Best Online Casinos in the UK 2025 – Top Real Money Casino Sites

By Jose Del Pozo - Wednesday 4th June 2025 10:46 AM

If you’re here, then you’re interested in playing at online casinos in the UK. We’re about to reveal to you the leading UK online casinos – brands with great games, a solid reputation and proper, reliable licensing. We’re also going to tell you what you need to look out for when making your own online casino choices. Let’s get things spinning with a quick list of UK online casinos that we know you’re going to adore.

List of Best UK Online Casinos

Our Breakdown of the Top UK Online Casinos

Let’s now deal with the very best online casino UK sites that are currently available. We’ve broken them down by category, selecting a top site depending on what we think matters most to UK casino players, as not all casino players are built from the same kit.

1. Premier Award-Winning Casino – 21LuckyBet

21LuckyBet is our top choice for the best all-around casino as offered to online casino players in the UK. This tip-top UK online casino is run by the brilliant ProgressPlay Limited, and is fully and completely licensed for UK players by the UKGC. It has an absolutely fantastic array of games, but we’ve awarded it the numero uno slot on our list because of the overall casino experience it generates, from top bonuses to ultra-convenient payment methods and everything in between.

	21LuckyBet Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2022
Owner:	ProgressPlay Limited
Licence:	UKGC, MGA
Welcome Bonus:	100% up to £200 + free spins

The 21LuckyBet UK casino online is genuinely hot for slots with countless games from renowned providers such as Games Global, ELK Studios, Thunderkick, Inspired Gaming and many more. This is just to warm you up, though – dig deeper for all the potential casino games you can think of, including an amazing array of live casino games from Playtech and Evolution. Add on a convenient range of payment options such as cards, PayPal, ApplePay and several eWallets, plus an ever-evolving array of stellar bonuses, and you’ll soon agree with us – 21LuckyBet is the top dog!

Why Play at LuckyBet?

• Many hundreds of entertaining games
• So easy to get money into and out of your account
• Customer support is always available to help you out
• Fully and properly licensed by the UKGC

2. Best Casino for Slots – Casumo

We love Casumo, and we have done so for years. ‘Casumo’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘casino’ and ‘sumo’, and Casumo’s mascot used to be a charming fellah wandering around in a mawashi – the only item of clothing worn in the ring by sumo wrestlers. Sadly, Mr Casumo has retired, but Casumo is still more than worthy of a place on any UK online casino real money best sites list. This long-established UKGC-licensed site has always maintained a fine reputation for the standards of its slots and casino games, as well as just about everything else.

	Casumo Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2012
Owner:	Recro Limited
Licence:	UKGC
Welcome Bonus:	100% up to £100 + 50 bonus spins

Casumo had a change of ownership in 2023 as it was purchased by the Maltese company Recro, and while this has prompted a tame re-skinning, the quality of what Casumo provides has only been enhanced. This UK online casino site really is a slots player’s heaven, with all the classics and new releases from leading providers such as Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, NoLimit City, Push Gaming and Playtech. If any top slotting provider releases a new slot, it’s a sure bet that you’ll swiftly find it at Casumo. It’s not, though, just slots where this site scores highly … it’s just about everything else too!

Why Play at Casumo?

• Long-established name, since 2012
• Re-skin and new owners in 2023 have made it even better!
• So many slots … too many to count …
• Excels in all other casino departments too!

3. Online Blackjack Specialist – HighBet

While there is no doubt that slots tend to rule the roost when it comes to online casino games, not every UK casino player is hot for slots. If you prefer a game where you have to engage your brain to get the most out of it, then blackjack is probably the casino game that gets your knees trembling. In that case, we recommend you head to HighBet to satisfy your blackjack needs. This SCGO-run online casino popped online in 2021 and has been impressing blackjack players ever since. Even if blackjack leaves you cold, there’s still plenty to enjoy at this impressive UK online casino.

	HighBet Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2021
Owner:	SCGO Limited
Licence:	UKGC
Welcome Bonus:	50 Free Spins on Big Bass Splash

So, how many blackjack options do you have at HighBet? In terms of live casino blackjack, you’ll find dozens of tables provided by Pragmatic Play, Evolution and Creedroomz. Away from the live tables, there’s Perfect Strategy Blackjack, Vegas Single Deck Blackjack and ReDeal Blackjack, all from Games Global; Pascal Gaming’s terrific Turbo Blackjack and Blackjack Xchange from Slingo Games. There are even more titles beyond that short list, which, whichever way you look at is an impressive one!

Why play at HighBet?

• Nearly 20 different blackjack variants
• Dozens of live blackjack tables from Pragmatic Play & others
• Impressive gaming catalogue overall
• Accepts cards, eWallets and bank transfers

4. Tops for Roulette Games – Ladbrokes Casino

There’s a slight chance that you’d never heard of 21LuckyBet, Casumo or HighBet before finding these pages. There’s no chance, though – even if you’ve never played a casino game or placed a bet in your life – that you haven’t heard of Ladbrokes. One of the best UK betting sites, Ladbrokes has been a UK company since 1886. Now a joint company with Coral, Ladbrokes provides UK punters with every flavour of gambling activity imaginable – betting, casino games, bingo and poker.

	Ladbrokes Casino – Key Features
Launched:	1886 (real world), 2000 (online)
Owner:	Entain
Licence:	UKGC
Welcome Bonus:	Bet £10, Get £30

Unlike most other online casinos in the UK, Ladbrokes offers several exclusive, Ladbrokes-only live casino tables, including roulette. The standard Ladbrokes live casino roulette table accepts bets as low as 10p per spin with a table limit of £1,800. There’s also Quantum Roulette Live and Who Wants to be a Millionaire Live Roulette with an extra quizzy twist. Don’t worry if you don’t ‘like it live’ as there are plenty of software-based titles too, and most of them are exclusive, such as European Roulette Pro, Bonus x 10 Roulette and Hotspot Roulette – enough choice to get your head spinning, just like the wheel!

Why play at Ladbrokes?

