Online gambling has become a disgrace for UK players

[snorky510238]

I am not sure what the feeling is in other countries because for 1, I obviously don’t play there and 2, we don’t see a lot posted but as UK player, I am beyond disgusted at what is happening.

I happily played for 6 years. Admittedly having the odd whinge when I hit a bad patch but other than that, I took the rough with the smooth and NEVER once felt the need to go to “chat” to complain about the way a game played.

In the past two and a half years, that’s a completely different story and particularly the past 6 months. In all honesty, it gets worse by the day. I can’t imagine for a second that this industry is being regulated properly. If it was providers (and let’s not forget, they are the main culprits but Casinos are hosting them), wouldn’t not be getting away with the blatant, filthy cheating that is happening right now.

In the early days of gambling online, if I hadn’t hit a bonus after depositing £60, (40-60p spins) I would think that was the session from hell. That was consistent for years, it genuinely felt that you were getting a fair crack of the whip.

Fast forward 8 years and the experience feels nowhere near the same. People will say volatility has changed etc. Yes it has but I still had some amazing wins and regularly playing these games.

Not now though, no sir, you can easily deposit £300-£500 without even seeing a bonus. That is quite simply disgraceful. Yes, okay, once in a while that might happen but for it to become the norm, no way, not a chance, unless you are playing against a slot that is programmed so the odds are ridiculously against you.

I could write pages but there’s little point, as whatever goes against the grain on this forum is quickly brushed under the carpet. If you’re a UK player and you’ve been thinking hang on a minute, am I being screwed over here? The answer is yes you are. It’s FOBT GATE all over again.

Accredited UK Casinos:

• Kwiff Casino
• PlayOJO
• Lottomart
• Casumo
• Rizk Casino

 

[The Viking]

That damn Bonanza
nahh but its change for sure most new games thos days are made for bonus buys and high rollers
i mostly play the older games for some reason i just find them more entertaining but must say i mostly play High volatile games.

 

[slotmaster]

100% agree, while I do hit the odd free spin on $300 deposit it has gotten tougher for sure, though the last 2 days I have been hitting free spins a lot more which was a pleasant surprise. Kinda what I was asking and say to @Jono777 and in some posts about how no playing time anymore not that I can during the week really.

I barely get above starting balance, like today, I was $45 above the starting balance and then boom everything dies and go back down. I never put all deposit in, I withdraw at a certain amount to limit losses even though I guess you can get a good hit and get back up but that was years ago too,lol.

 

[dealer wins]

Coupled with the almost fascist SOW and verification cr@p, I agree UK online casinos are not worth the bother or frustration.

I also would not be confident of receiving a "once in a lifetime" big win without major hassle or outright refusal.

I hardly play anymore, and do 99% of gambling via an agent sportsbook with casino attached. Instant payout, no SOW bullshit. Im of the old school though, You deposit the funds, you can afford it.

Lose more than you wanted to, tough shit learn a lesson from it.

 

[Jono777]

Always back you up mate, not due to the fact of the various bullshit we're told by providers, casinos etc and also the naysayers who just won't have it no matter what we say but due to experiencing and witnessing exactly what you describe.

I recall back in the day a Friday evening after work, my one beloved 32 Red offered 100% deposit match on Viper client where after a tiring week at work, I could relax with a nice £40 start balance rather than my usual £20.

Very (and I mean very) rarely would it swipe it with no action, many a session would last 2-3 hours and leave balance to be carried over in to the following day once I went to bed that night.

This being said, it was also often the case I'd get a good session (in regards to play time not winning loads) with just £20 regardless of any bonus on top.

This wasn't just 32 Red wither, it was Caddell, Leo Vegas, Casumo, Guts, Betspin, loads of places, with or without bonuses or free spins 7/10 you'd get VALUE FOR YOUR DEPOSIT.

I mentioned GREED in a post long ago and reused it numerous times since because that's what it it, no more give me your money slowly, we want it and we want it NOW!

1/10 session snow may last if we're lucky.

I'm not convinced but defiantly leaning towards the fact UK players have to suffer the most due to an ever increasing list of reasons, mainly UKGC and taxes but also other stuff which I won't go into cos I simply cannot be arsed to argue with the stubborn or the blinkered.

Either way no personal offence to anyone and if you don't agree with a word I've typed then that is your prerogative and no hard feelings.

