An opt-in is the action you take to say yes to something in a casino app, most often ticking a box or tapping a Claim button so a bonus is attached to your next deposit. Skip it and the offer usually isn’t applied. The same word also covers agreeing to marketing messages, which is a separate choice you can change at any time.
A bonus opt-in normally has to happen before the qualifying deposit, not after.
Opt-ins come in different forms: a sign-up tick box, a Claim button, or accepting spins from an inbox.
Marketing opt-ins and phone notification permissions are separate settings, and both can be switched off.
Missed an opt-in? Contact support straight away, but don’t expect the bonus to be added afterwards.
Meaning
Actively agreeing to a bonus, promotion or message type
When
Usually before the qualifying deposit or bet
Where in an app
Sign-up form, Promotions tab, cashier or inbox
Opposite
Opt-out (declining or withdrawing consent)
Can you reverse it?
Bonuses: often forfeitable; marketing: change any time
What opt-in means in a casino app
In gambling, to opt in is to give clear, active consent. Nothing is switched on for you by default: you tap, tick or select something, and only then does the casino treat you as taking part. The idea comes from consumer and data protection law, where pre-ticked boxes don’t count as agreement.
On a phone you meet the word in two quite different places. The first is promotions: a welcome offer, a reload deal, a slot race or a prize draw may only count your play if you have opted in first. The second is communications: whether the operator may send you emails, texts or in-app offers. Mixing the two up is a common reason people think a bonus has gone missing, so it helps to keep them apart. Our guide to casino app bonuses explains the offer side in more depth.
The main types of opt-in you’ll see on a phone
Operators word and place their opt-ins differently, but almost every one falls into one of these groups.
Type
What it looks like
Where you usually find it
Timing
Welcome bonus choice
Selecting a casino offer from a list during registration
Sign-up form, final screen
Before the first deposit
Bonus opt-in button
A Claim, Opt in or Activate button on the offer card
Promotions tab or cashier
Before the qualifying deposit
Accepting spins
A message with an Accept or Claim button
In-app inbox or notifications area
Within a set window, such as 48 hours
Tournament or race entry
Joining a leaderboard or prize drop
Promotions or the game’s own lobby tile
Before spins count
Marketing consent
Toggles for email, SMS, push and post
Account settings, marketing preferences
Any time
Our partners show the range well. Casumo’s welcome bonus states “opt-in required” in its terms. Ladbrokes asks new customers to claim each day’s batch of spins from the in-app inbox before 23:59. 10bet asks you to choose its casino welcome bonus at sign-up, and Coral gives you 48 hours to accept the spins it awards. Each is a form of opt-in, even though only one uses the word.
How a bonus opt-in works: a worked example
Take Casumo’s welcome offer for new customers aged 18+: a 50% bonus up to £100 on the first deposit, with a £20 minimum deposit and opt-in required. The bonus must be wagered 10x within 7 days, the maximum bet is £5 while it is active, and game, play and payment restrictions apply.
You opt in, then deposit £40. The 50% match adds £20 of bonus funds.
Wagering is 10x the bonus, so you need £200 of qualifying bets within 7 days.
Deposit £200 and the bonus reaches its £100 ceiling; wagering becomes £1,000.
Deposit £40 without opting in and, under typical terms, you simply have £40 of cash and no bonus.
That last line is the whole point of the term. The wagering requirement, max bet rule and bonus expiry only start to bite once you have opted in, which is also why some people deliberately leave a bonus alone and play with cash only.
How to opt in to a bonus on your phone
Screens differ from app to app, but the order of taps is broadly the same on iPhone and Android. Our step-by-step guide on how to opt in to a casino bonus covers each layout in more detail.
Open the app, sign in with your password or Face ID, and tap Promotions (often in the bottom menu or behind the menu icon).
Open the offer card and tap the terms link before anything else. Check the minimum deposit, excluded payment methods and deadline.
Tap Opt in, Claim or Activate. Look for a confirmation message or a tick on the card.
Go to the cashier and make the qualifying deposit with a payment method the terms allow.
Check the bonus or rewards area to confirm the offer is attached and to follow your progress.
What if you forgot to opt in?
This is the most searched problem around the term. Most terms say the opt-in must happen before the qualifying deposit or bet, so a bonus generally can’t be bolted on afterwards. Contact live chat as soon as you notice, explain what happened and share your screenshot if you have one; some operators may look at it case by case, but there is no right to a late bonus.
Payment method is the other usual culprit. Coral’s and Ladbrokes’ welcome offers both exclude several e-wallets and prepaid cards, so an opt-in can be in place and still fail to trigger. Our help page on free spins not showing walks through the checks, and the payment method exclusions page lists the common ones.
Marketing opt-ins and notification permissions
A marketing opt-in is permission for the operator to contact you with offers. In an app this sits under account settings, often labelled Marketing preferences or Communication settings, with separate toggles for email, SMS, phone and push. You can withdraw consent at any time, and doing so doesn’t affect your balance or any bonus already running.
