Marcus RichardsThe laws regarding gambling can often be a little confusing. It changes depending on which country you are in, and then you have the question of whether land-based, online or both types of slots are legal. It’s all rather intimidating, but don’t worry – we’re here to clear the air. If you’ve ever wondered whether online slots offering 500 free spins are still legal to play in the UK, look no further. We’re going to be taking a deep dive into:
– The legality of online slots in the UK
– Gambling regulations in the UK
– Types of slots that are not legal
So, are they legal?
You will be pleased to know that playing online slots in the UK is still 100% legal! Whilst land-based slots have been legal pretty much ever since they were created, the UK didn’t catch up with legalizing online slots until 2005. However, our favourite games have been legal ever since, and the popularity of them is bigger than ever! There are some terms and conditions though, as always. The most obvious example is that you must be over the age of 18 in order to legally play online slots, as gambling as a minor is illegal. Furthermore, the slot game and online slot site must be fully licensed to be played in the UK and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). However, it will be difficult to find an online slot that is not regulated in the UK, and if it isn’t then it will usually not let you use the website anyway!
So, does that mean that all slot games are legal in the UK?
More or less, but it’s not that simple. The rules and regulations of the UKGC have several important rules that determine whether an online slot game can be played legally in the UK. A few examples of these include:
– Online slots must not encourage users to chase their winnings
– Online slot sites must provide spending minimization features
– Online slots must not allow users to buy bonus features
This last example could be a bit of a downer for some people – it essentially means that the infamous ‘Bonus Buy’ feature in slot games which allows players to buy their way to the bonus levels is illegal in the UK. Don’t worry though, slot developers won’t give up that easily. They will simply create a new UK-specific version of the game that follows the UKGC regulations, so generally you will not miss out on any fun.
Conclusion
Overall, we are happy to announce that online slots are still legal to play in the UK – woohoo! As long as the slot games are licensed and regulated to be played in the UK, you will not encounter any problems. Don’t worry too much about this in general. Slot sites must keep a close eye on this stuff, so if they detect that you are playing from the UK and cannot play a certain unlicensed slot, they won’t let you log on. This is rare though, so go enjoy those slots!
