Why were Demo Slots Banned from UK Casinos?

Demo slots are what their name suggests; slots that you can enjoy without betting money. Games such as Irish Eyes slot are offered both by online casinos and software developers to provide players with a taste of what they will get in real money mode. Besides, players can also use these free machines to test their slot skills and betting strategies and understand the gameplay without actually paying for the spins.

Demo slots are offered worldwide, and almost all of the online casinos offer you the possibility to test their games without making a deposit and even without opening a user account. Besides, thousands of websites offer tons of demo slots for you to try for free.

However, the UK Gambling Commission has banned online casinos in the UK from offering free slots to their customers. Why? Let’s find out.

Why Has UKGC Restricted Casinos from Offering Free Slots?

In 2018, UKGC restricted all of the online casinos operating within the queen’s land from offering demo slots to the customers, and the provided reasons were as follows:

1. To prevent the new generation from getting a taste of the immersive world of slot machines because according to the statistics, a large percentage of new gamblers are inspired and intrigued by demo slots, and then they move on to put their hard-earned money on the line. For this reason, the popularity of online slot machines increased from 15.5% in 2014 to 18.3% in 2017.
2. To prevent underage access to online casinos and slot machines. Online casinos tend to offer free slots without taking any information from the user and; therefore, there was no mechanism to verify and validate the user’s age playing a demo slot.
3. To ensure that the gambling industry is safe and sustainable.
4. To reduce the risk of vulnerable users.
5. To intervene and protect children and vulnerable users from getting harmed at an earlier stage.

Is it Possible to Play Demo Slots in The UK?

Well, yes, you can still play all the demos you want; however, you can’t do it on a licensed online casino. Instead, you’ll have to visit one of the websites that offer free demo slots to their visitors, free of cost. You can play these games for as long as you want until there is no advert proposing you to play the game for real money.

Are Demo Slots the Same as Real Money Slots?

Indeed, demo slots are identical to the accurate money versions. The only difference here is that you can play demo slots for free without registering with a platform. To play a real money slot, you’ll have to go through the registration process and validate your identity and age by providing relevant documents. Apart from that, demo slots and real money slots are similar, offering the same theme, design, and identical gameplay. A real money slot requires you to bet money to play and has the potential to win you more money than you bet.