It wasn’t until the 1990s that online slots came about, after the government of Antigua and Barbuda passed an act that gave it the authorisation to award licences for igaming services. In the UK, an act of law in 2005 that reshaped the British market and made it possible for service providers to venture into the online space with their offering. The law provided a framework for regulating gaming and igaming activities to make sure operators kept their services safe, fair and transparent for players.
The creation of the framework saw services for wagering take off. Operators diversified their services and popularity soared. The availability of igaming services on smartphones has driven their success even more and there’s now a plethora of titles players can enjoy. Below is a look at some of the most popular UK online slots.
Here Are the 4 Most Popular UK Online Slots:
1. Big Bass Splash
‘Big Bass Splash’, from Pragmatic Play, will delight fishing fans and is a five-reel slot that features 10 paylines and is available in demo format as well for anyone who wants to try it before playing for real. As well as standard symbols, you’ll see thematic symbols, including a dragonfly, bait box, a fishing rod, a truck and differently sized fish that you’ll also find in the bonus round.
The fisherman is a Wild. If you’re close to a winning combination, the Wild will substitute the symbol for the reel to produce the goods. The Scatter symbol is a hooked fish jumping out of water and will unlock the bonus round.
2. Rainbow Riches Daily Rainbow
If you’re looking for free games and the chance to enjoy free daily spins, the ‘Free Games’ section of a slots site or online casino provides a good opportunity. One game you’ll find in the sections of some is ‘Rainbow Riches Daily Rainbow,’ one of several in the popular Irish-themed set of Rainbow Riches games.
Often you can play this free daily game straight away by creating an account with the operator and then proceeding to the game. In the game, players must select tiles. Each tile has a symbol behind them and can help players to win either free spins or a cash prize. Players must collect enough symbols to unlock a prize. The game offers six picks a day and although the game itself is free to play, you must make a minimum lifetime deposit with the service provider initially to start playing daily for free.
At some UK online slots site, the game also awards you a pick each day to play the Rainbow Riches Leprechaun’s Harvest on the last day of the month. In this game, you must harvest mushrooms with the leprechauns, hopefully revealing gold coins behind them.
3. King Kong Even Bigger Bananas 2
‘King Kong Even Bigger Bananas 2’, from Blueprint Games, is the smash sequel to the original game of the same name. It’s considered one of the most innovative UK online slots and its special effects have helped it secure a firm place in the hearts of slot gaming fans.
This six-reel game with four rows features a similar jungle theme to its predecessor and, as well as free spins, wilds, scatters and cash collect features, offers a fantastic Super Free Spins bonus, triggered when you collect Pick a Kong symbols, which is possible during the ‘Banana Blitz’, a feature that adds uncollected cash symbols to the Banana Pot. Fancy playing? This game is easily available online in demo form for players to learn how it works before playing for cash.
4. Gonzo’s Quest
‘Gonzo’s Quest’, by NetEnt Games, has been around for more than a decade and is still as popular as ever. The slot has five reels and 20 paylines and puts the player in the role of a 16th-century Spanish explorer searching around a ruined Incan city for unparalleled wealth.
Despite being an old game, the graphics stand the test of time and don’t feel dated compared to today’s standards. The unique symbols have been one of the keys to the game’s success. Instead of the standard numbers and aces, symbols are Incan stone symbols.
If you wish to see these for yourself, you can find the game online easily and play in the demo mode. There’s more driving the popularity of the game than symbols and graphics, however. The bonus features are a real crowd pleaser. The avalanche reels are a particular hit. When the player lands a winning combination, the symbol(s) explode(s), other symbols fall into their places and can boost the win.
The Free Fall bonus builds on the avalanche feature. If the player lands three scatter symbols, ‘Gonzo’s Quest’ activates the ‘Free Fall’ game, which offers 10 free spins and gives the player the chance to land a Wild symbol and a bigger win.
UK online slots gaming is incredibly popular and players are enjoying the titles above immensely. Other slots that have proven popular with players include ‘Starburst’ and ‘Cleopatra’.
