The 2023 gambling white paper

What the gambling white paper is

A white paper is a government policy document that says what ministers intend to do. This one followed a review of the Gambling Act 2005, which the government announced on 8 December 2020. The 2005 Act was the first UK law written to regulate internet gambling, but it predates the smartphone. The white paper set out how to bring the rules up to date.

The full document is on GOV.UK as High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age (opens in a new tab). It mixes firm decisions with promises to consult, so several measures changed shape before they took effect. It applies to Great Britain; Northern Ireland has separate gambling law.

For a player, the white paper is the reason UK online casinos look different in 2026 from how they looked in 2022. This page goes through each proposal and what happened to it. The wider rulebook is on our UK rules hub.

Gambling white paper scorecard: proposals and outcomes

This table sets each major proposal against what is actually in force at 25 October 2026.

Online slot stake limits: the white paper’s headline change

The 2023 document proposed consulting on a maximum stake for online slots somewhere between £2 and £15 a spin, with £2 or £4 for young adults. On 23 February 2024 the government chose £5 for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds. They took effect on 9 April 2025 and 21 May 2025, later than the September 2024 start first mentioned.

The limit applies per game cycle, so extra stakes within one spin’s feature count towards it. It covers only reel-based online slots, not roulette, blackjack or live tables. Our page on online slot stake limits has the full detail, and the Commission’s stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab) is the official text.

What the cap means in pounds

On a slot with a 96% RTP, the average cost of a spin is 4% of the stake. At £5, the most a player aged 25 or over can stake, that is about 20p a spin. Spins must take at least 2.5 seconds, so the fastest possible hour is 1,440 spins, costing about £288 on average at £5. Below 25, the £2 cap brings that figure down to about £115. Real play is usually slower, but the cap sets the ceiling on how quickly the average cost can build.

Bonus wagering: from ‘fair limits’ to the 10x cap

Ministers promised ‘fair limits’ on re-wagering requirements. The Gambling Commission consulted from 29 November 2023 to 21 February 2024 and announced its decision on 26 March 2025. From 19 January 2026, a bonus can’t require more than 10x play-through of the bonus funds, and a single promotion can’t mix gambling products such as betting and casino. An outright ban on wagering was considered and rejected.

This is an average, not a promise; any one session can finish well above or below it. The rule details are in our guide to the 10x wagering cap, and the mixed-product ban has its own page.

Game design and speed rules for all online casino games

Slots had been under design rules since 31 October 2021: no autoplay, at least 2.5 seconds a spin, no turbo or slam-stop, and no celebrating returns lower than the stake. Following the 2023 plan, those ideas spread to other online casino games from 17 January 2025.

• Autoplay is banned on all online casino games, including live casino. A re-bet button isn’t autoplay.
• Casino games other than slots must allow at least 5 seconds per game cycle.
• You can’t play several games at once.
• Net spend and time spent must show in real time.

Our guide to online game design rules explains each standard. The live-dealer angle is covered on our page about UK rules for live casino.

Financial risk checks: the most debated proposal

Two levels of check were suggested. Light checks would apply at a net loss of £125 in a month or £500 in a year. Enhanced checks would apply at £1,000 lost in 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days, with the thresholds halved for 18 to 24-year-olds. Those thresholds were proposals and were never brought in.

What exists is the financial vulnerability check. It is a check of public records, such as bankruptcy or county court judgments, triggered when net deposits pass a threshold in a rolling 30 days. The threshold started at £500 on 30 August 2024 and fell to £150 on 28 February 2025. Credit-reference financial risk assessments were piloted, but no decision to bring them in had been made by October 2026. The Commission says ‘affordability check’ is an inaccurate label. Read more on our page about financial risk checks.

Land-based proposals in the white paper

For land-based casinos, the government proposed up to 80 gaming machines in eligible casinos and sports betting in all casinos. For bingo halls and arcades, it proposed a new ratio of machine types.

The casino changes took effect on 22 July 2025. Casinos licensed under the 1968 Act can now take up a sliding-scale entitlement of up to 80 machines, if they have a gambling area of at least 280 square metres, and betting is permitted. Smaller 2005 Act casinos can now have up to five machines per gaming table instead of two. The 2:1 machine ratio for arcades and bingo halls had not been brought into force by 21 October 2026.

What the gambling white paper hasn’t delivered yet

• A gambling ombudsman. None has been created. Complaints still go to the operator first, then to an approved alternative dispute resolution provider, and that route is moving to providers accredited under the DMCC Act 2024. See casino complaints and ADR.
• Enhanced financial risk assessments. Piloted, with 97% of assessed customers reported as frictionless in April 2026, but not live.
• The 2:1 machine ratio for arcades and bingo. Announced, but not in force at the last check.
• Debit cards on gaming machines and an 18+ rule for cash-out Category D machines. Both were announced in 2024 and neither was confirmed in force by October 2026.

Gambling white paper timeline

How to see the white paper changes at your casino

You can check most of these rules yourself in a few minutes at any UK-licensed casino.

1. Look for the deposit-limit prompt when you sign up. Setting a limit is the default, and opting out has to be confirmed.
2. Open a slot and try a stake above £5, or above £2 if you’re under 25. The game shouldn’t accept it.
3. Check a bonus’s terms: wagering should be no more than 10x the bonus, and it shouldn’t combine casino with sports betting.
4. During play, find the on-screen net position and session time, and confirm there’s no autoplay button.
5. Review your marketing preferences in your account, which should be set by product and channel.

If something doesn’t match, check the operator on the Commission’s register first. Our guide on checking a casino licence shows how.

Casino offers under the post-white-paper rules

All three offers below meet the post-white-paper bonus rules: none has wagering on spin winnings, and none mixes casino with betting. They are slot offers, so the £5 and £2 stake limits apply to the games. You must be 18+, and terms apply.

• Coral Casino: from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, new players who deposit (certain methods excluded) and bet at least £10 on slots get 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games. Accept within 48 hours and use within 7 days; spin winnings have no wagering. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don’t qualify.
• PlayOJO: new UK customers, Northern Ireland excluded, get 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, 10p each, for a first deposit of at least £10. Winnings are paid as cash with no wagering. The offer can’t be combined with others and must be claimed through the designated link.
• Ladbrokes Casino: new customers who deposit and spend £10 or more on slots get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, a maximum of 500, at 10p each on selected games. Each day’s spins must be claimed by 23:59 and used within 7 days; no wagering. PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill, Moneybookers and prepaid card deposits don’t qualify.

Coral and Ladbrokes share an operator, LC International Limited, so holding new accounts at both may not be possible.

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.