• A familiar UK name that you can really trust
• Daily free spins on the free-to-play game
• Brilliant array of live casino titles
• Covers all gambling bases possible

5. Best for Live Casino Games – 888casino

The 888 group of gambling companies was probably the first internet-only gambling company to launch online. It soon gained traction for its poker platform, but quickly players from all over the UK were flocking to see what else 888 could provide, and soon 888 was providing everything! Despite all the competition it has to now do battle with, you can’t fault 888 for what it does as it does everything brilliantly, and in our minds, it particularly excels when it comes to its live casino.

	888casino – Key Features
Launched:	1997 (as Casino-on-Net)
Owner:	Virtual Global Digital Services
Licence:	UKGC, Gibraltar
Welcome Bonus:	50 no-deposit free spins + 100% bonus up to £200

The live casino at the 888Casino really does cover everything, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, casino poker and game shows. It has a number of 888 exclusives such as Quickseat Blackjack, Vegas Sports Roulette and 888 Rooftop Roulette. All tables are hosted by experienced croupiers and decked out in that familiar 888casino green. The game shows at the 888Casino are provided by live casino top dogs Evolution, with entertaining titles such as Crazy Balls, The Money Drop Live and Treasure Island. If you love live casino games, then you’ll love the 888casino.

Why Play at 888casino?

• An entirely authentic live casino experience
• 50 no-deposit free spins, just for signing up
• Nearly 30 years of service
• The poker offerings at the site are excellent, too

6. Smoothest Mobile Casino – Betfair Casino

Quick! Where’s your phone? Yeah, we know … it’s right there! You’re never more than a couple of feet away from your phone, and you’re never more than a couple of seconds from enjoying the smooth mobile casino experience at Betfair once you’ve unlocked your screen. Weighing in at a tight 28.5 MB on iPhone and iPads, and 23.8 MB on Android devices, the Betfair casino app will give you the full UK online casino experience on your device without gobbling up all your precious phone space.

	Betfair Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2000
Owner:	Flutter Entertainment
Licence:	UKGC
Welcome Bonus:	50 Free Spins

If you’re not a fan of having gambling apps on your mobile devices, then don’t despair, as you don’t even have to download the app to use the Betfair casino on your iPhone, iPad or Android tablet. Just fire up your favourite mobile browser and head to the Betfair casino site in the same way that you would on desktop. Betfair casino is everything that you expect it to be, with classic slots plus hot new slots such as Elysian Gold, Squealin Riches 2 and Dumb and Dumber: Route to Riches. The site and app of course, has table games too and plenty of them, plus a magnificent live casino provided by Evolution and Pragmatic Play.

Why Play at Betfair Casino?

• Downloadable apps for iOS and Android
• Another trusted, long-established name
• Does betting, exchange betting, bingo and virtual sports too
• Live casino games from Evolution and Pragmatic Play

7. Best Payout Casino – Paddy Power Casino

Let’s quantify this one first – by ‘best payout casino’ we don’t mean which online casino pays out the most. No licensed casino pays out more frequently or less frequently than any other licensed casino, no matter which games you play. By ‘best payout casino’ we mean which online casinos pays out quickly and with the minimum of fuss, and we have bestowed that honour on Paddy Power. It’s another famous name, for sure, but with the range of payment options and the speed of the payments, you’ll never be waiting more than an hour for your withdrawn winnings.

	Paddy Power Casino – Key Features
Launched:	1998 (real world), 2004 (online)
Owner:	Flutter Entertainment
Licence:	UKGC
Welcome Bonus:	60 free spins + 100 free spins for a £10 deposit

So, how do you get money out of your Paddy Power account (once you’ve put some in and have come good on the slots)? Visa debit cards are the best way with instant payments, but MasterCard debit cards are pretty swift too. Direct bank transfers via Instant Bank Transfers are instant as well, and even eWallets such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller can take less than four hours. That should cover most options when it comes to banking, and one added bonus at Paddy Power – no minimum withdrawal limits! Even if you have 1p in your Paddy Power account, you are completely free to withdraw it to your debit card, bank account or eWallet.

Why Play at Paddy Power?

• Offers the speediest payouts, always hassle-free
• No minimum withdrawal limit
• Spin the ‘Wonder Wheel’ every day for free
• 60 free spins on signing up + 100 more for £10 deposit

8. Player Favourite for Bonuses – JeffBet

We don’t know 100% who started up JeffBet, but we could wager on their name not being Brian! This, like our number one pick 21LuckyBet, is a UK online casino site that has been put together by online casino giants ProgressPlay. Despite ProgressPlay being a Maltese company, JeffBet is fully operational in the UK thanks to PP’s UKGC licence. There are plenty of reasons why we could have selected JeffBet to appear on our ‘top UK casinos’ list, but we’ve decided it qualifies because of the consistent selection of bonuses it provides its players.

	JeffBet Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2022
Owner:	ProgressPlay
Licence:	UKGC, MGA
Welcome Bonus:	100% up to £100 + free spins

The bonus bonanza at JeffBet begins with a decent 100% welcome bonus up to £100. If you make the minimum £10 deposit required to obtain this bonus, you also obtain 50 free spins on Rainbow Riches Megaways. Free spins winnings need to be wagered only 35 times over before withdrawal, and that goes for the bonus money too. Other top bonuses at JeffBet include Cashback Weekends, where, as long as you deposit a minimum of £25 and use the correct bonus code, you’ll get 15% back on all your casino losses up to £500. JeffBet regularly unleashes bonus codes to help promote any tasty new slot that’s added to the site, so always check the JeffBet bonus page. Oh, and every weekend you get the chance to win up to 500 free spins on the ‘Wheel of Spins’ as long as you deposit £20 or more with the required JeffBet bonus code.

Why Play at JeffBet?

• 100% welcome bonus + 100 free spins
• 15% Cashback available Friday to Sunday
• Win up to 500 free spins every single week
• Massive gaming catalogue covering all disciplines

9. Top PayPal Casino – MagicRed Casino

Somehow, we have managed to mention nearly a dozen online casinos on this page without picking a single AspireGlobal side. To correct this heinous oversight, we’ve plucked out the MagicRed Casino as our top UK online casino that accepts payments from and withdrawals to PayPal accounts. This amazing online casino has a lot to offer, including games from all the usual classic slotting software providers such as Pragmatic Play, Play’n GO, Blueprint Gaming, Eyecon and many more. There’s a fantastic live casino too, plus – if you are sportingly inclined – a fully-formed sports betting site.

