The amount people can bet on an online slot bet will be restricted as part of a wider government change to tackle gambling addiction.
The £5 per spin limit will apply to all adults aged 25 and over, with a £2 per spin limit for those aged 18 to 24.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is also set to raise taxes on addiction treatment gambling companies.
It said the measures would allow people to gamble “safely”, but the betting industry’s main lobby group said the government “risked losing perspective”.
According to figures from the charity GameCare, addiction to online gambling sites has increased since the Covid pandemic.
Of the 6,697 callers who disclosed a form of gambling to counselors on its national gambling helpline in 2023-2024, 45% mentioned problems with online slot games, up from 34 in 2020-2021. More than %
Meanwhile, the NHS has said it is treating more people with gambling problems, with referrals more than doubling compared to the same period last year, according to its latest figures.
Gambling Minister Fiona Twycross said the aim of introducing stake limits for online slots was to “protect those at risk, with a particular focus on young adults”.
Baroness Twycross added: “Gambling losses can destroy people’s finances, relationships and ultimately their lives.”
He said the government would introduce the “first legally mandated” tax on the betting industry to tackle gambling addiction.
The Betting and Gaming Council, the industry lobby group, said it had given £170m to fund gambling loss services over the past four years on a voluntary basis.
However, the government said that under the current system, not all gambling companies contribute equally, with “some operators paying less than £1 a year for research, prevention and treatment”.
Greenhurst, chief executive of the Betting and Gaming Council, said the body supported the government’s proposals.
However, he added: “The tone of this announcement shows that the government is in danger of losing sight of these facts, while dancing to the tune of anti-gambling prohibitionists, which serves no one.”
The DCMS said its mandatory levy would raise £100m to “research, prevent and treat gambling harm”.
The government said half of the money raised would be spent directly on NHS care, 30% on public health campaigns and other preventative measures, and the remaining 20% on research. .
GamCare deputy chief executive Mark Weiss welcomed the government’s proposals.
“Having seen a huge increase in our helpline callers citing difficulties with online slots, GamCare further welcomes the introduction of new youth-focused stake limits – an important step to prevent future harm. “, he said.
DCMS said the levy could apply to anywhere between 0.1% and 1.1% of a firm’s gross gambling output – a standard measure of earnings in the industry – “depending on the sector”.
The proposals are a response to a consultation run by the previous Conservative government between October 2023 and January 2024.