The Politics of iGaming

Success generally leads to more attention and, ultimately, to more scrutiny. Regardless of what industry success is enjoyed in, those responsible for it are placed under the same spotlight. In some cases, things can spiral out of control and become contentious. Another aspect that is common to all industries is the involvement of politics to some degree. With the digital revolution in full swing, more entertainment options are being spawned and are quickly filling the online space. One of those options to quickly achieve an established presence in the entertainment industry is online gambling.

The levels of success correlate directly with the technological and software advancements made in recent years that allow online gambling platforms to significantly enhance their offerings in terms of the selection of games and, more importantly, the features within a game that have a direct effect on the player.

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One feature that has made headlines recently is the bonus buy aspect of online slot games. Other online casino games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps follow on directly from their land-based equivalents and do not diverge in rules or gameplay. However, online slots can reinvent themselves in different ways, with the use of sharp, animated graphics and more captivating sounds that enhance the online slot experience for the player. However, there are gameplay features that are beginning to divide opinion.

Are bonuses too easy to achieve?

The debate on bonus buy games revolves around the ease with which players can access bonus rounds and the fact that more money can easily be invested to trigger them. Let the politics begin.

Where are headlines being made?

The voices against including bonus buy features in online slot games were first heard in the UK before 2019, when the concern around the amount of money people could invest just to access a bonus round was posed to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). The UK is also known for having a solid support system in place against gambling addiction, and those representing these bodies held severe reservations against the necessity of these features.

Due to the growing discontent surrounding this feature, buy-the-bonus slots were banned in the UK in 2019 and remain banned to the present day. However, this ban only applies to online casinos licensed by the UKGC, which means that players based in the UK can still explore other international casinos where bonus-buy games are still legal.

More markets following the UK’s example

Since the UK banned bonus-buy games, the discussion has been carried on by the Netherlands, which also implemented a ban on the bonus-buy feature. The Netherlands is renowned for having some of the strictest online gambling guidelines in the world, and the strong stance was recently extended this year to advertising. The advertising of online gambling was banned in April 2024, along with the “high-risk” online slots.

The move to ban bonus buys, which is currently being debated in Sweden too, prompted a raft of pros and cons, with many of the opinion that although the ban protects players at risk, other players might migrate to illegal market online casino providers for their casino play. The level of debate and politics involved in online gambling discussions has reached higher levels in markets all over the world due to the success of the activity.

Germany, too, is seeing many players revert to illegal market operators, which will surely lead to more debate over the regulation of online gambling. Politics is present in all walks of life. For those with an interest in the iGaming industry, politics might ramp up a notch in the coming years.