UK introduces stake limits for online slots

The UK Government has confirmed that it will introduce stake limits for online slots, including lower limits for players below the age of 24.

The stake limits are in line with the Government’s earlier proposals and will set a limit of £2 per spin for under-24s, rising to £5 for online slot players aged 25 and over, the same limit that applies in land-based casinos.

The decision follows a 10-week consultation period in which the majority of respondents agreed with the gambling white paper proposal to introduce statutory limits for online slot games.

“Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games,” said Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew.

“We also know that young adults can be more vulnerable when it comes to gambling related harms, which is why we committed to addressing both of these issues in our white paper.

“The growing popularity of online gambling is clear to see, so this announcement will level the playing field with the land-based sector and is the next step in a host of measures being introduced this year that will protect people from gambling harms.”

The limits will come into force in September this year, following secondary legislation.

Zoë Osmond, chief executive of GambleAware, said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement to introduce lower online stake limits for under 25s as an important mechanism to protect young people. Our research shows a concerning trend with this age group experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk products.

“As we continue our work to tackle this growing public health issue, we will collaborate with the Government and others across the gambling harms sector to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the introduction of robust preventative measures, including new regulations such as these.”