 

[slotmaster]

The memories hey Jono, $100 deposit on RTG Friday night and would last you till Sunday most times. Hitting free spins like crazy or base game hits to keep ya going, sigh.

 

[sufferinsilence]

It's not only in the UK. Belgian casinos have gone down the shitter as well, where most would run max RTP versions of every game a year or so ago they slowly started to change and added 94% versions. As far as I know only 1 casino is still keeping its own at full RTP for every game. I can't see that lasting a long time with even more taxes coming their way this year.

Sure, all of a sudden they're all running more "promo's" but most of them will only apply to the high rollers anyway. When you're a 20-40c player they'll give you the odd voucher or bonus (boost as they call them know to get around the law).

Anyway.. I've tightened the screws on my gambling budget for now. Haven't deposited a cent since early-mid December but it being the Christmas period all of the casinos were in a giving mood so I did have some free playtime at least!

 

[winner2021]

Yeah I'm done playing them now (at least regularly), my average slots session lasts 7 minutes...I'm not even joking. Rarely do I hit 20 mins. I probably do stake too high for my balance like £1 spins if I deposit £50 and £2 spins if I deposit £200 but even so, you would expect some decent wins. I think the most I ever won in one go on slots was around £2k. Yet I've won bingo jackpots three times-one for 10k, one 5k and one 4k and I spend nowhere near the amount I do on slots. I've put limits in place on everything now because I would still play them even though I know they're a complete waste of time. Feel much happier now I know I can't. If I get bored I just play the demos instead because 7 minutes of play and £100 down isn't great entertainment or value for money!

 

[The Dude]

....
I could write pages but there’s little point, as whatever goes against the grain on this forum is quickly brushed under the carpet. If you’re a UK player and you’ve been thinking hang on a minute, am I being screwed over here? The answer is yes you are. It’s FOBT GATE all over again.

Sorry, lads. I'm going to have to sweep this one under the carpets. Please stop complaining. LOL

@snorky510238 I think you're going with the grain on this one. We have been pointing out for years the train wreck you have been describing above.

 

[snorky510238]

Sorry, lads. I'm going to have to sweep this one under the carpets. Please stop complaining. LOL :lolup

@snorky510238 I think you're going with the grain on this one. We have been pointing out for years the train wreck you have been describing above.

How is it being allowed to happen is the worrying thing. It just proves that any so called regulatory organisation isn’t fit for purpose. If it was, they’d have been all over these shenanigans years ago.

 

[slot_zombie]

If it were not for Curacao I would have quit online gambling by now.

Still get emails from a few UK sites, the latest one from Quinnbet (entire casino running on lowered RTP) deposit £10 and play it through nerfed Cops and Robbers and we will give you a £1 virtual sports bet.

Steady on chaps, I'm nearly dying of excitement here...

 

[Webzcas]

How is it being allowed to happen is the worrying thing. It just proves that any so called regulatory organisation isn’t fit for purpose. If it was, they’d have been all over these shenanigans years ago.

The UK is a nanny state and becoming more so as each day passes. Gambling is the new tobacco and to a certain degree I get why regulation has to be strong. However, the invasive SoW checks are such that it is just not worth the hassle IMO.

 

[snorky510238]

The problem being, they’re overdoing the verification side of things and not paying the slightest bit of attention to providers that are basically running games that are, that gimped, you couldn’t throw your money down the drain any faster. It’s blatant, in your face filth, that is being ignored.

It’s the same with all these adverts on TV for Casinos and the “gamble safely” theme. For a bit of balance, where’s the shot of Jim, who had a great career and future ahead of him, until online gambling destroyed his life and now he’s homeless?

Oh no, you won’t see that. Doesn’t fit the agenda. A hypocritical government, who have to be seen to be doing something but nothing too strong “as we still need those taxes chaps”.

 

[Deeplay]

If it were not for Curacao I would have quit online gambling by now.

Still get emails from a few UK sites, the latest one from Quinnbet (entire casino running on lowered RTP) deposit £10 and play it through nerfed Cops and Robbers and we will give you a £1 virtual sports bet.

Steady on chaps, I'm nearly dying of excitement here...

Same here have not touched a UK facing casino in probably 2 years or more. No point - low Rtps - no autoplay - endless document requests - the list goes on ... not saying offshore is perfect as it aint - and always a risk you get fisted at any point in time. But so far never had an issue. Support for the most part at the crypto i play at is dire - but then I aint really had to use it. Bonuses are quite frequent rake back / money drops etc all automated and cash outs have always been instant back to ye olde crypto wallet. I would love to play back in the UK - especially with the very decent reps here @Mark_Lottomart and @L&L-Jan 2 name but two outstanding reps ... but alas its no go for me given state of UK gaming.

