If you play online slots in the UK, you might have noticed a notable absence — bonus buy features that were once a staple of the industry are now nowhere to be found. They disappeared years ago and haven’t come back. So, what’s behind this change? Quite simply, the UK Gambling Commission banned bonus buy slots as they increase the risk of players spending too much, too quickly, and that’s not a good thing.
In this guide, we’ll explain what bonus buy slots are, why the UKGC decided they were too hot to handle, and we’ll introduce you to some safer alternatives that UK players can still enjoy.
Bonus buy slots allow players to pay a fixed amount to jump straight into a bonus round. No more waiting for free spins to trigger — with bonus buy features, you can buy access by paying a serious stake. Most of these features cost anywhere between 50 and 100 times your base bet. With that, games like Sweet Bonanza and Reactoonz helped make this feature super popular outside of the UK. Players loved the speed and excitement of getting straight into the bonus rounds and bypassing the boring base game.
We’ve been reviewing online slots for ages, and it’s been amazing to see these bonus buy features spread like wildfire across the globe. They do offer a rush and a chance to skip the long, drawn-out base gameplay. But, in my opinion, that design choice raised serious red flags, especially in regulated markets like UK online casinos.
The simple answer is that they just encourage players to spend more, more quickly.
The UK Gambling Commission had to act to reduce the risk of harm and protect vulnerable users.
The ban came into effect in 2019, and the UKGC made it clear that the decision was based on the Gambling Act 2005, and specifically sections 89 and 97. They enforced this through the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards, particularly Requirement 14A, which says gambling products can’t encourage players to increase stakes or chase losses. And that’s exactly what bonus buy features did.
The UKGC confirmed this position in early 2020, when they warned operators who were still offering this feature. Today, the games are still available, but UK players can’t access the bonus buy option.
The UK takes a pretty strict approach to this sort of thing because it sees gambling harm as a public health issue — and player safety comes before product design.
The UKGC banned these features because they go against safer gambling rules and proper product design. There are 4 main areas of concern:
Don’t worry, UK players still have plenty of options that keep the excitement without the high upfront risk.
Ante bets let you raise your stake a bit to improve your chances of triggering a bonus round. And the great thing is that this increase stays within your normal gameplay flow.
We often recommend this option because it keeps the pacing of the game intact — and several popular online slots offer ante bet modes without big jumps in spending.
Some slots offer higher RTP settings or optional bet boosts. These adjust the return rates instead of forcing you to pay large amounts.
We often highlight these features in our online slots review section because they support longer play sessions and better balance.
High volatility slots offer bigger wins with less frequent bonuses. That means players get access to strong features without having to buy into them.
And choosing games with solid base-game mechanics is still one of the safest ways to enjoy slots online.
Bonus buy slots are gone from the UK because they increased risk and reduced spending control. While some players might have missed them at first, most now see the ban as a good thing.
The industry has adapted by offering ante bets, RTP options, and high volatility games. These alternatives keep gameplay engaging without pushing players to spend more than they can afford. We reckon that a clever design and clear guidelines can help people really get stuck into slots, and still have fun in the long run.
Gambling responsibly now and again is a must; keep some limits in mind, keep up to date with new safer playing tools, and consider what you can do with them.
