iGaming brands that are embracing the coming UKGC changes
The UK Gambling Commission regularly reviews its guidelines and changes them, where it seems appropriate.
The changing of rules and guidelines is something that the gambling industry is used to and are well aware of the need to adapt the way that they operate in order to comply with these. The latest guideline changes have been around slot games and the ways that they can be played. It would be easy to assume that the casino industry would not want more restrictions, however; as it stands many iGaming brands have embraced the latest changes and see it as a way to adapt their offering in a way to cater to their customer base even more efficiently.
How does the industry adapt to UKGC changes?
The UK Gambling Commission announcing changes to gambling regulations or suggesting changes in the way that gambling can take place is nothing new. As such, most industry people are well aware of the need to adapt to these in the most efficient way. This helps to keep things smooth for their customer base and also means that any changes to their business model work efficiently too.
As gambling operators are well used to these changes they very rarely become fazed by any announcements that are made. Instead, people see it as a chance to offer something new and a challenge to bring everything together. The latest changes to slot games are no exception.
What changes have been made?
Announced at the start of 2021 and due to come into play from the Autumn are a number of guidelines surrounding the playing of slot games and how these are allowed to operate.
Most of the changes are a tightening of the rules in order to make online gaming a safer, more enjoyable experience for those that take part.
- Slots cannot spin faster than every 2.5 seconds
- Games cannot give the illusion that the player has control over the outcome
- Auto-play is no longer allowed
- Sounds to celebrate a win when the player has won equal to or less than they invest must be removed
There were also some guidelines announced specific to the online gaming industry
- Total wins and/or losses must be displayed on each online gaming session
- The length of time the gaming session has been must also be displayed
- Reverse withdrawals have also been banned.
What does this mean for slot games currently?
Although the new guidelines were announced in February, they don’t become law until the end of October. This means that although casinos and iGaming brands have been encouraged to introduce these straight away and many already have, there may still be some changes to come when the law comes fully into play.
However, rather than let this hinder the industry many gaming operators have simply used it as an opportunity to rejig their gaming and offer even better games.
For example, the ban on auto-play has been bought in as it encouraged customers to mindlessly spin through numerous games without really noticing what they are spending and how many spins they have played. This meant that slot machine designers didn’t really need to think too much about how to keep people engaged or interested in playing the game further. Now that auto-play will no longer be allowed, slot game designers are going to need to make games much more fun and interactive, in order to ensure that people are kept interested and keep playing.
As the regulations also stipulate that the amount of time being spent and how much money has been played should be displayed, casinos will need to make sure that customers find their games worth playing. With people much more aware of what they are spending, they could be likely to only spend money on games they are really enjoying – so it is down to the people that make slot games to make this happen.
What does the future of online gambling look like?
Ever-changing regulations and restrictions being introduced to keep up with the latest casino technology mean that the future of gambling looks changeable. The popularity of placing bets online has increased massively over recent years and this isn’t a trend that is likely to change any time soon. However, with this increasing popularity comes an obligation for the UK Gambling Commission to ensure that everyone is looked after and this could mean changes to different legislations in the future.
The future of online gambling although ever-changing is likely to be an exciting one. There are new games and ways to win being introduced all the time and this is something that will continue. Not only are new games always been introduced but the technology behind these is always adapting too.
For example, iGaming brands with live video slot games are something that we are starting to see more of. This type of slot game allows plays to feel more connected to the experience and more involved in the game and this encourages them to play even more. VR technology is something that some online casinos are gambling in and this trend is likely to continue too – as software developers know that online gambling customers are always looking for something more.
The software developers and game designers behind casino games will no doubt already have some tricks up their selves when it comes to designing new games and staying ahead of the competition. There are now hundreds of online casinos and iGaming brands for customers to choose from – and although they will all need to comply with any rules put out by the UKGC, they’ll also want to do this in a way that helps their business to grow. This means that developers will need to continue to embrace any new rules and changes in the way they have been doing and make sure that any new games they put out keep up with the changes but also keep up with customer demand to make sure that everyone throughout the online gambling industry is kept happy.