I remember a few years back with Risk getting hit with a SOW which was almost impossible as im self employed and have numerous transactions going through different accounts - no way could I give that information as much of it was client info names / emails etc. So that was my exit point. Never been asked for a document offshore and if I was I would tell em do one and walk.

 

[kennygamerboy]

I am not sure what the feeling is in other countries because for 1, I obviously don’t play there and 2, we don’t see a lot posted but as UK player, I am beyond disgusted at what is happening.

I happily played for 6 years. Admittedly having the odd whinge when I hit a bad patch but other than that, I took the rough with the smooth and NEVER once felt the need to go to “chat” to complain about the way a game played.

In the past two and a half years, that’s a completely different story and particularly the past 6 months. In all honesty, it gets worse by the day. I can’t imagine for a second that this industry is being regulated properly. If it was providers (and let’s not forget, they are the main culprits but Casinos are hosting them), wouldn’t not be getting away with the blatant, filthy cheating that is happening right now.

In the early days of gambling online, if I hadn’t hit a bonus after depositing £60, (40-60p spins) I would think that was the session from hell. That was consistent for years, it genuinely felt that you were getting a fair crack of the whip.

Fast forward 8 years and the experience feels nowhere near the same. People will say volatility has changed etc. Yes it has but I still had some amazing wins and regularly playing these games.

Not now though, no sir, you can easily deposit £300-£500 without even seeing a bonus. That is quite simply disgraceful. Yes, okay, once in a while that might happen but for it to become the norm, no way, not a chance, unless you are playing against a slot that is programmed so the odds are ridiculously against you.

I could write pages but there’s little point, as whatever goes against the grain on this forum is quickly brushed under the carpet. If you’re a UK player and you’ve been thinking hang on a minute, am I being screwed over here? The answer is yes you are. It’s FOBT GATE all over again.

The time period I noticed it went to shit was during the covid lockdowns ain't been the same since!

 

[kennygamerboy]

If it were not for Curacao I would have quit online gambling by now.

Still get emails from a few UK sites, the latest one from Quinnbet (entire casino running on lowered RTP) deposit £10 and play it through nerfed Cops and Robbers and we will give you a £1 virtual sports bet.

Steady on chaps, I'm nearly dying of excitement here...

Well bentvictor play £10 get x5 10p spins on eye of whoreus pisss take!!!

 

[itsme123]

I have been gambling online for about 12 years and to be honest the only real difference I’ve noticed is the thirst for high volatility win once in 50 spin slots.
When I started I’d play the old classics like Thunderstruck/CFTBL/Immortal Romance etc and whilst I had many more losing sessions than winning sessions, the deposit seemed to last longer.
Now with megaways if you play at the wrong time you get truly screwed, you can’t possibly play a NLC game unless you have a massive bankroll and most makers now seem drawn to that type of slot.
I think the shaving of RTP has all coincided with the want to hit the streamer wins and that’s why the deposit never seems to go as far these days.

 

[KasinoKing]

I am not sure what the feeling is in other countries because for 1, I obviously don’t play there and 2, we don’t see a lot posted but as UK player, I am beyond disgusted at what is happening.

I happily played for 6 years. Admittedly having the odd whinge when I hit a bad patch but other than that, I took the rough with the smooth and NEVER once felt the need to go to “chat” to complain about the way a game played.

In the past two and a half years, that’s a completely different story and particularly the past 6 months. In all honesty, it gets worse by the day. I can’t imagine for a second that this industry is being regulated properly. If it was providers (and let’s not forget, they are the main culprits but Casinos are hosting them), wouldn’t not be getting away with the blatant, filthy cheating that is happening right now.

In the early days of gambling online, if I hadn’t hit a bonus after depositing £60, (40-60p spins) I would think that was the session from hell. That was consistent for years, it genuinely felt that you were getting a fair crack of the whip.

Fast forward 8 years and the experience feels nowhere near the same. People will say volatility has changed etc. Yes it has but I still had some amazing wins and regularly playing these games.

Not now though, no sir, you can easily deposit £300-£500 without even seeing a bonus. That is quite simply disgraceful. Yes, okay, once in a while that might happen but for it to become the norm, no way, not a chance, unless you are playing against a slot that is programmed so the odds are ridiculously against you.

