In the 2025 budget, the UK government announced a major increase to in Remote Gaming Duty (RGD) – the tax that online casino operators pay – from 21% to 40%, effective 1 April 2026.
This substantial tax increase will affect all online casino and slots sites that accept UK customers. What’s more, the change is already starting to have a noticeable impact on the industry.
What Has Changed?
In an attempt to counter the RGD tax increase, many online casinos have already started reducing the RTP (Return to Player) payout rate on their slot games. This allows them to keep a larger share of player stakes, but it also means some slots may now pay out less over time than before.
What Is RTP?
RTP (Return to Player) is the expected payout rate of a slot game over billions of spins. It represents the percentage of stakes that the game should return to players as winnings. Theoretically the higher the RTP, the higher the chance of winning.
Game providers typically make each game with a range of different RTP payout rates such as 96%, 94%, 92%, 90% or even lower. It’s then up to the casino to choose which version they put on their website.
Because there are multiple variants of each game, you may find a popular game like Book of Dead with a different RTP payout rate across different websites. For example, this game’s payout rate is 96.21% at Slots Temple but can drop to 91.25% on other casino websites.
What Does This Change Mean for Slots Players?
Lower RTPs mean online slot players statistically have a lower chance of winning. Players may find that their money goes quicker when playing lower-RTP games because they experience fewer winning spins than before.
What Can I Do as a Player?
If you play online slots in the UK, it’s worth getting into the habit of checking a game’s RTP before you play. This lets you know exactly how much value a slot offers and helps you avoid lower-paying versions. You can do this by launching a slot game and selecting the help icon within the game.
Where Can I Get High RTPs?
The good news is that there are still a few UKGC regulated casinos which offer high RTPs on all their slot games. Brands like Slots Temple promise to always offer the Best Slots Odds via their RTP Guarantee. Consequently, you can play a number of popular slot games on their site at very high RTPs, including:
- Starburst – 98.05% RTP
- Dead or Alive – 98.08% RTP
- Big Bass Splash – 96.71% RTP
- Book of Dead – 96.21% RTP
- Gold Blitz Ultimate – 96.00% RTP
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