Product
Bonus Buy
Definition
A slot feature allowing a player to pay a fixed multiple of their stake to enter the bonus round immediately, rather than waiting for it to trigger.
Why it matters
Bonus buy, also called feature buy, lets a player skip the base game. A typical price is 75 to 100 times the stake for immediate entry to free spins. The mathematics are usually calibrated so the purchased feature carries a similar or slightly higher return to player than the base game, but the volatility is far greater and the money is committed in a single large stake rather than accumulated slowly.
That risk profile is why the mechanic is contentious. Several regulators have restricted or banned it, with the UK prohibiting feature buys and other markets imposing limits, on the grounds that it accelerates spend and removes the natural pacing of the base game. Suppliers have responded with market-specific builds, shipping bonus-buy versions only where permitted. For anyone assessing content portfolios across jurisdictions, feature-buy availability is a standard compliance checkpoint.