The Casinos Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions Regulations 2025

The regulations are part of a package that amends restrictions applying to some gaming products, giving casinos greater freedom about what they can offer customers. Utilising our up-to-date database, casinos can effectively screen their customers, performing thorough due diligence checks to detect any potential dangers or questionable activity. Next Steps  When all the statutory instruments have been laid in the UK Parliament, the Commission will publish information on the overall intent of the statutory instruments, what the changes mean for operators of casino premises that intend to make use of the amended Regulations and how this process should be administered by licensing authorities when applications are received. As part of the increase in premises fees, industry responses highlighted that they would like to see licensing authorities invest in further staff training to increase knowledge and understanding of gambling legislation, which in their view, would improve engagement.

Our intention is that these checks will also be frictionless for customers and conducted online by credit reference agencies or through other means such as open banking in the first instance. These enhanced checks are narrowly targeted and we estimate only around 3% of online gambling accounts will be affected. We also propose that the triggers for enhanced checks should be halved for those aged 18 to 24 given evidence on increased risk. Second, at higher levels of spend which may indicate harmful binge gambling or sustained unaffordable losses (we propose thresholds of £1,000 net loss within 24 hours or £2,000 within 90 days), there should be a more detailed consideration of a customer’s financial position. However, around 300,000 people in Great Britain are estimated to be experiencing ‘problem gambling’, defined as gambling to a degree which compromises, disrupts, or damages family, personal or recreational pursuits, and a further 1.8 million are identified as gambling at elevated levels of risk.

Game Design Changes

The precise impact of data sharing depends on the nature of the system introduced following the trials, but it is intended to benefit a minority of online gamblers at particular risk of harm. The current proposals apply only to the remote sector, but in due course we want to explore the use of frictionless financial risk checks where appropriate in land-based settings to benefit operators and help protect customers. We recognise this risk, the chilling effect which asking customers for bank documents can have, and that implementing a financial risk-based approach will come with costs to operators. Some operators have argued that financial risk checks based on self certification (where customers declare their financial circumstances) could be sufficient for the new more prescriptive framework, or at least serve until frictionless checks are developed.

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. The evidence also points to a stronger link between gambling related harm and suicide among young adults. To counter the increased risk of significant harm and life-changing losses from online slot games, the Government will introduce a £5 stake limit for adults aged 25 and over.

We think that this 30 second transaction time, coupled with the other player protection measures that we are proposing, should ensure that the use of direct debit cards on a machine has a similar level of friction to playing with cash. Following 30 seconds, the player would be able to start depositing money onto the machine. We would suggest that the 30 second period should start from when the machine has read the card and approved the payment. Some respondents stated that any transaction time should at least ensure a break from the machine that is equivalent to the time it takes to access additional funds from an ATM. Responses varied on the length that the transaction time should be, with industry broadly agreeing on 30 seconds and non-industry respondents proposing either 90, 120 or 180 seconds. Our aim throughout the development of this policy has been to replicate the experience of playing on a machine with cash and the deposit and committed payment limits play an important role in the current customer journey.

Similarly, the existing rigorous checks on sources of funds for operating licence applications ensure standards are not undermined. The regulator’s case-by-case contentment would be contingent on assurances that adopting cryptoassets would not pose any risks to compliance. As the ‘Key Event’ reporting requirements on operators extend to any changes to payment systems within 5 days, cryptoassets cannot be adopted as a way of accepting customer deposits without the Commission’s notice. Cryptoassets also have implications for operators balancing liabilities from open bets, and can be disadvantageous to consumers because of wait times and fees. There have been no instances of licensed operators making this declaration and accepting deposits directly in cryptoassets.

From the early days of underground gambling dens to the modern era of licensed casinos, the UK has witnessed significant changes in the way casinos are regulated and operated. The ban took effect on 14 April 2020 and applies to nearly all online and land-based gambling establishments. Another measure aimed primarily at online operators is the ban on gambling with credit cards. All online casinos must participate in the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme GAMSTOP, the UKGC announced in January 2020.

As the premier gambling law, it dictates the protocols for casinos, poker, sports betting, pools, lottery betting, etc. We have also considered a broad range of academic and other literature on gambling harm and gambling harm prevention, including material produced in other jurisdictions, and publications since the call for evidence period. In addition to the direct impact on the levy of a reduction in betting industry GGY, we have also assumed that there may be an impact on racing’s income from gambling sponsorship and media rights, as operators’ income is reduced. The horserace betting levy is paid by bookmakers based on 10% of GGY from customers in Great Britain, betting on races in Great Britain, whether online or in betting shops. A number of submissions to our call for evidence highlighted the relationship between horse racing and gambling, including the importance of the horserace betting levy for maintaining the sport.

