The UK Gambling Commission will roll out revised standards for land-based gaming machines following a consultation that drew 1,065 responses. The changes cover the Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS) and licensing conditions.
New requirements take effect in stages. From 30 June 2027, all new category B machines must include responsible gambling features: on-screen display of session time and the player's net position in real time, and access to play-management tools. The regulator will prohibit turbo spin, quick spin and slam stop. Win animations will appear only when the amount exceeds the stake.
The rules apply to B2 machines (including fixed-odds betting terminals), B3/B4 (fruit and slot machines) and B1 (casino). Existing equipment is exempt — the Commission accounted for operators' retrofit costs.
The Commission redefined 'session' to count only actual play time, excluding account top-ups or menu navigation. That should reduce false triggers of mandatory breaks.
Breaks now follow a tiered schedule. After the first 20 minutes of play, a 10-second pause is required; after 40 minutes, 20 seconds. Breaks tied to customer-set limits remain at 30 seconds. Staff alerts for extended play will trigger only after the second time threshold, focusing attention on genuine risk cases.
Players may hide time and balance information from the screen once a break starts, a privacy measure.
The first stage comes into force on 30 March 2027 (revised session definition), the main package on 30 June 2027, and staff-alert requirements on 3 October 2028.
