The UK Gambling Commission has made some huge changes to the rules over the last couple of years. Credit cards have been outlawed and UK players are no longer given easy access to free slot games. But that’s not all, as October 2021 will usher more changes and these could impact the way that you play. As such it’s going to be more important than ever to choose reputable bingo and casino sites from a trusted source such as long standing bingo portal, Bingo Paradise.
Minimum Age of Lottery Ticket Purchases
One of the most confusing gambling laws in the United Kingdom is that it’s legal to purchase lottery tickets when you are 16, but you can’t place a bet or enter a casino until you are 18. That’s due to change in October, though, as the minimum age for lottery ticket purchases will be raised to 18. In fact, those rules are already being implemented throughout the UK, preventing under-18s from buying lotto tickets and scratch cards.
Changing Slots
By the end of 2021, all UK slot games must leave a pause of at least 2.5 seconds between every spin. They will also be forced to remove the “Auto-play” function, whereby the slot keeps on spinning until a bonus feature is unlocked or a limit has been reached.
It is believed that these rules will prevent serious problem gambling, as players will be more aware of how much they are losing and will have more time to cool down between spins.
Slot developers will also be forced to remove “positive sounding noises” that trigger when players have lost money. These noises may trick the player into thinking they have won when they have actually lost, activating the reward centre of their brains and encouraging them to keep playing.
No Withdrawal Reverses
Most casinos offer players the chance to cancel or reverse their withdrawals, at which point the money will be returned to their accounts and can be used to gamble with. However, this feature is often abused by gambling addicts.
They win big, withdraw a large chunk of the money, and keep the rest in their accounts. When that remaining money is gambled and lost, they cancel the withdrawal and lose all of that money as well. It’s a vicious cycle and it leads to massive losses. By removing this option, it’s hoped that some of those gambling binges will be prevented.
Keeping Track
Players tend to lose more when they don’t realise how much they have gambled or lost, or at least, that’s the general consensus. A lot of the upcoming changes, therefore, are designed to monitor a player’s activity and track their losses, letting them know how long they have been gambling and how much they have lost.
Most casinos and sportsbook already have a feature that flashes a warning every 30 minutes or 60 minutes to tell you how long you have been active, and that could become more prevalent after October.
Summary: Big Changes on the Way
In addition to the changes outlined above, the government is also looking into the way that gambling companies advertise their services. It’s thought that they might place restrictions on gambling sponsors being used on football shirts, with further restrictions on TV adverts played during pre-watershed sporting events.
Whatever happens, it’s fair to say that the gambling industry will be hit with some major changes at the end of 2021, and they will likely continue into 2022 and beyond.