Big changes are coming to slot games in the UK

Slot fans, listen closely - some new limits are being added to slot games that might change the way you play your favourite slot games!

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) have announced a new code of conduct that limits how fast you can spin the reels. It also bans features in games that might make it easier, or faster, for someone to to play beyond their means.

Slowing down play 

When you play slot games, you might not want to watch the reels spin or wait to see whether you’ve been lucky enough to get a win, so you might be someone who always ends your spins early.

This not only gets you to the results faster, but it also lets you start the next spin straight away. However, after next week this will be a thing of the past!

From September 30th, all slot games in the UK will be limited to 2.5 seconds between spins, meaning you won’t be able to hit the spin button again to stop the spinning and immediately wager again.

Not only will you not be able to hit the play button as fast as you used to, but the popular ‘turbo spins’ feature will also be banned. 

Turbo spins can be turned on in the settings of a game and can completely skip the tension created by the spinning reals by showing you the results immediately. Some games even offer to turn this on automatically for you if it detects that you like to play a little faster. 

Another feature being banned is multi-slot play. This is where a site lets you play multiple slot games at once, or let you play slot games at the same time as you play other games, like when you're playing on an online bingo site.

Why the change?

The BGC was set up last year by some of the UK’s biggest operators, who wanted to form a safer gambling initiative and develop a code of conduct for the industry.

The BGC’s goal is to ensure that betting shops, casinos and online gambling sites are maintaining a code of conduct when they are marketing their products, and to ensure that the products themselves are not harmful.

An industry group set up in January was tasked with determining how gambling products can be safer. This group, which included game publishers Playtech and Scientific Games, published a report suggesting next week’s new code of contact back in April.

The initial suggestions also included a ban of the auto-play feature alongside the slowing down of play, however that has not been included in this new code of conduct.

On the newly introduced changes, chief executive of the BGC, Michael Dugher, had the following to say:

 “The new Game Design Code of Conduct is yet another example of our determination to address concerns head on and meet our safer gambling commitments.”

Earlier in 2020, the use of credit cards on online casinos was banned, withdrawal reversals on online gambling sites were blocked and a cool-off feature was added to FOBT machines, showing a large amount of responsible changes are being made by the industry ahead of November's Safer Gambling week.