+)
80
10p
£8
About £7.68
The theoretical figure is a long-run average, not a prediction. Many sets of 10p spins return a few pounds; occasionally one returns much more. Ladbrokes’ total also depends on claiming every daily batch. For a wider comparison see free spins on casino apps.
Free spins terms to read before you claim
Qualifying step: a deposit, a stake on slots, or both. Check the minimum and whether your payment method counts; several e-wallets and prepaid cards are excluded from some offers (see payment method exclusions).
Spin value and games: usually 10p on a named slot or a short list.
Wagering: none on all three partner offers above; elsewhere, no more than 10x since January 2026. Our no wagering entry explains the difference.
Expiry: a deadline to accept the spins and another to use them. See bonus expiry.
Eligibility: 18+, new customers, sometimes excluding Northern Ireland.
Where you find free spins in a casino app
Promotional spins normally appear in a bonus or rewards area reached from the account menu, as a pop-up when you next open the app, or as a message in the app’s inbox. Ladbrokes’ terms, for example, say each day’s spins are claimed from the inbox before 23:59. Once accepted, opening an eligible game usually shows a banner offering to use the spins, and the spin counter replaces your stake display until they run out.
If spins don’t appear after you have met the conditions, check that you opted in where required and used an eligible payment method, then contact live chat. Our guides on how to claim free spins in an app and free spins not showing cover the common causes.
Opt-in: the button some offers require before you deposit.
Bonus round: the wider family of features free spins belong to.
Respin: a single extra spin, not a full free spins feature.
Where to claim free spins in an app
Ladbrokes (up to 500 spins after £10 on slots), Coral (100 spins after a £10 slots bet) and PlayOJO (80 spins on Big Bass Bonanza with a first deposit of £10+) all use 10p spins with no wagering on winnings. All are 18+ and for new customers only; payment exclusions and full terms apply.
All three offers pay winnings from their welcome spins with no wagering, and each needs a qualifying deposit or stake first. 18+, terms apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What are free spins at a casino?
Free spins are slot spins you don’t pay for directly, either as a feature inside a game or as part of a casino promotion. The feature version is triggered by scatter symbols and plays at your current stake. Promotional free spins are given by the casino, usually after a deposit or a qualifying stake, and come with a fixed value, a game list and an expiry date. Each spin is a normal random spin. Our casino app free spins page compares current offers.
Are free spins really free?
A feature round inside a slot doesn’t cost anything beyond the spin that triggered them. Promotional spins usually carry a condition, such as depositing £10 or betting £10 on slots, so they are better thought of as a reward for spending that money. That is why responsible offers always state the condition alongside the spins. True no-deposit spins are rare at UK casinos, and none of our partners offer them. Our free spins no deposit apps page explains what does exist.
How much are 100 free spins worth?
Multiply by the spin value. At 10p a spin, 100 free spins have a face value of £10. On a slot with a 96% RTP the long-run average return would be around £9.60, but individual results vary widely, from a pound or two to much more. If winnings carry wagering, the real value is lower. Coral’s 100 spins after a £10 slots bet are worth 10p each with no wagering on winnings. See our 100 free spins apps page for details.
Do you have to wager free spins winnings?
Only if the terms say so. Many UK offers, including the welcome spins at Ladbrokes, Coral and PlayOJO, have no wagering, so winnings go straight to your cash balance. Where wagering does apply, it can’t exceed 10x since 19 January 2026: £5 of spin winnings at 10x would need £50 of bets before withdrawal. The offer terms in the app’s promotions area state which applies. Our no wagering free spins apps page lists offers without it.
How long do free spins last?
Promotional spins have deadlines, usually one to accept them and one to use them. Coral gives 48 hours to accept its welcome spins and seven days to use them; Ladbrokes’ daily batches must be claimed by 23:59 each day and are valid for seven days. Unused spins disappear after the deadline. Feature spins inside a game have no time limit and play out once triggered. Our bonus expiry entry explains how to keep track of the different clocks on a phone.
Can I choose which slot to use free spins on?
Usually not. Promotional spins are tied to one slot or a short list chosen by the casino, and they only appear when you open an eligible game. PlayOJO’s welcome spins, for example, are on Big Bass Bonanza only. If you open a different slot, you will be playing with your own balance. The game list is in the offer terms, and the app normally shows a banner on eligible titles. Our Big Bass Bonanza free spins page covers that example.
Why haven’t my free spins appeared in the app?
The most common reasons are a missed opt-in, an excluded payment method, a stake below the qualifying amount or spins that need claiming from an inbox. Check the offer terms against what you did, then look in the bonus area, inbox and notifications. Some offers credit spins only after the qualifying bets have settled. If everything matches the terms, contact live chat with the deposit time and amount. Our free spins not showing guide walks through each fix.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Get support from GamCare or NHS gambling support, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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