Why did the Commission change slot design?
Because of speed and intensity. In its February 2021 consultation response the Commission said speed of play and the frequency of gambling opportunities can increase the risk of addiction and harm. Online slots, it noted, are among the largest online products by gross gambling yield, played by relatively few people with a high average spend, and their features combine to raise the intensity of play. Its answer to autoplay was a standard that demands a fresh press, or an equivalent action, for every game cycle.
The rules, requirement by requirement
| Standard | What a licensed slot must do |
|---|---|
| RTS 8C | Make you commit to each game cycle separately; no autoplay |
| RTS 14D | Allow at least 2.5 seconds before the next game cycle can start |
| RTS 14E | Offer no way to show the result faster: no turbo, quick spin or slam stop |
| RTS 14C | Not let you play several slots at the same time |
| RTS 14F | Not celebrate a return equal to or below the stake |
| RTS 2E | Show your net position since the session began |
| RTS 13C | Show the time elapsed in the session |
Holding a button down does not count as a new press: the standard says continued contact must not start a new game cycle.
Are the rules actually enforced?
Yes, and a 2026 case shows how precise they are. Stakelogic BV reported that one of its online slots for Great Britain ran faster than 2.5 seconds per game cycle. The Commission found:
- the game did not comply between 31 October 2021 and 30 October 2025;
- 15 more games missed the limit by smaller margins;
- timing had been checked with a manual stopwatch.
Stakelogic agreed on 25 June 2026 to pay £122,835. Other penalties are in our list of UKGC fines; the money side of slots is on stake limits.
