Rise of Merlin is a high-volatility fantasy slot from Play’n GO, released on 20 June 2019. Inspired by Arthurian legend, the game follows the famous wizard Merlin and uses a familiar expanding-symbol bonus structure similar to Play’n GO’s established book-style slots.
The game uses five reels, three rows and 10 paylines. Three or more Crystal Ball Scatters award eight Free Spins, with one regular symbol randomly selected to become an Expanding Symbol. Each retrigger awards another eight Free Spins. allowing several special symbols to become active simultaneously.
Rise of Merlin has a highest published RTP of 96.58%, high volatility and a maximum payout of 5,000x stake.
Casinos Where You Can Play Rise of Merlin in the UK
Key Rise of Merlin Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 20 June 2019 |
| Provider | Play’n GO |
| Theme | Merlin / Magic / Arthurian Fantasy |
| Reels & Rows | 5×3 |
| Paylines | 10 |
| Volatility | High – around 10/10 |
| Highest RTP | 96.58% |
| RTP Range | 84.55%–96.58% |
| Hit Frequency | N/A |
| Bonus Frequency | Around 1 in 165 spins |
| International Bet Range | 0.01–100 |
| Maximum Win | 5,000x stake |
UK Compliance Deep Dive: Is Rise of Merlin Fair & Legal?
RTP Variation Warning: Published configurations include 96.58%, 94.51%, 91.51%, 87.56% and 84.55%. That range makes checking the individual game’s information screen particularly important before playing.
UKGC Banned Features Check: UK versions of Rise of Merlin must comply with UK Gambling Commission requirements. Autoplay and other prohibited slot functionality cannot be enabled for British players.
Stake Limit Compliance: International versions can offer stakes as high as 100 units. In Great Britain, statutory online-slot limits override this – £5 per game cycle for players aged 25+ and £2 for players aged 18–24.
Responsible Gambling: The reported bonus frequency of around 1 in 165 spins is a long-term statistical average. It does not mean Free Spins are guaranteed every 165 rounds or become more likely after a long period without them. Rise of Merlin is highly volatile, so use an affordable stake and avoid increasing bets to chase the Free Spins feature.
Fairness & RNG Certification: Rise of Merlin uses randomised outcomes. Neither the selected Expanding Symbol nor the timing of a Free Spins trigger can be predicted from previous results.
First Impressions: Theme, Graphics & Soundtrack
Rise of Merlin enters the magical world of Arthurian legend, placing Merlin at the centre of a fantasy environment filled with dragons, owls, magical artefacts and royal imagery.
Play’n GO gives the game a darker mystical appearance than a conventional medieval slot. Merlin’s magical chamber provides the backdrop, while glowing Crystal Balls and supernatural effects reinforce the wizard theme.
The presentation is relatively traditional compared with newer Play’n GO releases, but the simple 5×3 format makes the game easy to understand immediately.
Base Game Mechanics & Payouts
Rise of Merlin uses five reels, three rows and 10 paylines. Wins require matching symbols to land across consecutive reels from left to right.
Card ranks make up the lower-value symbols, while the Owl, Blue Dragon, Red Dragon and Merlin occupy the higher-paying positions.
The Crystal Ball is the game’s most important special symbol because it functions as both Wild and Scatter. As a Wild, it substitutes for regular paying symbols. As a Scatter, three or more Crystal Balls activate Free Spins.
There is no elaborate base-game modifier system. Most of the game’s enhanced winning potential is deliberately concentrated inside the Free Spins feature.
A Closer Look at the Bonus Features for Rise of Merlin
Crystal Ball Wild & Scatter
The Crystal Ball performs two roles. It substitutes for regular paying symbols as a Wild while also functioning as the Scatter. Landing three or more Crystal Balls anywhere on the reels activates the Free Spins bonus.
Free Spins Feature
Three or more Crystal Ball Scatters award eight Free Spins. Before the feature begins, one ordinary paying symbol is selected at random to become the Special Expanding Symbol. The Wild/Scatter itself cannot be selected.
Special Expanding Symbol
Whenever enough instances of the selected symbol land during Free Spins to produce a qualifying combination, those symbols expand vertically to cover their respective reels. Expanded symbols can then generate payouts across multiple paylines, making premium symbols particularly valuable when selected.