I could write pages but there’s little point, as whatever goes against the grain on this forum is quickly brushed under the carpet. If you’re a UK player and you’ve been thinking hang on a minute, am I being screwed over here? The answer is yes you are. It’s FOBT GATE all over again.

You are 100% right there.

Something has definitely changed - and it's not just that they have lowered the RTPs.
You would think that to lower the RTP of a game, all they would have to do is give you 16 dead spins out of every 20, instead of 15, but leave everything else the same. But it ain't like that.
Take a game I've played a LOT - Moon Princess: Since the RTP cut it's like a completely different game. Sure I still get the "Princess bonuses" just as often as before - but now 95% of them pay nothing, compared to 90% before. And when I finally manage to get the free-spins, it's even worse! Just diabolical nearly every time - not even a half-decent win

If the UKGC really cared about players, they would insist that no games are below 96% TRPT. Lower RTPs just mean players lose more quickly and so re-deposit more often. Of course, we all know the casinos win in the end, even if their RTPs were 99% - but at 94% you rarely get a good run for your money these days.

KK

 

[snorky510238]

There are a lot of things that just don’t stack up. I played Bonanza virtually every single day for about 4 hours for 5 years. Had some bad patches for sure but I also had my fair share of decent wins and ultimately I was losing in the long run but only about the amount you would expect.

At every Casino (and there were a lot), when I checked my rtp, it was always within 94-98%, if I had done a decent amount of spins. I did find it hard to believe at Sky but they said it was 96% and I couldn’t prove otherwise.

Fast forward between April ‘21 and now and (I don’t have many Casinos left) not a single one is running above 94% and most are between 84% and 88%. That’s not coincidence or bad luck, it’s being continuously ripped off.

And remember, this is on a game that is supposedly unchanged regarding rtp. The problem with Providers is they think all players are muppets or will just accept what they are told and never question anything. Well, we’re not and it’s time to call out these people and educate players as to what is going on.

 

[Guntis]

With me it's straightforward; before 2018-19 i was winning and losing, but after that mostly was losing only, while playing the same few games.

Some of the games i played got removed for good, Microgaming and Netent slots became a joke, for Book of Dead they dropped RTPs, and then i noticed frequent bonus wins like 10x in Novomatic Lucky Lady which was extremely rare before. This made me think that Novomatic also decided to 'repair' their slots to stay in line with modern trends...

Then they introduced more KYC/SOW checks and i remember once when i sent in even my annual tax report but they still needed something more. That was the end. Now i play in London's real casinos around twice a month, and once on crypto.

 

[greylady]

I do think that since bonus buys have been implemented, which is banned in the UK means we have to grind a slot out with very little return, couple that with the increasing high volatility slots and reduced RTP's we are being hammered from all directions.

When the fun stops STOP seems more apt now then ever!

 

[goatwack]

It's just a culmination of things really - back when everyone was becoming sick of 243-ways games flooding the scene, and the likes of DOA and its kind were getting players wanting Hollywood Hits to be attainable in other slots, it was becoming obvious that high-variance was the way things were headed.

So with BTG filling that void, albeit fraudulently, with years of unrealized potential, designers took note, and followed suit with every modern slot having to have more fantastical win potential than what preceded it.

With streamers' taking to this new format, we soon found encaptivated audiences wanting to emulate their on-screen heroes, with blistering wins attainable for anyone wishing to 'invest' enough into these high-varianced games.

There's no great secret to it, when all's said and done. Megaways both saved and ruined slotting to make it 'something else', and spending £50 to play a prolonged scratchcard is not 'it'. And as players pour more into these modern slots to even get a semblance of having played at all, the rewards tend to yield nothing at the end of it. What fun!!

I binned slots off near the tail-end of 2020, when the rot had already set in, and have seen nothing improve in all that time. With the ludicrous SoW clown acts being introduced, to go with Affordability ass-hattery, it was clear the powers-that-be have lost their minds, and so I happily stay in hiatus until slotting doesn't feel like undertaking a criminal enterprise (could be a while).

And whilst 'default' higher-RTP versions of games still abound, the very notion that lesser-RTP games are even greenlit and put out for consumers smacks of greed, not to mention disdain for the hapless punters forced to wallow in that slop. That was the turning point, that was what irrevocably damaged the pastime, with no one intent on stopping these practices.

