There is no autoplay on UK casino apps because the Gambling Commission banned it: for online slots from 31 October 2021, and for every online casino game, live tables included, from 17 January 2025. Each game cycle now has to be started by you. This guide explains the reasoning, what the rule says, what's still allowed and what it means in pounds.
Autoplay was banned on UK online slots from 31 October 2021.
The ban covered all online casino games, including live casino, from 17 January 2025.
A re-bet button is allowed: it repeats your last bet but you still start each round.
An app offering autoplay to UK players isn't following UK rules.
Slots autoplay ban
31 October 2021
All online casino games
17 January 2025
Standard
RTS 8C
Still allowed
Re-bet; auto-posted blinds in peer-to-peer poker
Regulator
Gambling Commission
Why there is no autoplay on UK casino apps: the short answer
Autoplay is switched off in UK casino apps because it isn't allowed. The Commission's technical standards say each game cycle must be started individually, and that applies whether you play on an iPhone, an Android phone or a desktop browser. It's not a quirk of one app or a missing feature.
The rule arrived in two stages. Online slots lost autoplay on 31 October 2021, alongside a 2.5-second minimum spin time and a ban on turbo and slam-stop buttons. On 17 January 2025 the ban was extended to all online casino games, including roulette, blackjack and live dealer tables. Our autoplay ban rule page has the formal detail, and the guides hub links our other explainers on app features.
What autoplay did and why the regulator removed it
Autoplay let you set a number of spins or rounds running from a single tap. The game kept staking and resolving results until it hit the count, a win or loss limit, or you stopped it. On a phone, that meant play could carry on while your attention was elsewhere.
The Commission described its 2021 slot rules and the 2025 extension as limits on the speed and intensity of play. Removing autoplay works with those other changes: a minimum time per game, no way to speed up results and no celebrating a 'win' that's really a loss. Together they put a decision back in front of you at every round.
There's a money angle too. With autoplay, 100 spins at £1 could be committed in one tap: £100 staked and, on a 96% RTP slot, an expected loss of £4. Without it, the same £100 needs 100 separate decisions, each one a natural point to stop.
What the UK autoplay rule says, standard by standard
Live dealer games weren't part of the 2021 rules, which applied to online slots only. When the Commission consulted on extending them, it said it saw no convincing reason to exclude live casino games from the autoplay ban. Its autoplay decision (opens in a new tab) applies the ban to all online gaming products.
The same decision drew two useful lines. A re-bet feature, which repeats your previous bet, is not autoplay, and the Commission noted it can help in live games with short betting windows. And automatic posting of blinds in peer-to-peer poker isn't caught by the ban. Our live casino apps hub covers the main games and how their betting windows work on a phone.
What you'll see in a UK casino app instead of autoplay
Without autoplay, a UK slot or table works on a simple loop. Here's what happens each time you play a round in a licensed app.
Choose your stake in the game's bet selector. On slots, it's capped at £5 per game cycle, or £2 if you're 18 to 24.
Tap the spin or deal button once. Holding it down won't start a second round.
Wait for the result. The next slot spin can't start until at least 2.5 seconds after this one began, and there's no button to stop the reels early.
Check the net position and session time the game must show you.
Release, then tap again if you want another round, or use re-bet on a table game to repeat the same stake.
Alongside the game itself, apps also offer reality checks, which interrupt play at an interval you choose. Our slot stake limits guide explains how the stake cap in step one works.
Autoplay, turbo and re-bet: what's allowed on UK apps
Which play-speed features are allowed in UK-licensed apps
Casino apps that still offer autoplay: a warning sign
Because the ban applies to every operator licensed in Great Britain, an app that offers autoplay to UK players is either licensed elsewhere or not licensed at all. Neither gives you the Gambling Commission's protections, such as identity checks, safer-gambling tools, GAMSTOP and access to independent dispute resolution.
You can check any operator's licence on the Commission's public register, and our guide on how to spot an unlicensed casino app lists other signs. Using a VPN to reach games not offered in the UK usually breaks operators' terms; our page on casino apps and VPNs explains why.
