Children and arcade machines

Children and arcade machines: what UK law allows

Every gaming machine in Great Britain falls into a legal category with its own stake and prize limits. Categories A, B and C are restricted to adults aged 18 and over. Category D is the only category with no statutory minimum age, which is why some machines in seaside arcades and family entertainment centres can be used by under-18s.

The picture is more restricted in practice than the law alone suggests. Since 2021 the arcade industry, through its trade body Bacta, has had a voluntary policy not to let under-18s play ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines, the ones that pay out coins. On 16 May 2024 the government announced that it would make it a criminal offence to invite, cause or permit a child or young person to use those machines. As at 21 October 2026, no law creating that offence has been found, so it remains announced but not in force. The government’s land-based gambling response (opens in a new tab) sets out the plan.

This guide explains the rules for parents and carers. It isn’t encouragement to take children to play gaming machines.

Category D arcade machines: limits and types

Category D covers several kinds of low-stake machine, each with its own limits, set out on the Gambling Commission’s gaming machine categories (opens in a new tab) page. These are the figures that apply.

The government’s plan distinguishes ‘cash-out’ machines, which pay out cash, from ‘ticket-out’ machines with a 30p stake and prizes up to £8, which are treated separately and not covered by the planned offence. More detail is on our Category D age rules page and the Category D glossary entry.

Adult-only areas and where children can go

Venues mix categories in different ways, and the type of venue determines what a young person can walk into.

Since 30 August 2024, gambling premises have adopted a ‘Think 25’ approach to age checks, so anyone who looks under 25 can expect to be asked for ID. Our guides to family entertainment centres, adult gaming centres and holiday park arcades describe each venue in more detail.

Are coin pushers and crane grabs gambling?

Legally, yes. Coin pushers, penny falls and crane grabs that offer prizes are Category D gaming machines under the Gambling Act 2005. They are low-stake and low-prize, but they share the core features of gambling: you pay to play, the outcome is mostly outside your control, and the machine is set up so that, over time, more money goes in than comes out.

Crane grabs are a good example to talk through with an older child. The player steers the claw, so it feels like a game of skill, but the grip strength and prize placement are set by the operator. Our explainers on whether coin pushers are gambling and whether crane grab machines are rigged go into how they work, and our page on arcade 2p and 10p machines covers the low-stake cabinets.

Online slots, demo games and age checks

Online gambling is strictly 18+. Since 7 May 2019, online gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain must verify a customer’s age and identity before they can deposit or gamble, and also before they can play free-to-play demo versions of casino games. The Commission set these rules out when it announced the 2019 changes (opens in a new tab). Our page on demo slot age verification explains how the checks work.

There are gaps parents should know about. Casino-style apps that don’t offer money prizes, often called social casino games, are generally not regulated as gambling and may not carry the same age checks. Some video games also contain paid random-reward features. Neither is covered in detail here, but both are worth looking at in app-store age ratings and parental controls.

Gambling adverts and young people

UK advertising rules limit how gambling can be marketed. Since 1 October 2022, gambling adverts must not be of ‘strong appeal’ to under-18s, which rules out many sports stars, influencers and cartoon styles popular with young people. The ASA’s guidance on appeal to children (opens in a new tab) explains the test. Adverts also must not show anyone who is, or seems to be, under 25 gambling or playing a significant role.

If you see a gambling advert that seems aimed at children, you can report it to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Explaining how machines make money to a young person

A plain explanation of the maths can do more than a warning. The key idea is that every machine is designed to keep part of what is put in. Online slots show this as a return to player (RTP) percentage. At 96% RTP, the machine pays back on average 96p of every £1 staked across millions of plays, and keeps the other 4p. Over a short session the result could be anything, but over time the machine always comes out ahead.

A simple worked example for an older teenager: 100 spins at 10p means £10 put in. If the machine returns 90% on average, the average result is £9 back and £1 kept, but some people lose the full £10 and a few win more. The people who win are paid by those who lose. Our page on RTP and the house edge explain this in more depth.

• Machines don’t get ‘ready to pay’; each result is separate. See do slot machines remember past spins?.
• A near miss isn’t ‘almost winning’; it is designed to feel that way.
• Lights and sounds celebrate small wins to make play feel more successful than it is.

Practical steps for parents and carers

These steps are about reducing exposure and keeping conversation open, rather than banning everything outright.

1. Talk early about how gambling machines work, using the maths above, before a young person meets them on holiday or online.
2. Use parental controls and app-store age ratings on phones, tablets and consoles.
3. Check bank and payment settings on any card or account a young person can use, including spending controls and notifications.
4. Install gambling-blocking software on shared family devices; our blocking guide explains the options.
5. Model the behaviour you want: if you play, set a budget and stick to it.
6. If you are worried, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 for advice.

Signs a young person’s gambling may be a concern

The Gambling Commission publishes an annual survey of gambling among 11 to 17 year olds; its 2025 young people and gambling statistics (opens in a new tab) were released in November 2025. For an individual child, the signs to watch for are similar to those in adults: money going missing, borrowing, secrecy about phone use, unexplained purchases or gift cards, talk of ‘systems’ for winning, and strong mood swings linked to games.

If you notice these, stay calm and curious rather than angry. Our guide to slot machine addiction signs covers the wider warning signs, and help for slot players lists services that support families.

Myths parents hear about arcade machines

• “2p machines aren’t real gambling.” Low-stake Category D machines are gaming machines in law, and they work on the same principle of taking in more than they pay out.
• “You can learn the trick to the crane.” Grip and prize position are set by the operator; practice doesn’t change the machine’s settings.
• “Demo slots are just games.” Licensed demo slots require age verification because they mirror real gambling games.
• “Under-18s are already banned from arcades.” Only some areas and machines are adults-only; Category D has no statutory minimum age today.

For the legal background, see how old you have to be to play slot machines and the rest of our slot machine guides. Our safer gambling hub has more on support.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.