This month, UK gambling companies got the order to rein in their online slot machines. They’ll have to remove the Autoplay buttons from machines. Moreover, slot machines won’t be allowed to make positive noises when players lose money. Typically, when you win coins on an online slot and the amount won is less than the amount wagered, exciting sounds activate. Without a doubt, these sounds are misleading!
Virtual casinos will need to implement these restrictions by 31st October 2021. Failure to comply with these standards by UK casino sites could result in extreme penalties and fines. The United Kingdom Gaming Commission’s decisions follow the credit card ban enforced on 14th February 2020.
2005 to 2021 – Online slot machine volumes
England has been regulating the remote gambling industry since 2005. Their online slot machine business volumes alone amount to nearly £2 billion per year. In fact, the market has never experienced a downturn. Despite the 2020 restrictions, the number of online players hasn’t slowed down. The problem is that there are too many players betting irresponsibly, resulting in total bankruptcy. The UK Gaming Commission aims to resolve these issues by the end of 2021.
A sword of Damocles
Casino site operators encouraging compulsive gambling will have to change their ways. This month, the Government gave the UK commission full authority to act accordingly. Removing certain functions on the slots should deter the most sensitive players from playing beyond their financial means. All online casinos accepting British customers won’t have a choice but to revise their slot machine games. The objective: Remove all slot machine functions that mask the notion of money spent. Any operator ignoring the Commission’s requirements could see their gaming license withdrawn.
Stop fooling slots fans
To reduce severe money loss by players on online slots, the Commission is ordering all companies in Great Britain to remove any deceptive functions. Besides, there must be at least 2.5 seconds between each spin bet on a slot machine. Autoplay options, where players configure the machine to run several times in a row within just a few seconds, will be banned. The aim is to encourage players to concentrate while playing, so they understand how much money they’re losing.
Immediate withdrawal of earnings
Casino platforms will also need to remove the option of reverse withdrawals. This choice, which allows players to cancel their withdrawal request and inject the money back into the casino account, will no longer be possible. In other words, once you activate a withdrawal request, you won’t be able to cancel it. This move by the UK Commission will protect the interests of players effectively.
October 2021
The new stricter measures for slot machines will come into force on 31st October 2021. They could come into play with immediate effect, but the Commission wanted to give operators enough time to react. Removing functions from online slot machines isn’t done with a click of a button. British online slot developers will have their work cut out for them!
Slot machines take first place
Data collected by the UK Gaming Commission shows that a slots player average spend was £70 per month in 2020. For table games, it was £36, and for online betting, it was £45. Slot volumes have played a massive role in increasing the revenues of British site casinos. In the online sports betting sector, 4% of players are considered gambling addicts. But, with slot machines, that figure jumps to 6%. The new October restrictions aim to halve the number of addicted players and promote safer casino games. If the UK Gaming Commission fails, they’ll end up imposing further restrictions.
Sponsorship and sport
The biggest threat for remote gambling operators is the ban on sponsoring sports, like logos on football shirts. Given the success of remote gambling in England, it’s extremely likely a ban like this will come into effect soon. When that day does come, British online gambling sites’ business volumes will melt away like snow.
A low minimum age
The UK Gaming Commission is always listening to anti-gambling associations. These associations want to raise the legal minimum age for gambling as you only need to be 18 years old to register with an online casino in England. Those fiercely fighting the gaming industry, believe this age limit is recklessness. Other countries have set the age limit at 21 to protect their youth. British culture has always emphasised gambling, but delaying access to games for youngsters would reduce gambling addiction problems.
Online Casino Today’s review
The new limits being imposed by the UKGC this year are a step forward. It may seem contradictory that our team is on board with controlling the field of online casino sites. However, the primary goal of our UK online casino guide is to promote responsible gaming. The idea of responsible gambling is to let players bet as they see fit without encouraging them to gamble. For example, if a player decided to take a chance on an online slot machine, they can’t then be pressured into irresponsibly pledging money. We take this fact very seriously in our guide, which is why you’ll never see online casino sites on our web pages ignoring their responsibility.