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The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) has announced that the UK will introduce a maximum £2 stake for 18 to 24 year-olds for online slot games and a £5 limit for adults aged 25 and over.
Gambling minister Stuart Andrew said evidence shows that “there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games”.
“The growing popularity of online gambling is clear to see, so this announcement will level the playing field with the land-based sector and is the next step in a host of measures being introduced this year that will protect people from gambling harms.”
The limits will come into force in September this year and will require secondary legislation.
“There will be a six-week transition period for operators to become compliant with the general £5 stake limit rules, followed by a further six weeks for the development of any necessary technical solutions to ensure operators are fully compliant with the lower stake limit of £2 for young adults aged 18-24,” according to the DCMS announcement on February 23.
The decision follows a ten-week consultation that considered a maximum stake of between £2 and £15 per spin and options to introduce greater protections when playing slots for 18 to 24 year-olds, such as lower stake limits of £2 or £4 or requirements on operators to consider age as a risk factor for gambling-related harm.
“The majority of respondents agreed with the gambling white paper proposal to introduce statutory limits for online slot games to help reduce the risk of gambling harm. Consultation responses included views from industry, academics, treatment providers and individuals,” according to the DCMS.
Zoë Osmond, the CEO of charity GambleAware, welcomed the news saying its own research has revealed a “concerning trend” among young adults “experiencing an increase in harm arising from gambling and online slots are very high-risk products”.
“As we continue our work to tackle this growing public health issue, we will collaborate with the government and others across the gambling harms sector to ensure there are no missed opportunities when it comes to the introduction of robust preventative measures, including new regulations such as these,” Osmond said.
Responses to other white paper measures, which include a statutory levy for research, education and treatment, as well as financial risk checks, will be “published soon”, according to the DCMS.