Your phone adds a second layer. iOS and Android both ask whether an app may send push notifications, and that system permission is controlled in the phone’s own Settings rather than in the casino account. Turning off the phone permission stops alerts appearing on your lock screen, while turning off marketing consent stops the casino sending promotional messages at all. The guide to casino app marketing preferences shows both routes.
Opting out of marketing is a sensible step if offers prompt you to play more than you planned. Pair it with a deposit limit and, if you need a longer break, a time-out or GAMSTOP.
Related bonus terms
No wagering: offers where winnings from spins or bonuses are paid as cash.
Matched deposit: a bonus worked out as a percentage of what you pay in.
Free spins: spins with a fixed value that often need accepting before use.
Minimum deposit: the smallest payment that qualifies for an opted-in offer.
Casino app offers that need an opt-in step
The three offers below each involve a deliberate action before anything is credited, so read the terms on the offer card first, opt in or select the bonus as described, then deposit with a qualifying method. They are for new customers aged 18+, and terms apply; remember that gambling costs money and losses are likely over time.
Each of these welcome offers needs a deliberate step: Casumo asks you to opt in, Ladbrokes spins are claimed daily from the app’s inbox, and 10bet asks you to pick its casino bonus at sign-up. 18+, terms apply.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only. Opt-in required. 50% deposit bonus up to £100 on first deposit. Minimum deposit £20. 10x wagering on the bonus amount. Maximum bet or spin £5. Bonus valid for 7 days. Game, play and payment method restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Casumo reviewLicence: Recro Limited, UKGC account 61549. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
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 UK customers only. Select the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and make your first deposit within 7 days. 100% bonus up to £25. Wager the bonus 10x on slots within 3 days. Maximum bonus winnings £1,000. Bonus is not redeemable. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the 10bet reviewLicence: Blue Star Planet Limited, UKGC account 43173. 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 does opt-in mean on a casino app?
Opt-in means actively agreeing to take part in something, such as a bonus, a promotion or marketing messages. In an app it is usually a tick box at sign-up, a Claim or Opt in button on a promotion card, or an Accept button on a message in your inbox. Until you take that step, the casino doesn’t treat you as entered, so qualifying play or deposits won’t count. Always read the terms on the card before tapping. Our guide to casino app bonus terms explains the other conditions that usually come with an opted-in offer.
Do I need to opt in before or after I deposit?
Before, in almost every case. Most UK casino bonus terms say the opt-in, claim or bonus selection must be done before the qualifying deposit, and some also say the deposit must be the first one on the account. Opting in afterwards normally means the deposit sits in your balance as ordinary cash with no bonus attached. If the offer card doesn’t make the order clear, ask live chat before paying in. The first deposit guide covers the cashier steps on iPhone and Android.
Can a casino add a bonus if I forgot to opt in?
Sometimes, but you can’t count on it. The terms usually make opting in a condition, so the operator has no obligation to add the bonus afterwards. Contact support quickly, give the time of your deposit and share any screenshot showing what you saw. Some customer service teams will look at it, especially if the opt-in button failed to load. If they say no, you still have your deposit as cash and can withdraw it subject to the normal checks. See how to withdraw from casino apps for the steps.
Can I opt out of a bonus after opting in?
Usually yes, by forfeiting it. Many apps let you cancel an active bonus from the bonus or rewards area, or ask support to remove it. Forfeiting normally removes the bonus funds and any winnings made from them, while your own cash balance stays yours, though the exact effect depends on whether the offer is sticky or non-sticky. Read the forfeit wording in the terms before you tap anything, because some offers treat a withdrawal request as automatic forfeiture. Our page on casino app bonus withdrawal covers the details.
Is a marketing opt-in the same as a bonus opt-in?
No. A bonus opt-in enters you into a particular promotion, while a marketing opt-in gives the operator permission to contact you by email, text, phone or push messages. You can be opted in to one and not the other. Some promotions are only sent to people who accept marketing, so declining may mean you hear about fewer offers, but it never affects your balance, withdrawals or safer gambling tools. Change your choices at any time in account settings; casino app notifications explains which alerts are worth keeping.
Why can’t I see the opt-in button in the app?
The most common reason is that the offer isn’t available to your account, for example because it is for new customers only or you have already claimed a welcome bonus. Other causes include an out-of-date app version, a page that hasn’t finished loading, or an account that still needs ID checks. Update the app from the App Store or Google Play, close and reopen it, then look again in the Promotions tab. If it still doesn’t appear, ask live chat before depositing. Our casino app troubleshooting guide has the full list of fixes.
Do no-wagering offers need an opt-in?
Some do and some don’t. PlayOJO’s welcome spins are linked to a first deposit of £10 or more, so check its offer card for any separate claim step, while Ladbrokes asks you to claim each day’s spins from the in-app inbox before 23:59, which works as a daily opt-in. The terms on each offer card tell you which applies. A no-wagering offer still has conditions, such as a minimum deposit, excluded payment methods, a spin value and an expiry date, so read them before you tap. See no wagering for how these offers pay out.
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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