Despite all that, it is worth bearing in mind that things weren't always as rose-tinted as we like to remember. It wasn't unheard of to lose £20 on any number of Netent, MG or Playtech slots in record time, so the notion that deposits would eke out multiple sessions are somewhat subjective - but the thing that definitely saved many sessions was the now-defunct 100% reloads, without which we'd have been lamenting the same things we are now I believe....

Fact is, slotting in the UK's become unviable and a hassle that's just not worth enduring. If it takes punters to seek offshore gambling in their droves before change is implemented, then by all means. And when enough revenue is haemorrhaged, perhaps the UKCG will be forced to re-evaluate their 10-year plan to ruin slotting.

Still, what it won't do is make modern slots any less boring, will it?

 

[PMKFRUITPRO]

I try to emulate my hero Dazza.

Cost me about 80 bag trying to do so.

Just can’t get close.

 

[dunover]

I try to emulate my hero Dazza.

Cost me about 80 bag trying to do so.

Just can’t get close.

Now you see my point - I play a game I like and I know cannot be less than 96.00%

I cannot imagine going back to Twit Spin and my old favourites at 94% or less. The Rapist at 95% was painful enough bar a few big hits on it. Same as Book of Ra Deluxe, 95% and it gave me hiding after hiding. Wild Rockets was another I loved and that on 94% or less would be unimaginable sodomy; was bad enough at 96%. The day I cannot get 96% or more on my game(s) will be the day I pack it in altogether. I know by my RTP spin calculator the buggerings people in this thread will be getting if they haven't got access to 96% so won't argue with the sentiment in the topic, it's mathematically correct.

We are all singing from the same maths sheet here.

P.S. 94% versions make taking any kind of bonus so EV- that the very concept of a standard WR bonus is nigh on pointless.

 

[Jono777]

I try to emulate my hero Dazza.

Cost me about 80 bag trying to do so.

Just can’t get close.

Too small a spin sample lol

Try streaming or at least posting videos of your play, luck will soon change, trust me.

 

[snorky510238]

Now you see my point - I play a game I like and I know cannot be less than 96.00%

I cannot imagine going back to Twit Spin and my old favourites at 94% or less. The Rapist at 95% was painful enough bar a few big hits on it. Same as Book of Ra Deluxe, 95% and it gave me hiding after hiding. Wild Rockets was another I loved and that on 94% or less would be unimaginable sodomy; was bad enough at 96%. The day I cannot get 96% or more on my game(s) will be the day I pack it in altogether. I know by my RTP spin calculator the buggerings people in this thread will be getting if they haven't got access to 96% so won't argue with the sentiment in the topic, it's mathematically correct.

We are all singing from the same maths sheet here.

P.S. 94% versions make taking any kind of bonus so EV- that the very concept of a standard WR bonus is nigh on pointless.

The problem is Dazza, we have been playing Bonanza at 96% but doing thousands of spins and getting rtp’s of mid eighties. Mid eighties on a slot that USED to have (70 odd percent in the base, without checking)? That’s disgraceful.

Another thing of note. The max ways has been nerfed something chronic. I would say from memory, the last 50 didn’t produce a single decent hit. Basegame, full stop seems void of them.

If I had run at 85% at one or two Casinos, I could accept that, through gritted teeth but it’s possible.

The problem I have, as stated previously is that I have been playing at about 7 or 8 different Casinos and they are all playing the same. Way below expected rtp. Compare this to the first 5 years, when I was playing at around 25 Casinos and not a single one that I enquired about was running below 94%. That isn’t bad luck or coincidence or whatever you want to call it, that’s having an aubergine stuffed somewhere you don’t want it.

 

[OliverCooper]

Unfortunately I agree with you and this is happend not only with the casino but with the entire online-world.

 

[PMKFRUITPRO]

Now you see my point - I play a game I like and I know cannot be less than 96.00%

I cannot imagine going back to Twit Spin and my old favourites at 94% or less. The Rapist at 95% was painful enough bar a few big hits on it. Same as Book of Ra Deluxe, 95% and it gave me hiding after hiding. Wild Rockets was another I loved and that on 94% or less would be unimaginable sodomy; was bad enough at 96%. The day I cannot get 96% or more on my game(s) will be the day I pack it in altogether. I know by my RTP spin calculator the buggerings people in this thread will be getting if they haven't got access to 96% so won't argue with the sentiment in the topic, it's mathematically correct.

