New UK Gaming Machines Must Show Your Losses. Old Ones Won't

From June 30, 2027, new Category B machines in Britain must display session time and net wins or losses. Machines already in venues are exempt after operators objected to the upgrade costs.

Francis Gable

01/10/26 · 2 minOctober 1, 2026 · 2 min read

Britain's Gambling Commission said on Sept. 30 that new Category B gaming machines must show players how long they have played and how much they have won or lost, starting June 30, 2027.

The new machines also cannot celebrate a payout smaller than the stake, and features that let players reach a result faster are banned. Machines already in venues are exempt, because the regulator judged upgrading them too costly for the benefit.

Gaming machines sit in social clubs, seaside arcades, betting shops and casinos. They generate more than a fifth of Britain's non-lottery gross gambling yield, according to a Commission blog post. That is what operators keep after paying out winnings.

Regulator Narrows Its Original Plan

The rules follow a January 2025 consultation that drew more than 1,000 responses. In its consultation response, the Commission said smaller operators and social clubs would have carried the heaviest upgrade costs for older machines.

It also dropped staff alerts at the first two default time limits. Players can choose to hide their playing time and net position, their running total won or lost, after a break in play of at least 10 seconds.

"These measures will help both to empower consumers to understand and manage their gambling and ensure operators play their part."

Helen Rhodes, who leads major policy projects at the Commission, made the remark in the regulator's announcement.

Machines Catch Up With Online Slots

Online slots in Britain have been barred from celebrating losses disguised as wins since Oct. 31, 2021, under rules announced that February. Those rules also banned features that speed up play.

The machine rules roll out in stages. A new definition of a playing session takes effect March 30, 2027, and staff alert requirements follow on Oct. 3, 2028, a deadline the Commission called a "hard stop."

The government is reportedly weighing a plan to double machine games duty, the tax on machine profits, from 20% to 40%, according to multiple reports. Retail betting is already shrinking, with Betfred closing 132 shops. The Chancellor will deliver the Budget on Oct. 28.

Treat gambling as entertainment you pay for. 18+, and if it stops feeling like entertainment, help exists at BeGambleAware and GamCare.