UK Government Puts Slot Machine Rule Changes on Hold

The UK government has delayed plans to loosen long-running limits on slot machines in adult gaming centers (AGCs) throughout Great Britain. This decision comes as a response to increasing worries about safeguarding at-risk players. The pause has upset industry leaders who had been calling for changes to the rules.

No Change to ’80/20′ Slot Rule This Year, Says DCMS

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated it would not change the current “80/20 rule” for slot machine distribution in AGCs this year, reported The Guardian. This rule says that 20% of machines in a venue can be high-stakes Category B3 terminals, which let people bet up to £2 ($2.65) and win prizes up to £500 ($663). The other 80% must be lower-stakes Category C or D machines, with bets capped at £1 ($1.33) and jackpots at £100 ($133).

The decision to hold off comes after pressure from campaigners and recent attention on the sector’s practices. Earlier this year, the Gambling Commission fined operator Merkur after claims that staff took advantage of a vulnerable customer, which made people worry more about how well the sector is regulated.

Government officials said they decided to halt the reform because they recognized “ongoing worries about how well vulnerable people are protected.” They had thought about relaxing the rules to a 50/50 ratio or even getting rid of the 80/20 rule as part of the 2023 gambling white paper. Now, these changes will not happen anytime soon.

Industry Criticizes Government Delay on Slot Machine Rule Reforms

This decision shows a big change from what the government hinted at before, which made it seem like they would support high street gaming places more as part of bigger gambling changes. The white paper focused on putting tighter controls on online operators. Meanwhile, AGCs hoped they would get more relaxed rules to bring in more customers and cut down on the high costs of keeping machines that people do not like much.

Trade group Bacta, which speaks for the arcade and gaming center industry, felt let down. Its head, John Bollom, called the delay a lost chance to update old rules. He thinks the suggested changes are safe for players and good for business, and said the group still hopes reforms might be looked at again.

Some people are not upset. Labour MP Beccy Cooper liked the pause, pushing for even tougher steps. She urged the government to give local councils more power to control the spread of gambling spots in their areas. The DCMS has not ruled out changes down the road, but has made it clear that protecting players takes priority over what the industry wants right now. This break shows a more careful approach to changing land-based gambling rules as more people call for tighter controls.