UKGC Bans Feature Buy from Slots

The UK Gambling Commission has instructed operators to remove games that offer the Feature Buy option.

The UKGC continues to be busy, and they’ve made LadyLucks’ blog yet again. Two weeks back, LadyLucks reported that the UK Gambling Commission was weighing new regulations concerning credit cark risk. Today, it has been disclosed that the UKGC bans Feature Buy option from online slots. We have got some details next.

Licensed UK operators banned from offering ‘Feature Buy’ Option

The ‘Feature Buy’ option is available in some slots and allows players to buy into the bonus feature without having to wait to trigger it. This feature can be expensive, so a player must weigh whether it is worth the high price. As an example, Betsoft offers some slots with the Feature Buy such as Fruitbat Crazy and Carnaval Forever. Betsoft is not alone in developing slots with this feature. Other developers that come to mind include Blueprint Gaming and Big Time Gaming but there are others.

Operators that include these types of games have been instructed to remove them. This may be easier said than done, particularly amongst developers who have hard-coded the feature in their slots.

The regulator seeks to discourage practices that can lead to significant losses in a shorter period of time.

The UKGC bans Feature Buy: The rationale

The UKGC believes that the feature is a slippery slope that can easily and quickly escalate into losses for players. The regulator is trying to place limits on games that can result in huge losses over a small time period.

It is unclear what role the Feature Buy has on overall slot player losses. It seems that with the news that the UKGC bans Feature Buy, they are not taking any chances.