| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | Current status | Implementation date |
| Stake limits: Introduction of a maximum stake on online slots games. | Secondary legislation – The Gambling Act 2005 (Operating Licence Conditions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
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The government has now introduced the following maximum stake limits for online slots games:
i. £5 maximum stake limit per spin for adults aged 25 and above. ii. £2 maximum stake limit per spin for young adults aged 18 to 24. |
The DCMS consultation on maximum stake limits for online slots games, here, closed on 4 October 2023. See Government response here. | The £5 stake limit will apply to all adults from 9 April 2025.
On 21 May 2025, the £2 stake limit will take effect, which will apply to those aged between 18 – 24. |
| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | Current status | Implementation date |
| Risk information: Improvement in messaging about gambling-related risks. | Government policy | The government has stated that 30% of funding from the statutory levy (due to take effect on 6 April 2025) will be allocated to “develop a comprehensive approach to prevention and early intervention” with respect to gambling-related harm, which may include national public health campaigns. | Forms part of the government consultation on the statutory levy, which closed on 14 December 2023.
The outcome of the consultation was published on 27 November 2024 – see here. |
Linked to the implementation of the statutory levy, which is due to take effect on 6 April 2025. |
| Football sponsorship: The Premier League will voluntarily end front-of-shirt sponsorships from gambling companies. | Premier League policy – the Premier League announced its intention to withdraw front-of-shirt gambling sponsorship on 13 April 2023 | Premier League to implement ban | Ban to be implemented by the end of the 2025/2026 football season. | Ban to be implemented by the end of the 2025/2026 football season |
| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | When next step is expected |
| Gambling Commission: Review of fees to ensure the Commission has necessary resources for enforcement and to deliver White Paper commitments. | Secondary legislation | DCMS consultation on reviewing fees. | This had been expected during the course of 2024 |
| Gambling Commission: Commission to be given new powers against the black market | Primary/secondary legislation | On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes provisions to strengthen the Gambling Commission’s powers to obtain orders to take down IP addresses and domain names linked to illicit gambling operations | Dependent on the progress of passage of the Crime and Policing Bill |
| Statutory levy: Introduction of a statutory levy paid by operators to the Commission to fund research, education and treatment of gambling harms. | Secondary legislation – The Gambling Levy Regulations 2025 | B2C and B2B operators will be required to pay between 0.1% and 1.1% of GGY. Online operators (with certain exceptions, including society lotteries with remote licences), will pay 1.1%. Software licence holders will also pay 1.1%. The rate for land-based casinos and betting shops will be 0.5%. | The Gaming Levy Regulations will take effect on 6 April 2025.
Operators will be required to make their first levy payment to the Gambling Commission by 1 October 2025. |
| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | When next step is expected |
| Ombudsman: Introduction of an ombudsman to deal with customer disputes and appropriate redress in the event of operators’ social responsibility failures. | Voluntary initially, with legislation if needed. | Process for appointment to commence. | Process for appointment to commence in spring/summer 2023 with the intention that the ombudsman is managing complaints within a year. |
| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | Current status | When next step is expected |
| Under-18 protection: Work to close gaps to prevent under-18s gambling online, on fruit machines that pay cash and on scratch cards. | Secondary legislation | The Government intends to implement measures which introduce a legal age limit of 18 for ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines which includes low stake machines like coin push and slot-style fruit machines. For now, the Government does not intend to introduce measures which require ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines to be moved to age-restricted areas. | The DCMS consultation on measures relating to the land-based gambling sector (including cash pay-out machines), here, closed on 4 October 2023. On 16 May 2024, the DCMS published its response here, as it relates to implementing a minimum age for Category D slot machines.
