The Gambling Act 2005 and gaming machines

What the Gambling Act 2005 does for machines

Before 2007, British machines were split into ‘jackpot’ machines in casinos, bingo clubs and members’ clubs and ‘amusement with prizes’ (AWP) machines in pubs and arcades, under the Gaming Act 1968. The Gambling Act 2005 replaced that with a single category system, created the Gambling Commission to license and regulate, and for the first time brought internet gambling under British regulation. The Commission was formally set up on 1 October 2005 and took on its full powers, replacing the Gaming Board for Great Britain, when the Act came fully into force on 1 September 2007.

For machines, the Act works through three linked ideas. First, every gaming machine belongs to a category, defined by its maximum stake and prize. Second, each type of premises has an entitlement: a list of categories and a maximum number. Third, the people involved need licences or permits: operators need a Commission operating licence, premises need a licence or permit from the local licensing authority, and machine makers need their own licence. The whole system is summarised on our rules hub and explained machine by machine in UK slot machine categories.

Gambling Act 2005 machine categories and limits

The stake and prize limits are set by regulations made under the Act, so the government can change them without a new Act. The current figures, from the Commission’s gaming machine categories guidance (opens in a new tab), are below.

Category B2 is the machine once known as the fixed-odds betting terminal; the Act gave it statutory recognition, and its stake was cut from £100 to £2 on 1 April 2019, as covered on our FOBT £2 stake page. The full category guide, including every Category D subtype, is on gaming machine categories explained.

How many machines the Act allows in each venue

Section 172 of the Act, read with later regulations, sets the entitlements. The current text is on legislation.gov.uk’s section 172 page (opens in a new tab), and the Commission summarises it in Appendix A of its guidance to licensing authorities (opens in a new tab).

Pubs are a good example of how the layers fit together. A pub with an alcohol licence gets an automatic entitlement to one or two Category C or D machines once it notifies the licensing authority; anything more needs a licensed premises gaming machine permit stating the number. Our pages on pub gaming machine permits and machine entitlements go into the detail.

Age limits for gaming machines under the Act

Categories A, B1 to B4 and C are 18+. Category D has no statutory minimum age at present, which is why some low-stake arcade machines can legally be played by under-18s. Since 2021 the industry has run a voluntary 18+ policy on cash-paying Category D slot-style machines, and on 16 May 2024 the government decided to make it an offence to let under-18s play them. As at 21 October 2026 no legislation creating that offence was found, so it is announced, not in force. Our Category D age rules page tracks it, along with the voluntary industry policy.

What the Gambling Act 2005 limits mean in pounds

The category limits cap what one game can cost and pay, not what a session costs. Machines must show a theoretical target return to player, but the Act and its regulations set no minimum figure, so the label on the machine is the number to read. The table uses an illustrative 85% return on a £20 budget; the real figure varies by machine.

The average cost of each pound staked is the same at the same return; what changes is how quickly the money goes and how large the swings are. Winnings recycled into further play mean the total staked is usually much higher than the money put in. Our explainers on house edge and payout percentages in the UK show the full calculation.

Online slots under the Gambling Act 2005

Online slots are remote gambling under the Act, not gaming machines, so they sit outside Categories A to D. They are controlled through Commission operating licences and their conditions: a remote casino operating licence is a distinct licence activity, and since the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 took effect on 1 December 2014 any operator offering gambling to consumers in Britain must hold one, wherever it is based. The £5 and £2 online slot stake limits are conditions attached to those licences by 2025 regulations, and the game-speed and autoplay rules come from the Commission’s technical standards.

That is why a pub machine and an online slot can look alike but follow different rules: the pub machine’s £100 prize cap comes from its category, while an online slot has no statutory prize cap but a per-spin stake limit. The comparison is set out in online vs land-based slot machines.

What the Gambling Act 2005 machine rules don’t cover

• Northern Ireland, which has its own law under the 1985 Order; see gaming machines in Northern Ireland.
• Tax: Machine Games Duty is set by Finance Acts, not the Gambling Act; see Machine Games Duty.
• A minimum payout percentage: machines must display a target return, but no minimum is set.
• Category A machines in practice: they would only be allowed in a regional casino, and none exists.
• Owning an old machine at home for display, which is covered in owning a slot machine and UK law.

Gambling Act 2005 machines timeline

Changes announced in May 2024 but not in force at 21 October 2026 include a 2:1 ratio of Category B to C/D machines in arcades and bingo halls (the 20% cap still applies) and direct debit card payments on machines. Earlier milestones, from the Betting and Gaming Act 1960 onwards, belong to the history of the 1968 regime.

How to tell which Gambling Act category a machine is

1. Look for the machine’s label or information screen; it should show the category, maximum stake and maximum prize.
2. Read the return-to-player figure; Categories B and C must show a theoretical target percentage.
3. Check whether the game says it is random or compensated.
4. Match the venue to the entitlement table: a £2 machine in a pub is not a Category C machine and would be out of place.
5. If anything looks wrong, ask the venue staff or contact the local licensing authority.

Our guide on how to read a machine label shows where each item appears.

Online alternatives to Gambling Act machines

If you play online rather than in a venue, the offers below are from Commission-licensed casinos run by LC International Limited (account 54743). Coral Casino gives 100 free spins at 10p each when you deposit and bet £10 or more on slots; accept within 48 hours, use within 7 days, no wagering on winnings. Ladbrokes Casino gives 50 free spins a day for up to 10 days (max 500, 10p each) after you deposit and spend £10 on slots, also with no wagering. Both are 18+ for new customers, some payment methods are excluded and terms apply. Online fruit-machine-style games differ from pub machines: see Coral fruit machines online, and search the lobby because game lists change.

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.