UK Gambling Commission Announces New Restrictions for Online Casinos

Players and online casinos in the UK will be facing a new series of gambling restrictions. The proposed set of rules is designed by the UK Gambling Commission with a goal to make betting on online games safer and less intensive. 

The focus is put on slots because they have the largest average losses for players out of all gambling products on the market. The Commission is banning some of the key slot features: 

• Features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome 
• Slot spin speeds faster than 2.5 seconds 
• Auto-play (it prevents players from having a clear view of their overall play, making it harder for them to stop and making it possible to simultaneously bet on more than one game)
• Sounds or imagery that give the impression that wins are larger than the stake

When it comes to casino operators, they have to implement certain measures if they want to have access to the UK online gambling market. It is required of them to ensure players have a clear view of their total losses and wins at all times. Also, they need to display the elapsed time of any slots betting session. The UK Gambling Commission has also put a permanent ban on withdrawal reversals. So, once a player requests a withdrawal, it will be impossible for them to cancel it and start placing bets again with it. 

Minister for Sports, Tourism, and Heritage Nigel Huddleston said: 

"Today's steps will help curb the intensity of online gambling, introducing greater protections that will reduce the risk of gambling-related harm. I welcome the Gambling Commission's tough measures as we continue our comprehensive review of gambling laws to make sure they're fit for the digital age."

The online gambling operators have to fully implement these new rules by October 31, 2021. These restrictions are just the continuation of the process that has been happening for some years now with a goal to make the UK online betting market much safer and fairer for the players.