Digital Slots Fuel UK Gambling Surge, Making Up Over 80% of Online Casino Revenue

It seems hard to believe today, but the slots games so many people enjoy playing had their origin over 130 years ago, only a few years after the motor car was invented. But it wasn’t Karl Benz who devised the machine; it was a young engineer called Charles Fey, moonlighting from his job at a Californian power company.

His machine was called the Liberty Bell, and you can still see bells appearing in today’s generation of online slot games. If you fast-forward to today, the technology may be different, but the principle remains the same. Reels spin and stop on a sequence of symbols. If it’s a pre-determined winning combination, the game pays out. According to the National Museum of American History, Fey’s 1895 design is widely regarded as the first mechanical slot, paving the way for an industry now worth billions globally.

For the very latest versions of the game, you need to look to online casinos, and many of us do. According to official figures released by the UK’s Gaming Commission, of the £4.4 billion spent in online casinos, £3.6 billion of that was on slots games. That figure has risen steadily year on year, fuelled by new technologies, mobile play, and increased regulation driving users to licensed sites. So if you’re considering which slots game you’d like to play, here are a few pointers about how to choose.

Picking the perfect slot

There are four key areas that you need to examine before you make your decision. But before you do anything you can simplify your search by limiting it to the already reviewed online slot games in the UK by checking these out on any of the respected casino review sites. Many of these rankings are now compiled by independent analytics firms that assess fairness, RTP rates, and player safety in compliance with the UK Gambling Commission’s updated 2024 code of practice. Then it’s time to start drilling down into the details.

Pick a theme that appeals

One of the great things about the current generation of slots is the sheer range of themes available. You can go for a classic “fruit machine” type of game or something more sophisticated. If you like fishing, there are games to suit, or if you’re a history buff, you can be transported back to the time of Ancient Egypt or Rome. Market data from game developer Playtech suggests that branded slots based on film and TV franchises remain among the most-played categories in the UK. Many games are also tie-ins to top movies and TV shows, and some even feature clips. So, pick a theme that sparks your interest, as it will make the play that much more enjoyable.

Choose the game that pays out the most in winnings

The algorithm that powers an online slots game has been designed to generate genuinely random spins every time. But one aspect that has been programmed in is the game’s Return To Player. This is the percentage of the stake money that is paid out in winnings, and which should be displayed in the game’s details. Generally, this is somewhere between 92% and 97%. On a game with an RTP of 95% it doesn’t mean that if you gamble with £100, you’ll get £95, but it does mean that, over time, 95% of all money taken will be returned as winnings. So, it makes sense to seek out the games with the highest RTP. Consumer watchdogs such as BeGambleAware have urged players to check these figures carefully, as small differences can significantly affect returns over time.

Pick the right balance of risk and reward

Something else that slots game reviews should include is the level of a game’s so-called volatility. High volatility slots pay out bigger wins less frequently. Low volatility ones pay out smaller amounts more often. The type you decide to play depends very much on your attitude to risk and reward. As a rule of thumb, low-volatility games are more fun to play, as it’s always lovely when a winning combination comes up. Industry experts say that volatility data is often overlooked by casual players, despite being one of the best indicators of how “bumpy” a session may feel.

Choose your features

Today’s slots come with a whole plethora of features. These include free spins, wild symbols, bonus rounds and multipliers that can expand your winning by multiples of 20 or more. Again, all good slot reviews will list the features a particular game includes. Some games even have progressive jackpots, in which many different slots are linked to one big prize that can be won on any of them at any time. The odds are slim, but it might just be you who wins that life-changing sum. In April, one UK player reportedly scooped over £3.2 million on a progressive jackpot network operated by Microgaming, the largest single online slot payout of 2025 so far.

A couple of considerations

There are also a couple of other very important things to bear in mind when you’re playing any slots game. The first of these is to keep a close eye on your bankroll. This is the term used for the money that you have to play with.

Research has found that the average length of time people spend in a slots session is 17 minutes, so this is a good yardstick for how large your bankroll should be each time you play. That figure comes from a 2023 YouGov survey commissioned by GambleAware, which also found that 42% of respondents use spending limits to manage their play. And when it’s gone, please don’t chase your losses. Walk away and hope for better luck next time.

And, finally, remember that these games are totally random. There’s no such thing as a slot being on a hot streak. Nor is there any point in having a strategy. It’s just a question of letting those reels roll and hoping it’s your lucky day. As the UK Gambling Commission continues to review proposed stake limits for online slots, responsible gaming remains at the centre of the conversation, a reminder that fun should always come first.

By GamesAndCasino