	MagicRed Casino – Key Features
Launched:	2014
Owner:	AG Communications Limited
Licence:	UKGC, MGA
Welcome Bonus:	100% bonus up to £100

Don’t think that this is a PayPal-only casino – far from it! The list of available payment options is full of convenient options including Visa, Mastercard, ApplePay, Trustly, MuchBetter, Skrill and Paysafecard. The site will try and honour withdrawal requests as quickly as possible, so you should, under most circumstances, have your money within minutes! The Magic Red Casino is also hot on bonuses, including the selection of a slot each week to be ‘Game of the Week’ – just play the selected slot to really reel in the benefits!

Why Play at MagicRed?

• AG Communications (AspireGlobal) are industry giants
• Plenty of convenient payment methods, including PayPal
• All the big names provide the software
• Play for the ‘Game of the Week’ for extra benefits

How the Best UK Online Casinos Compare

As no one goes to the internet for a bit of extended reading, we’ve broken down the key aspects of online casino play, such as the welcome bonus available, the size of the gaming catalogue and the payment options available, and listed them in the table below. You can therefore compare each of our chosen selections against the others, ideally easing the process of selecting the UK online casino that’s best for you.

Casino	Founded	No. of Games	Welcome Bonus	UKGC Licence
21LuckyBet	2022	2.500+	100% up to £200 + free spins	39335
Casumo	2012	3,500+	100% up to £100 + 50 bonus spins	61549
HighBet	2021	2,300+	50 Free Spins on Big Bass Splash	44662
Ladbrokes Casino	2000	540+	Bet £10, Get £30	54743
888casino	1997	2,000+	50 no-deposit free spins + 100% bonus up to £200	39028
Betfair Casino	2000	2,300+	50 free spins	39435
Paddy Power Casino	2004	2,000+	60 free spins + 100 free spins for a £10 deposit	39426
JeffBet	2022	1,200+	100% up to £100 + free spins	39335
MagicRed Casino	2014	1,300+	100% bonus up to £100	39483

What to Consider When Choosing a UK Casino

If you’re new to UK casinos online, then you’ll soon understand you have hundreds of casinos on the internet to choose from. How do you decide which casino is full of hot slots, and which has versions of video poker that payout roughly once a millennium?

We’ve summed up what we’d look for if we were in your shoes. Check the list of key factors below, and what you need to consider before making your decision.

1. Game Selection – First, you need to make sure that the casino has the games you want to play. Look for plenty of slots if you’re a big fan of those, and make sure that the casino has the table games you enjoy. This is especially important if you like to play particular versions, such as French Roulette or Single Deck Blackjack.

2. Bonuses and Promotions – Look for reload bonuses, bespoke bonuses and free-to-play games where you have a chance of winning withdrawable cash. Also, check wagering requirements. Anything above 30x to 40x can be ignored.

3. Mobile Experience – Most sites on any UK online casinos list will offer apps you can download and install to iOS and Android-powered phones and tablets. Take those for a test drive, or visit casino sites without apps on a mobile browser to make sure they perform well.

4. Payment Methods – If you don’t like exposing your debit card details on the internet, look for alternatives such as PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, PaysafeCard, Payz, MuchBetter and – in the case of non-UKGC online casinos – cryptocurrencies.

5. Customer Support – Check to see that adequate customer support is available. Ideally, Live Chat should be available around the clock. If a casino also has a helpful FAQ area and additional support via email and/or telephone, that’s even better.

6. Licensing and Safety – The gold standard as far as licensing goes for UK casinos online is the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. If the site you are intending to play at has a UKGC licence, then you can rest assured that it’s legitimate. Other regulators, such as those in Malta, Gibraltar and Alderney, can also be trusted.

UK Casino Bonuses and Promotions

One of the most attractive reasons for playing at online casinos in the UK is the prospect of earning bonuses, both as a new and returning player. If you are something of a bonus bounty hunter, then below you’ll find details of the types of bonuses you can expect to find at the sites on our UK online casinos list.

New Player Bonuses

New player bonuses are offered to attract prospective customers, who then sign up and explore the casino’s offerings. The main types are:

💰 Welcome Bonus

The most common bonus at UK casinos online is the welcome bonus. This is typically in the form of a 100% bonus up to a maximum amount. You may get 200% or 50% bonuses too. If you deposit £30 at a casino offering a 100% bonus, you will receive £30 in bonus cash.

Bonus cash is like store credit – you can only spend it at the store … er … casino. You are free to keep any winnings you make from its use, though, after you’ve completed wagering. Wagering is the amount of your own money you need to gamble with before you can withdraw, based on a multiple of your bonus value, plus sometimes the value of your deposit. For example, 35x D+B means ‘you need to wager 35 times the value of your deposit and bonus’. In the cash of a £30 bonus, this would equate to £2,100 (35 x £30 + £30).

💰 Free Spins

Many UK online casinos offer free spins as an alternative to a welcome bonus, or in addition to one. Free spins are spins on slots that you don’t have to use your own money for. They can be tied to a single slot, a range of slots or any slot the site offers. Once you have used your free spins, you will be eligible to withdraw any winnings immediately. It is more common, though, that you will have to complete wagering before you can withdraw. This will again be a multiple of your winnings amount, so if wagering is 30x and you win £20, then you’ll need to wager £600 of your own money before you can withdraw.

💰 Cashback

Like death, taxes and a new series of The Simpsons, losses at online casinos in the UK are inevitable. Many sites offer cashback deals to newbies to help soften the blow of slotting and table games losses. This will be for a set percentage (10% is a good ballpark figure) and for a set period (usually 24 hours). Say, during your first 24 hours as a new customer at a UK casino site offering cashback you make £50 in losses. Then, because of your cashback deal of 10%, you get back £5 of your losses.

Cashback is usually paid to you directly as cash, but at some UK online casino real money sites, you may be required to work through wagering first.

Bonuses for Existing Players

The best casinos also offer bonuses to existing players. This gives them an incentive to stick around for the long term instead of simply moving on to grab a welcome bonus somewhere else. Again, there are several types:

💵 Reload Bonus

There is really no difference between a reload bonus and a welcome bonus, except that you can claim a reload bonus after you’ve claimed and worked through your welcome bonus or free spins once you’ve completed your registration at the site offering the bonus. Indeed, you do not have to even claim a welcome bonus/free spins when signing up to be eligible for a reload bonus.

