Inspired Entertainment slots

What are Inspired Entertainment slots?

Inspired Entertainment is a gaming technology supplier rather than a single-purpose online studio. Its slot content appears on land-based gaming machines in British betting shops, pubs, arcades and bingo halls, and on its online casino catalogue, which reference listings put at more than 300 games. It also makes virtual sports, the computer-generated races and matches shown in many bookmakers.

The group reports four business segments: Gaming (land-based machines and server-based games), Virtual Sports, Interactive (online games) and Leisure (machines for pubs, holiday parks and similar venues). Its two main markets are the UK and Greece, with smaller international operations. It is listed on Nasdaq under the ticker INSE, is headquartered in New York and employs about 1,020 people, with Brooks Pierce as chief executive. Reference listings give 2002 as its founding year.

That mix is why Inspired sits on our online slot providers hub and is also relevant to anyone interested in who makes UK fruit machines. This page is our only one about the company, so it covers both sides.

Inspired Gaming’s UK history

The British business is older than the listed group. According to Companies House records for Inspired Gaming (UK) Limited (opens in a new tab) (company 03565640), it was incorporated on 18 May 1998 as Starnmist Limited, renamed Leisure Link Group Limited on 16 July 1998 and kept that name until 16 November 2006. Its registered office is in Burton-on-Trent.

Many British players will have met the business under the Leisure Link name long before it was called Inspired. The Gambling Commission’s register entry for Inspired Gaming (UK) Limited (opens in a new tab) (account 1090) shows gaming machine technical and gambling software licences held since 31 August 2007, around the time the Commission took over machine regulation under the Gambling Act 2005. Our page on the Gambling Act 2005 and machines explains what changed that year.

Inspired slots on betting shop machines

In betting shops Inspired supplies Category B2 and B3 terminals, the touchscreen cabinets that offer slot-style games alongside roulette-type content. A licensed betting shop can site up to four machines from Categories B2 to D (excluding B3A). The current limits are set out in the Commission’s gaming machine categories:

The B2 change on 1 April 2019 was the biggest single shift for this side of the business: the stake fell from £100 to £2, delivered largely through software updates. Our Category B2 FOBT rules page covers the background, and betting shop machines explains how they are used today. All Category B and C machines are 18+ only.

How Inspired’s server-based machines work

Many of Inspired’s land-based terminals use server-based gaming: the cabinet in the shop is connected to central systems that supply the game library, so operators can change games without swapping hardware. The machine still runs certified game software with its own random outcomes; it doesn’t decide wins based on how the shop is doing that day. Our server-based gaming explainer describes the architecture.

Each Category B and C machine must display a theoretical target return to player, but British law sets no minimum RTP. That means two machines in different venues can show different returns for similar-looking games, so read the label. Our guide on how to read a machine label shows where to find it.

Worked example: what £2 a game costs on a terminal

Suppose a B3 slot game on a terminal displays a target return of 92% and you play 50 games at £2. That is £100 staked, and the long-run average cost at 92% is £8. At 96% it would be £4. These percentages are only illustrations; the figure that applies is the one shown on the machine you play.

The 2019 deal: Bell-Fruit, Astra and pub machines

In June 2019 Inspired agreed to buy Novomatic UK’s Gaming Technology Group, a collection of well-known British machine businesses: Gamestec, Playnation, Astra Games, Bell-Fruit Group, Harlequin and Innov8. The company’s announcement of the agreement (opens in a new tab) is dated 11 June 2019, and trade press reported completion by 1 October 2019.

The deal brought Inspired deep into pubs, arcades and holiday venues, where Category C and B3 machines dominate. Bell-Fruit in particular is one of the founding names of the British fruit machine; our Bell-Fruit Games page covers its history, and the Novomatic provider page explains the seller. If you play a pub slot machine today, there is a fair chance it came from one of these businesses.

Inspired also holds Commission licences through other group companies, including Inspired Technology (Yorkshire) Limited (account 39889) and Innov8 Gaming Limited (account 53818, licences from 10 June 2019).

Inspired Entertainment online slots

Inspired’s Interactive segment supplies online casino games, with reference listings showing more than 300 titles. We don’t hold verified specifications (RTP, volatility, max win) for individual Inspired online slots, so we don’t quote any; the game’s help screen is the place to check before you play.

Online versions don’t belong to the land-based categories. They follow the Commission’s remote rules instead: a stake cap of £5 a spin (age 25+) or £2 (ages 18 to 24), no autoplay, a 2.5-second minimum spin and no fanfare for a payout that doesn’t beat the stake. Our online vs land-based slots comparison sets the two rulebooks side by side, and UK slot machine categories explains the land-based system.

Inspired machines vs online slots: the key differences

The debit card position is worth noting: the government decided in May 2024 to lift the ban on direct debit card payments on machines once protections are in place, but at 21 October 2026 the ban still applies. Our cashless payments on machines page tracks the change.

How to check an Inspired machine or game before playing

1. On a terminal or pub machine, find the label or information screen showing the category, maximum stake and prize, and the theoretical return.
2. Check whether the machine says the game is random or compensated.
3. Online, open the game’s help screen and note the RTP and maximum win.
4. Decide a spending limit for the visit or session before putting money in.
5. If you want a break from betting shops, ask about the venue self-exclusion scheme; online, use GAMSTOP.

Myths about Inspired betting shop machines

• “The shop can switch a machine to pay less when it’s busy.” Game software and return settings are certified; staff can’t adjust payouts on the fly.
• “A terminal that hasn’t paid all day is due.” Random games have no memory; see do slot machines remember past spins?
• “The £2 stake means you can’t lose much.” At £2 a game and several games a minute, losses can still add up quickly; set a limit first.

Where to play Inspired Entertainment slots online

We can’t confirm which Inspired online games our partner casinos list, and lobbies change, so search before joining. Below are standard slot sign-up offers for new players aged 18+; terms apply.

Coral: deposit and bet £10 on slots to receive 100 free spins on selected games, each worth 10p, accepted within 48 hours and valid for 7 days, with no wagering on winnings; some payment types are excluded. Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10 on slots for 50 free spins a day over 10 days (up to 500, at 10p, no wagering), each day’s spins claimed by 23:59. PlayOJO: 80 free spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza for a first deposit of £10 or more, with no wagering, available to new UK customers outside Northern Ireland. Coral and Ladbrokes share an operator, so check eligibility. See our PlayOJO page for its terms.

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.