UKGC Bans Cross-Selling

Do you know how the UKGC’s newest rules could change the way operators promote your favorite games?

The Commission now bans cross-selling across multiple products, ensuring fewer confusing promotions and stricter bonus conditions.

You want a safer gambling environment and clearer offers. These changes promise less complexity and more consumer protection.

Read on to uncover how these measures impact both operators and players, starting December 2025.

UKGC’s Cross-Selling Crackdown: How the New Bonus Restrictions Will Reshape Gambling Promotions

3 Key Points

• Ban on Multi-Product Promotions. Gambling companies cannot combine betting with slots offers in a single deal.
• 10x Rollover Limit. Bonus rollover requirements must not exceed ten times the bonus value.
• Clarity and Accountability. Operators must rewrite marketing policies to align with new fairness and safety standards.

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) today announced a significant overhaul of promotional activities. New rules targeting cross-selling will come into effect on 19 December 2025. This means gambling companies can no longer bundle offers from different product types, such as sports betting and slots, in a single deal.

The Commission developed these rules after a consultation last autumn. Several stakeholders had highlighted concerns about how multiple offers can lead to confusion and increased risk of gambling harm. Consumer groups also voiced issues with complex bonus requirements, often involving repeated staking that traps players in extended wagering cycles.

Under the updated guidelines, operators will face stricter limitations on how they promote and package offers. The new measures forbid the combination of multiple gambling activities under one umbrella promotion. This shift aims to remove any perceived pressure on customers to jump between verticals. When a consumer moves directly from betting on sports to spinning slot reels using the same bonus, the UKGC believes that this adds potential risk.

Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, stated that these rules bring clarity. According to Miller, protecting consumers from gambling harm remains a top priority. He argues that the changes grant customers improved awareness of offers before signing up. By understanding the terms clearly, they make more informed decisions about which promotions they accept.

The UKGC also introduced a cap on bonus rollover requirements. From December 2025, gambling operators can only ask customers to re-stake bonus funds up to 10 times. This limit addresses one of the most frequent complaints from players, who often discover they need to wager bonuses an excessive number of times. Such requirements can lock individuals into spending more than initially expected. With a 10x cap, the UKGC wants to ensure bonus offers remain fair and transparent.

Another significant rationale behind these changes relates to reducing gambling harm. The Commission discovered that cross-selling accelerates risky behavior. Research suggests that players who engage in multiple product types simultaneously can lose track of time and money faster. By eliminating these complex promotions, the Commission targets what it deems a breeding ground for harmful habits.

The regulations will also include updated wording in Social Responsibility Code 5.1.1 (Rewards and Bonuses). This revision clarifies the Commission’s expectations regarding socially responsible promotions. Operators must adopt simpler marketing language and disclaimers. Plus, they will need to give players ample notice of terms, especially those that affect withdrawals. The Commission hopes these steps prevent misunderstandings and hidden conditions.

Industry analysts agree that these changes could disrupt current marketing practices. Many operators rely heavily on cross-sell strategies, using bundled offers to direct sports bettors to casino products or vice versa. This approach, while profitable, has raised red flags about risk amplification. Now, businesses must adapt their promotional tactics to comply with the new guidelines.

While the Commission acknowledges potential costs for companies, it maintains that protecting consumers overrides those concerns. The Regulatory Policy Committee provided guidance on measuring impact. The UKGC concluded that the benefits of safer gambling, fairness, and transparency outweigh operational shifts or reduced promotional flexibility.

It remains to be seen how operators will respond. Some may use more personalized marketing. Others may focus on loyalty programs that avoid cross-selling. Nonetheless, the Commission leaves little doubt: come 19 December 2025, the era of multi-product offers and high rollover demands will end in the UK. The gambling reform white paper from April 2023 laid the foundation, and now the Commission is enacting these binding rules.

Advocacy groups applaud the move for its player-centric approach. They expect fewer complaints about hidden terms. Some also hope that these regulations will encourage the industry to innovate responsibly. As the lines between consumer choice and risky behaviors become clearer, operators have the chance to show they can thrive without encouraging harmful gambling practices.

Ultimately, these new regulations set a precedent. The UK market already stands among the most heavily scrutinized gambling environments in the world. By banning cross-selling promotions and capping bonus wagering, the Commission signals its intent to drive meaningful reforms. Many market watchers see this as a step toward more rigorous consumer protections. Others feel it might trigger a larger overhaul of industry marketing norms.

New rules limiting operators’ ability to cross-sell products will soon reshape UK gambling promotions. From December 2025, multi-product offers become illegal, while rollover requirements can’t exceed 10 times the bonus. The UKGC expects these changes to enhance transparency, reduce harm, and empower customers to gamble safely.