The frequency of the availability of reload bonuses differs on a site-by-site basis. Some will offer a monthly, weekly or even daily reload bonus. Some sites will even offer a reload bonus on every deposit you make at their UK online casino site. No matter the frequency of reload bonuses offered, always make sure you check the T&Cs attached.

💵 Casino Tournaments

The sceptics may claim that casino tournaments are simply ways of getting you to part with more of your own cash, but they can be fun as long as you are sensible. In a tournament, you compete with other players, with the winner being the player who wins the most. Usually, slots are selected for tournaments, but casino games such as blackjack can be selected too.

Tournaments last for a specific amount of time, usually 24 hours. If you opt in to the tournament, then every penny you win playing the nominated game(s) will add to your tally on the leaderboard. The more you win, the higher you climb. Once time is up, the names towards the top of the leaderboard earn themselves prizes, with the higher the podium finish, the bigger the bounty.

💵 Birthday Bonus

If you sign up at a UK online casino with a UKGC licence, then you will very probably have to declare your date of birth. This is so the casino can positively confirm you are of the legal age for gambling, and also to help identify you. Both of these are requirements for owning a UKGC licence. Non-UKGC casinos may also ask for your birthdate, or give you the option of indicating your birthday.

If the casino knows your birthday, then you may be eligible for a birthday bonus. This could be anything – free spins, a reload bonus, some free chips for the live casino or … well, use your imagination!

💵 Loyalty Programs

Online casinos in the UK love loyal players, because it’s loyal players who spend the most money! While loyalty programs are unpopular at UKGC-licensed casinos (because they’re not popular with the UKGC) non-UKGC online casinos frequently offer loyalty schemes (or VIP schemes) as an incentive for players to keep coming back.

The simplest loyalty programs reward you for wagering your own money. The more you wager, the higher up the scheme you rise, and the better the benefits. Benefits include better bonuses, speedier withdrawal times, higher rates of cashback and exclusive deals. Top-rated VIPs get the ultimate jewel – the services of a dedicated personal account manager.

Loyalty programs or VIP schemes have their detractors, but, as with all things online casino-related, as long as you’re sensible with them, you should be fine.

Benefits of New UK Casinos

Surely the UK online gambling scene is bloated with online casinos now, so companies do not bother opening new ones, right? Wrong! New UK online casino sites open their virtual doors all the time. Many of them disappear within a few months, but many others survive to become important and popular names within the UK casinos online scene. New casinos are also important as they keep all those established names on their toes! Static casinos that never update their bonuses or their catalogue of games soon lose popularity, and more importantly (to them), their customers!

Are there any benefits in playing at a new casino, or should you stick to the tried and trusted names? Well, you certainly have nothing to lose in trying any new online casino UK players have been flooding, and you have everything to gain – at the very least a welcome bonus or some free spins. Just like visiting a restaurant you’ve not been to before, by looking over a new online casino, you might just uncover a new slots or table games dish that delights you!

We’ve put together a quick list of some of the latest online casino names to enter the ever-evolving UK online casinos scene.

Casino	Founded	No. of Games	Welcome Bonus	Licensed by
21LuckyBet	2022	2.500+	100% up to £200 + free spins	39335
BetMorph	2021	3,300+	Up to £300 + free spins	39335
HighBet	2021	2,300+	50 free spins on Big Bass Splash	44662
Midnite	2023	1,900+	Wager £20, get 100 free spins	42647
Pub Casino	2023	1,500+	100% bonus up to £100	38758
Bally Casino	2023	900+	Play £10, get 30 free spins	38905
Spinyoo Casino	2021	1,000+	100% up to £250 + 100 spins	52894
JeffBet	2022	1,200+	100% up to £100 + free spins	39335
NRG.Bet Casino	2024	700+	Wager £25 & get 80 bonus spins	63635

Popular Online Casino Games in the UK

If you are new to UK online casinos, then you might just be wondering what kind of games you can play at them. You can wonder no more, as we are about to discuss them. Keep reading to see what’s typically on offer.

Slots

People in the UK grew up with ‘fruit machines’ in pubs, arcades and bookies. Online slots have a very similar format, but are derived from the video slots that invaded Las Vegas in the 1980s. Although there is a huge variety of online slots, most of them have five reels, three or four rows and multiple winning paylines.

Slots also have bonus games, wild symbols, scatters, progressive jackpots, expanding reels, marching wilds … so many features in fact that it’s impossible to list them all. Most online casinos will have hundreds, if not thousands of slots for you to choose from. If you find them bewildering, play simple slots first, such as Fluffy Favourites, Starburst and Immortal Romance, before moving on to more feature-rich ones.

If you are accustomed to playing at non-UKGC casinos online, then you will notice some slots features are not available at UKGC-licensed casinos, such as autoplay, turbo spins, buying a feature and gambling wins.

Blackjack

Blackjack is the classic casino card game that everyone knows the rules to … or at least they think they do. In truth, casino blackjack is slightly different to the kind of blackjack you might play with friends and family. When you are playing blackjack at a casino, the aim of the game is to take the necessary steps to outdo the dealer as opposed to simply scoring as close to 21 as possible without going bust.

Online casinos usually have multiple forms of blackjack available. If you are struggling to understand which one you should choose to give yourself the best chance of winning, then avoid versions of blackjack with side games, and also go for versions with the minimum number of decks, ideally one.

Roulette

Roulette is by far the most popular gambling game at casinos that does not involve playing cards. No matter what anyone may say, roulette is purely a game of chance and nothing more. Players have been trying to come up with fail-proof roulette systems for decades, and yet we’ve never heard of a successful one (and if we had, we wouldn’t tell you anyway).

This classic casino game is simply a case of selecting your numbers, watching the spin of the wheel and hoping that you win. The golden rule when it comes to roulette at online casinos is to find American Roulette and then ignore it completely. With its double-zero, the house edge with American Roulette is so poor it’s not worth playing. If you have the choice, choose European or French Roulette, or any ‘normal’ kind of roulette with a single-zero wheel.

