What we like / What could be better
What we like
- Wide stake range (£0.10–£100) fits both small and larger bankrolls on the same title
- 3000x ceiling gives real upside if the Hold and Win grid fills
- Straightforward Hold and Win structure without extra bonus layers to learn
- Free spins with multiplier symbols add a second route to a bigger win
What could be better
- 95.55% RTP is average for the Hold and Win genre, not a standout figure
- Medium-high volatility means genuine dry stretches between features
- We haven't logged a timed session or trigger frequency ourselves; pacing here comes from the math model, not a stopwatch
- No landing-page verification yet for which UK casinos actually list this exact title in their lobby
What is Lion Gems: Hold and Win?
Lion Gems: Hold and Win is a video slot from Playson, released in March 2022. It runs on a 5x4 grid with 30 paylines and a stake range of £0.10–£100 per spin, which covers both small-bankroll play and higher-stake sessions on the same title.
The theme is the African savannah, with lion and gem symbols standing in for the coin-collection bonus that gives the game its name. Lion Gems belongs to the wider Hold and Win category, a format built around sticky coin symbols and respins rather than tumbling reels or Megaways-style expanding grids. Playson has released several titles in this format, and Lion Gems is one of the newer entries.
Lion Gems: Hold and Win RTP explained
The published RTP is 95.55%. That number comes from Playson's math model and is fixed at the game level. It doesn't change between the casinos that carry it, unless an operator runs a separately configured lower-RTP build, which isn't disclosed for this title anywhere we've looked.
Volatility is rated medium-high. In practical terms, that means fewer small top-ups on the base game and a payout curve that leans on the bonus round to do most of the work. RTP and volatility describe the same math from two angles: 95.55% is the long-run average, medium-high volatility is how unevenly that average gets delivered across a session.
What a 3000x max win means at different stakes
The win ceiling is 3000x the stake that triggered it. That's a multiplier, so the cash value scales directly with your bet:
- At the £100 maximum stake, the theoretical ceiling is £300,000.
- At the £0.10 minimum stake, it's £300.
- At a £1 stake, it's £3,000.
Reaching 3000x means the Hold and Win grid fills almost entirely with the highest-value coin symbols, which is a rare outcome by design. Most sessions won't get near it. The number is useful for sizing what's possible, not for predicting what's likely.
Inside the Hold and Win bonus round
The feature triggers when enough coin symbols land on the grid in a single spin. Once triggered, those coins stick in place and the player gets a set number of respins. Any new coin that lands resets the respin counter; the round ends when either the grid fills completely or the respins run out with no new coins landing.
Each coin carries its own cash value, and a full grid pays out the sum of every coin on it, which is where the 3000x ceiling comes from. Multiplier symbols can also land during the feature and apply to individual coin values, which is one of the two routes to a larger payout alongside a simply full grid.
Free spins and multiplier symbols
Alongside Hold and Win, the base game includes a free spins mode. Multiplier symbols carry across into this mode as well, stacking value on wins during the round rather than only inside the coin feature. This gives Lion Gems two separate paths to a bigger hit instead of relying on the Hold and Win trigger alone.
We don't have a confirmed trigger frequency for either feature from our own play data, so treat this as a description of the mechanic, not a probability. Playson doesn't publish hit-rate figures for individual features on this title.
The first twenty minutes: what pacing to expect
We haven't logged a timed session on Lion Gems ourselves, so what follows is drawn from the published RTP and volatility rating, not a stopwatch.
At medium-high volatility, twenty minutes is a small sample. Expect stretches with little movement on the base game, punctuated by occasional spikes when a coin symbol or two lands, and rarer moments when the Hold and Win round actually triggers. A quiet first twenty minutes doesn't mean the game is underperforming its RTP, and a hot start doesn't mean it will continue. Judging a medium-high volatility slot from one short session is the most common mistake players make with this format.
Lion Gems vs other Playson Hold and Win slots
Playson runs a wider Hold and Win series beyond this title, including Solar Temple: Hold and Win and African Elephant: Hold and Win. All of them share the same underlying coin-collection structure: sticky coins, respins, and a grid-fill jackpot.
What changes between entries in the series is theme, grid size and stake range rather than the core mechanic. Lion Gems runs a 5x4 grid, which gives more coin positions per spin than a standard 5x3 layout, and pairs that with the free spins and multiplier layer described above. If you've played another title in Playson's Hold and Win range, the bonus logic here will feel familiar; the pacing and ceiling are what differ.
How to play Lion Gems: Hold and Win
The outcome of each spin is independent of the previous one and of your stake size. No betting pattern changes the RTP or improves your odds of triggering Hold and Win. What you control is bankroll and session length, not the result of any single spin.
Given the medium-high volatility rating, a bankroll built for short sessions will run out before the bonus has a fair chance to show up. A rough rule for this volatility band is to size your session for at least 200–300 spins at your chosen stake before judging whether the game is working for you. The £0.10–£100 stake range means that budget can be built at almost any bankroll size.
Use demo mode first if you haven't seen the Hold and Win round in action. It costs nothing and shows you exactly how the coin grid fills, which is easier to understand watched than described.
Demo mode and free play on Lion Gems: Hold and Win
Playson titles are typically available in demo mode at casinos that carry the studio's catalogue, playable without registration or a deposit. That's the standard route to try Lion Gems: Hold and Win for free before staking real money.
We haven't checked which specific UK-facing lobbies host the free-play version of this exact title; landing pages weren't part of this review. Search for the game by name inside the casino's own lobby rather than assuming it's there because the operator lists Playson elsewhere.
Where to play Lion Gems: Hold and Win in the UK
Casinos that carry Playson's catalogue generally include their Hold and Win range, but we haven't confirmed this exact title lobby by lobby, so treat the list below as a starting point for licensed UK operators, not a guarantee this specific slot is live at each one. GAMSTOP self-exclusion applies across all UKGC-licensed sites listed.