The Government will make permitting, inviting or causing under 18s to play ‘cash-out’ Category D slot style machines a criminal offence through a draft affirmative statutory instrument. The penalty for the offence of inviting, causing or permitting a child or young person to gamble as set out in s62(1) of the Gambling Act 2005 will remain the same. |
TBC |
| Proposed change | How it will be delivered | Next step | Current status | When next step is expected |
| Casinos: Amendments to rules on the number of machines permitted in casinos, and the offering of credit by high-end casinos to particular overseas visitors | Secondary legislation | The Government intends to implement an optional regime for casinos licensed under the Gaming Act 1968 (converted casinos) which would:
i. increase the maximum number of Category B gaming machines to 80, provided they meet the size requirements of a Small 2005 Act casino; ii. permit smaller 1968 Act casinos more than 20 machines (on a pro-rate commensurate to their size); iii. permit betting in all casinos; iv. reduce the minimum table gaming area (from 500sqm to 250sqm) for Small 2005 Act casinos; and v. introduce a 5:1 machine to table ratio for both 1968 Act casinos and Small 2005 Act casinos. |
The DCMS consultation on measures relating to the land-based gambling sector, here, closed on 4 October 2023. On 16 May 2024, the DCMS published its response here, as it relates to casinos.
The Government will make changes through secondary legislation which would require a draft affirmative and a draft negative, statutory instrument. |
TBC |
| Cashless payments: Development of consultation options for cashless payments on gaming machines, including player protections | Secondary legislation and Gambling Commission powers | The Government intends to implement measures which would, for instance:
i. remove the prohibition on the use of debit cards on gaming machines, subject to the introduction of appropriate player protection measures in light of the Gambling Commission’s review of the Gaming Machine Technical Standards; ii. permit direct cashless payments made on gaming machines to a maximum transaction limit of £100; iii. introduce the current deposit and payment limits to direct cashless payments on gaming machines (i.e., The deposit limits are currently set at £20 for Category B and C machines, and £2 for Category D machines. The committed payment limits are £10 for Category B1, B2, B3 and B3A machines, and £5 for Category B4 and C machines); iv. require gaming machines that accept direct debit payments to implement minimum transaction time limits and monetary thresholds; and v. require safer gambling communications on gaming machines that accept cashless payment. |
The DCMS consultation on measures relating to the land-based gambling sector, here, closed on 4 October 2023.
On 16 May 2024, the DCMS published its response here, as it relates to proposed cashless payment and player protection measures. The Government will make changes through secondary legislation which would require a draft negative statutory instrument as it relates to removing the prohibition of the use of debit cards on gaming machines. In January 2025, the Gambling Commission opened a consultation on Gaming Machine Technical Standards. While that consultation does not address debit card payments on gaming machines, the consultation document does envisage the need to consult on the same were the prohibition on the use of debit cards on gaming machines to be removed in order to “strike an appropriate balance between regulation applicable to modern payment methods, consumer benefits and protection of the licensing objectives”. |
TBC |
| Machine ratios: Amending the 80/20 machine rule to 50/50 for an even split of low and medium maximum stake machines | Secondary legislation | The Government intends to implement measures which would allow a 2:1 ratio of Category B to Category C and D gaming machines in arcade and bingo venues, which would apply on a device type basis. | The DCMS consultation on measures relating to the land-based gambling sector, here, closed on 4 October 2023. On 16 May 2024, the DCMS published its response here, as it relates to the ratio of gaming machines in arcades and bingo venues.
The Government will make changes through secondary legislation which would require a draft affirmative statutory instrument.
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TBC |
| Premises licence fees: Review of fee cap for local authority, plus the alignment of gambling licensing with alcohol licensing when Parliamentary time allows | Secondary legislation | The Government intends to implement measures which would increase the maximum premises fees chargeable by licensing authorities in England and Wales by 15%. | The DCMS consultation on measures relating to the land-based gambling sector, here, closed on 4 October 2023. On 16 May 2024, the DCMS published its response here, as it relates to premises licence fees.
The Government will make changes through secondary legislation which would require a negative statutory instrument. |
TBC |
| Horseracing: Review of the Horserace Betting Levy to ensure appropriate funding is maintained for horse racing | Secondary legislation | Stakeholder engagement, evidence gathering and analysis. | The review had been anticipated to commence in 2024, and industry stakeholders have called for changes to the levy framework. For more info, see here.
However, as at October 2024 – see here – it is understood that there have been no developments in this regard. |
TBC |