Government response to consultation on proposals for the introduction of a maximum stake limit for online slots games in Great Britain GOV UK

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To finalise policy details, including the precise level at which a stake limit should be set, the government conducted a public consultation exercise from July to October 2023. In Great Britain, there are currently no statutory limits on the amount people can stake on any online gambling products. Following the passing of the secondary legislation, we expect there to be a minimum  of 6 weeks’ transition period for operators to introduce a £5 stake limit for all customers. This response provides remote gambling operators with clear notice of our intention to introduce stake limits at the specified levels. A. We add new online slots every week.

86% of respondents to this question agreed with the description of ‘maximum stake’ proposed in the consultation. Respondents suggested that multiple definitions in legislation and regulation would cause confusion and technical challenges for the categorisation of games, as well as potentially unintentionally capturing games outside of scope of the limit. Some respondents called for regular reviews of the description to future-proof its relevance to new online gambling products. To ensure the statutory instrument introducing the maximum stake limit is fully effective, we need to ensure a common understanding and also ensure the chosen definitions capture all intended products without driving unintended consequences. For young adults aged 18 to 24, just 2.1% staked over £2 for more than half of their spins and 0.4% staked over £5 for more than half of their spins. Only 3.9% of those aged 25 and over staked over £2 for more than half of their spins, and just 0.7% staked over £5 for more than half of their spins.

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Others felt that a two-tier approach to stake limits would only serve to generate further disparity with the land-based sector where the same limits are consistent across all adults. 34% of consultation respondents were in favour of a universal limit of £2 across all adult age groups as the lowest limit within the consultation range. There were a number of views on whether additional protections are needed for young adults and whether a separate lower stake limit should be implemented. All online play is account-based, and recent years have seen significant strides in the development of harm detection algorithms which monitor every aspect of a customer’s gambling to spot signs of risk and trigger interventions without human input.

2) Is the description of stake we have provided suitable for the purpose of the introduction of a maximum stake limit for online slots games? Ahead of the consultation, we also requested data from Flutter, who introduced a maximum stake limit for slots games of £10 per spin across all of its brands in 2021. As set out in the white paper and the July 2023 consultation, there is strong evidence of product-driven risk from online slots games, which is likely to be exacerbated by the ability for operators to offer theoretically limitless stakes. From 26 July to 4 October 2023, DCMS publicly consulted on proposals for a stake limit for online slots games. One of the key proposals in the white paper was the introduction of a maximum stake limit for online slots games.

New UK customers must register with code WHV200, opt in and stake £10 on the game within seven days. The free spins are valued at 10p each and must be used within 24 hours. The free spins are worth 10p each and are valid on Big Bass Splash. Winnings are paid in cash, and the spins must be accepted within 48 hours and used within seven days.

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Many slot websites offer regular promotions and bonus spins in order to extend your gameplay or reward your loyalty. As a horse racing and slots expert, he specialises in finding betting value and assessing games, features and player experience. Industry respondents expressed concerns about the impact of a stake limit on innovation within games. A similar number of respondents focused on the cost to the gambling industry and raised concerns about the displacement of customers to the illegal online market as a result of the introduction of stake limits. Many respondents cited evidence showing that young adults may be particularly vulnerable to gambling-related harm and felt that this justified greater protections either in the form of a separate stake limit or otherwise. We also acknowledge the calls for changes to game design, specifically to slow down the speed of online slots games.

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Moreover, it takes consideration of the structural differences between land-based in-person gambling and online play. Around 20% of customers currently choose to stake over £5 on a spin at least once a year (so will be impacted by this measure), but only 0.6% of all spins are over £5. Some respondents called for additional measures not in scope of the consultation, including further action on advertising and game design.

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• A. We add new online slots every week.
• Following publication of this response, draft regulations will be drafted and laid before Parliament as an affirmative statutory instrument, alongside a regulatory impact assessment.
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Some operators responding to the consultation raised technical concerns about the description, where the proposed wording extended the definition established by the Gambling Commission in 2021 in an effort to ensure boundary pushing products are captured. Some respondents considered the description to be too vague and therefore open to loopholes, while others felt that it was too restrictive. We are grateful for the time and effort stakeholders committed to help inform and strengthen our policy position. Alongside updated data from the Gambling Commission on the size of remote gambling licence holders split by size of workforce and number of licences held. However, 18 to 24 year olds placed a slightly higher proportion of stakes between £2 and £10, compared to older adults. The primary difference is at staking levels over £10, which take up a lower proportion of overall stakes for young adults aged 18 to 24 than those 25 and over.

While the basic concept of most UK online slots remains the same, many offer a unique mix of game mechanics and features that influence gameplay and potential winnings. Online slots games are already subject to a minimum speed of play of 2.5 seconds per spin (in line with land-based equivalents) as well as other measures designed to strengthen the protections and controls for those who gamble through online slots games. This limit will apply to all slots games offered by licensed operators, and operators will under no circumstances be allowed to offer higher stakes on online slots games, even if customers can provide evidence of lack of harm or their ability to afford them. A few respondents pointed to the blanket EUR 1 stake limit on online slots introduced in Germany in 2020 and expressed concerns about its impact on the German market. However, the intention is that boundary-pushing products (such as those which combine fundamentally slots-type gameplay elements with other games like bingo – for instance the popular ‘slingo’ game) are captured under the definition of slots and subject to the stake limit.

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Of these respondents, the majority support a separate stake limit for young adults aged 18 to 24 that is £2 or below. 30% of respondents selected Option A (a £2 stake limit for young adults 18 to 24) and 3% of respondents selected Option B (a £4 stake limit for young adults aged 18 to 24). 1% of respondents were in support of a £15 limit (Option 4) and 4% of respondents did not support a stake limit at any level. Many respondents also felt that £2 was most appropriate as it aligned with the stake limit for B2 gaming machines in bookmakers. ‘‘Maximum stake per spin’ means the maximum amount a player can pay or risk per spin or game cycle’

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You will also find a fantastic range of Dream Drop progressive slots, with immersive Temple Tumble 2 Dream Drop standing out as a fan favourite. To tackle the illegal online gambling market, we have introduced new powers for the Gambling Commission so it can more effectively take action against the black market through provisions in the Home Office’s recent Criminal Justice Bill. This is outside the scope of this consultation but has been considered as part of the Gambling Act Review and is covered in the gambling white paper. The majority of these related to proposals outside of the scope of this consultation, including recommendations for further action on advertising and changes to game design and customer-led tools. Some respondents also referenced evidence that some ethnic minority groups have a higher risk of problem gambling or being an affected other. A few respondents cited evidence that people with learning disabilities / on the spectrum of learning needs are at a greater risk of suffering gambling-related harms.