Slots & Gaming Machines
Progressive jackpot slots
Progressive jackpot slots are slot games where the top prize grows as players make bets, typically by channelling a fraction of each wager into a shared prize pool or meter.
- Also called
- Progressive jackpot, progressive
- How the prize grows
- A portion of each wager is added to a jackpot meter, which rises from a pre-set base value.
- Trigger types
- Can be symbol-based wins or mystery jackpots triggered independently of reel outcomes.
- Regulatory requirement
- UK rules require jackpot rules to describe funding, seed, ceiling, prize determination and display of current values.2
Key points
- The jackpot increases from a base value as players bet, with no single universal figure defining the term.12
- In mystery jackpot implementations, the win can be triggered independently of the reel outcome, not just by symbol combinations.34
- UK technical standards require operators to disclose how the prize is funded, seeded, capped, and awarded.2
How progressive jackpot slots work
Each time a player spins the reels, a small percentage of the stake is added to a central jackpot meter. The meter starts at a pre-set base value and climbs until a winning condition is met. That condition may be a specific symbol combination, or in mystery jackpot games it can be triggered at random, independent of the symbols that land.34
Common questions
What is a progressive slot machine?
A progressive slot machine is a slot game where the jackpot prize increases as players make bets, usually by contributing a portion of each wager to a shared prize pool. The jackpot continues to grow until a player hits the winning condition.
Where this term is used
Not the same as
- Progressive jackpot lottery — a lottery-style progressive that is not a slot-machine feature
- Pai gow progressive jackpot — a table-game progressive wager, not a slot-game progressive
Related terms
Sources
- Remote gambling and software technical standards (RTS) - 2 gamblingcommission.gov.uk Defines progressive jackpot slots as games where the prize increases with bets.
- Guidance to licensing authorities - RTS 9 – Progressive ... gamblingcommission.gov.uk Specifies UK regulatory requirements for disclosing jackpot rules.
- GLI-12 Progressive Gaming Devices in Casinos gaminglabs.com Explains how wagers contribute to the jackpot meter and describes trigger types.
- Must-Hit-By Progressives wizardofodds.com Provides detail on mystery jackpot triggers independent of reel outcomes.
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.