Baccarat

Baccarat is not that much of a popular option when it comes to playing casino games at UK online casinos. Unlike blackjack, the casino version of baccarat is not a game of skill. Cards are drawn and selected depending on specific scenarios, meaning you are basically betting on the flip of a coin (including whether a coin will land on its edge).

You will see versions of baccarat called ‘punto banco’, which is French for ‘player banker’. All versions of baccarat are actually punto banco, as punto banco is a form of baccarat specifically derived for casino play. The other two versions of blackjack are chemin de fer and banque, but neither is suitable for play at casinos, online or in the real world.

Casino Poker

Interest in poker exploded once the internet appeared in most households globally. So much so that the then gambling-opposed US took special steps to ban real-money poker play in 2011. Casinos, and online casinos in particular, have tried to jump onto the poker bandwagon by offering versions of poker that you can play ‘heads-up’ against the dealer.

Texas Hold’em is the most popular form of poker and the most popular form of casino poker, in which players play a rule-choked version of hold’em in an attempt to beat the dealer. If you enjoy playing poker online, then you may enjoy playing casino poker, but we feel that there are better ways of playing casino games with the hope of winning real money.

Game Shows

If a UK online casino site has a live casino, then it’s going to have game shows. These are games that have been given a casino-style twist and then presented to online casino players via a live video feed. It’s the closest you’ll probably get to game show participation without actually being a contestant or audience member.

Examples include Dreamcatcher, which is a game show version of keno with a presenter spinning the wheel, and Monopoly Live, which (again) is a version of keno but with dice rolls included, allowing the presenter to preside over a version of the unfathomably popular property-buying lifestyle-destroying board game.

Other popular game shows at UK casinos online include Crazy Time (keno again), Lightning Storm (er … keno), Fireball Roulette and Crazy Ball (bingo). Evolution is the king of online casino game shows, with Pragmatic Play and Playtech giving them at least a little competition.

Other Games

A quick look at some other games you might be able to find at online casinos in the UK.

• Video poker – A version of draw poker in which you aim to get a scoring hand.
• Slingo – An entertaining mix of slots and bingo.
• Sic Bo – A dice game that has the same principles as roulette.
• Keno – A lottery-style game in which you choose how many numbers you wish to bet on.
• Craps – Shouty dice game popular in the US, not so much in the UK.
• Plinko – A bagatelle-style game based on the popular Japanese pastime of pachinko.
• Crash Games – Games where risk is everything – the more you risk, the more you can win, but the more likely you are to lose.
• Pai Gow Poker – A strange ‘two hands’ version of poker invented purely for casino play.
• Andar Bahar – An Asian card game that’s purely the playing card version of tossing a coin.
• Teen Patti – A more involved Asian card game that’s close to three-card brag or poker.

Live Dealer Games

The first live dealer games appeared in the mid-2010s and spread throughout online casinos like COVID-19. Once internet speeds gained sufficient velocity to make live streaming possible, a few online gambling companies (such as Playtech) decided to live stream casino play. This was initially done at real casinos (with players being able to make bets via software), but software developers soon created their own ‘TV-style’ studios decorated to look like real casinos.

Anyone with an account at a UK casino online that has live dealer games can play blackjack, baccarat, roulette, game shows and much more. Bets are placed and decisions made (when required) via software, but all random elements (dealing of cards, spinning of balls) are performed by croupiers as they would at a real casino.

Which Game to Play?

All of the games we’ve discussed are entertaining, but if you want to see how the most popular games stack up against each other before playing, here’s what you can expect in terms of typical house edge percentages:

Game	House Edge
Blackjack	0.5% (Play according to Perfect Strategy)
Baccarat	1.5%
European Roulette	2.7%
American Roulette	5.26%
Slots	4%+ (Can be lower if you look around)

UK Casino Payment Methods

It’s easy to get money into any of your UK casinos online account, and most online casinos offer multiple options. We look now at the commonly available payment methods for deposits and withdrawals, outlining which payment methods are accepted by UK online casinos with UKGC licences, and which aren’t.

✅ Accepted Payment Options

The most commonly accepted payment methods at UK online casinos are:

Debit Cards

Practically all sites on any UK online casinos list accept Visa and MasterCard debit cards for deposits and withdrawals. Deposits are usually instant and come with no fees. Withdrawals usually come with no fees, too, and while some casinos pay via debit card instantly, others may take up to three days.

eWallets

When paying for goods and services online you may use an eWallet such as PayPal. You can transfer money into your PayPal account or withdraw the money from your attached bank account instantly. You can use eWallets such as PayPal at many UK online casinos too. Such deposits and withdrawals are quick and come without fees.

The other most common eWallets used by online casinos are Skrill and Neteller, with others including Payz (formerly known as ecoPayz) and MuchBetter.

Apple Pay

If you are making a deposit at an online casino on your iPhone, then you may be able to use Apple Pay, as long as you have a debit card or bank account attached to Apple Pay on your device. When you are making a deposit via Apple Pay, just confirm the deposit as you would any other Apple Pay transaction by double-clicking on the side button or using Face ID.

No matter what some online casinos in the UK may claim, you cannot use Apple Pay for withdrawals.

Google Pay

If you are an Android user, then you may be able to use Google Pay in the same way that iOS users can use Apple Pay. It works in the same fashion – you need a debit card or bank account attached to your Google Wallet, and then you use Google Pay to make the deposit from your wallet using your mobile. Sadly, Google Pay is not as widely accepted for online payments at UK casinos online as Apple Pay.

Just like Apple Pay, you cannot use Google Pay online at UK casinos for withdrawals.

Pay by Mobile

Once widely accepted, ‘Pay by Mobile’ systems such as Boku have been kicked to the kerb by UK online casinos. Such payment systems allowed users to make deposits (but not withdrawals) via their mobile phone bill. Payments were charged and added to carrier bills to be paid at a later date. Deposits were limited (usually to £30) and came with fees.

Such payment systems have largely been dropped as (a) they were unpopular due to limits and fees, (b) they were seen as ‘buy now, pay later’ payment systems and not responsible gambling-friendly, and (c) they’ve been superseded by Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Some online casinos in the UK may accept ‘pay by mobile’ options, but we feel they are better ways of making payments.

