Online slots limits implemented in the UK iGaming market earlier this year are having minimal impact on underlying financial figures and engagement for the vertical.
Data released by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has shown online slots gross gambling yield for the market’s second quarter of 2025 (July to September) to be £746.5m, up 9% year-over-year (Q2 2024: £686.1m).
The number of spins also rose by 4% YoY to 24.4 billion (Q2 2024: 23.5 billion), while the average monthly active accounts fell by 0.4% to 4.4 million per month (Q2 2024: 4.4 million).
Despite it being the second quarter in which the maximum stake limit for online slots had been implemented – £5 limit for adults from 9 April, £2 limit for 18 to 24 year olds from 21 May – GGY and the number of spins figures continued on an upward trajectory, recording new highs.
The number of spins per session has fallen to 130 (Q2 2024: 141), while GGY per session has declined to £3.96 (Q2 2024: £4.11), but the total number of sessions has increased by 13% to 188 million (166 million).
Online slots sessions lasting over an hour have dropped by 15% YoY as well to 8.6 million (Q2 2024: 10.1 million), with the average session lasting 16 minutes (Q2 2024: 17 minutes) and approximately 5% of all sessions exceeding one hour (Q2 2024: 6%).
Overall, this data could be interpreted to say that online slots limits have little to no impact on GGY and the number of spins for operators as more people are playing, but ultimately, players are spending less time and money playing online slots.
However, the UKGC did note that several operators “refined their session length methodology during the previous year, which will impact year-on-year comparisons on the number of sessions, sessions over one hour and average session length metrics”.
Across other verticals in Q2, the commission stated that:
- Online total GGY was £1.42bn, up 8% YoY. The overall number of total bets and spins increased 3% YoY, to 26.1 billion. The average monthly active accounts decreased 7% to 12 million.
- Real event betting GGY increased by 12% YoY to £508m. The number of bets decreased 3%. The average monthly active accounts decreased by 14%.
- Customer interactions increased by 73% YoY to 5.2 million, with the majority remaining automated in nature. Direct interactions undertaken by operators increased by 42%.
- Betting premises GGY decreased by 5% to £508m. The number of total bets and spins decreased by 2% to 3.1 billion.
- Over the counter bets increased 2% YoY to 136 million. GGY decreased by 9% to £138m.
- Bets placed on self-service betting terminals decreased by 15% YoY to 29.3 million. GGY decreased by 6% to £94m.
- Machines GGY decreased by 2% YoY to £276m, with average spend per session decreasing by 15 pence to £12.20. Average number of spins per machines session decreased by one spin to 129 spins. 2.6% of machine sessions lasted more than one hour, a 2.4% increase YoY.