We are all singing from the same maths sheet here.

P.S. 94% versions make taking any kind of bonus so EV- that the very concept of a standard WR bonus is nigh on pointless.

Since Apr 21 (Your very own documented series of vids ) you’ve made thousands from bonanza over a near 3 year period ffs

What u even mentioning 96% for ffs!!!!

 

[sufferinsilence]

Since Apr 21 (Your very own documented series of vids ) you’ve made thousands from bonanza over a near 3 year period ffs

What u even mentioning 96% for ffs!!!!

You just have to switch to £10 or £20 when the time is right. It's all about timing!

 

[slot_zombie]

Since Apr 21 (Your very own documented series of vids ) you’ve made thousands from bonanza over a near 3 year period ffs

What u even mentioning 96% for ffs!!!!

Pretty sure that's just Demo play for website promotion purposes. Witness the lack of the mandatory profit/loss and timer.

 

[bamberfishcake]

From what I have seen of regulation, it is an industry-creating illusion of care designed to massage and medicate rather than cure

The Gambling Industrial Complex is yet to be added to Wikipedia alongside Military, Medical, Prison, and the lesser-known Wedding, Animal and Baby categories.

You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.

.

 

[Kroffe]

You just have to switch to £10 or £20 when the time is right. It's all about timing!

From the videos i have seen the 'right timing' is swapping to £10 after the first bonus no matter what the bonus pays.
Its a pretty complicated system.

 

[jasonuk]

It's a painful topic for sure:

• the pivot to scratchcard-based slots, with the increasingly absurd variance curves (which is particularly laughable when they have a "max win" cap on a scripted game round) and bonus-only designs meaning UK-based players are playing all-or-nothing paint drying simulators (essentially pre-gambles, but not called that for regulatory reasons),
• the collapse of both RTPs and bonuses - which amplifies the rate of losses,
• the proliferation of fraud - providers pushing imaginary wins, insane bonus buys and hyper-mega-super-ultra-turbo spins (or are just outright bent, either now or in a former life), the proliferation of twats with and without hats gambling millions in monopoly money (to the point they acquired their own streaming platform to peddle it), and even fraudulent operators in various jurisdictions (remember the UKGC slept while Football Index ran an alleged ponzi scheme, only reacting once it had collapsed and player funds were lost)
• the ever-increasing demands for documentation - identification is understandable, and source of funds if you are a high-roller, but six levels of bank transactions, friends bank accounts, blood type, naming rights to first born and more is completely ridiculous and increasingly being used as a stealth-reverse mechanic... remember when 32red publicly stated how much of an impact responsible gambling rules of the time was having on their bottom line, there's your answer.

I've dialled my play back in recent years, I'll consider 94% games if there's a (admittedly rare) promotion or bonus to offset the difference, but 88-92% can do one! Similarly, I tend to play older games - much like AWPs, scratchcard games should be played from the safety of demo mode.

I haven't made the jump to crypto although it is something I keep an eye on - but inevitably that would need to be a site that isn't furthering the fraud... because jumping from the UKGC who have imposed stricter regulations because of the proliferation of fake streamers, to a crypto site that funds said fake streamers, would be out of the frying pan and into the fire...

 

[jasonuk]

From the videos i have seen the 'right timing' is swapping to £10 after the first bonus no matter what the bonus pays.
Its a pretty complicated system.

For a moment I thought you were going to mention the Bonanza Buuuulllllllshit coefficient - the sterner the cry, the more likely it is to pay out...

 

[MahoneyKnows]

In my experience - online slots are typically anything but “random”… in my estimation after playing at a certain site for any amount of time your fate is predetermined the moment you login. Create an account that’s not affiliated to any place you’ve played before - you’re gonna think you’ve stuck gold. Go on tilt at a place you’ve already sunk thousands into - it’s just gonna slap you around and take your money as fast as you can push the button. Live slots that just hit the floor ALWAYS pay at a better clip than those that have been sitting there for a couple years… but after those first couple weeks of creating that fan base - the Pied Piper is revealed to be the SOB he was designed to be.

With all the tracking mechanisms we walk around with - the world becoming a colder, greedy place where the public’s best interests are an after thought and many sites, especially those abroad being bought out by the same umbrella company - coupled with the “regulator” being an ocean away there’s really nothing stopping them except the the lawmakers of the country in which you reside - and they are a trustworthy bunch, ya…..?
To add to the layer of f**kery - there’s all these sites which deploy the same damn games and even if you are playing on sites that have no affiliation - the servers that host the games have many ways of remembering how you had a great time yesterday which means it’s time to bring you back to reality on your next go at it.
MAG (Malta Gaming Authority) sites would be a fine example of this in my opinion.

