Autoplay (Slots)

'Autoplay' is a feature that allows players to automatically spin the reels for a set number of rounds without pressing the spin button each time. This feature is common in online slots and modern electronic slot machines.

What is Autoplay for Slots?

Autoplay is a simple feature within a slot game where once activated, the reels will spin automatically without the player needing to manually start the spin. 

Different online slots will offer autoplay in different ways. Most games with the feature will allow players to set it for a predetermined number of spins, for instance 10, 20 or 50. Others might also allow the reels to spin until a set profit or loss is hit, for a specific period of time or until a bonus feature is triggered. 

It's worth noting that in some prominent, regulated online casino markets, the autoplay feature is banned - read our 'Disadvantages of Autoplay' section for more information. 

How Autoplay Works

Autoplay is a simple dynamic built into some online and live casino slot games. Players will first choose the number of automatic spins they want the machine to perform (or, if available, set it to another metric such as money wagered). A confirmation message will usually pop up, asking players to acknowledge they're happy for the autoplay feature to be active. Once accepted, the spins will begin.

Bets, paylines, and other settings are kept the same automatically during each spin. So, if you apply the autoplay feature when the stake per spin is $1, all subsequent spins will be set to $1 until the autoplay session is stopped or comes to an end.

The feature can usually be paused or stopped at any time.

Example of Autoplay on Slots 

Let's use White Rabbit Megaways as an example. Depending on the region you're playing from, this is a slot that has the autoplay feature available. Clicking on the 🔁 icon brings up this menu. From here, you can then set various parameters for the autoplay feature, including stopping after a certain single win, after a specified amount is lost, or after a set number of spins have been completed.

Clicking 'START' automatically leads to the reels spinning. You can stop the autoplay spins at any time by clicking the red stop button in the bottom-right corner (displayed during autoplay spins where the usual green spin button is). 

Example 

1. You load up the White Rabbit Megaways slot.
2. You set the stake (per spin) at $1. 
3. You set the autoplay specifications to 100 spins, stopping early if net losses fall to -$50 or if you win +$100 from a single spin.
4. You click 'START' and the reels begin to spin. 
5. The game automatically plays through $1 spins. 
6. After 80 spins, you reach the -$50 net-loss limit and the autoplay feature ends. 

Why Players Use Autoplay in Slots

There are several reasons to use the autoplay feature when playing slots. Below are the main ones, but be cautious if you choose to use autoplay because there are some downsides to it - which we'll cover later on.

• Convenience 
• Consistency
• Strategy Testing 
• Efficiency 

Convenience 

Using autoplay is far more convenient if a player wants to play a slot for a while and undertake a number of spins. Rather than manually clicking 'Spin' each time, you can just set up autoplay and watch the reels spin as normal. 

Consistency

Autoplay keeps everything the same throughout all the spins. So whatever stakes and paylines are selected before autoplay starts, those will be 'locked in' for the duration of the automatic spins. This can be beneficial in limiting losses if the player has a tendency to increase stakes as the session progresses. 

Strategy & Testing

Another advantage of autoplay is that it's good for testing longer-term results. If a player wants to see how often a bonus is triggered, or how closely the results across a session reflect the game's theoretical RTP, the autoplay feature enables (in some cases) hundreds of spins to be made automatically. Rather than counting out 100 spins and recording the results, the player can just focus on the outcome of the spins rather than having to keep track of the number of spins played. 

Efficiency

A final reason to use autoplay when playing slots is how efficient it is. While the time it takes for the reels to spin and the symbols to land doesn't change, the time in between spins (clicking the 'Spin' button) is drastically reduced, leading to quicker overall gameplay.

Disadvantages of Autoplay - Why is Autoplay on Slots Banned?

There are disadvantages to autoplay, which can be significant and outweigh the benefits autoplay brings to players. We advise you to read these carefully, as failing to understand the downsides can contribute to compounded losses. These are reasons why autoplay is banned in some areas and countries, such as the UK online casino industry. 

• Less Mindful Play
• Less Interactive
• Encourages More Spins

Less Mindful Play

A disassociation between online slots and money staked already exists due to the nature of online gaming. You don't feed a machine with notes or insert coins into the slot every time you want to spin. Instead, virtual currency is used that is displayed as just numbers on a screen.  

Autoplay further adds to this chasm between the action of playing an online game and frivolously wagering (and potentially losing) money. When autoplayed is enabled, players are often not thinking about the money being spent on each individual spin, as there's no physical action required to spin the reels. It becomes akin to viewing the gameplay, rather than actually playing it, yet the money is still coming out of the account every spin. 

Less Interactive 

A second downside relates to the previous point - it's not as interactive. At least when manually playing a slot, a click or push of a button is required for each spin. Autoplay removes this human input, making it feel less like you're actually playing the game. 

Encourages More Spins 

Ultimately, every casino game has a house edge, and slots are no different. Therefore, on average the more spins you make, the more you will lose in the long run. Autoplay makes it easier to make hundreds of spins in a short space of time. This can compound losses and dig further into your funds than it would if you were spinning manually. 

Autoplay vs Fast Play - What's the Difference?

Autoplay is a different feature to fast play, also commonly referred to as 'Turbo Mode' or 'Quick Spins,' but some players can get them confused due to some similarities the two share.

Fast Play is an in-game feature that can be enabled that drastically reduces the time it takes for symbols to appear on the reels. Typically, every slot has an animation during each spin, such as symbols vertically scrolling down each reel. Fast Play skips this animation, meaning the time from when players click 'Spin' to the outcome of the spin is a matter of milliseconds.

This differs from autoplay, which relates to spins automatically taking place based on predetermined measures that have been set.  

How to Find Slots with Autoplay

The issue with finding autoplay slots isn't that only a few games have this feature, it's more to do with local regulations. Most slots, in fact, will come with autoplay functionality built in, but if you're playing from a restricted country this feature simply won't be available to you. 

That's not to say that every slot has autoplay functionality, but the majority of modern slots will. 

So there's no set way to find autoplay slots. Your best bet is to simply sign up to one of the best online casinos, play some of the top slots you like and see if that feature is available to you. If not, it's likely the country you're playing from has restricted this feature. 

Autoplay FAQs