Latest UKGC Data: Impact of Online Slot Betting Caps on Gambling Behaviour

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The other day, the UKGC published a report on how gambling behaviour has changed since the integration of maximum slot stake limits in April – May 2025. To recap, these regulations set the top cap of £2 for gamblers aged 18 to 24, and increased the limit to £5 for adults over 25. Three quarters have passed since then that already shaped the industry changes.

Increase in the Number of Slot Sessions Over 1 Hour

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) gathered data from the best British online casinos that made up 70% of the iGaming market. The main impact of new stake caps in slots was the decrease in session length. See a brief comparison across the first three quarters of 2025.

On average, people spent 2 minutes less turning the reels than in 2024. At the same time, the number of sessions lasting more than 1 hour increased by around 5.5% from April to December, but stayed 6% less than in the previous year. Despite the shorter plays, the total sessions grew by around 14%.

Key Takeaways on Gross Gambling Yield Trends

As anticipated, the new stake limits have decreased the industry income. Only the slots segment demonstrated small but consistent growth. Discover the key changes in Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) published by the UKGC in the latest report.

• Totals across all sectors. The total income of the third quarter across all iGaming verticals was 2% less than in the previous year. The industry has seen the number of spins and bets grow by 6%. It reached £27.4 billion. Over 12.7 million active users were documented in the third quarter of 2025, 2% less than in 2024. 
• Real-time betting. The sector earned £530 million in October – December, which is 18% less than in 2024 over the same period. A decrease was seen in the number of bets and monthly active players as well.
• Slots. Its GGY was the only one to grow by 10%: the sector earned 2.28+ billion in 2025, while 2024 income was 2.05 billion. UKGC noticed an increase in spin count and a boost in the number of active players.
• Betting premises. Revenue from over-the-counter, machines, and betting terminals in 2025 shows a 7% drop compared to the previous year. The reduction of bets and spins isn’t very substantial – around 1%.

Further Market Outlook

The introduced caps on slot betting limits have just made the slot sessions shorter, while GGY and spin volumes remain stable. As the UK iGaming scene is subject to tight regulations and change, restrictions on other game types may come into place and further shift the current situation.

Let’s not forget about the recent bonus wagering limits introduced in January 2026. These may prospectively lead to fewer new promotions, a lower player acquisition rate, and will definitely impact the total GGY in the next UKGC reports.