We are also open to any other proposals for how table gaming areas should be calculated for 1968 Act casinos which trigger their enhanced gaming machine entitlements. We propose that the table gaming area for casinos that have less than 500sqm of gambling space must be equal to or greater than half the size of the gambling area. We will also amend the current inconsistency in the regulations which requires Small 2005 Act casinos to have a table gaming area of at least 500sqm (identical to their minimum overall gambling area) by reducing this requirement to 250sqm. Option (1) would provide fairness and consistency across all casinos that are able to site 80 machines. This would ensure that regardless of the size of venue, most casinos will be able to site the same proportion of machines to tables. This would mean the introduction of a machine-to-table ratio for 1968 Act casinos that seek to increase their Category B gaming machine entitlement above 20, and a change to the machine-to-table ratio currently in place for Small 2005 Act casinos.

The rise of digital gambling has triggered sweeping reforms—but until now, land-based casinos operated under softer guidelines, particularly when it came to machines. For converted casinos, however, there is an additional restriction on the number of betting machines relative to the size of the floor area of gambling area in that casino. Regulation 3 of these Regulations amends section 172(5)(b)(i) of the Gambling Act 2005 (c. 19) (“the Act”) to change how to calculate the number of gaming machines that may be made available for use in small casinos licensed under the Act. “extended converted casino premises” means premises in which gaming machines are made available for use in accordance with the extended gaming machine entitlement;

Online slots stake limit guidance

Not regarded as gaming where there is no prize offered in “money or money’s worth”. Fantasy betting (payment to back a ‘league’ or ‘portfolio’ selection over a period of time, for example in relation to sport) Sports/horse race betting (if regulated separately to other forms of betting) It is anticipated that under the Crime and Policing Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in February 2025, the Commission will be granted yet further powers to more quickly and effectively take action against illegal gambling websites.

For bingo halls, based on a sample of approximately 60 percent of the market, it is estimated that the number of Category C and D cabinets in these venues will decrease by over 1,800. We received projections on the impacts of 50/50 for industry under the proposal outlined in Option 1. If it appears evident that the ‘available for use’ guidance is not working as intended following changes to the current regulatory framework, we will consider bringing forward secondary legislation to more directly deliver the intended machine mix. For example, numbers provided by the Bingo Association show that the number of bingo premises that offer mainstage bingo declined from 335 at the end of 2018 to 272 in March 2023. Challenges caused by rising energy costs are in addition to the longer-term commercial challenges faced by industry, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic.

You can apply to us for a licence to provide casino games in a premises (non-remote) or online (remote). Please note that the Commission expects that all customers in casino premises are treated as casino customers under the Regulations. When applying for a licence variation to add betting activity, an updated risk assessment and updated policies, procedures and controls documentation will need to be supplied to the Commission.

Find out more about how we regulate the gambling industry in Great Britain. In particular, we are grateful to the House of Lords ad-hoc Select Committee on the social and economic impact of gambling, and we have considered all of the evidence submitted directly to that committee and its recommendations in our deliberations. In the period between the opening of the call of evidence on the 8th December 2020 and publication, the ministers responsible for the Gambling Act Review had over 100 meetings with stakeholders on gambling issues. While all industry submissions recognised the need to update the regulatory framework and presented useful evidence to consider, some outlined far more developed proposals for reforms than others. The gambling industry made 57 submissions, coming from both trade bodies (for instance Betting and Gaming Council, Bacta, The Bingo Association, and the Lotteries Council), as well as individual companies. We are particularly grateful to those who shared the evidence of their own experience of harm to inform the Review’s deliberations as they provide an important personal perspective.

These account for an estimated 70% of online casino games. The Gambling Commission said online operators would need to implement the new rules by 31 October. New restrictions designed to make online casino games less intensive and safer have been announced by the Gambling Commission.

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However, gambling disorder and gambling-related harms are usually attributable to complex interactions between multiple factors. It is important to note that the approach used for gambling will inevitably differ to the approach used for alcohol, not least because of the difference between the licensing objectives for alcohol and for gambling. The findings of a CIA would not remove a licensing authority’s discretion to grant applications for new licences or applications to vary existing licences, where the authority considers this to be appropriate in the light of the individual circumstances of the case. Licensing authorities also have the power to attach licence conditions and remove premises licences if required.

