Narcos slot review

Narcos slot overview and specification

NetEnt, the Stockholm studio founded in 1996 and owned by Evolution since December 2020, built Narcos around wilds that keep moving. Rather than one big bonus carrying the whole game, value is spread across several features, which is part of why the volatility is rated medium rather than high.

The theme comes from the TV series. For more games built on screen brands, see our TV and film slots page; for crime-themed games generally, try heist slots.

243 ways to win in Narcos, explained

With three rows on each of five reels, there are 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 × 3 = 243 ways to connect matching symbols from left to right. A win needs the same symbol on adjacent reels starting from reel 1, in any row. You don't pick lines; every route counts on every spin.

That structure matters for the walking wilds. A wild sitting anywhere on a middle reel joins every route that passes through its reel, so a single wild can feed several wins at once. Our ways to win guide shows how this differs from fixed paylines.

How the Narcos features work

Walking wilds

When a wild forms part of a winning combination, it becomes a walking wild. On each following spin it moves one reel to the left, giving it another chance to complete a win, until it walks off the reels. A wild that lands on reel 5 can, in principle, take part in several spins in a row as it crosses the screen. Our wild symbols guide compares walking wilds with sticky and expanding types.

Drive-By

Drive-By is a random base-game feature. When it fires, high-paying symbols on the reels are turned into extra wilds, which can produce a stronger win on that spin and seed more walking wilds for the spins that follow.

Locked Up respins

Landing three or more Escobar symbols starts Locked Up. You begin with three respins. Whenever a new Escobar or wild symbol lands, the respin counter resets. When the respins run out, the values on the symbols are added up and paid. It works in a similar way to a hold and win round: the longer you keep landing new symbols, the longer it lasts.

Free spins

In the free spins round, character symbols can become extra walking wilds, and spins are added while wilds remain on the reels. So the round tends to run as long as there are wilds still walking. The trigger and the starting number of spins are listed in the game's help screen.

Narcos RTP and the cost of 200 spins

The default RTP is 96.23%, so the house edge is 3.77%: about 3.77p of every £1 staked, on average, over the long run. 'Default' signals that other settings exist, and a casino may run one of them; the game info must show which.

At 10p a spin, 200 spins use exactly £20 of stakes and cost about 75p on average. At £1 a spin, 200 spins need £200 of turnover; a £20 balance only gets there if wins keep feeding it, and an average loss of £7.54 is the expected price. The figures are long-run averages, explained further on our expected value page.

Medium volatility and a 1,506x cap

The two figures fit together. A top prize of 1,506 times the stake, which is £150.60 at 10p or £1,506 at £1, is low for a modern slot, so less of the RTP is locked away in very rare outcomes. More of it comes back through walking wilds, Drive-By, Locked Up and free spins of ordinary size. That usually means a less extreme ride than a 10,000x game, though sessions still swing.

• Medium volatility suits players with modest budgets who want frequent features.
• The low cap means no single result is likely to be dramatic; that is the trade.
• See slot volatility for how to compare games on this measure.

Narcos online in the UK: what the rules mean

UK-licensed casinos must apply the same controls to Narcos as to any other online slot:

• A £5 maximum stake per spin for players aged 25 and over, and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, as explained in the Gambling Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab). Our stake limits page has the history.
• At least 2.5 seconds per spin, and no autoplay, turbo or slam-stop; see the autoplay ban.
• No celebration of returns that are equal to or less than your stake.
• Real-time display of net spend and time played.

Credit cards can't be used to gamble in Great Britain. Age and identity checks come before any deposit or demo play.

How to play the Narcos slot

1. Open the info screen to check the RTP version and the free spins trigger.
2. Set a stake that fits your budget and your age's UK limit.
3. Spin. Any matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left pay across 243 ways.
4. If a wild forms part of a win, watch it walk one reel left on the next spin.
5. Drive-By may turn high-paying symbols wild at random.
6. Three or more Escobar symbols start Locked Up; new Escobar or wild symbols reset the three respins.
7. End the session at the limit you set beforehand.

Narcos compared with other NetEnt slots

Vikings offers a higher 10,000x cap with high volatility. Gonzo's Quest and Twin Spin offer simpler mechanics at similar RTPs. Browse more on our slots hub. For an outside overview of this game, see the casinos.com Narcos review (opens in a new tab).

Narcos slot verdict

Narcos suits players who prefer regular feature activity to chasing a huge top prize. It is still a game with a house edge, so losses are the likely outcome over time. If gambling is affecting your mood, sleep or money, the NHS has help for problems with gambling (opens in a new tab), and our safer gambling section explains the tools.

Where to play Narcos in the UK

These partner offers are for slots, but none of them gives spins on Narcos, so look for the game in each lobby and check its RTP there. Each one is open to new customers aged 18+ only, and terms apply.

• PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, worth 10p each, when you first deposit at least £10. No wagering, so winnings are cash. New UK customers, Northern Ireland excluded; designated offer link only; not combinable.
• Coral: deposit and bet £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each; accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on winnings. The offer runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, and deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards or certain debit cards don't qualify.
• Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500, on selected games at 10p each, claimed by 23:59 daily and valid for 7 days, with no wagering. Paying in by prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill or Moneybookers rules you out.

Coral and Ladbrokes are run by the same company, LC International Limited, so new-account offers at both may not be possible. See our Coral review for that casino's full terms and payment details.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.