RTP information rules UK

RTP information rules UK: what a casino must show

The Gambling Commission’s technical standards for online gambling have 17 sections. Section 3, known as RTS 3, covers rules, game descriptions and the likelihood of winning. Its stated aim is “to enable customers to make informed decisions about whether to gamble based on their chances of winning”. In other words, you are entitled to know what a game costs before you pay for it.

Three things must be easy to find before you place a bet: an explanation of the rules, information on your chances, and the prizes or payouts. On a slot that usually means an info or help screen with a paytable and a line stating the RTP. On a roulette or blackjack table it means the rules page, the payout for each bet and a return figure.

If return to player is new to you, it’s the share of all money staked that a game pays back over a very long run. A 96% RTP means £96 back for every £100 staked on average, so the house edge is 4%. The standards make sure you can see that number; they don’t control what it is.

RTS 3 in detail: rules, likelihood of winning and payouts

RTS 3 is split into lettered requirements. The three that matter most to players are summarised below. The Commission’s full wording is in RTS 3 on rules, game descriptions and the likelihood of winning (opens in a new tab).

Requirement 3A has a practical edge. In January 2020 the Commission warned operators about feature buy-ins on slots-style games and cited 3A alongside the rule against encouraging players to chase losses. Since that warning, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players; see our feature buy rules page.

Which figure you’ll see: RTP, house edge or probability

RTS 3C gives operators a choice. They must show information that lets you judge your chances, and the examples it gives are the house edge (or margin), the RTP percentage, or the probability of winning events. They don’t have to show all three. Guidance under 3C says that for games of chance the figure should be the average theoretical return to player.

That is why slots almost always show an RTP, while some table games show a house edge or list odds for each bet. They are two sides of the same number. Our RTP vs house edge page explains the conversion, but the short version is that RTP plus house edge equals 100%.

The roulette figures come straight from counting pockets on a European wheel: a straight-up bet returns 36 units in total (35 plus the stake) once in 37 spins, so 36 ÷ 37 = 97.30%. Slots are too complex for a single probability, so the RTP is the useful number.

Skill games, bingo and other exceptions

Some games don’t have one fixed return, and RTS 3C guidance deals with them.

• Games with a skill element, such as blackjack and video poker, depend on your decisions. Guidance says the RTP should be worked out using either the auto-play strategy or a standard or published strategy. So a blackjack RTP assumes good play, typically basic strategy; poorer decisions return less.
• Peer-to-peer games such as player-against-player poker depend on other players’ skill, so the likelihood of winning can’t be stated in advance.
• Bingo and some lotteries depend on how many people take part, so again the return can’t be fixed beforehand.

If a blackjack table shows an RTP of, say, 99.5%, read it as the return for someone playing the game’s standard strategy. Your own return depends on the decisions you make.

RTS 7: no adaptive games and no changes mid-play

Showing an RTP would be pointless if the game could quietly drift away from it. RTS 7, which covers the generation of random outcomes, closes that gap in several ways. Its text is in RTS 7 on random outcomes (opens in a new tab).

• No adaptive or compensated games online. A game must not adjust its outcomes to hit a target return. A slot can’t tighten up after a big win or loosen after a losing run; each result comes from the random number generator and the published maths.
• No changes while live (7D). Rules, payouts and probabilities can’t change while a game is available for play.
• No fake near misses (7C). A game must not mislead you about the likelihood of outcomes, including by substituting losing results with near-miss losing results.
• Simulated devices must match the real thing. A virtual roulette wheel, dice or deck must have the same probabilities as the physical version.

Together these mean the RTP on the help screen describes the game you’re actually playing, every spin, until the operator takes that version down. Our question on whether casinos can change a game’s RTP covers what operators can and can’t do.

Why the same slot can show different RTPs

Many studios release a slot with several RTP settings, and the operator picks which one to offer. Wizard of Odds notes in its guide to slot machines (opens in a new tab) that a single title’s RTP can differ between jurisdictions, and our checked data lists, for example, Gonzo’s Quest Megaways at 95.77% for its default version.

This is legal, provided the casino shows the RTP of the version it runs and doesn’t change it while the game is live. It is also the strongest reason never to rely on an RTP quoted on a review site, including ours, without checking the game’s own help screen at your casino. Our question on why slots have different RTPs at different casinos goes into more detail.

Turning a displayed RTP into pounds

The RTP rules give you a number; the useful step is turning it into money. Average loss = total staked × (100% − RTP). The table uses £500 total staked, which is 1,000 spins at 50p or 100 roulette spins at £5.

Two points follow. First, a couple of percentage points of RTP make a real difference over a long session: the 94% example costs more than twice as much as roulette on the same stake. Second, RTP says nothing about how bumpy the ride is. That’s volatility, which the RTS 3C examples don’t name, so check whether the game’s help screen gives it. See is a higher RTP slot better? for the trade-off.

How to find the RTP of a UK online game

Every licensed game must make this information easy to reach before you stake. Here’s where to look.

1. Open the game but don’t place a bet yet.
2. Tap the ‘i’, ‘?’, menu or paytable icon, usually in a corner or beside the spin button.
3. Scroll through the rules to a line headed RTP, theoretical return or return to player. On table games it may be listed per bet.
4. Note whether the figure includes any feature or jackpot contribution; some games list a base RTP and a total.
5. Check the payouts for the bets or symbols you plan to play.
6. If you can’t find any measure of your chances, contact the casino’s support and ask; RTS 3 says it must be available.

Who checks the RTP figure is true

Before a new game or random number generator can be released, it must be tested and a report sent to the Commission. Under the Commission’s testing strategy, game testing covers the design, the software implementation and the actual RTP, using simulation, emulation and manual testing. Certain licence categories must use an independent test house from the Commission’s list of approved test houses (opens in a new tab).

So the RTP on a UK help screen isn’t just the studio’s claim; it has been checked against the game’s maths. Our guides to how casino games are tested and casino game testing labs explain the process.

What the UK RTP rules don’t require

• A minimum RTP. No UK technical standard sets a floor for online games. A low-RTP game is legal as long as it’s disclosed.
• All three measures. An operator can show RTP, house edge or probability; one is enough if it lets you judge your chances.
• Hit rate or bonus frequency. These aren’t among the figures RTS 3C names. See our explainer on hit frequency for what they mean.
• A guarantee for your session. RTP is a long-run theoretical average. Any one session can end far above or below it.

For the rest of the rulebook, go back to the UK casino rules hub or read about the wider technical standards.

Where to check RTPs at our partner casinos

Every UK-licensed casino has to show RTP information, so it’s worth checking the help screen wherever you play. The partner offers we list are slot promotions, open to over-18s only, with terms attached. PlayOJO gives new UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland) 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, whose RTP in our checked data is 96.71%; spins are 10p each on a first deposit of £10 or more, with no wagering and winnings paid in cash. Check the game’s help screen there for the version it runs.

Coral gives new players who bet £10 on slots 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings; the offer runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, and Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don’t qualify. Ladbrokes gives new customers who play £10 on slots 50 free spins a day for 10 days (up to 500) at 10p each on selected games, claimed by 23:59 each day and valid for 7 days, no wagering; prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don’t qualify.

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.