 

[johnnymcc1966]

I've been playing a lot at Bet365 lately and with full RTPs it's a whole different world and more like the slots of old. Even with a small balance you get a surprising amount of gameplay,win or lose. I am enjoying it while it lasts as it's bound to end soon.

 

[justdoit]

 

[tazmart]

The original poster said it was disgusting, but I would go further... It's outright, blatant fraud!

Things are orders of magnitude worse now than when I first started playing slots 9 or so years ago, even 4 years ago it was so much better, but at the moment it's getting worse almost monthly.

These games are clearly not random (although TBH they never really have been genuinely random) and I was getting almost identical games one after another, and none of them even remotely fair.

The GC are a disgrace (take a look at the reviews on Trustpilot, not a single 4 or 5 star and nearly every review a one star complaint), and even the government have declared its 'not fit for purpose' and that's saying something!

I now play mostly at Goldwin Casino in Curacao, it's just like the old days with decent wins possible, much fairer games (along with some stinkers of course, but that always happened), and Autoplay (oh, how I've missed that!).

For me, UK casinos are the 'rogue' ones now, and don't even get me started about the criminal organisations that call themselves Games Developers, what a total disgrace.

 

[L&L-Jan]

Most wont see, hear, notice of feel this but let me sum up what happened in the Netherlands after the market regulated in October 2021:

Besides the Enhanced Due Dilligence verifications which are applicable in any regulated market:

- ban on bonus buys
- no bonuses / loyalty programs for young adults <24yrs
- Cashback got banned
- Advertising got banned: Untargetted advertising on TV, print, billboards etc july 2023, no sponsering of events, tv programs, etc from july 2024. No sportsteam sponsering from july 2025.
- Ban on using rol models/influencers
- Affiliates need to be able to proof that 5% or less of their site visitors are <24 years or younger. If not, they are not allowed to promote casinos.

Now there is a consultation for deposit limits:
- Young adults, max 350 per month.
- Adults, max 700 per month
- Adults who want a higher limit, need to proof they can afford this. As a result, the onboarding process wont take a minute or 2, but days.

Later stage they also want to apply one deposit limit across all operators per each player.

And this week a few motions in parlament got accepted:
- Full ban on advertising, this most likely includes affiliates
- Ban on high risk gambling types, this technically includes slots and videoslots.
- A mandatory credit check for each player

 

[slot_zombie]

So it will be almost impossible to operate legally in the Netherlands then - for gamblers and casinos.

Pretty sure we'll see similar measures in the UK before too long as well.

 

[Guntis]

Most wont see, hear, notice of feel this but let me sum up what happened in the Netherlands after the market regulated in October 2021:

Besides the Enhanced Due Dilligence verifications which are applicable in any regulated market:

- ban on bonus buys
- no bonuses / loyalty programs for young adults <24yrs
- Cashback got banned
- Advertising got banned: Untargetted advertising on TV, print, billboards etc july 2023, no sponsering of events, tv programs, etc from july 2024. No sportsteam sponsering from july 2025.
- Ban on using rol models/influencers
- Affiliates need to be able to proof that 5% or less of their site visitors are <24 years or younger. If not, they are not allowed to promote casinos.

Now there is a consultation for deposit limits:
- Young adults, max 350 per month.
- Adults, max 700 per month
- Adults who want a higher limit, need to proof they can afford this. As a result, the onboarding process wont take a minute or 2, but days.

Later stage they also want to apply one deposit limit across all operators per each player.

And this week a few motions in parlament got accepted:
- Full ban on advertising, this most likely includes affiliates
- Ban on high risk gambling types, this technically includes slots and videoslots.
- A mandatory credit check for each player

But they don't run lowered RTP slots in casinos like Holland Online or 777Casino.nl, no?

 

[L&L-Jan]

@Guntis yes, they started lowering them. Total taxes is like 32% there so inevitable

 

[satchnz]

I’m happy with the bonus buy ban thing as IMO bonus buys have ruined the base game of most recent slots. But…the ban has to be across all jurisdictions. Only this will force providers to develop slots with base games again, so players don’t face the abomination that we in the UK currently face with most of the potential of a game being in a bonus we cannot purchase.

