In the new age of online entertainment, no other avenue has made a greater splash than online casino play. The world of classic casino games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and slots has been revamped into a practical, portable, interactive, and entertaining online format that has fastened itself tightly to the digital movement currently engulfing the planet.
As one of the leaders in the market, the United Kingdom has been busying itself with online casino action for decades and much like with other markets, established or emerging, is trying to maximise the potential of an online entertainment option that is designed for the future.
Of all the games found on a casino floor, slots have caught the eyes of game designers and online casino operators, establishing themselves as the most sought-after game in the portfolio. However, with any phenomenon that attracts the attention of millions of players in the UK, there comes an element of caution and with that, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has stepped in and unveiled a range of regulations for not just the online casino industry, but for online slots especially.
If you have missed the legislative developments surrounding the online casino industry in the last five or six years, here is a run down of how the landscape has changed.
No More Buying the Bonus
One of the first initiatives to be introduced by the UKGC was on bonus buy games. For those not familiar with this type of game, online slots titles with this feature enabled players to purchase their way to bonus rounds by investing more money. In the eyes of the UKGC, accelerating the game play as such fell firmly under the reckless category and did not fit their hardened stance on any aspect that could lead to gambling addiction.
At this stage, many markets that currently exist had not even entertained the idea of online casinos, let alone bonus buy games, but the UK showed how advanced they were, and still are, by outlawing the feature in 2019. As well as leading the way in the roll out of games across the virtual casino floor, the UK was beginning to take the lead in regulations to better police the industry and protect the playing public.
While the UK might have felt like a guinea pig test subject, their example has been followed by the Netherlands, with the Swedish government also locked in discussions to ban bonus buy games. Even without this type of game, the online slots section has remained popular in the UK, although a section of players is venturing to international online casinos to seek the bonus buy feature, another challenge for the UKGC to tackle.
Protect the Playing Public
With bonus buy games banned on UKGC-licensed operators, also because buying the bonus did not represent the nature and intention of online slots being a game of chance, the UKGC sharpened its focus on tackling gambling addiction and financial risk. This once again brought the nation’s most popular online casino game into question, but this time, people’s spending was targeted.
When it comes to assessing online slots games, many aspects are taken into consideration. Return to Player (RTP) is a buzzword when analysing the chances of winning and the more experienced players often search for which slots offer the highest RTP returns when looking for a title to play. Volatility is another contributing factor to the frequency and size of payouts. But ultimately, the playing of online slots comes down to wagering to get the reels spinning.
It was not so much the concept of wagering that the UKGC took offence to, but the amount that could be wagered. With limits shockingly reaching into unacceptably high figures on some operators, particularly in the dangerous illegal market, the UKGC, along with the UK Government, decided to introduce a limit on the amount a player could wager for each spin. From September 2024, players over 25 could wager up to £5, while players aged between 18-24 could bet £2 per spin.
The limits imposed initially provoked uproar from a small section of online casino enthusiasts who were discontent at their spending liberties being constricted. However, for the majority of those who had an opinion, they could see the wood through the trees and accepted the UKGC’s decision to prioritise the wellbeing of the playing community.
Not so fast…
Over the course of the last decade, there have been various regulations introduced on online casino play in the UK to bring greater order to an industry that is more difficult to monitor. The use of credit cards for gambling was banned in April 2020, while initiatives have also been planned for 2026, including the requirement for online casino and online bookmakers to remind their customers to check their spending every six months.
But overall, the game of online slots has been affected most heavily, which proves once again that it is the game of choice for the British casino community. The UKGC also went about changing the minimum speed of each spin to 2.5 seconds, so that dopamine levels could be better kept in check. And with the industry continuing to grow by the year, the UKGC will undoubtedly have more regulations up their sleeves.
Featured image credit: Vanessa Valkhof
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