It was announced today – Tuesday 2nd February 2021 – in a statement by officials at the UK Gambling Commission, that a number of new rules and regulations are to be implemented for all online slots games operators, developers and in particular all online bingo/casino sites now across the country. The new rules will come into play as of today now going forwards, and providers must adhere to every new measure before 31st October 2021 in order to continue operation.
The new restrictions have been designed to make the online slots industry much safer and less intensive for players, and the package comes in response to concerns over the loss of control and lack of protection that players feel within this particular area of online gaming. According the Gambling Commission, online slots games have by far the highest average losses per player out of all online gambling products, and so they have therefore now taken these steps in order to offer a much safer gambling environment.
Slower Spin Speeds And A Total Ban On The Celebration Of Losses
The online slots industry is absolutely thriving here in the UK, with over £2.2 billion spent on games each year.
This type of gambling is extremely addictive however, and has been proven to cause binge play and loss of control when it comes to spending.
A number of strict new measures come now following public feedback from the Gambling commission’s public consultation which was carried out in July 2020 – titled ‘making online games safer by design’ – a project launched in order to review all risk, safety concerns and intensive play elements in online slots games specifically.
New 2021 Online Slots Regulations For The UK
The following rules and regulations must now be adhered to by all online slots providers throughout the UK. Operators will have until 31st October 2021 to make any necessary changes to any current software packages, and they won’t be able to continue operation if the alterations are not completed by then.
The new rules include the outright ban on the following four key features:
- CONTROL – Any features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome.
- SPEED – Slot spin speeds faster than 2.5 seconds.
- AUTOPLAY – This can lead to players losing track of their play.
- SOUND AND IMAGERY – Any sounds or images that give the illusion of a win when the return is in fact equal to, or below a stake.
Additional Software Changes
The following changes must also be implemented in order to pass the new regulations:
- Operators must now clearly display to the player their total losses or wins and time played during any online slots session.
- Alongside the changes now being made to online slots, the Gambling Commission have also introduced a permanent ban on reverse withdrawals for all areas of online gambling. This function previously allowed consumers to re-gamble money they had previously requested to withdraw.
The Future Of Online Slots Now Going Forward
The announcement made today will now hopefully help players feel safer and much more in control whilst playing online slots games in the future.
According to an article on SBC News, Neil McArthur, Chief Executive at the UKGC said the following:
This is another important step in making gambling safer, and where the evidence shows that there are other opportunities to do that we are determined to take them.
Minister for Sports, Tourism and Heritage, Nigel Huddleston also made the following statement:
Today’s steps will help curb the intensity of online gambling, introducing greater protections that will reduce the risk of gambling related harm.
He continued:
I welcome the Gambling Commission’s tough measures as we continue our comprehensive review of gambling laws to make sure they’re fit for the digital age.
Rules And Regulations Are Always Welcome
These new rules are part of the Commission’s ongoing programme to make gambling fairer and safer all around.
This has also recently seen the introduction of strengthened protections around online age and ID verification, improved customer interaction practices and also the banning of gambling using credit cards too.
All of these regulations have definitely helped make the industry feel safer, and the introduction of these new slots rules will only add to this greatly.
With this new focus on control, plus the aim to help limit players spending, you will now be able to play your favourite slots titles whilst feeling fully in control of the reins.