The United Kingdom Gambling Commission announced on September 3rd that public consultations for online video slots & their in-game components wouldn’t be supported any longer. It follows after the UKGC confirmed they’d gathered enough intelligence on how safeguarding slot development can be accomplished. Their goal with “Slot Public Consultations” was to create a safer betting environment for UK civilians.
UKGC Researchers began their consultation services in July 2020, considering the analytic project a “Key Research Directive”. Opinions from industry sources & bettors were widely accepted for two months, allowing researchers to determine protective benefactors that can create safer wagering with online slots. Assessments through these public consultations include game features, frequency of betting opportunities, and speed of play. Data was referenced between these core attributes & gambling risks.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission released a formal statement behind their decision. The letter evokes that the UKGCs interest with online slots is to increase the intensity of play & build safer protocols. Making a gambling yield will benefit bettors under the UKGCs assessment. However, the notable backlash from supporters & operators has come since the Commission revealed they’d design safer legislation for online slots. It was the one game category that hadn’t been limited by the UKGC, and lower player volumes.
The UKGC has overseen regulatory development of betting products for decades, holding favouritisms over the standard Brick & Mortar method for gambling. They’ve attacked the online market multiple occasions to limit the capabilities of digital sportsbooks, casinos, and racebooks. Operators have regularly found loopholes in UKGC regulation to continue operating under normal conditions. It’s created a never-ending virtual war between both parties. Every year, online betting volumes increase in the United Kingdom & land-based volumes decrease.
Below are the updated requirements for video slots with UKGC Regulation:
- Spin Speed at 2.5 Seconds for All Video Slots.
- Intensive Play Game Features must be removed.
- Split-Screen Slots must be blocked going forward.
- Slots require approval from the BCG Testing Lap.
These conditions don’t drastically limit what capabilities are granted to slot developers. Standard features like Free Spins, Wilds, and Bonus Rounds will still be permitted. It’s benefactors like Turbo Rounds & Booster Multipliers that can’t be implemented going forward.