The UK Gambling Commission is set to introduce a new compliance framework for land-based gaming machines after receiving 1,065 responses during a recent consultation.
This initiative follows a consultation paper released in January 2025, which addressed the Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS), Gaming Machine Testing Strategy, and Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), as reported by SBC News.
The Commission has confirmed that it will implement several proposed changes, making some adjustments based on the feedback received. Notably, existing gaming machines will not be subject to the new standards due to concerns regarding the financial burden on businesses for necessary technical updates.
Starting from June 30, 2027, new category B gaming machines will be mandated to include features that promote responsible gaming in alignment with GMTS and LCCP. Manufacturers and operators must ensure that these machines offer enhanced access to gambling management tools and provide real-time information on player activity, including total playtime and net position.
Additionally, the updated standards will require that games and machines only display celebratory mechanics when the payout exceeds the stake. The use of turbo spins, quick spins, and “slam stop” functions will be prohibited.
These changes will affect category B2 machines, which encompass fixed-odds betting terminals, B3/B4 fruit and slot machines, as well as B1 casino machines.
The Commission will also revise the definition of a “session” to focus on actual gameplay time, rather than time spent on unrelated functions like depositing funds or navigating menus. Graham Burgin, the Commission’s Policy Senior Manager, noted that this adjustment aims to prevent unnecessary breaks from being triggered before a game session begins.
A new graduated approach will be introduced for breaks activated by default time limits. For the initial 20-minute limit, breaks can be as brief as 10 seconds; for the subsequent 40-minute limit, breaks can last a minimum of 20 seconds. Breaks initiated by customer-set limits and other default or modified limits will continue to have a minimum duration of 30 seconds.
The Commission stated that this approach acknowledges the lower risk associated with the first and second default time-limit alerts.
Moreover, alerts for land-based staff regarding customer play will only be sent after the second session time limit has been reached, allowing staff to focus on customer interactions that present a higher risk.
Once a break is initiated, players will have the option to hide their elapsed playtime and net position from their screens. The Commission believes this will support its policy objectives while addressing player privacy concerns.
The revised definition of a session will take effect on March 30, 2027, with most other amendments following on June 30, 2027. Changes related to staff alerts will be implemented on October 3, 2028. The Commission emphasized that the extended timeline for implementation considers the technical and procedural challenges involved in executing these changes.