 

[jasonuk]

- Advertising got banned: Untargetted advertising on TV, print, billboards etc july 2023, no sponsering of events, tv programs, etc from july 2024. No sportsteam sponsering from july 2025.

Perhaps not helped with the state operator (Holland Casino) advertising like crazy, advertising their physical venues online (which got shot down by the KSA) and other tricks to build their market share before others had a chance.

Later stage they also want to apply one deposit limit across all operators per each player.

I would hope that this gets shot down like it did in the UK, it's a significant breach of privacy. Given how many operators "can't identify" problem gamblers but can restrict or ban winning players in an instant... you know that'll be what they do with the data. The later point about a credit check (as the UK has moved towards) is probably where they will go with it.


Additionally, the KSA has been throwing fines around like confetti - often as retribution for prior disagreements where the operator was found to be operating legally (I recall Jan and I contributed to a thread on this last year), as well as the VideoSlots situation where the KSA used a VPN to sign up, then fined them significant amounts of money for it - even though it's a breach of T&Cs, and potentially a criminal offense.

 

[SlotGrinder]

96%+ rtp slots
100%+ deposit bonuses AND reload bonuses
Turbo spins
Autoplay

Ahhh and we still complained we didn't hit big often enough

Now the only reason you get any playtime is because the spins are so slow and even if you do manage to win you are dreading the withdrawal process wondering if you have to send a blood sample from your great great grandfather to prove you are who you say you are. Not to mention the endless reminders about how long you have been playing and how much you lost - yes yes shut up let me get this torture over with lol

 

[Valhalla]

“Minimum 2.5 seconds per spin” is a regulation that really pisses me off, especially since on games like Laser Fruit you get the wee pop up virtually every damned spin ?

The reels still spin though! So did I wait 2.5 seconds, did I do it properly, or do the reels only spin once that time has elapsed? And if so the why the fuck keep telling me that in the first place??? It’s set up with the sole intention of making the entire experience mundane and unenjoyable.

 

[Jono777]

Agreed, the 2.5 sec rule has also made the already unplayable "block" style games even more unplayable, examples include Reactoonz and Rise of Olympus.

 

[jasonuk]

That was one of the most ridiculous rulings - they obviously wanted to ban the pragmatic hyper-mega-super-turbo spins which were a second a spin (or faster), but if they'd said target 2.5s instead you wouldn't have had providers sticking spanners in their games to make them compliant (and clunky as hell).

I recall a lot of games introduced a server side delay as the simplest solution, and given how poorly games play I suspect a lot of them called it good at that - so request the spin, wait 2.5s then continue as if nothing happened. The irony was some of the worst affected were already compliant - but didn't want the headache of an edge case that took 2.4s and they get fined for it.

 

[Jono777]

Just thought of another example where GREAT games were wrecked with the introduction of this (needless) rule.

MG Viper 9 liners such as Thunderstruck, Spring Break, Adventure Palace, Agent Jane Blonde. Ran so smooth and great. fair games, they used the server delay to impose this rule and after managing 10 minutes (if that!) never played them again and I imagine I was not the only one.

Actually whilst we're here, it has jogged another memory, this rule and other games affected by it, lost me as a customer at my once beloved 32 Red completely.

 

[nisosbar]

You are 100% right there.

Something has definitely changed - and it's not just that they have lowered the RTPs.
You would think that to lower the RTP of a game, all they would have to do is give you 16 dead spins out of every 20, instead of 15, but leave everything else the same. But it ain't like that.
Take a game I've played a LOT - Moon Princess: Since the RTP cut it's like a completely different game. Sure I still get the "Princess bonuses" just as often as before - but now 95% of them pay nothing, compared to 90% before. And when I finally manage to get the free-spins, it's even worse! Just diabolical nearly every time - not even a half-decent win

If the UKGC really cared about players, they would insist that no games are below 96% TRPT. Lower RTPs just mean players lose more quickly and so re-deposit more often. Of course, we all know the casinos win in the end, even if their RTPs were 99% - but at 94% you rarely get a good run for your money these days.

KK

I remember having a discussion here on CM many years ago with Nifty, about RTP %'s.

As I recall, he seemed to be arguing that a couple percentages would not make a significant difference in player experience, so that it shouldn't matter to players whether the RTP is 99% or 93%. I would get so frustrated with his obstinance, but yeah, it makes a BIG difference in player experience.