UK and US are often said to be two countries divided by a common language. Nor the British nor the Americans seem to be interested in a feud, but disagreements seem to be a normal occurrence between the two nations – find out more.
Slots however seem to be a unifying topic. Vegas is the world’s capital of casino games and is known for its lavish boulevards that lead to even lavisher casinos. Britain on the other hand has a rapport for being a gamblers’ nation and playing online casino slots is a popular activity between people of all ages. Let’s look at the differences between the UK slots and those being played in the US.
Are games the same?
Generally, the games we play in the UK and the games available in the US do not differ at all. According to statistics, both countries love the same slots:
- Mega Moolah (Microgaming) is the most popular progressive jackpot title in the world, including the UK and the US.
- Divine Fortune (NetEnt) series is another massively popular slot both in the UK and the US.
Even though the games tend to stay the same no matter what country you are playing in, the slots experience can differ greatly between the UK and the US. The main difference lies in the gambling law across the 2 countries.
UK gambling – a carefully regulated operation
Gambling is not only legal in the UK but also makes up a thriving industry. According to 2018 statistics from the UK Gambling Commission, online gambling alone makes up 35% of the total Gambling Gross Yield, equalling to around £4.9 billion of revenue every year! These numbers are likely to have risen since 2018.
Casino companies in the UK pay 15% tax and are carefully regulated to provide fair and open games to customers. All games must use an industry-approved RNG (random-number-generator).
What is more is the bet size limitation laws, which prohibit customers from spending their money too fast. That is done by restricting a maximum bet to £2 on any fixed-odds betting terminal. The new Gambling Act 2021 is set to enforce new rules of maximum betting on online slots too, as well as slowed-down gameplay, which further safeguards gamblers from disappointment and frustration.
Gambling is illegal in most of the US
Something that might come as a surprise – gambling is banned in 46 out of 50 states in the US. The gambling industry across the pond saw a huge increase in 2003, which eventually led to a federal gambling ban in 2006. The lawmakers took on a conservative view and deemed gambling immoral, releasing laws that made it impossible for banks to receive and send money to online casinos.
Nevertheless, people still want to gamble. Where gambling is legal in the US it isn’t closely regulated, and where it isn’t legal it is being done in the shadow.
So what differences in the UK and US slots experience can we outline?
Conclusion
- When the UK Gambling Act 2021 comes into place, there will be bet size limitations and pace-of-play requirements on all slots. There are no such limitations on US slots.
- Most UK online casinos are licensed and monitored. Lots of US online casinos are “rogue” (unlicensed, rigged) and operate in the shadow.
