Slot machines have come a long way since the days of single-arm bandits and fruit machines. Now, these machines are more in line with today’s video games standards offering HD graphics, Lively Animations, Enormous Payouts, and Intriguing Bonus Rounds are an integral part of the current slotting experience. Another aspect that contributes widely towards the popularity of these machines is the availability of free slot machines.
The free slot machines offer an experience similar to real money machines with one exception: instead of putting your hard-earned money on the line, you can play for free. It’s a fact that slot betting, in no way, can be taken as an investment opportunity and a vast percentage of the players play these slot machines as an entertainment alternative. And the best way to play these machines for fun is to play them for free.
But the question is, are these free online slots legal in the UK? Well, the answer is a bit confusing. So, let’s find out.
The Legality of Demo Slots in The UK
The UK Gambling Commission has restricted all of the online casinos operating within the country’s jurisdictions from offering free slots. Therefore, it is not legal for online casinos to offer free slots. However, UKGC laws and rules don’t say anything about the availability of free slots on private websites that have nothing to do with real money gambling.
So the proper answer for this question, if demo slots are legal in the UK; yes, free slots are permitted to play in the UK as long as you are not playing one on an online casino.
Why Are Demo Slots Banned From UK Casinos?
In 2018, UKGC restricted all of the online casinos operating within the queen’s land from offering demo slots to the customers, and the provided reasons were as follows:
- To prevent the new generation from getting a taste of the immersive world of slot machines because according to the statistics, a large percentage of new gamblers are inspired and intrigued by demo slots, and then they move on to put their hard-earned money on the line. For this reason, the popularity of online slot machines increased from 15.5% in 2014 to 18.3% in 2017.
- To prevent underage access to online casinos and slot machines. Online casinos tend to offer free slots without taking any information from the user and; therefore, there was no mechanism to verify and validate the user’s age playing a demo slot.
- To ensure that the gambling industry is safe and sustainable.
- To reduce the risk of vulnerable users.
- To intervene and protect children and vulnerable users from getting harmed at an earlier stage.
Why Should You Play Free Slots?
Free slots are the replica of the real money games, and here are a few of the reasons why you should play them:
- Free slots allow you to have a fun-packed experience without spending a dime.
- These machines give you a chance to understand the slot’s gameplay without actually paying for it.
- They allow you to test your skills and betting strategies and understand how the bonus rounds work on a specific slot.
