In the United Kingdom, gambling and slot machines are well accepted and legalised. There are several online and land-based casinos offering diverse games, including slots. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is directly responsible for licensing and regulating all forms of gaming in the jurisdiction – also try Enchanted Prince Slot.
The UK gambling laws have been amended many times to meet the demands of the players and keep other crucial factors in place. Here’s an overview of the state of laws governing UK gambling.
Timeline of the Laws
The first crucial law in the UK gambling scene was the Betting and Gaming Act of 1960. This legislation is responsible for the introduction of land-based gaming venues, as well as bookmakers. Currently, there are over 10,000 licensed gambling establishments scattered across the UK.
While offline casinos were still legal, a new law was introduced in 1968, stating more free parameters. Basically, anyone could own a gambling license at the time. The UKGC was also established.
In 2005, the first online gambling bill was signed into law, allowing internet gambling to be introduced.
Slots Legality
Due to the popularity of slots, all the laws introduced and signed had them in mind. So, it’s safe to say UK gamblers can comfortably wager on any type of pokie machine without risking a visit from law enforcement.
However, each machine available online or at a land-based casino must be licensed by the UKGC. Here are the steps on how to get a license. It is valid for one year, and applicants must pay a processing fee of £330. They must also be 18+ and have a work permit in the UK.
For land-based venues:
- The applicant must submit an application, including submitting the proper documents. This includes:
- Ownership and management structure
- Policies
- Terms for customer service
- Business plan
- Bank statements for 6 months.
- Once the documents are complete, he can file them at the gambling commission and pay the annual fee.
- The process takes five days and one month before a reply is received.
The process is more complicated for online slots since it involves several procedures. Please refer to the official website of the UKGC for further details.
Grading of Machines
The legislation guiding slot machines groups them into different grades or categories. They include
- B1
- B2
- B3
- B4
- B3A
- C
- D
Each category has an age restriction of 18 and above, except for D. This group only comprises fruit slots, crane grabs, and coin pushes. In addition, the minimum stake is 10pence while the maximum is £1. The maximum prize allowed is £50.
Recent Changes to the Gambling Laws
In response to specific criticisms and analyses, there were changes made to the laws. For example, the government of the UK banned the use of credit cards at all gambling outfits. Famous payment merchant PayPal was majorly affected. This is in a bid to reduce addiction and also increase verification checks for minor gambling.
Also, the new laws mandate all operators to offer free services regarding assistance to players with a gambling addiction. Some organisations that now provide help include the Gambling Anonymous UKK, GamCare, nex guide osrs and the National Gambling Helpline.
