Narcos app slot guide

Narcos slot and the TV licence behind it

Narcos is a branded slot from NetEnt, produced under licence from the makers of the Netflix series about the Medellín cartel and the agents who pursued it. It came out in 2019 and uses the show’s look: dusty 1980s Colombia, the main characters as high-paying symbols and the theme music in the background.

On the maths side, it is a five-reel, three-row game with 243 ways to win. You do not pick lines; any matching symbols on adjacent reels from the left count, as long as there is one on each reel in the chain. It is rated medium volatility, which places it between a gentle game such as Starburst and the high-risk end of the market.

Like every slot in a UK casino app, Narcos is not an app in its own right. It loads inside a casino app from the App Store or Google Play, using your casino account’s balance and limits.

How the Narcos app game looks on mobile

Narcos was built after NetEnt moved to HTML5, so it scales to phone screens. A 5×3 grid is wide rather than tall, which means landscape gives the biggest reels. Portrait still works: the reels sit in the upper half with the spin button and stake controls below, easy to reach with one thumb.

The game is fairly heavy on animation. Cars drive across the screen during the Drive-By, wild symbols walk between reels and the Locked Up round has its own screen. That makes it a little more demanding on older phones and on battery than a simple fruit slot. If it stutters, closing other apps usually helps; our battery drain help page and speed and performance guide have more fixes.

How to play Narcos in a UK casino app

1. Open your casino app, log in and go to the slots section.
2. Search for Narcos. Check the tile names NetEnt; other crime-themed slots have similar names.
3. Let the intro screen load, then tap to continue to the reels.
4. Tap the coins or stake button and choose a stake. UK limits are £5 per spin, or £2 if you are 18–24.
5. Open the paytable from the menu to see symbol values and feature rules for your stake.
6. Tap Spin. Keep an eye on the net position figure at the bottom of the screen.

Walking Wilds in Narcos

Walking Wilds are the game’s signature feature. When a walking wild lands in the base game, it does not just substitute for that spin. It moves one reel to the left and the game gives a respin, repeating until the wild walks off the first reel. Each step is a fresh chance to form a winning way.

On a phone, the moving wilds are easy to follow because each step is its own short spin. Remember that UK rules give every spin, including respins, a minimum of 2.5 seconds, so a walking sequence takes a little longer than it might in other countries. For the general idea, see our glossary entries on wild symbols and respins.

Drive-By, Locked Up and free spins

Drive-By

The Drive-By is a random feature that can happen on an ordinary spin. A car passes, gunfire strikes the reels and some symbols turn wild, which can turn a dead spin into a winning one. It is not something you can trigger on purpose.

Locked Up

Locked Up starts when three or more connected Locked Up symbols land. They come in two forms: a regular mugshot of Pablo and a golden briefcase. The round is built around these symbols locking in place and revealing cash values, with new arrivals keeping it going; when no more land, the values are totalled and paid. It works in a similar way to the hold and win style rounds you see in many newer slots. The prize values for your stake are listed in the game’s paytable.

Free spins

Three scatter symbols landing on reels 1, 3 and 5 award 10 free spins. The paytable explains how the wilds behave during the round. As with every feature, the paytable inside your app is the final word on the rules for the version you are playing.

Narcos RTP, volatility and session maths

NetEnt’s default RTP is 96.23%. Over a very long run, that works out at an average of about £3.77 kept by the game per £100 staked. The word ‘default’ is important: NetEnt offers casinos other versions, and a lower one may be running in your app. The rules page inside the game shows the live figure.

Medium volatility means wins tend to come more often than in high-volatility games, but they are usually smaller. With a top payout of 1,506x, Narcos cannot produce the enormous single results some modern slots advertise, and that is part of its character: more back-and-forth, fewer extremes.

The average return on the money staked is the same at any stake, but a higher stake burns through the budget in fewer spins, so the swings are sharper. Real results will differ from these averages, often by a lot.

How UK rules shape Narcos in apps

Players in Great Britain see a slightly different Narcos from players elsewhere. There is no autoplay button. The quick-spin option is gone. Each spin lasts at least 2.5 seconds. Small returns below your stake are not celebrated with sound or animation. Your balance and net position are always visible. Stakes stop at £5 per spin for over-25s and £2 for 18–24s. These Gambling Commission rules are explained in our UK slot design rules guide and the UK casino app rules overview.

If you want to try the game without staking, the demo can only be opened after your age has been verified, and only in apps that choose to offer one.

Narcos compared with other branded and crime slots

Jumanji is NetEnt’s other film-licensed slot of the period and is calmer still. The Goonies is a branded slot with a stack of bonus features. Wanted Dead or a Wild has the outlaw mood but sits at the high-risk end with a far higher ceiling. If medium volatility suits you, Narcos is the middle ground of the four.

Narcos app pros and cons

Where to play Narcos on your phone

Narcos is part of the NetEnt catalogue carried by many UKGC-licensed apps; confirm it is in a lobby before you sign up or deposit. The apps listed here publish clear welcome terms, though none is specific to Narcos. 18+, terms apply.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.