Stewart Kenny, a Co-Founder of betting firm Paddy Power, has called for stricter regulations on online slot games, arguing that newly introduced stake limits do not go far enough to protect vulnerable players. Speaking in a new BBC Radio 4 documentary, Kenny stated that the speed at which online slot games operate is a key factor in their addictive nature and should be addressed alongside stake limits.
Under new government rules, from April 2025, online slot stakes will be capped at £5 per spin for players over 25, while 18- to 24-year-olds will be limited to £2 per spin starting in May. The reforms stem from a government review of the 2005 Gambling Act, which sought to update gambling legislation to account for the rise of online betting.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has defended the new regulations, pointing to previous changes in 2021 that introduced a minimum slot spin speed of 2.5 seconds and banned features like autoplay and quick spin to reduce gambling intensity.
Kenny, who resigned from the board of Flutter Entertainment, the parent company of Paddy Power and Betfair, in 2016, remains concerned about the impact of online gambling. While he acknowledges that gambling is a personal choice, he believes the current structure of online casinos encourages excessive play, making them riskier than traditional forms of betting.
The gap between investment and results is only seconds, which means punters can repeat the dose at high speed, Kenny said in the documentary. He added that the combination of fast gameplay, colorful visuals, and near-miss effects is designed to increase engagement and contribute to gambling addiction.
Market data from the Gambling Commission shows that online slot profits reached a record £709 million ($919.7 million) by December 2024, a 15% year-on-year increase. The number of spins rose 9% in the previous quarter, reaching 23.9 billion. Kenny criticized the industry for actively directing sports bettors toward highly addictive online slots, describing how bookmakers send players promotional offers for free spins shortly after they open accounts.
While Kenny still places bets on horse and greyhound racing, which he considers less addictive, he remains critical of how the industry has evolved. He argues that the responsibility for change lies with regulators and legislators rather than gambling companies alone.
“There’s a balance here. If you want to bet, you should be allowed to bet. It’s a free society. So you don’t want to interfere with people’s entertainment too much. It’s so easy to blame the betting companies. This is a matter for legislators,” he said.
Flutter Entertainment stated that the industry had changed notably since Kenny’s departure and highlighted its introduction of deposit limits for under-25s and a £10 ($12.9) stake cap on online slot products before the government mandated similar measures.
The Betting and Gaming Council, representing the industry, defended current gambling regulations, stating that 22.5 million people in Britain gamble each month and the majority do so responsibly.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/03/20/98727-paddy-power-founder-urges-government-to-slow-down-online-slots-amidst-gambling-debate
