| Quick Stats | |
|---|---|
| Provider | BF Games (BeeFee Games) |
| Game Type | Video Slot |
| RTP | 96.03% |
| Volatility | Medium |
| Reels | 5 |
| Rows | 2–8 per reel (variable) |
| Base Game Ways | 3,125 (up to 5 symbols per reel) |
| Max Ways to Win | 32,768 (all rows unlocked) |
| Min Bet | $0.10 |
| Max Bet | $200.00 |
| Max Win | 750x stake (per BF Games) |
| Features | Expanding Grid (3 hidden rows), Respins on Every Win, Free Spins (10), Wild (reels 2–4), Scatter (reels 1, 3, 5) |
| Theme | Ancient Egypt, Egyptian Gods |
| Release Date | August 2020 |
| Platform | Desktop & Mobile |
What Is Book of Gates
Book of Gates is BF Games’ flagship Egyptian slot and their most mechanically distinctive release. The premise is drawn from the ancient Book of Gates — a text describing the passage of souls through the underworld and its guarded gates. The gods Ra, Osiris, Bastet, and Chnum feature as the high-value symbols, and the visual design is genuinely impressive: an animated Anubis figure stands beside the grid, pyramids fill the background, and decorated Egyptian columns frame the reels. The soundtrack is atmospheric and era-appropriate.
What sets this game apart from every standard Book-of title is the expanding grid mechanic. Rather than a fixed 5×3 or 5×4 layout, the reels start at 5 columns with 2–5 symbols each (3,125 ways to win). Three rows are locked behind golden gates at the top of the grid. Landing a win during the base game or a respin progressively reveals these rows, expanding the grid and multiplying the ways to win. Once all three rows are unlocked, every reel can show up to 8 symbols, creating 32,768 ways to win. There are no fixed paylines — wins pay on any adjacent symbol combination from left to right.
Medium volatility means the base game produces wins at a reasonable frequency, making the respin-and-unlock mechanic feel active rather than punishing. The hit rate sits at around 18% per BF Games, which is moderate — lower than typical medium-vol pokies, reflecting the variable grid structure. The real session depth comes from chaining wins during respins to progressively unlock all three rows, and from landing free spins with the full 32,768-ways grid already active.
RTP and Volatility
The RTP is 96.03% — exactly on the industry average. Over millions of spins, the game returns $96.03 per $100 wagered. Note that some casinos configure lower RTP versions of this game (94.17% has been cited on some platforms) — worth checking the paytable or casino’s game info before committing to a session. BF Games doesn’t use adjustable RTP settings as a standard practice, but casino operators can apply regional versions.
Medium volatility combined with the expanding grid creates an interesting session rhythm. Base game wins are moderate in size but lead directly into respins, which can compound as the rows unlock — a chain of three wins unlocks the entire grid and keeps respins running until the streak ends. In a $20 session at $0.20 per spin (100 spins), expect a mix of small payline wins in the base game, occasional respin chains that unlock rows and run for several additional spins, and the periodic scatter trigger for free spins where all the big wins concentrate.
Betting Range
Bets run from $0.10 to $200 per spin, making this one of the wider bet ranges for a medium volatility slot. The $0.10 minimum is very accessible and suits the expanding grid mechanic well — at minimum bet, 100 spins costs $10, giving you a meaningful number of spins to experience the respin chain mechanic. The $200 maximum is substantial for higher-stakes play. All symbol multipliers and ways-to-win calculations scale directly with your bet size.
How to Play Book of Gates
- Set your bet using the controls at the bottom of the screen. Start at $0.10 to familiarise yourself with the expanding grid mechanic before increasing stakes.
- Check the paytable — note that the Wild appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 only, and the Scatter appears on reels 1, 3, and 5 only. Only one Wild can appear per reel, and a Wild and Scatter cannot land on the same reel simultaneously.
- Hit spin. The grid starts with 2–5 symbols per reel and 3,125 ways to win. Wins pay from left to right across adjacent reels regardless of symbol height.
- Any winning combination triggers a Respin and unlocks the first hidden row above the grid. The reel height increases to 3–6 symbols, expanding the grid to 7,776 ways. Another win during this respin unlocks the second row (4–7 symbols per reel, 16,807 ways).
- A win during the second respin unlocks the third and final row (5–8 symbols per reel, 32,768 ways). Respins continue until no new winning combination lands, then the grid resets to base size.
- Watch for the Scatter symbol on reels 1, 3, and 5. Three or more Scatters trigger 10 free spins with all three rows pre-unlocked and 32,768 ways to win active from the very first free spin.
- Three or more Scatters landing during free spins retrigger 10 more free spins, keeping the fully expanded 32,768-ways grid active.
Try this: Set $0.20 per spin and run 50 spins to experience the respin chain mechanic — the base game win rate is moderate enough that you should see at least a few row-unlocking sequences, and the progression of the grid opening up is the game’s signature experience before you go higher stakes.
