To protect players against addictive behavior associated with online slots, the U.K. Gambling Commission has ordered gambling companies to take tougher steps to reduce the impact, according to The Independent.
Among the applicable rules: slow games down to a maximum speed of 2.5 seconds per spin; stop the use of sounds and lights that that can make a loss seem like a win; remove auto-play options and reverse withdrawals; display a player’s total losses or wins and time played during any session.
According to the commission, auto-play has led to players losing track of play, making it harder to stop. Reverse withdrawal may tempt players to gamble more money away by giving them a chance to change their mind.
Online play accelerated during the pandemic when brick-and-mortar casinos closed down.
Slot games produce £2.2 billion (US$3 billion) for gambling companies each year, the majority of the online revenue. They also report the highest average losses per player and are among the most addictive.
The new changes make up the Commission’s efforts to help make gambling fairer and safer for players, a move that also included age and ID verification and prohibiting use of credit cards to gamble, according to iGaming Business.
“To make online games safer we are introducing a ban on features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome,” said Gambling Commission Chief Executive Neil McArthur. “This is another important step in making gambling safer and, where the evidence shows that there are other opportunities to do that, we are determined to take them.”
The protections take affect October 31, which critics have complained is too long of a lag time.
