Are bonus buys allowed in the UK? The 2020 notice, read
RTS 14 doesn't say 'bonus buy', yet the Gambling Commission found six operators selling feature buy-in in 2020, cited RTS 3A and 14A; all six removed it.
The RTS 14 text read here never uses the words “bonus buy”, but the Gambling Commission has already acted on the feature. Its notice of 17 January 2020 found six operators offering “feature buy-in” on slots, one charging more than £3,000 to enter the bonus round, set it against RTS 3A and 14A, and records that all six removed it.
This is an evergreen question with one date worth getting right. Whether bonus buys are allowed in the UK is often answered “banned in October 2021”; the regulator’s paper trail puts the action earlier, under different rules.
Are bonus buys allowed in the UK? What the notice says
The Commission’s Games warning for online operators is dated 17 January 2020; its footer reads “Last updated: 17 May 2021”, which is a revision stamp, not the date of the action. It describes a facility letting consumers stake significant amounts to reach the bonus feature without playing the initial stages, and names no operator.
The rules it quotes are general ones. RTS 3A requires the rules to be explained accurately before a customer commits. RTS 14A says products “must not actively encourage customers to chase their losses, increase their stake”. This desk read the notice, the 2021 announcement and the live RTS 14 page on 23 September 2026.
Why do guides say October 2021?
OLBG’s guide, stamped updated 21 September, dates the UK ban to October 2021. That month belongs to a different package. The Commission’s 2 February 2021 announcement banned four features outright: features that speed up play or give an illusion of control, spins faster than 2.5 seconds, auto-play, and losses dressed as wins. Operators had until 31 October 2021. Feature buy is not among the four named.
What does RTS 14A actually cover?
The live RTS 14 page defines “actively encourage” as including specific features or functions, and says the requirement is not intended to prevent special features such as blackjack’s split. In the text read, the only “buy” entries concern poker buy-ins and automatic re-buys; no clause is headed bonus buy or feature buy. 14D, separately, sets the 2.5-second minimum per game cycle, the number behind Stakelogic’s settlement.
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Questions readers ask
Why are bonus buy slots banned in the UK?
The Commission’s notice never uses the word banned. It set feature buy-in against RTS 14A, which bars gambling products from actively encouraging customers to chase losses or raise their stake, and against RTS 3A, which requires the rules to be clear before a customer commits. A lump-sum button, in one case above £3,000, fits neither comfortably.
Can you buy the bonus on slots in the UK?
Not from the six operators the Commission contacted: its notice records that all six removed the feature. The notice names none, and this desk has not checked every GB site. The regulator’s published position runs against the button, and incumbent guides report it absent from UK builds.
How do UK regulations affect bonus buy slot games?
Two layers apply. RTS 14A and 3A are general requirements, and the Commission used them against feature buy-in in 2020. The February 2021 package added four named bans, including spins faster than 2.5 seconds and auto-play, to be in place by 31 October 2021. Feature buy is not one of the four.
Play at the base game’s pace, with money set aside in advance; 18+, and GambleAware is there if the pace stops being yours.