In planning terms, individual gambling premises in England are sui generis (a class of their own) which means that new types of premises cannot be opened without planning permission. In England, the planning system also offers another layer of control to the opening of gambling premises. The Commission and licensing authorities are given broad powers to set conditions that require licensed gambling to be carried out in a way that is consistent with the licensing objectives of keeping it fair and open and free from crime, and protecting children and vulnerable people. Although submissions to the call for evidence suggested that policy statements have limited significance when weighed against the ‘aim to permit’, many licensing authorities have taken significant steps to update their policy statements and apply them when making their decisions. These objectives can inform decisions and actions, such as attaching conditions to premises licences and requiring applicants to provide certain information as part of their application, such as proximity to sensitive locations or vulnerable communities.

Players who register with GamStop are blocked from all UKGC-licensed online casinos simultaneously — one of the most powerful tools available anywhere in the world. Under the UK casino regulations, casinos must confirm customers can afford their level of play. Driven by the Government’s Gambling White Paper — enacted through 2024–2025 legislation — these sweeping changes introduce a series of player-protection measures that directly affect how online casinos operate. Online casino games, slots, poker, bingo, and sports betting are all legal, provided the operator holds a UK Gambling Commission licence. To legally offer gambling services in the UK, operators must obtain licences from the UK Gambling Commission. Casino gambling is permitted online and in land-based venues, provided the operator is licensed by the UKGC.

Millions of people enjoy gambling every year – whether that be putting money on a horse, playing at a casino, or a bet on the football – and much of this is now done through smartphones. All casinos we recommend are UKGC-licensed and provide deposit limits, reality checks, cool-off periods and self-exclusion. All casino gambling is a negative-expectation activity — treat it as entertainment, not income. Our checks focus on UKGC licensing, bonus terms, payout information, payment options, game libraries, mobile experience and responsible gambling tools. Cross-operator data-sharing so harm indicators follow the player.

• Local authorities (for Premises Licences).Sports/horse race betting (if regulated separately to other forms of betting)Fantasy betting (payment to back a ‘league’ or ‘portfolio’ selection over a period of time, for example in relation to sport)LotteriesLotteriesThe Gambling Commission.The Gambling Commission (for Operating Licences).
• Bacta (the trade organisation for family entertainment centres, adult gaming centres, operators and manufacturers), proposed the live-testing of concepts for new machines so that industry, the Gambling Commission and government could gather evidence on the potential gambling harms and mitigations.
• Some of the biggest changes to the way games are played at online casinos will involve the way the games are designed.
• Bacta’s members make up approximately 70-80% of the market for family entertainment centres and adult gaming centres.
• Bacta estimates that the removal of each Category C and D machine could save on average up to £21 per week, or £1,092 per annum, depending on trading hours.

A financial risk model must help protect those vulnerable cohorts for whom even relatively modest gambling losses could be in itself harmful, for example by limiting income available for necessities. The Gambling Commission published a consultation and call for evidence on issues around customer interaction, including preventing harmful or unaffordable losses, in December 2020. The obligations on remote operators to monitor account activity and intervene where individuals display signs of potential harm are a cornerstone of the current package of protections online. While there are real complexities that make it difficult to pinpoint a precise figure, the weight of the evidence suggests that those being harmed by gambling are overrepresented among those with high gambling spend. In responses to our call for evidence, estimates of the Gross Gambling Yield derived from harmful gambling varied significantly, as they have in previous evidence such as that reviewed by the knowledge exchange GREO in 2019, which found estimates range between 15% and 50%. Some submissions pointed out that a reliance on a non gamstop high spending minority is not unusual in other sectors (such as air travel) and that higher than average spending on gambling is not in itself evidence of harm as discretionary income varies significantly across individuals.

We will amend these regulations so that gaming tables where staff are not present and the player operates or controls the gaming apparatus are also excluded for these purposes. Furthermore, the regulations stipulate that real equal chance gaming tables (e.g. poker) are not considered as gaming tables for the purposes of section 172(3) to (5) of the Act. An example of a wholly automated gaming table is an automatic roulette wheel into which the ball is inserted not by a human dealer but at regular intervals by the mechanism itself, and bets are placed at touch screen terminals. Currently, the Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Tables in Casinos) (Definitions) Regulations 2009 provide that a wholly automated gaming table is not a “gaming table” for the purposes of s172(3) to (5) of the Act. However, in updating the regulatory framework we intend to ensure that if the preferred setup of a casino changes in future, an appropriate balance of product remains – both in terms of space and product numbers.