The Gambling Commission has announced new technical standards for land-based gaming machines, aimed at enhancing fairness and safety in gameplay. The measures, outlined in a response to the regulator’s 2025 consultation, primarily affect new category A, B, and select C machines, with implementation dates scheduled between March 2027 and October 2028.
Among the new requirements, gaming machines will be mandated to encourage players to set personal limits for play time and monetary loss at the start of each session. Players can either determine their limits or accept default figures, with strict rules against gameplay without limits. Consumer-defined limits can allow up to 60 minutes of playtime and a net loss of £450 ($597). In contrast, default limits will grant a maximum of 20 minutes and £150 loss.
Once a player reaches a set limit, the machine will trigger a mandatory alert for a break. The length of the breaks will vary: for default time settings, the first two breaks will last 10 and 20 seconds, while any other breaks, including those triggered by consumer-set limits, will last a minimum of 30 seconds. During these pauses, players will view safer gambling information that explains the break and their options, including the ability to end the session or adjust limits.
Additionally, new machines will automatically show players their net positions (the difference between winnings and losses) and elapsed time spent playing, although players can opt to hide this information after viewing it for at least ten seconds.
Real-time alerts for staff members will activate when players adjust or hit their time or loss limits. However, these alerts do not require immediate staff interaction. To minimize alert fatigue among staff, warnings won’t activate for the first two default thresholds if they have been selected from the beginning.
New machines will not feature audiovisual celebrations for payouts equal to or below the last stake, and quick-play options like turbo modes will be banned. While some flexibility was introduced regarding “game links” that allow live jackpot gambling, only at the player's initiative and within prize limits, the emphasis remains on responsible design.
The newly established Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS) will apply to category A, B1, B2, B3, B3A, and B4 games deemed “new” after June 30, 2027, based on their final testing dates. Most existing machines will not be required to adapt due to the technical and financial difficulties involved in retrofitting. The industry estimates that around 7,770 machines could face removal if forced upgrades were to occur.
For platforms using multiple game types, any addition of new games will require the entire system to comply with the updated standards. The changes will roll out in three phases: the first establishing a session definition on March 30, 2027, with most GMTS changes becoming effective on June 30, 2027. The requirement for staff alerts will take effect by October 3, 2028.
As part of its business impact assessment, the Gambling Commission projected moderate costs of £12,000 for GMTS consolidation and £3,200 for testing strategies. Significant investments are anticipated for introducing limit-setting features, estimated between £500,000 and £1 million, while updating sessional information displays could cost between £554,000 and £1.154 million, particularly for new games. The costs associated with staff alerts may be the highest, estimated at between £20.76 million and £41.63 million per year, predominantly due to the need for enhanced data management systems and additional staff.
Offset measures, such as exemptions for existing machines and adjusted alert triggers for lower-risk situations, are expected to reduce potential alert volumes by half. Minor or optional expenses related to design restrictions and alterations in game features are also anticipated.
With a gross gambling yield projected at £2.6 billion from April 2024 to March 2025 — 88.5% of which is attributed to category B machines — the Gambling Commission highlighted the substantial size of the machines market and its continuous growth trend since 2019.
Helen Rhodes, the Director of Major Policy Projects and Evaluation, stated that the new regulations will enable consumers to better understand and manage their gambling while ensuring that operators fulfill their responsibilities. Feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders during the consultation process influenced changes such as adopting net position metrics and refining session definitions.
These reforms are part of the UK Government’s 2023 Gambling Act Review white paper, driven by commitments to safer gambling and transparency. During the 2025 consultation, the Gambling Commission received 1,065 stakeholder responses, including from industry representatives and advocacy groups, which led to modifications to mitigate harm without neglecting economic factors.
Addressing non-remote gaming machines, acting chief executive of the Bingo Association, Sarah Gardner, announced that from July 29, 2026, gaming machines must be removed immediately by non-remote operators if they do not comply with required technical operating licenses or standards, streamlining the process for non-compliant machines.
The Social Market Foundation has suggested that the government consider increasing the Machine Games Duty on higher-risk Category B electronic gaming machines in its upcoming budget. However, major UK industry figures like Betfred and Entain have voiced concerns about this potential rise, citing the human cost and negative impact on high street economies.
