Starburst app play means opening NetEnt’s low-volatility gem slot inside a UK casino app, since there is no standalone real-money Starburst app. Its ten lines pay both ways, Starburst Wilds expand and trigger respins, and the published RTP is 96.09%. It is one of the easiest slots to learn on a phone, but low volatility also means a 500x ceiling.
Starburst is played inside licensed casino apps, not as a separate app.
Ten paylines pay left to right and right to left; wilds on the middle three reels expand and respin.
Low volatility: frequent small returns, often below the stake, and a 500x maximum win.
UK limits apply: £5 or £2 a spin by age, no autoplay and at least 2.5 seconds per spin.
Developer
NetEnt
RTP
96.09%
Volatility
Low
Layout
5 reels × 3 rows
Ways to win
10 paylines (pay both ways)
Max win
500x
Is there a Starburst app for real money?
No. Starburst is made by NetEnt, the Stockholm studio that has been part of Evolution since December 2020, and it is supplied to casinos rather than sold as an app. In the UK you play it inside licensed casino apps or their mobile sites, with your casino balance. It is one of the most widely carried slots, so most UK casino apps that offer NetEnt games include it.
Store listings using the Starburst name from unfamiliar developers are worth avoiding. A safe route is always a casino app published by the UK licence holder; our guide to checking a casino app developer shows how to compare the two names.
How Starburst looks and feels on a phone
The simple design translates well to a touchscreen. The five reels of glowing gems sit against a starfield, and in portrait the grid fills the width of the screen with the spin button below it. In landscape the reels sit centrally with controls down the right edge.
Feature
Portrait
Landscape
One-handed play
Yes, spin button at the bottom
Awkward
Symbol size
Good on most phones
Larger
Seeing an expanded wild
Clear
Clear
Paytable access
Menu icon
Menu icon
Because the game is light and the features are short, it suits brief sessions on a commute. Our portrait vs landscape guide compares other popular slots.
Starburst paylines: ten lines that pay both ways
Starburst has ten fixed paylines. Unlike most slots, wins are counted from left to right and from right to left. Three matching symbols starting on reel one pay, and so do three matching symbols starting on reel five. A line that matches across all five reels pays only once.
The symbols are five coloured gems, a gold bar and a lucky seven. The bar is the top-paying symbol, followed by the seven. All values are shown in pounds at your current stake on the paytable, reached through the menu icon. See our paytable guide for how to read it.
Starburst Wilds and respins explained
The only feature is the Starburst Wild, a multi-coloured star that can land on reels two, three and four. When it lands it expands to fill the whole reel and stays in place while the other reels respin once. If another wild lands during the respin, it expands too and you get another respin, up to a maximum of three wild reels and three respins.
A Starburst Wild lands on reel two, three or four.
It expands to cover all three positions on that reel.
Wins with the expanded wild are paid.
The wild reel stays locked and the other reels respin.
Any new wild on a middle reel expands, locks and triggers another respin.
The sequence ends when no new wild lands or all three middle reels are wild.
Three expanded wilds in the middle, combined with both-ways pays, is where Starburst’s best results come from. There are no free spins, no scatters and no bonus round.
Starburst RTP and low volatility in pounds
NetEnt lists the RTP as 96.09%, so in the very long run the game keeps about £3.91 of every £100 staked. Low volatility means results tend to sit closer to that average over a session than they would on a high-volatility slot, though nothing is fixed.
Budget
Stake
Spins covered with no returns
Theoretical cost
£10
10p
100
About 39p
£20
20p
100
About 78p
£50
50p
100
About £1.96
The trade-off for steadier play is the ceiling. The maximum win is 500 times the stake, or £100 at 20p. Many Starburst returns are smaller than the stake, and under UK rules those are not celebrated with win animations, so your balance can drift down quietly. Watch the session net position at the bottom of the screen.
How UK rules shape Starburst in a casino app
Stakes capped at £5 a spin for players 25 and over, and £2 for those aged 18–24.
No autoplay or turbo; each spin takes at least 2.5 seconds.
Returns lower than the stake are shown without celebration.
Balance and net position always visible.
Starburst has no feature to buy, so the GB ban on bonus buys makes no difference here. See our UK stake limits on mobile slots guide for how the age-based caps are applied.
How to play Starburst in a UK casino app
Open your casino app and sign in with your password, Face ID or fingerprint.
Search “Starburst” in the lobby. Pick the original, not Starburst XXXtreme, unless you want the high-volatility version.
Tap the menu icon and confirm the RTP in the rules.
Set the stake with the coin control next to the spin button.
Tap spin and watch the middle three reels for Starburst Wilds.
Let respins finish before tapping again.
Check your net position regularly and stop at the amount you planned.
Starburst demo play after age checks
In UK casino apps, free-play demo mode only becomes available once you have registered and passed age verification. Demo credits have no value. With a single feature, Starburst is quick to understand in demo; what a demo can’t show is how your own real-money session will go.
