UKGC Orders Limit-Setting and Session Data for New Category B Machines: A Comprehensive Guide

UKGC Orders Limit-Setting and Session Data for New Category B Machines: A Comprehensive Guide

Overview of the New Technical Standards

On 30 September 2026, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) published its final decisions on updated technical standards for gaming machines in Great Britain. These rules, which follow a consultation launched in January 2025, represent a significant shift in how machines must handle player protection features, session tracking, and responsible gambling measures. This guide breaks down every aspect of the new requirements, explains the reasoning behind them, and provides practical context for operators, manufacturers, and stakeholders.

Background: Why These Changes Were Needed

The UKGC’s consultation, which ran from 29 January to 3 June 2025, gathered 1,065 responses from industry, consumer groups, and the public. The changes form part of the regulator’s commitment under the April 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper to modernise gaming machine technical standards. The goal is twofold: empower players to understand and manage their gambling behaviour, and ensure operators play an active role in identifying and mitigating harm.

A related licence condition—requiring licensees to remove non-compliant gaming machines upon notification from the UKGC—came into effect on 29 July 2026, ahead of the main package.

Key Requirements: What Machines Must Now Do

The new standards apply to new category A, B1, B2, B3, B3A, and B4 machines (and, for certain game design rules, category C machines). Existing machines are exempt from the limit-setting and session display requirements, though operators should monitor future obligations.

1. Limit-Setting Tools with Mandatory Breaks in Play

From 30 June 2027, new category B machines (and category A machines) must offer players the option to set custom limits on their play. When a player-set limit or a default limit is reached, the machine must enforce a break in play and display safer gambling information.

Key details:

• Default limits are pre-set by the manufacturer or operator; players can override with their own limits.
• The first break in play after a default time limit must last at least 10 seconds.
• The second break in play after a further default limit must last at least 20 seconds.
• Staff alerts are not required at these first two default thresholds (see staff alert section below).

Why this matters:
Breaks in play interrupt the flow of gambling, giving players a moment to reflect on their spending and time. The safer gambling information can include links to support services, account balance checks, or session summaries.

2. Display of Elapsed Time and Net Position

Also effective 30 June 2027, new category A and B machines must clearly show players:

• How long they have been playing (elapsed time).
• Their net position (total winnings minus total losses, including any withdrawals or credits cashed out).

Net position replaces the earlier proposal to show deposited sums. The UKGC changed this after the consultation, recognising that net position gives a more accurate picture of actual win/loss compared to deposits alone.

Player privacy option:
Players can choose to hide their elapsed time and net position, but only after a break in play of at least 10 seconds. This ensures that the information is initially visible and cannot be dismissed instantly.

Access for licensees:
Operators will have access to this sessional data, enabling them to meet their regulatory duty to interact with customers who show signs of gambling harm. For example, a player with a long session and a large net loss may trigger a staff intervention.

3. No Celebration of Returns Equal to or Below Stake

From 30 June 2027, new category A, B, and C machines must not celebrate or otherwise glamorise a return that is equal to or lower than the total stake. This means:

• No flashing lights, sound effects, or animations that suggest a win when the player actually broke even or lost.
• The machine should present such outcomes neutrally, without misleading excitement.

Example:
If a player stakes £10 and wins back £10, the machine cannot play a victory jingle or display “WINNER!” – it must treat it as a non-event.

4. Ban on Features That Shorten Time to Result

Also from 30 June 2027, new category A, B, and C machines must remove any feature that allows players to artificially reduce the time between placing a stake and seeing the result. This targets features like “quick spin” buttons or accelerated animations that speed up gameplay.

Rationale:
Shortened result times can increase the pace of gambling, potentially leading to loss of control and faster expenditure. The ban ensures that each spin or game round maintains a minimum duration.

5. Staff Alerts (Phased Implementation)

Operators offering category B machines must implement staff alert systems that trigger when players reach certain thresholds. The key requirement: staff alerts must be acted on appropriately and in a timely manner.

Timeline:

• The alert requirement comes into force on 3 October 2028.
• The UKGC’s policy senior manager, Graham Burgin, described this date as “a hard stop” in a blog post. He urged licensees to keep using existing staff alert technology and to adopt it as quickly as possible where they don’t yet have it.

Important nuance:
Staff alerts are not required at the first and second default time limits (the 10-second and 20-second breaks). Only when additional limits are set or when the player’s behaviour indicates harm (e.g., multiple session exceedances) are alerts triggered.

Implementation Timeline at a Glance

Source: UK Gambling Commission, January 2025 gaming machine consultation response, published 30 September 2026.

Exemptions: Existing Machines

The UKGC explicitly chose not to apply the limit-setting and session display standards to existing machines. The regulator acknowledged that retrofitting older hardware would create significant costs—particularly for smaller licensees and the social club sector—without delivering proportionate consumer benefits. However, operators should note that new machines purchased after the effective dates must comply.

Changes Made After Consultation Feedback

The consultation revealed strong calls for simplification and practicality. The UKGC adjusted several proposals:

• Net position replaced deposited sums as the monetary measure, providing a clearer win/loss picture.
• Minimum break times reduced: originally 30 seconds for first and second breaks; now 10 seconds and 20 seconds respectively.
• Staff alerts not required at the two default time limits, easing operational burden during short breaks.
• Player ability to hide session data after a 10-second break, giving control while ensuring initial visibility.

According to Helen Rhodes, director of major policy projects and evaluation at the UKGC: “These measures will help both to empower consumers to understand and manage their gambling and ensure operators play their part.”

Practical Implications for Operators and Manufacturers

For Machine Manufacturers

• Update firmware and software for new category A, B, and C machines to include session tracking, limit-setting menus, break timers, and enhanced display logic.
• Remove celebration animations for stake-equal or lower returns.
• Disable any “quick spin” or result-speed features.

For Licensed Operators (e.g., arcades, bingo halls, casinos)

• Plan procurement of new machines to comply with the June 2027 deadlines.
• Train staff on new alert protocols by October 2028.
• Review existing staff alert systems and upgrade if necessary; Graham Burgin emphasised that “hard stop” means full compliance by that date.
• For social clubs and small venues: existing machines remain exempt from limit-setting and session display, but any new machine must comply.

For Players

• Expect to see clear session time and net win/loss information on new machines.
• You can set your own time or loss limits and will be forced to take short breaks when those limits are reached.
• After a 10-second break, you can choose to hide the session data if desired.

Wider Reform Context

This technical standards update is one piece of a broader regulatory overhaul following the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper. The UKGC has committed to ongoing reviews of machine technical standards, with further consultations likely. Operators should stay informed about parallel changes to remote gambling, online slots, and customer interaction requirements.

Helen Rhodes’ statement underscores the dual focus: consumer empowerment and operator responsibility. The new rules are designed to shift the burden of harm prevention from players alone to a partnership between players, machines, and operators.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The UKGC’s final decisions bring clarity to the gaming machine landscape in Great Britain. Operators should mark these key dates:

• 30 March 2027: New session definition applies.
• 30 June 2027: Limit-setting, session display, and game design changes take effect.
• 3 October 2028: Staff alert obligations become mandatory (hard stop).

By planning now, licensees can ensure a smooth transition and avoid non-compliance. The changes represent a meaningful step forward in safer gambling, balancing consumer protection with operational feasibility.

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