New online gambling controls

Online slot machine players must be protected by a series of strict new measures, an industry watchdog has announced.

Online slot machines have soared in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the Gambling Commission says that, by the end of September, online operators must limit the speed of games, stop using sounds and images suggesting a" win" when the user has lost, and end the use of auto-play settings.

Slots are worth £2.2bn and the industry is growing at about £100 ma year, say the regulator.

Gambling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur said: "We are introducing a ban on features that speed up play or give the illusion of control over the outcome. The evidence shows these features increase the risk of harm to customers.”