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The UK Gambling Commission will bring new land based gaming machine rules into force from March 2027, with most technical requirements following in June. New Category B machines will need player limit tools, clearer session information and tighter controls on game speed and celebration features.
Good to Know
- A new gaming machine session definition takes effect on 30 March 2027.
- Most revised Gaming Machine Technical Standards take effect on 30 June 2027.
- Staff alert requirements will follow on 3 October 2028.
New Category B Machines Face New Player Protection Rules
From 30 June 2027, new Category B gaming machines will need to give players better access to gambling management tools. Machines must also show elapsed playing time and net wins or losses during a session.
Existing machines will remain outside the new requirements. The Commission said retrofitting older hardware could create high costs, particularly for smaller operators and social clubs, without delivering proportionate consumer benefits.
Game design rules will change too. Machines will no longer be able to celebrate awards below the value of the stake. Turbo spins, quick spins and other features that reduce the time before a result becomes known will also be prohibited.
The rules cover Category B machines, including B1 casino machines, B2 machines and B3 and B4 gaming machines. The related LCCP requirements apply across non remote casino, bingo, betting and adult gaming centre licences.
Session Rules And Player Breaks Change
The Commission will introduce its revised definition of a gaming machine session on 30 March 2027, three months before most other changes.
A session will begin when a player starts a game rather than when the customer deposits funds or uses machine menus. The change should prevent break alerts from starting before actual gambling begins.
Graham Burgin, Commission Policy Senior Manager, said the change would help prevent unnecessary break triggers before a gaming session starts.
Default break periods will also use a graduated structure. The first default limit at 20 minutes can trigger a break of at least 10 seconds, while the second default limit at 40 minutes can trigger a break of at least 20 seconds.
Customer selected limits and other default or modified limits will continue to require breaks of at least 30 seconds.
After a break begins, players can choose to hide elapsed playing time and net position information. The Commission said the option protects customer privacy while keeping the wider player protection framework in place.
Staff alerts will apply later. Land based staff will receive alerts after the second session time limit, with the formal requirement taking effect on 3 October 2028. The Commission said operators need extra time because implementation can involve protocol changes, platform integration and acceptance testing.
The wider review came from commitments in the UK government 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper. The January 2025 consultation covered the Gaming Machine Technical Standards, Gaming Machine Testing Strategy and Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and received 1,065 responses.
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