Bank Wire

Bank wires sound American, which is where they originated as a means of transferring payments across telegraph lines in the 1870s. These days, a bank wire means any way of transferring money directly from a bank account to a bank account using any electronic means, including over the internet.

When it comes to online casinos, most banks will allow you to transfer money electronically or via banking apps to the casino directly, without the involvement of a third party. Such methods, though, are slow and may come with fees. It’s probably easier to use a debit card or eWallet to make or receive payments instead.

❌ Excluded Payment Options

The following payment options are not allowed at UK online casinos with a UKGC licence. A site with alternative licences may permit their use, though.

Credit Cards

The use of credit cards at online casinos with UKGC licences was outlawed in 2020. This was to prevent gamblers with issues running up expensive credit card bills that they could not afford to pay.

Cryptocurrencies

The use of cryptocurrencies at UK casinos online that have UKGC licenses is not banned, but UKGC-licensed casinos in the UK do not offer cryptocurrencies as a payment method – but why?

The answer is money laundering – the process by which ‘dirty’ money from illegal activities is turned into ‘clean’ money that can then be transferred to bank accounts and other types of monetary accounts. The UKGC will hammer (and has done) any online casino that doesn’t take the necessary steps to prevent money laundering.

As cryptocurrencies are not regulated (which in the UK would need to be by the Financial Services Authority) and leave no obvious paper trail, UK casinos do not risk accepting them in case they fall foul of money laundering regulations, and then to a massive fine from the UKGC.

Revolut

Revolut is a bank that only exists online, and comes with a banking app which users use for all their transactions. The app automatically comes with restrictions, including making and receiving payments to entities identified as gambling companies. This ‘gambling block’ restriction can be turned off, but still all UKGC-licensed gambling sites will not accept Revolut as a payment method.

So why is this? Revolut styles itself on being flexible, merging debit payments, credit payments and currency exchange and even crypto. Because of this flexibility, UK casinos accepting Revolut run the risk of accepting credit payments or money laundering via foreign exchanges or crypto.

In addition, Revolut does not itself wish to fall foul of sanctions for permitting irresponsible gambling, which is why it places a gambling block on its app by default.

Banking Method	Acceptance	Av. Speed of Deposit	Av. Speed of Withdrawal	Fees?
Debit cards	Universal	Instant	Instant-3 days	Unlikely
eWallets	High	Instant	Instant-3 days	Unlikely
Apple Pay	Average	Instant	Not available	Unlikely
Google Pay	Poor	Instant	Not available	Unlikely
Pay By Mobile	Poor	Up to 1 hour	Not available	Always
Bank Wire	Aveage	Up to 3 days	Up to 7 days	Highly Likely

How to Start Playing at Online Casinos

The process by which you gain an account at an online casino differs depending on which site you are joining, but it will usually follow a fairly typical standard, which we outline for you below.

1. Choose which UK casino online you would like to join. Why not try out one of our suggestions? Make your choice and use the links we provide to navigate to the site.
2. Hunt around the site for a button that says ‘JOIN’, ‘SIGN UP’ or ‘REGISTER’ – sites usually put them in the top right corner of their home page. Click the button to get started.
3. Fill in all the required information. This will usually involve filling in your name, address (including postcode), mobile phone number, email address, date of birth and anything else that might be relevant.
4. Check to ‘opt-in’ to the welcome offer if (a) you need to opt-in as many sites do not hand the bonus to you automatically, and (b) you are intending to claim it. You may also be asked to opt in to communications such as marketing SMSs and emails.
5. Click the confirmation button to register your account.
6. You may have to confirm you have access to the email and mobile phone number you’ve entered by replying to a confirmation email or text message, although not all sites expect this.
7. That’s it! Your account should be up and running. Note that if you have self-excluded via GAMSTOP in the past, some sites may not allow you to join, and some sites may wish to speak to you via support before your account is activated.
8. Head to the cashier and make your initial deposit (make sure to deposit enough for the welcome bonus if you intend to claim it) and get playing.

Top Tips from Expert Players

Want to get the most from your UK online casino play? Of course you do! To give yourself the best chance of enjoying a positive experience, follow these expert tips. All these useful titbits come from members of our team, all of whom are experienced online casino players themselves.

✅ Play Low-House-Edge Games

The house edge is the advantage the house (that is, the casino) has over you in the long run. The key to winning at casino games is to hit a lucky streak, but as hitting a streak cannot be predicted, you can reduce your chances of losses by playing games with low house edges.

Blackjack (single deck – if you can find it) typically has the lowest house edge at 0.5%, but only if you play with perfect strategy (see below). Craps (certain bets only) is around 1%, baccarat 1.5% and European (not American) roulette 2.7%. Online slots vary, but average 4-5%. Video poker averages out about the same.

Games to avoid? Keno is basically a lottery, with a massive potential advantage to the house of 25%. ‘Big Wheel Six’ is another keno/lotto-style game with a house edge approaching 23%. Some bets in craps are horrendous, such as hard hops (doubles) and any seven both of which have RTPs around 14-17%.

✅ Use Perfect Strategy for Blackjack

Blackjack is basically the only casino game where skill is required, as it involves decision-making. No matter the house edge, if you draw on 18 all the time, for example, you’re going to be losing all your money.

This classic casino card game is a game of fixed probabilities. For example, if you have 5 and 6 against a dealer’s upturned 4, then the probability of you winning can be maximised by following mathematical rules. This is known as ‘perfect strategy’. It’s like chess – no matter the position of the pieces on the board, there is always a ‘best move’. Fortunately, while there are more potential positions in chess than atoms in the observable universe, this is not the case with blackjack. After the deal, there are only 260. To learn basic strategy in blackjack, you just need to learn what to do in all 260 situations.

Don’t worry if that sounds a lot, as many of them are intuitive, such as never hitting on 17 or over, and only hitting rarely on totals of 12 to 16 if the dealer has less than 7. Split all pairs (most of the time) unless you have two 5s or 10s, and always double down on 11 (except if the dealer is showing an ace). Learning perfect strategy for blackjack is much easier than it initially looks, and is crucial if you want to minimise the house edge.

