Gamblers will be stopped from betting thousands on online casino slots by laws limiting stakes to £5 a go

PUNTERS will be stopped from betting thousands on online casino slots by laws limiting stakes to £5 a go.

Ministers have agreed to the maximum bets on digital spins which will be revealed in the Gambling White Paper.

The long-delayed update to the gambling laws are set to be announced at the end of April or early May, according to sources close to the plans.

They will include a legal £5 cap on a single casino game online, which is ­currently unlimited.

Betting companies will be slapped with a fresh gambling tax under a huge shake-up of the industry.

And Premier League football clubs will voluntarily move gambling sponsorship from the front of their shirts, but can keep them on sleeves.

Pitchside hoardings will also remain.

Last week, a YouGov poll for the Betting and Gaming Council found 79 per cent of punters said it was likely that tighter restrictions “would result in people moving to unregulated websites”.

A government spokesman declined to comment, but said they are “determined to protect those most at risk of gambling-related harm”.

A DCMS spokesperson said: “We do not comment on speculation. We are determined to protect those most at risk of gambling-related harm and are working to finalise details of our review.

“The white paper will strengthen our regulatory framework to ensure it is fit for the digital age.”