Gambling terms, explained straight

Slots & Gaming Machines

Casino slots

Casino slots are gambling games built around spinning reels that display symbols, including games where the reels are not arranged in a traditional grid.

Also called
Slots, fruit machines, slot machines, jackpot machines3
UK definition
The Gambling Commission defines Slots as casino games of a reel-based type (includes games that have non-traditional reels)2
Regulatory start
The UK remote-slots definition took effect on 31 October 20211

Key points

  • Each spin is determined by random numbers mapped to reel stops at the moment the player spins, and every spin is independent of the last45.
  • In UK regulation, slots are a casino product under the Gambling Act 2005 and have no separate licence type12.
  • The term covers both physical gaming machines and online/remote slots2.
  • Broader informal uses of the word slot can include electronic games beyond the casino-game sense, but the core regulatory meaning is reel-based5.

How casino slots work

  1. You place a bet and spin the reels.
  2. A random number generator (RNG) determines the outcome at the moment you spin, mapping numbers to reel stops45.
  3. The reels stop on a combination of symbols; if the combination matches a winning line, you are paid according to the game's paytable.
  4. Each spin is independent — past results have no effect on future spins45.

Can you play casino slots online for real money?

Yes. Licensed online casinos offer real-money slot games that work the same way as physical machines: you wager actual money and can win real payouts. In the UK, these are regulated by the Gambling Commission as casino products under the Gambling Act 200512.

Common questions

How do casino slots work?

You place a bet and spin the reels. A random number generator determines the outcome at the moment you spin, mapping numbers to reel stops. If the symbols match a winning line, you are paid according to the game's paytable. Each spin is independent of all others45.

Can you play casino slots online for real money?

Yes. Licensed online casinos offer real-money slot games that work the same way as physical machines. In the UK, these are regulated by the Gambling Commission as casino products under the Gambling Act 200512.

How to play the casino slots?

Choose a slot game, set your bet size, and spin the reels. The outcome is random and independent of previous spins. If the symbols form a winning combination on an active payline, you win a payout based on the game's paytable45.

Where this term is used

Slots Casino slots RTP list A list of return-to-player percentages for slot games, not the game category itself. Slots Megaways slots A type of slot with a variable number of ways to win on each spin. Slots Bingo slots Slots that incorporate bingo-style mechanics or themes. Slots Gambling slots A general term for slot machines used for gambling. Slots Slots spin Refers to the act of spinning the reels on a slot machine. Slots Progressive jackpot A progressive jackpot is a prize

Sources

  1. Online games design and reverse withdrawals gamblingcommission.gov.uk Provides the commencement date for the UK remote-slots definition and confirms slots are a casino product.
  2. Definitions of terms gamblingcommission.gov.uk Gives the official UK definition of Slots as reel-based casino games.
  3. Gaming machine categories gamblingcommission.gov.uk Lists alternative names for reel-based gaming machines in UK guidance.
  4. Gambling Glossary wizardofodds.com Explains how random number generators determine slot outcomes.
  5. Slot Machines wizardofodds.com Describes slot machine operation and notes broader informal uses of the term.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.