✅ Understand Volatility

In casino terms, ‘volatility’ usually refers to slots, but it can be applied to other casino games. It’s perhaps easiest to understand if applied to roulette. A low volatility bet would be on red/black, for example. You would win this bet roughly 50% of the time, but when you did win, you would only double your money. A high volatility bet would be on a single number. This number would come up, on average, only once every 37 spins (if playing single-zero roulette, which we hope you are), but when it did, you would win 35 times your stake.

In short, low volatility means ‘win little, but often’ and high volatility means ‘win big, but infrequently’. To get the most out of your UK online casino play, you need to find games that match your attitude towards gambling. If you are the kind of person who throws in the towel after four successive losses, then don’t play high volatility games. If, however, you are quite willing to ride the slotting roller coaster through the dips to reach the heights, then you’d probably find low volatility games too tedious.

✅ Choose High RTP Slots

RTP means ‘return to player’ and is used as a measure of a slot’s generosity. It’s the amount of money a slot theoretically pays back if played for a very prolonged period. For example, if you begin a slotting session with £100 and you span the reels of a 96% slot for 10,000 or so spins, at the end of your session, you should – theoretically – have £96 remaining.

Of course, slots don’t run as smoothly as this, and the key to slots play is to hit a long winning streak and avoid long losing ones. The RTP of a slot though it a good measure of how beneficial towards the player the slot will be in the long term. That figure we quoted – 96% – is a very good yardstick in measuring whether a slot is worth playing or not. If a slot’s RTP dips below 95%, then it’s probably better for you to select a different one.

✅ Avoid Side Bets in Table Games

While table games are the meat-and-two-veg of online casinos in the UK, casinos don’t actually like them that much. Sure, they make money … but slowly. This is why land-based casinos have hundreds of slots but only a few blackjack, baccarat and roulette tables, as a single spin of a slot is so much faster than a blackjack deal or the spins of the roulette wheel.

So, those fiendish casino … er … fiends have come up with a way of getting punters to spend (and lose) money with greater velocity – side bets. These are bets away from the main game that can be wagered upon separately. They also have high payouts, but coupled with a low hit rate.

Take, for example, the ‘777’ side bet on blackjack. This will pay out (if backed) should the player be dealt two sevens and then receive a further seven from the dealer. This side bet can pay as much as 5,000-1 if all three sevens are the same suit … but let’s do some maths. A specific card only hits once in 52, so it’s easy to see the odds for three suited sevens are 52 x 52 x 52, which is 140,000 to 1! A 5,000x payout for odds that high? Something smells fishy …

Side bets are simply grifts to get you to over-wager, and can safely be ignored.

✅ Set Win and Loss Limits

For many punters, gambling is like a can of Pringles – once they pop, they cannot stop. Gambling can easily be addictive, and because gambling typically involves money, the effects of irresponsible gambling always leak into other areas of life and frequently with devastating consequences.

Setting win and loss limits is one way to remain sensible about your gambling. Work out how much money you can comfortably lose per day, week or month. By ‘comfortably lose’, we mean money lost that won’t see you go without in other important or even trivial areas of your life.

If you are gambling and you hit that loss limit, then you stop for the day, week or month. You don’t ‘borrow’ from ‘future you’, and you don’t keep playing because you think your losing streak is going to end any minute now. Also, if you hit that limit but in the black, then stop too, withdraw your winnings and go and treat yourself to those Ed Sheeran concert tickets you’ve always wanted.

✅ Use Casino Bonuses Strategically

Shock, horror, online casinos hand out free money! Well, not quite free, but casino bonuses are a decent way of making a little bit of money without having to risk that much of your own. The irksome aspect of any bonus is wagering, though, but wagering can be beaten if you play strategically. Oh, and of course, always thoroughly check the T&Cs of any bonus before you start dealing with it.

It’s best to use slots with high RTPs to meet wagering, such as NetEnt’s Starburst. Keep your stakes low (but not too low) so you don’t run out of money before you’ve met wagering, then just keep hitting that spin button. You could of course, if the slotting gods are with you, end up with more money once you’ve met wagering than you started with, but if you do run out, then simply abandon the bonus as it’s not worth the losses you may accrue.

✅ Never Chase Losses

Another key aspect of responsible gambling is never to chase your losses. To regain a £100 loss, you could end up losing £1,000, and to then regain that £1,000 loss, you could end up losing £10,000, and so on. It is far better to accept the £100 loss than ‘fight on’ and end up losing £10,000.

Remember that the casino – even UK online casinos – always maintains an edge over you, which is how they stay in business. In the short term, you are more likely to lose than win, and in the long term, you will definitely lose. Never play online casino games with the expectation of winning money, as it’s not likely to happen. If you lose, accept it and move on.

✅ Avoid Multi-Hand Games

You might think that multi-hand games are time-savers, but in reality, they are money-eaters. Such games allow you to play more than one hand (or spin) at a time. The three most common multi-hand games at UK casino sites are blackjack, video poker and roulette.

As we’ve explained previously, the house always wins in the long run. Playing more than one turn at a time simply condenses that long run, so you lose with greater speed, and by losing at greater speed, you’re going to lose lots more money.

Winning at an online casino is the result of luck and hitting a winning streak. If you are playing five hands of blackjack at once, then if one hand does hit a streak, the performance of the other four hands is likely to wipe that streak out. It pays to be patient and play at an online casino as nature intended – one hand (or spin) at a time.

Who Regulates Online Casinos in the UK?

The easy answer to this question is ‘the UKGC’, but it’s not as simple as that. Many UK online casino websites accept UK players but bend the rules by not having a licence granted to them by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. Whether you play at non-UK casinos is your decision, but it’s important to play at an online casino that has a valid licence from a respected authority. Here are details about the main licensing authorities that exist globally.

The UK Gambling Commission

Set up in 2005 following the publication of the Gambling Act in the same year, the UKGC oversees all forms of gambling currently offered to UK residents, both in the real world and online. It creates legislation that all its licensees must adhere to, else face heavy fines. Any gambling company that offers gambling services of any kind to residents of the UK is required to have a UKGC licence.

The Malta Gaming Authority

Founded in 2001, the Malta Gaming Authority was set up to oversee all forms of gambling on the small Mediterranean island. It is one of the most well-respected gambling licence providers globally, offering licences to both Maltese and non-Maltese gambling companies.

