Paddy Power founder hits out at slot machine speeds

A Paddy Power founder has come out against new UK government rulings that have hit online slots. However, Stewart Kenny, wants further restrictions on slot design to prevent addictiveness.

Some slot games provided by iGaming sites have very rapid spins. The idea is similar to some video game designs, where the more information and speed provided, the more likely the user is to reengage.

Changes to slots in the UK will first enforce a monetary limit per spin, with £5 being the maximum limit for over 25s. Those between 18 and 24 will be forced to spin for £2.

Kenny believes that these measures aren’t enough, despite limits on speed being introduced by the UK Gambling Commission in 2021. These forced slots to a minimum speed of 2.5 seconds per spin. Autoplay is also banned, along with popular features like increasing the game’s intensity through turbo and quick spin.

Kenny’s opinion on the matter comes from a new BBC Radio 4 documentary. In it, he claims that it’s the speed that makes things addictive. On top of this, he hit out at the machines themselves too, citing the “plenty of noise and plenty of colors” that they emit.

Stewart Kenny has been vocal about the lack of protections provided by the gambling industry, particularly of the company he helped found. After Paddy Power and BetFair merged into Flutter Entertainment, he left the company claiming that there was little interest in protecting its most vulnerable customers.

In the documentary, he said, “What the bookmakers do is, when you open a betting account at the age of 18 to have a bet, and you’re a kid and you want to have a fiver on your local team, within 48 hours, the bookmakers will try and suck you into the highly addictive online casino by sending you free spins.”

Gambling addiction in the UK has risen dramatically. In a survey conducted last year, 2.5% of UK adults have found struggles with “problem gambling.” Extrapolating that out, it’s estimated to affect 1.3 million people in the country.

Featured image: ABC News, Unsplash

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