Starburst compared with similar NetEnt slots
Slot
RTP
Volatility
Ways or lines
Max win
Starburst
96.09%
Low
10 lines, both ways
500x
Starburst XXXtreme
96.26%
High
9 lines
200,000x
Twin Spin
96.56%
Medium-High
243 ways
1,080x
Gonzo's Quest
95.97%
Medium
20 lines
2,500x
Starburst XXXtreme keeps the look but adds random multiplier wilds and far higher volatility. Twin Spin uses linked reels on 243 ways, and Gonzo’s Quest brought NetEnt’s avalanche reels.
Pros and cons of Starburst on mobile
Advantages
Very simple to learn, with one feature
Portrait layout suits one-handed play
Low volatility gives steadier sessions
Published RTP of 96.09%
Drawbacks
Maximum win of 500x is low compared with modern slots
No free spins or bonus round
Many returns are below the stake
Familiar enough that some players find it repetitive
Where to play Starburst on your phone
Starburst is carried by a large number of UK casino apps, but we don’t list it as confirmed in any specific partner’s library, so search the lobby first. When comparing apps, check how welcome spins are restricted; our casino app free spins page explains the details. 18+, terms apply.
Free spins from these offers go on games named in each casino’s terms, which may or may not include Starburst; all three carry no wagering on spin winnings. 18+, terms apply.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open a new account with another; check the terms before signing up.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Ladbrokes reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the PlayOJO reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, UKGC account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download Starburst as an app?
Not as a standalone real-money app in the UK. NetEnt supplies Starburst to licensed casino operators, and you play it inside their apps or mobile sites with your casino balance. Most UK casino apps that carry NetEnt games include it. Store apps using the Starburst name from unknown developers are likely copies or social casinos with no cash prizes. To play for real money, install a UK-licensed casino app and search its lobby. Our how to download casino apps guide explains the safe way to do it on iPhone and Android.
What is the RTP of Starburst?
NetEnt publishes an RTP of 96.09% for Starburst, meaning the game is designed to keep about £3.91 for every £100 staked over a very long period. Low volatility means sessions tend to stay closer to that average than on high-volatility games, but individual results still vary widely. The figure for your casino’s version is shown on the rules page inside the game. Our guide to finding a slot’s RTP in an app explains where to tap.
How do Starburst Wilds work?
Starburst Wilds land only on reels two, three and four. When one appears, it expands to fill its reel, holds in place and triggers a respin of the other reels. Another wild during the respin expands and triggers a further respin, up to three wild reels and three respins in total. The expanded wilds substitute for all symbols on every line through them. It is the game’s only feature: there are no free spins or scatters. Our expanding wild glossary entry explains the mechanic in more detail.
What does “pays both ways” mean on Starburst?
It means a winning line can be read from left to right or from right to left. Three matching symbols starting on reel one pay, and so do three matching symbols starting on reel five. A line matching across all five reels pays only once. This roughly doubles the number of ways a spin can return something, which is part of why Starburst feels busy, but the paytable values are set to account for it, so it does not make the game more generous. See our paylines entry for comparisons.
What is the maximum win on Starburst?
The maximum win is 500 times the stake, which would be £50 at 10p or £100 at 20p. It requires the best combination of top symbols with expanded wilds across both directions, and it is rare. The ceiling is low compared with modern high-volatility slots, which is the trade-off for Starburst’s steadier play. If you are looking for a version with a much higher ceiling, Starburst XXXtreme lists 200,000x, with far more volatile sessions. Our max win entry explains how the figure is calculated.
Is Starburst good for beginners?
Starburst is often recommended to newcomers because it has one feature, clear symbols and low volatility, so it is easy to follow on a phone. That doesn’t make it a way to win money: the game still keeps a share of stakes over time, and most sessions end below where they started. A beginner should set a deposit limit before playing and choose a low stake. Our casino apps for beginners guide explains how to set up an app safely before your first spin.
What is the maximum stake on Starburst in the UK?
UK casino apps allow up to £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over, and £2 a spin for those aged 18 to 24. The caps cover every online slot and are applied automatically from your date of birth, so the stake control simply stops at your limit. Minimum stakes vary by casino and are shown on the bet panel. On a low-volatility game, a modest stake usually gives a longer session for the same budget. See our UK stake limits guide for the detail.
Why do my Starburst wins not make any noise?
Many Starburst returns are smaller than the stake, especially with both-ways pays. Since October 2021, UK rules have banned slots from celebrating a return lower than the stake with win sounds or animations, because it creates the impression of winning when you have actually lost money on the spin. So small amounts are added to your balance quietly. Genuine wins above your stake still show normally. The net position display entry explains how to read your session result on screen.
Can I play Starburst for free?
Inside UK casino apps, only after registering and verifying your age, under rules in place since May 2019. Once your account is checked, a demo option often appears on the game tile, using play credits with no cash value. Some casino welcome offers give spins on named games, and if Starburst is one, those spins have their own deposit and expiry terms. A demo helps you learn the wilds and respins but cannot predict how a real session will go. Our free casino apps page explains demo play in more detail.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Get support from GamCare or NHS gambling support, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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