Players can now stake a maximum of £5 per spin on online slot machines.

UK.- New stake limits for online slot machines have come into force in Britain. As part of the broader gambling reforms outlined in last year’s gambling white paper, the maximum amount a player can stake per spin on an online slot as of yesterday (September 1) is now £5.

The £5 per spin limit applies for over 25s. For under 25s, the limit is £2 – equal to the limit placed on retail-based fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) back in 2019. Until now, there had been no limit on stakes for online slots, although some operators had already begun reducing their maximum stake limits voluntarily.

Online slots generated £3.2bn for the industry last year, making up a large portion of overall casino revenue, which came in at £4bn. However, online slots have come in for criticism as they are widely considered to be connected to higher rates of problem gambling than other verticals.

Meanwhile, the Gambling Commission on Friday launched its pilot of financial risk assessments for online gambling. The pilot of frictionless “light touch” checks forms part of a four-stage plan and will see checks initially tested for customer accounts that receive deposits of over £500 a month.

The pilot involves credit agencies as well as online gambling operators and will examine the impact on customers. The deposit threshold will be reduced to £150 a month by February 28 2025.