Autoplay and the Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO apps
Coral and Ladbrokes are both licensed through LC International Limited (account 54743), and PlayOJO through Skill On Net Limited (account 39326). All three are covered by the UK ban, so none of their apps can offer autoplay to British players, on slots or on live tables.
Their app store listings show what's in the lobby. Coral's describes slots, blackjack, roulette and live casino; Ladbrokes' describes 1,800+ slots and live game shows; PlayOJO's covers slots, jackpot slots, bingo, table games and live casino. Every one of those games follows the one-tap-per-round rule. For broader picks, see our best slot apps.
Slot offers you play one spin at a time
Even welcome free spins are played one tap at a time under UK rules. These partner offers are all slot offers; 18+ and terms apply.
Coral Casino: 18+, new players. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slots to get 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each; accept within 48 hours, valid for 7 days; no wagering on free spin winnings. Runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
Ladbrokes Casino: 18+, new customers. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots to get 50 free spins a day for the first 10 days (maximum 500), 10p each on selected games; claim before 23:59 each day; valid 7 days; no wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify.
PlayOJO: 18+, new UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit of £10 or more for 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each; no wagering, winnings paid in cash. Can't be combined with other offers; available only through the designated offer link.
Free spin offers still need a tap per spin under UK rules. 18+, new customers, T&Cs apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Is autoplay illegal in the UK?
It isn't offered legally by any operator licensed in Great Britain. The Gambling Commission's technical standards ban autoplay on online slots from 31 October 2021 and on all online casino games from 17 January 2025, so licensed apps must make you start each game cycle yourself. The rule binds operators rather than players. Our autoplay ban page sets out the standard and the dates.
When did autoplay stop on UK slot apps?
On 31 October 2021. From that date, online slots licensed in Great Britain had to drop autoplay, turbo and slam-stop features and allow at least 2.5 seconds per spin. The same rules stopped games celebrating returns equal to or below the stake. The online game design rules page lists every change made at the time.
Does the autoplay ban apply to live casino?
Yes, since 17 January 2025. When the Commission extended the ban beyond slots, it said it saw no convincing reason to exclude live casino games. Live roulette, blackjack and game shows in UK apps therefore need you to place each bet yourself, although a re-bet button is allowed. Our guide to live roulette on mobile shows how betting rounds work.
Is the re-bet button the same as autoplay?
No. Re-bet repeats the stake you placed on the previous round, but you still have to tap it each time, so every round is your own decision. The Commission said re-bet isn't autoplay and can help in live games with short betting windows. Our live casino chat and etiquette page covers other parts of the live table experience.
Can I turn on turbo spin in a UK casino app?
No. RTS 14E bans any feature that cuts the time until a slot's result is shown, which covers turbo, quick spin and slam stop. Slots must also take at least 2.5 seconds per game cycle. Bonus rounds that need no extra stake are treated differently under the speed rule. See can I turbo spin on a UK casino app for the full answer.
Why do some casino apps abroad still have autoplay?
Because other countries set their own rules. The UK ban binds operators licensed by the Gambling Commission, so an app built for another market may keep autoplay. If an app offers it to players in Great Britain, that's a sign it isn't UK-licensed, which means none of the Commission's protections apply. Our guide to using a casino app abroad explains what changes when you travel.
Will autoplay ever come back to UK casino apps?
There's no sign of it. The ban was extended rather than relaxed in January 2025, and the Commission has since enforced the related speed rules, including a June 2026 settlement with Stakelogic BV over slots that ran below the 2.5-second minimum. Our game speed rules guide covers that case and how the minimums apply.
Does holding down the spin button work like autoplay?
No. RTS 14D requires the player to release and press the start button again before the next slot game cycle can begin, so holding it down doesn't keep the reels spinning. The game also has to wait at least 2.5 seconds between cycles. Our slots on mobile guide explains the other controls you'll find on a phone.
We use no tracking cookies. We store one item in your browser to remember this notice. Casino sites may set their own cookies after you follow an advert link. Cookie policy
