How Mafia is played, in short
Mafia is a 5x3 video slot with 20 fixed paylines. Line up matching card royals or crime-themed symbols left to right on active lines to win. Landing 3 or more Black Car scatter symbols anywhere triggers 12 free spins, where special symbols can apply 5x, 20x or 100x multipliers to wins.
- A wild symbol substitutes for regular icons but not for the scatter
- Bonus buy is not offered — the free spins round can only be triggered naturally
- Min bet is 0.60 and max bet is 160, per third-party listings
Rules, step by step
Mafia runs on a standard five-reel, three-row grid. Wins are formed by matching symbols on paylines, evaluated from left to right starting on the first reel. There are 20 fixed paylines active on every spin; there is no way to reduce or select fewer lines, so every spin costs the full line count at the chosen coin value.
Before spinning, set the bet using the stake controls. Reported figures put the range between 0.60 and 160 per spin, though exact increments shown in a given casino lobby may differ slightly from third-party listings. Press spin and watch the reels stop; any matching symbols on the 20 lines pay automatically according to the paytable, with card royals (9 or 10 through A) forming the low-value hits and crime-themed icons — weapons, cash, cars, mafia characters — forming the higher-value combinations.
The wild symbol appears during regular play and substitutes for any paying symbol except the scatter, helping to complete or upgrade a line win. It carries no built-in multiplier of its own in the base game.
Watch for the Black Car scatter symbol. It pays independent of line position, and landing three or more anywhere on the reels in a single spin triggers the free spins feature, reported at 12 spins per trigger. Whether extra scatters during the round grant additional spins is not documented, so retriggers should not be assumed.
Once free spins begin, the reels behave the same as in the base game, but special multiplier symbols can now appear. When these connect with a win, published multiplier values of 5x, 20x or 100x are applied, which is where the bulk of the game's win potential comes from. There is no bonus buy option, so the only way into this round is a natural scatter trigger.
After the free spins run out, the game returns to the base 20-line format. Volatility is reported as high, so results can be uneven: expect stretches with few or no line wins between scatter triggers, offset by occasional larger hits when the bonus lands and a strong multiplier connects.
Terms used in these rules
A line pattern that is always active; in Mafia all 20 lines pay on every spin, with no option to reduce them.
Symbol that triggers free spins when 3 or more land anywhere on the reels, regardless of payline position.
Symbol that substitutes for regular paying icons to complete or improve a line win; does not substitute for the scatter.
Special symbol appearing only during the bonus round that applies a 5x, 20x or 100x boost to connected wins.
A measure of how win frequency and size vary; Mafia is rated high, meaning uneven results with occasional larger hits.
What to weigh before playing
- Multipliers up to 100x during free spins give the bonus round genuine upside
- No bonus buy, so reaching the free spins round depends entirely on natural scatter hits
- Straightforward 5x3, 20-line structure that's easy to follow once triggers are understood
- High volatility means long stretches without a payout are common
- Free demo access lets you learn the rules before wagering
- Retrigger behaviour during free spins is undocumented, making the bonus harder to predict
How Mafia's rules compare
| Other CQ9 crime-themed slots | Many CQ9 titles share a fixed-payline, scatter-triggered free spins structure; Mafia's distinguishing feature is the tiered 5x/20x/100x multiplier symbol in the bonus. |
|---|---|
| Slots with bonus buy | Unlike titles that let players purchase the feature directly, Mafia only offers entry through landing 3+ scatters naturally during play. |
| Low-volatility 20-line slots | Mafia's high volatility means base-game wins land less consistently than in low-variance 20-line games, shifting the payout weight toward the bonus round. |
Confirmed game mechanics
- 5x3 reel layout with 20 fixed paylines
- Wild symbol substitutes for regular paying icons, not for the scatter
- Black Car scatter triggers free spins when 3+ land anywhere on the reels
- Free spins round reported at 12 spins per trigger
- Special symbols during free spins apply 5x, 20x or 100x multipliers to wins
- No bonus buy option available
About CQ9 Gaming
CQ9 Gaming is an Asia-focused slot studio whose catalog spans video slots, fishing games and table titles distributed through online casino platforms across several regulated and unregulated markets. Its game list confirms Mafia as a released title, though the studio's own site does not publish a dedicated spec page with RTP, volatility or paytable details for it — those figures come from third-party slot databases and review sites instead.
Rules questions players ask
Does the wild symbol substitute for the scatter in Mafia?
No. The wild substitutes for regular paying symbols to complete line wins but does not replace the Black Car scatter.
How many scatters do I need to trigger free spins?
Landing 3 or more Black Car scatter symbols anywhere on the reels in a single spin triggers the free spins round.
Can I retrigger free spins once the round starts?
This is not documented in available sources. Additional scatters during the bonus may or may not add extra spins, so it should not be assumed.
Is there a way to buy the free spins feature directly?
No. Mafia does not offer a bonus buy option; the round can only be reached by landing scatters during regular play.