After a review of licensed slot developers' products, the UKGC is set to make a list of recommendations regarding special symbols and their effects on the player. These conditions are likely to be implemented by 1st. February 2022 in order to avoid slots already in development having to be altered or scrapped. These game characteristics include:
Anticipation Spins - known by many players as 'heartstoppers', the slowing down of reels when one scatter symbol short of any bonus trigger is to be abolished.
Inactive Wilds - these will not be displayed on the reels or grid of any slot games unless they are active in forming a win.
Cumulative Collection - game features which are triggered over numerous spins instead of randomly via a single spin. This will include any game characteristics whereby the player is prevented from changing stakes for fear of losing accumulated tokens or feature meters.
Feature Gamble Options - these will not be forbidden completely, but there cannot be a 'lose all' outcome for the player, for example a gamble on winning 10 free games: the outcome could only be 12 for winning a gamble and 8 for losing, on a random 50% chance basis. Once a single loss has occurred, the feature will be collected.
Return to Player - must be displayed in the game interface at all times when live play is active and on the game image prior to being selected by the player.
General Information - we have concluded that the information proffered by some game developers in their help files should be implemented across all developers. This includes maximum win achieved in many billions of testing results, win frequency, feature frequency and RTP allocation to the basic game and its included features including average yield for each.
Game Subject Matter - we will not approve games which use past licensed themes with present-day negative connotations regarding racism, sexism and homophobia. Examples would be 1970's and 80's comedy shows such as Till Death us do Part, Miss World and It Ain't Half Hot Mum.
The UKGC Product Review Manager, Pat Crillas, has stated:
"The UKGC prides itself on listening and learning from the customer experience so we have filtered out the most common issues reported by the public regarding online games. We can no longer have scenarios where the player is discouraged from leaving a game due to collection features, or reducing stakes. We have also taken on board the stresses that false wild symbols, unnecessary anticipation and low-expectation feature entries which encourage a losing gamble invoke to the end user.
Further to the above, we feel the player should be privy to full game information and therefore know from the outset how statistically unlikely it is they will win, and especially to win a significant amount. When you factor in action to prevent offensive subject matter or themes in the games, we feel that the UKGC has supplemented its status and reputation as the most competent and customer-friendly regulator in Europe."
Anticipation Spins - known by many players as 'heartstoppers', the slowing down of reels when one scatter symbol short of any bonus trigger is to be abolished.
Inactive Wilds - these will not be displayed on the reels or grid of any slot games unless they are active in forming a win.
Cumulative Collection - game features which are triggered over numerous spins instead of randomly via a single spin. This will include any game characteristics whereby the player is prevented from changing stakes for fear of losing accumulated tokens or feature meters.
Feature Gamble Options - these will not be forbidden completely, but there cannot be a 'lose all' outcome for the player, for example a gamble on winning 10 free games: the outcome could only be 12 for winning a gamble and 8 for losing, on a random 50% chance basis. Once a single loss has occurred, the feature will be collected.
Return to Player - must be displayed in the game interface at all times when live play is active and on the game image prior to being selected by the player.
General Information - we have concluded that the information proffered by some game developers in their help files should be implemented across all developers. This includes maximum win achieved in many billions of testing results, win frequency, feature frequency and RTP allocation to the basic game and its included features including average yield for each.
Game Subject Matter - we will not approve games which use past licensed themes with present-day negative connotations regarding racism, sexism and homophobia. Examples would be 1970's and 80's comedy shows such as Till Death us do Part, Miss World and It Ain't Half Hot Mum.
The UKGC Product Review Manager, Pat Crillas, has stated:
"The UKGC prides itself on listening and learning from the customer experience so we have filtered out the most common issues reported by the public regarding online games. We can no longer have scenarios where the player is discouraged from leaving a game due to collection features, or reducing stakes. We have also taken on board the stresses that false wild symbols, unnecessary anticipation and low-expectation feature entries which encourage a losing gamble invoke to the end user.
Further to the above, we feel the player should be privy to full game information and therefore know from the outset how statistically unlikely it is they will win, and especially to win a significant amount. When you factor in action to prevent offensive subject matter or themes in the games, we feel that the UKGC has supplemented its status and reputation as the most competent and customer-friendly regulator in Europe."