Symbols and Paytable
Four Egyptian god figures (Ra, Osiris, Bastet, Chnum) make up the high-value symbol set. Horus, depicted with a distinctive backdrop, is the top-paying regular symbol. The full paytable requires 3 to 5 matching symbols on adjacent reels from reel 1, and pays are dynamic based on your current bet. Low-value symbols are the standard playing card ranks (10, J, Q, K, A) in Egyptian-styled typography. The Wild (a pharaoh’s mask) appears on reels 2, 3, and 4 and substitutes for all symbols except the Scatter. The Scatter (the Book) appears on reels 1, 3, and 5 and triggers both base-game scatter pays and the free spins feature at 3 or more. Paytable values update dynamically in-game based on your current bet size.
Bonus Features
Expanding Grid and Respins
This is Book of Gates’ defining mechanic and the main reason it stands out in the Egyptian slot category. The base game plays on a 5-reel grid with 2–5 symbols per reel. Three additional rows are locked behind golden gate doors at the top of the reels. Every time a winning combination lands, one of those rows is unlocked and a Respin is awarded. The progression is structured:
- No rows unlocked (base): 2–5 symbols per reel, up to 3,125 ways to win
- 1st row unlocked: 3–6 symbols per reel, up to 7,776 ways to win
- 2nd row unlocked: 4–7 symbols per reel, up to 16,807 ways to win
- 3rd row unlocked: 5–8 symbols per reel, up to 32,768 ways to win
Respins continue as long as wins keep landing. When a respin produces no win, the streak ends and the grid resets to its base configuration for the next spin. A chain of three consecutive wins unlocks the full 32,768-ways grid, and any win on that final expanded grid keeps the streak running. Landing a long win streak on the fully expanded grid is the primary path to the game’s bigger payouts outside of free spins.
Free Spins
Land three or more Scatter symbols on reels 1, 3, and 5 to trigger 10 free spins. Unlike the base game where rows unlock progressively, all three hidden rows are already open at the start of every free spins session — you play the entire 10-spin round at maximum capacity with 32,768 ways to win from spin 1. This is the key difference between the base game and the feature: the fully expanded grid from the outset means every free spin has full win coverage immediately, without needing to chain wins to unlock rows first.
The respin mechanic still applies during free spins — every win during free spins generates a respin, but since all rows are already unlocked, each win keeps the 32,768-ways grid active through the respin. Three or more Scatters during free spins retrigger another 10 spins on the fully expanded grid. There is no stated cap on retriggers.
About BF Games
BF Games (originally BeeFee Games) was founded in London in 2013. They’re part of the LV Group, which operates in Eastern European casino markets including Poland and Latvia, contributing to the studio’s strong regional presence. Notable BF Games titles include Bonnie & Clyde, Magic Hunter, and Aztec Adventure. Book of Gates was released in August 2020 and remains one of their most technically distinctive slots due to the expanding grid mechanic.
Is Book of Gates Worth Playing
Pros:
- Expanding grid mechanic is genuinely unique — progressively unlocking rows through win chains is more engaging than a static reel layout
- 32,768 ways to win during free spins gives exceptional coverage for a 5-reel slot
- Medium volatility keeps the base game active without extended cold stretches
- Respin chains create a sense of momentum that static payline pokies lack
- $0.10 minimum bet is accessible for extended sessions
- Strong visual production — the animated Anubis figure and atmospheric design are genuinely well-executed
Cons:
- Max win of 750x (per BF Games) is modest given the complexity of the mechanic — other sources cite figures between 25x and 11,000x, and BF Games’ official published figure of 750x should be treated as authoritative until independently confirmed in-game
- Hit rate of 18% means the majority of base game spins produce no win at all, which can make the expanding grid feel slow to activate
- Egyptian theme is heavily saturated — the mechanic is original but the theme is not
- Respin chains reset if even one spin lands no win, which can be frustrating when close to unlocking the third row
- Some casinos run a lower 94.17% RTP version — check the paytable before playing
Book of Gates is one of the more mechanically interesting Egyptian pokies available. The progressive row-unlocking system and 32,768-ways free spins grid give it a distinctive identity that most Book-of clones lack. Medium volatility and a $0.10 minimum make it accessible, and the respin chains create genuine in-session momentum. The modest official max win and the saturated theme hold it back from being a standout overall, but for players who want something beyond a standard expanding-symbol free spins mechanic, Book of Gates delivers a genuinely different session feel.
Responsible Gambling
Book of Gates uses a certified Random Number Generator (RNG). Every spin result, including the number of symbols on each reel, is independently determined and cannot be predicted or influenced. The 96.03% RTP is a long-run theoretical figure — short sessions will regularly produce results above and below it. Set a fixed budget before you start. If gambling stops being enjoyable, reach out to a local responsible gambling service for support.