The government is implementing a groundbreaking change by limiting the sum individuals can wager on online slot games as a measure to combat gambling addiction.
Under the new law, adults 25 and older will face a cap of £5 per spin, while individuals between 18 and 24 years old will have a £2 limit per spin.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) plans to impose a mandatory levy on gambling companies to support funding for addiction therapy.
According to DCMS, these actions are intended to enable people to “engage in gambling safely,” although the primary lobbying group for the betting industry expressed concerns that governmental perspective may be skewed.
Statistics from the charity GamCare reveal that addiction to online slot machines has increased notably since the onset of the Covid pandemic.
Among the 6,697 individuals who sought advice via the National Gambling Helpline in 2023-2024, 45% reported issues with online slot games, a rise from 34% in 2020-2021.
“These games are incredibly repetitive, and we have numerous instances of individuals playing ceaselessly through the night, continuously gambling for protracted periods,” stated Jon Armstrong, spokesperson for GamCare.
He shared with BBC Business Today that the newly established limits “acknowledge that younger individuals might require additional safeguards.”
However, former gambler Dan Chandler, who commenced betting at age 15, pointed out that enforcing these regulations may be challenging as some individuals might misrepresent their age.
‘Exploiting the system’
Currently working as a gambling therapist for the support service Breakeven, he shared with the BBC that numerous individuals he converses with have confessed to engaging in underage betting and manipulating age checks.
“For instance, a teenager at 16 might use his father’s information to sign up for an online gambling platform but then link his own banking card for transactions,” he explained.
“Gamblers often display remarkable ingenuity when it comes to engaging in harmful gambling behaviors.”
At the same time, the NHS has reported an increasing number of cases involving gambling issues, with the latest data showing a more than twofold rise in referrals compared to the same timeframe last year.
Gambling Minister Fiona Twycross stated the introduction of wager caps for online slot games aims to safeguard vulnerable individuals, especially focusing on the younger demographic.
Previously, these online slot games did not have a wagering limit in place.
“The adverse effects of gambling can devastate one’s finances, relationships, and potentially their lives,” Twycross remarked.
She announced that the government plans to implement the “first legally mandated” charge on the betting sector to fund treatment for gambling addiction.
‘I stole £70,000 to fuel my gambling habit’
Increase in teenage gambling issues, says survey
‘I gambled away our money on our wedding night’
The Betting and Gaming Council, which is the industry’s advocacy group, mentioned that they have voluntarily allocated £170 million over the past four years to support services for gambling-related problems.
Nevertheless, the government pointed out that, with the existing system, not all gambling operators contribute fairly, noting that some companies contribute as little as £1 a year towards research, prevention, and treatment.
Grainne Hurst, heading the Betting and Gaming Council, expressed support for the government’s initiatives.
However, she remarked: “The tone of this declaration indicates that the government might be aligning too closely with anti-gambling advocates, which benefits no one.”
The DCMS highlighted that its obligatory levy is expected to generate £100 million for “the research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related issues.”
According to the government, 50% of the funds raised will be directed towards NHS care, 30% will go into public health campaigns and preventive strategies, while the remaining 20% will be allocated for research.
The DCMS specified that the levy might range between 0.1% and 1.1% of a firm’s gross gambling revenue, a typical earnings gauge for the industry, “depending on the sector.”
These proposals are a direct follow-up to a survey conducted by the former Conservative government from October 2023 to January 2024.