What is the slot stake limit on apps?

The slot stake limit on UK apps in one table

The limit depends only on your age, which the casino knows from the identity checks it must complete before you can deposit. It's the same in an app, on a mobile site or on a desktop, because the rule attaches to the operator's licence, not the device.

The Gambling Commission's online slots stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab) sets out the detail. The limit is a condition on every remote casino operating licence, so any slot in a UK-licensed app has to respect it. Our stake limit rule page covers the legal background, and the questions hub has more answers on app rules.

What counts towards the slot stake limit: the game cycle

The cap isn't simply "per tap of the spin button". It applies per game cycle, which runs from the start of a game until all the money staked has been lost or all the winnings have been made available to you. Any further stake the game asks for inside that cycle counts towards the same limit.

The Commission gives worked examples. A 27-year-old who stakes £2 could be offered the chance to add up to £3 more within the same cycle, taking the total to the £5 cap. A 19-year-old who stakes £2 has already reached the limit, so the game can't offer them anything more until the cycle ends.

Another example covers optional prize gambles. A player aged 27 stakes £5, wins a prize and can turn it down for a chance at a bigger one, without staking any extra money. If they lose, their balance is down only the original £5. So a gamble option that needs no new stake can still exist within the rules.

The guidance doesn't say whether free spins or bonus rounds count towards the limit. If you're unsure how a particular slot handles this, check the game's help screen or ask the casino's support team.

Which casino app games the stake limit doesn't cover

The Commission defines an online slot as a casino game using a reel format, played over the internet. Roulette, blackjack and other table games aren't covered, so their maximum bets are set by each game and table instead. Live casino tables and game shows are also outside the slot cap.

Other UK rules still cover those games. Since 17 January 2025, autoplay has been banned on all online casino games, and non-slot games need at least 5 seconds per game cycle. Read more in game speed rules UK and the autoplay ban.

How the stake limit shows up in a casino app

In practice, you'll notice the cap when you change your bet size in a slot. The stake selector simply won't go above your limit. A slot that offered higher stakes before April 2025 now tops out at £5, or £2 for younger adults.

1. Open a slot from the app's game lobby.
2. Find the stake or bet control, usually beside the spin button.
3. Check the total stake per spin shown, not just the coin or line value.
4. Open the game's help or paytable screen to read the rules and the RTP for that version.
5. Set a budget for the session before your first spin, and stop when it's gone.

If you think a slot let you stake over your limit, take a screenshot and contact the casino first. If you're not happy with the answer, you can escalate it, as explained in how to complain about a casino app. Our mobile slot reviews cover game rules in more depth.

What different slot stakes cost per hour, in pounds

A stake limit caps your bet, not your losses. What you can expect to lose depends on the stake, how many spins you play and the house edge. Expected loss is total staked × house edge.

Take Big Bass Bonanza, with a published RTP of 96.71%, which means a house edge of 3.29%. If you played 600 spins in an hour, roughly one every 6 seconds, the expected cost at different stakes works out like this:

Real results swing far more widely than these averages, especially on a high-volatility slot, and you can lose a whole budget quickly. The point is that a smaller stake spreads entertainment over more time for the same cost. See house edge and RTP for the definitions, and budgeting for casino apps for planning.

Why the UK brought in slot stake limits

Stake limits for online slots came out of a wider review of gambling law. The government's 2023 white paper, High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age (opens in a new tab), proposed consulting on a limit between £2 and £15 per spin, with £2 or £4 for younger adults.

The government then confirmed the £5 and £2 figures in February 2024. Its announcement of the £2 limit for under-25s (opens in a new tab) said the limits would start in September 2024, but they actually came into force in April and May 2025.

Other UK rules that shape slots on your phone

The stake limit sits alongside slot design rules that have applied since 31 October 2021: no autoplay, at least 2.5 seconds per spin, no turbo or slam-stop, and no celebrating a return that's equal to or lower than your stake. Since a Gambling Commission warning in January 2020, feature buy-ins are not offered to British players.

Bonuses are covered too. Since 19 January 2026, wagering can't be more than 10 times the bonus, and Casumo's welcome bonus, for example, carries a £5 maximum bet while the bonus is active. Read what the wagering cap is and why there's no autoplay on UK apps for more.

Using your own limits as well as the legal cap

The legal cap is a ceiling, not a target. Your own deposit limit does more to control spending, and UK casinos must prompt you to set one before your first deposit. PlayOJO's help pages, for instance, say deposit limit decreases take effect immediately, while increases take 24 hours.

Our guide on how to set a deposit limit on a casino app walks through it. If you feel your stakes creeping up to chase losses, talk to GamCare's support team (opens in a new tab) or call the National Gambling Helpline free on 0808 8020 133, any time.

Low-stake slot offers on UK casino apps

Each welcome offer below gives spins at 10p, a fraction of either stake cap. They're for new customers aged 18 or over, and terms apply.

Coral Casino runs its slots offer from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Make a deposit (some payment types are excluded) and bet at least £10 on slots for 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days. Winnings from the spins have no wagering. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.

Ladbrokes Casino gives new customers who deposit and spend at least £10 on slots 50 free spins a day for their first 10 days, a maximum of 500. The spins are 10p each on selected games, need claiming before 23:59 each day, last 7 days and carry no wagering. Prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits are excluded.

PlayOJO offers new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each for a first deposit of at least £10. There's no wagering, so winnings are paid in cash. The offer can't be combined with any other and is available only through the designated link.

In total, that's £10 of spins at Coral, up to £50 at Ladbrokes and £8 at PlayOJO, all on slots. See Coral slots app and our low stakes casino apps list for more.

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.