GamCare gets behind maximum stake for online slots

GamCare, an independent organization that champions responsible gambling and seeks to help consumers be better protected against gambling-related harm, has reiterated its commitment to a maximum stake limit for online slots.

In a detailed blog post, the organization said that it has been gathering evidence to support the claim that online slots are particularly addictive and therefore challenging for vulnerable consumers to steer clear of. However, a maximum limit that ranges from anything between £2 up to £15 per spin could start changing today.

GamCare said that 73% of the 5,660 callers to the National Gambling Helpline in 2022 confirmed that they had an issue with controlling their online gambling habits. These issues stemmed mostly from slots which were disproportionately affecting the levels of problem gambling.

The issue, argues GamCare, is that people usually start playing slots as a form of entertainment, but then transition online where it can be very easy to lose sight of how much a person is spending. A maximum limit on slots online could actually help gamblers control their habits and be physically unable to end up losing more than it would harm them.

According to GamCare, citing the White Paper published by the UK Government, it would be best to focus on introducing additional safety measures geared towards those who are between 18 and 24 years of age. GamCare also used evidence from the National Gambling Helpline, indicating that only five years ago, the number of people who said that online slots had contributed to their gambling problems was 34% compared to 60% in 2022.

GamCare does not believe that imposing an online stake limit blindly would do much good unless it’s a part of wider safer gambling measures designed to act in unison across all levels of the market.

In summary, GamCare proposes the online slot betting limit to be set to £2 and individuals aged 18-24 to be further protected as they are scientifically more vulnerable to inducements and developing problematic gambling patterns.

GamCare also wants these measures paired with wider measures that specifically target problem gambling, and not least, the organization believes that the same £2 should be enforced across all online games of chance, including roulette, blackjack, craps, and so on. The organizaiton is confident that this maximum stake is a powerful tool that can have a very effective way of reducing harm in society.

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