Free Spin Retriggers
Landing another three or more Crystal Ball Scatters during the bonus awards eight additional Free Spins. Each retrigger awards another eight Free Spins. Crucially, previously selected Expanding Symbols remain active.
Multiple Expanding Symbols
Rise of Merlin becomes increasingly feature-rich after repeated retriggers because each successful retrigger adds another eight Free Spins. The feature can reportedly be retriggered up to nine times, potentially leaving numerous paying symbols with expansion capability. This is the main difference between Rise of Merlin and more conventional single-symbol expanding bonuses.
Maximum Winning Potential
Rise of Merlin can award up to 5,000x stake. The largest potential is concentrated within Free Spins, particularly if retriggers introduce several Expanding Symbols.
From the Player’s Mouth: Real Experiences & Expert Advice
Player Sentiment: Rise of Merlin follows a deliberately straightforward structure. Standard spins provide little feature activity beyond the Wild/Scatter, placing most of the game’s appeal inside the Free Spins round.
The initial bonus behaves similarly to familiar expanding-symbol slots – one random symbol receives the special ability. The difference becomes apparent after a retrigger, awards another eight Free Spins.
Repeated retriggers can therefore make later stages of the feature considerably more active than the opening eight spins.
Expert Tips
- Tip 1: Rise of Merlin is highly volatile. Use smaller, consistent stakes if you want your bankroll to accommodate potentially lengthy periods between stronger payouts.
- Tip 2: The reported bonus frequency of around 1 in 165 spins is only a statistical average. A feature is not overdue after 165 spins.
- Tip 3: Each retrigger awards another eight Free Spins.However, previous retriggers do not make another retrigger more likely.
- Tip 4: The 5,000x maximum win is reported at around 1 in 8.77 million spins. Treat it as an exceptional outcome rather than a realistic playing target.
Mobile Performance
Rise of Merlin’s 5×3 format works particularly well on mobile. Ten paylines and only 15 reel positions keep the interface uncluttered on smaller displays.
Expanding Symbols are easy to identify during Free Spins, while additional symbols gained through retriggers are clearly represented without making the feature difficult to follow.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- 96.58% highest RTP
- 5,000x maximum win
- Simple 5×3 layout
- Crystal Ball Wild and Scatter
- Eight starting Free Spins
- Expanding Symbol feature
- Multiple Expanding Symbols possible
- Retriggers add eight more spins
- Up to nine reported retriggers
- Strong Arthurian fantasy theme
- Mobile-friendly gameplay
Cons
- High volatility
- Several much lower RTP configurations
- Base game has limited feature activity
- Only eight initial Free Spins
- Strongest potential depends heavily on bonus results
- Expanding Symbol is randomly selected
Is Rise of Merlin Worth Your Time & Money?
Rise of Merlin is aimed squarely at players who enjoy traditional expanding-symbol slots. Its 5×3 layout and 10 paylines are intentionally simple, with the Crystal Ball acting as both Wild and Scatter.
The Free Spins feature provides nearly all of the game’s mechanical depth. Eight spins are awarded initially, one paying symbol becomes Expanding, each retrigger awards another eight Free Spins.
That cumulative mechanic gives Rise of Merlin its main distinction. Instead of repeatedly playing the same bonus configuration, successful retriggers can gradually increase the number of symbols capable of expanding across the reels.
With a 96.58% highest RTP, high volatility and a 5,000x maximum payout, Rise of Merlin remains a straightforward option for players who prefer classic Free Spins each retrigger awards another eight Free Spins. over complicated modern feature systems.
Rise of Merlin FAQ
The highest published RTP is 96.58%. Alternative configurations include 94.51%, 91.51%, 87.56% and 84.55%.
Land three or more Crystal Ball Scatter symbols to receive eight Free Spins.
Before Free Spins begin, one regular paying symbol is randomly selected. Qualifying appearances of that symbol can expand vertically across entire reels.
Detailed game data reports an average bonus frequency of around 1 in 165 spins. This is a statistical average rather than a predictable trigger interval.