Refer a friend free spins

How refer a friend free spins work

A referral scheme turns existing customers into a marketing channel. You get a personal link or code from your account, share it with someone, and if they open an account through it and do what the terms require, the casino credits you with a reward, often a batch of spins. Some schemes reward both people.

The reward is almost never triggered by the sign-up alone. The friend usually has to pass identity checks, make a minimum deposit and stake a set amount, all within a time limit. Until they do, nothing reaches your account.

A typical referral, step by step

1. You find your referral link or code in your account settings or promotions page.
2. You share it with an adult friend who has never had an account at that casino.
3. Your friend registers using the link, which records you as the referrer.
4. Your friend completes age and identity verification.
5. Your friend makes the qualifying deposit and, often, stakes a set amount on slots.
6. The casino checks for duplicate or linked accounts.
7. Your reward is credited, sometimes days later, with its own expiry and terms.

Any break in that chain, such as your friend registering without the link, usually means no reward. Casinos rarely add referrals retrospectively.

Typical refer a friend conditions, for both sides

Group rules can also matter. Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited, part of Entain, so a scheme at one brand may treat an account at the other as an existing relationship. Check the definition of ‘new customer’ in the terms.

What the referrer gets vs what the friend gets

Referral schemes come in two shapes. In a one-sided scheme, only the referrer is rewarded, and the friend receives the normal welcome offer. In a two-sided scheme, the friend gets something extra too, sometimes in place of the welcome offer rather than on top of it.

That last point is easy to miss. If a referral bonus replaces the standard welcome offer, your friend may end up with less than they would by signing up directly. Compare the two before sending a link. Our slots welcome bonus page shows what our five partners give new customers without any referral.

What referral spins are worth: a worked example

This is an illustration, not any casino’s actual scheme. Suppose the referrer receives 20 spins at 10p for each qualifying friend, up to five friends a year, and each friend must deposit £10 and stake £10 on slots.

Even at the cap, the total is roughly what a single welcome offer gives. Meanwhile each friend has staked £10 of their own money. Seen that way, the main beneficiary of most referral schemes is the casino, which gains a customer for a small cost. To run the same sums on any offer, use working out free spins value.

Think before you refer someone to a slot site

Recommending a casino is not like recommending a restaurant. Slots cost money over time, and for some people they become a serious problem. A small batch of spins is not worth nudging someone into gambling who wasn’t already planning to.

• Never share a referral link with anyone under 18, or post it where under-18s may see it.
• Don’t refer anyone who has self-excluded, used GAMSTOP or told you they struggle with gambling.
• Don’t pressure anyone, or suggest gambling is a way to make money or fit in.
• Be honest that losses are the likely outcome over time and that terms apply.
• If a friend’s gambling worries you, point them to the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 rather than a referral link.

Our guide to signs slots are becoming a problem explains what to look out for, in yourself or others.

Same household, same device: why referrals get refused

The most common reason a referral fails is a link between the two accounts. Casinos guard against people opening a second account to refer themselves, so they compare addresses, devices, IP addresses and payment methods. Partners or housemates referring each other often trip these checks even when both accounts are genuine.

If a link is found, the reward is usually withheld, and in serious cases bonuses on both accounts can be voided. Never let someone else use your payment card to open an account, and never open an account in another person’s name; that breaks the terms and the law. See KYC for why identity checks are so thorough.

UK rules that apply to referral rewards

Referral spins are bonuses like any other, so the 2026 rules apply. Any wagering on winnings can’t exceed 10x, and promotions requiring you to use more than one gambling product, such as betting on sport to unlock casino spins, have been banned since 19 January 2026.

Since 1 May 2025, operators also need your consent for direct marketing separately for each product and channel, so you won’t be emailed about a referral scheme unless you have opted in. Players’ own stakes are limited to £5 per spin at 25 and over and £2 at 18 to 24. Our UK slot rules page lists the full set.

Refer a friend at our partner sites

None of our five partners publishes a referral scheme we can verify, so we don’t describe one. What we can say is that none of their welcome offers needs a promo code, so a friend loses nothing by signing up directly.

Coral’s and Ladbrokes’ offers exclude some payment methods, including PayPal, Skrill, Neteller and prepaid cards. See Coral’s welcome offer, Ladbrokes’ welcome offer and Casumo’s welcome offer for the full terms.

Referral codes shared online: what to avoid

Forums and social media are full of referral codes posted by strangers. Using one is usually allowed if the terms permit it, but there is little in it for you, and the referral may replace a better welcome offer. Sites promising extra spins for using a particular code at our partners are misleading, because their welcome offers don’t use codes at all.

Be wary of any site that asks for login details or payment information to ‘apply’ a referral. Check the casino on the UKGC register before signing up; our guide on checking a slot site’s licence shows how, and slot bonus codes explains when codes matter.

Where a friend can claim a welcome offer instead

With no verified referral scheme at our partners, the simplest route for a friend aged 18 or over is to claim a welcome offer directly: 100 spins at Coral, up to 500 at Ladbrokes, or a 50% match up to £100 at Casumo. All three are UKGC-licensed, and terms apply.

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.