The Gambling Commission (GC) has opened a consultation process on changes to make online slots safer for players in the UK.

The consultation comes after the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) put forward recommendations to improve online slots, in the GC’s June industry challenges initiative update.

The changes put forward in the safer gambling initiative included a minimum spin speed of 2.5 seconds on all slots, and the removal of speed up play features.

The GC acknowledged that speed of play and frequency of betting opportunities can increase the risk of problem gambling, and the proposed changes will help mitigate risks for slots players.

It also mentioned that online slots is the largest online gambling product by gross gambling yield (GGY).

The consultation period is open from today 9 July, closing 3 September, with a fully industry-agreed code to be published at the end of September. The GC will evaluate the impact of the controls proposed in the consultation and will take further necessary action.

A GC statement said: “Proposals around the design of slots games are just the first step in keeping players safe. Slots is an area which has seen technological innovation in terms of product design and we expect operators to continually show an equal, and indeed greater, commitment to innovate in terms of consumer protection. 

“Regulatory intervention needs to keep pace with this and the proposals in this consultation form part of a comprehensive package of work we are taking forward to make online gambling safer.”