Under-25s will be limited to £2 stakes on slot games in online gambling crackdown

YOUNG people will be limited to £2 a spin on online slot games as part of a crackdown on problem gambling.

There is no limit on the amount that gamblers can stake when playing online slots, which is seen as one of the most addictive forms of betting.

From September, under-25s will be unable to bet more than £2 at a time when playing these games on the web.

Adults aged 25 and over will face a £5 stake limit “to counter the increased risk of significant harm and life-changing losses” from online slots, ministers said.

In 2019 the Government reduced the limit on stakes on the equivalent machines in betting shops – called fixed-odds betting terminals – from £100 to £2.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) described the new limits as a “landmark moment” for the regulation of online gambling.

Stuart Andrew, the gambling minister said: “Although millions of people gamble safely every single day, the evidence shows that there is a significantly higher problem gambling rate for online slot games.

“We also know that young adults can be more vulnerable when it comes to gambling-related harms, which is why we committed to addressing both of these issues in our White Paper.

“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.”

Easily-accessible online slot games have become associated with large losses, long sessions, and binge play, according to evidence presented during a consultation over the proposals contained in the Government’s gambling White Paper.

Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities showed that young adults may be particularly vulnerable with under-25s having the highest average problem gambling score of any age group.

NHS survey figures also showed a problem gambling rate of 8.7 per cent for online gambling on slots, casino or bingo games – one of the highest rates across gambling activities.

Young adults had lower disposable income, ongoing neurological development impacting risk perception and common life stage factors such as managing money for the first time, the DCMS said.

Evidence also pointed to a stronger link between gambling-related harm and suicide among young adults.