Previously, there were no online stake restrictions, unlike those for casino and betting shop machines.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport hailed this regulation change as a crucial step towards safer online gambling, aiming to prevent serious harm and substantial financial losses.

Critics, like Charles Ritchie of Gambling With Lives, argue that without addressing the rapid pace of play, these games will remain highly addictive.

This regulatory shift follows a 2019 reduction of in-shop gaming machine bets from £100 to £2, reflecting ongoing concerns about youth vulnerability to gambling addiction.