The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority/Gambling Commissioner

In October 2000, the Gibraltar government passed the Gibraltar Regulatory Act, paving the way for the creation of the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. For a while, gambling came under the GRA’s remit, but is now handled directly by the Government of Gibraltar via the Gambling Commissioner. There are currently just over 50 brands operating globally with licences issued by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.

Alderney Gambling Control Commission

The fourth of the most well-known European gambling commissions, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission was set up in 2000. As Alderney has a population of just over 2000 people, the AGCC was set up mainly as a licensee for non-Alderney gambling companies. There are currently only just over 20 gambling companies with an Alderney licence.

Curaçao Gaming Control Board

Created in 1999, the Curaçao (pronounced Cur-a-sow) Gaming Control Board was initially set up to tighten the island’s liberal gambling laws. The CGCB handed out four licences to private businesses that then went on to hand out sub-licenses to gambling companies. This proved to be a misstep as the master licence holders rarely held their licensees accountable for anything they did. Changes in Curaçao law in 2024 saw the CGCB significantly tighten up its operations, seeing countless ‘dubious’ gambling operators to flock to alternatives.

Others

There are plenty of other regulatory authorities around the world, but many (Germany, France, Australia) are like the UKGC and only deal with licensing within their own nation. Other international licence providers you may come across might include Anjouan, Comoros, Panama and Antigua/Barbuda, but these authorities have been quick to fill the void left by the tightening up of the CGCB. The ‘Tier’ list of potential licensees for UK casinos online is probably close to this:

• ‘S’ Tier – UKGC
• ‘A’ Tier – Malta, Gibraltar, Alderney
• ‘B’ Tier – Curaçao, Kahnawake
• ‘C’ Tier – Anjouan/Comoros, Panama … basically everywhere else.
• ‘Z’ Tier – Any online casino that claims to be self-regulated, or does not have any kind of licence.

Casinos to Avoid – Red Flags

Are there any casinos that you should not play at? Of course there are! Just like with any other form of internet activity, rogue elements exist that only want to steal your identity, deposited money and the complete contents of your bank account. The following are some red flags that you should look out for when signing up for a casino … or at least a casino that hasn’t been recommended by us!

❌ No Recognisable Licence

Avoid unlicensed casinos. When checking out an online casino for the first time, scroll down to the bottom of its homepage and check for licence details. You should see the casino’s licensing authority and licence number.

If you cannot find out with complete confidence that the casino you intend playing at has a proper licence with an S, A or B tier licensee (see above for our ratings), then it’s best to avoid it.

❌ Poor or Limited Customer Support

Reputable online casinos in the UK like to keep their customers happy. Bad casinos couldn’t give a dealer button about their customers. You can check which category any casino fits into by contacting their support. Sadly, this can be difficult as many reputable online casinos have gone down the bot support route, but if you can check through support how enthusiastic they are to speak to non-customers, you’ll get an idea of how you’re likely to be treated once you have completed your registration.

❌ Unclear or Unfair Bonus Terms

Any online casino can offer a bonus, even a big … massive … humongous bonus. As bonus money is fake money, the casino doesn’t actually have to pay any real money until players meet wagering. Bad casinos simply enforce wagering and game contribution rules that make wagering impossible.

How do you tell? Well, the fewer T&Cs attached to a bonus, the better. If an offer has simple wagering between 30x-40x with slots at least contributing 100%, then it’s a good one. If it has wagering of x60 on live pai gow poker only on Tuesdays if the dealer was born in Papua New Guinea with a maximum stake of one penny per hand, then it’s a deal (and casino) you should walk away from.

❌ Lack of Company Information

Attracting gambling punters is an easy way of making money, especially if you’re going to (a) not bother with a licence (b) offer scandalous bonuses and (c) not pay out winnings. This is why the dubious casino scene attracts the nefarious. Legitimate online gambling companies are happy to tell you who they are, who they are owned by, and where they are based. Illegitimate companies tell you none of that. Indeed, they don’t tell you anything.

If you come across a new online casino that interests you, have a good comb through the site to see who it is owned by. You can tie this in with your licence verification process, too. The general rule here is that if a casino does not seem to be legitimate, then there’s a 99% chance that it isn’t.

❌ Negative Player Reviews

You have to take care with player reviews. Most five-star reviews of a casino are written by the casino owners themselves. Most one-star reviews are written by disgruntled punters who shoved £1 into Mega Moolah and were disappointed not to win the mega jackpot.

Two, three and four-star reviews are where the real meat is. Here you will get a decent idea of user experience, away from the fluff and vitriol. It is also beneficial to read any one-star reviews, too to see if there are frequent complaints about the difficulty in withdrawing legitimate winnings. Rogue casinos seldom payout, which begs the question: why do people still play at them?

Enjoy Gaming at UK Online Casinos Today

There is plenty to enjoy about playing at the best UK casinos online as long as you make the correct choices in terms of where you play and how you play (i.e. responsibly). We hope we’ve provided you with a guiding hand that will see you get the best out of your online casino playing experience. If you’re hot for slots or think blackjack’s a blast, then pick one of our recommended casinos, sign up for an account, grab your bonus and get playing!

Online Casinos UK FAQ

Which online casino is the best?

If you consult our list of the best UK casinos online towards the top of this page, you’ll discover the answer to that very question.

Which is the best casino app in the UK?

Many of the best online casinos in the UK offer casino apps, and you can play at those that don’t on any mobile device by using a browser. Try any of the top casino selections on your device and see which you feel suits you best.

How many online casinos are in the UK?

That’s impossible to answer, as no one is keeping count! The UKGC has issued over 2,700 licences, but some of those licences will now be dormant, and a single licence may cover many sites. We reckon there are about 2,000 online casinos currently available to UK residents.

Who regulates online casinos in the UK?

All gambling sites, including online casinos, are regulated in the UK by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

Jose Del Pozo

Jose is an iGaming analyst with wide experience within the sector. He has been working as content writer on casino and betting websites for more than 10 years, contributing on websites like Pokerlistings, Casinobee, Betpack among others, sharing his insights and perspective for the future ofthe iGaming market.