Players from the United Kingdom can look forward to numerous online casinos. These websites are safe, secure, full of exciting games, and fully licensed. This combination has helped gaming websites and operators explode in popularity over the years. However, it was not always this way. Gambling in the UK had a rocky road before reaching its stage today. It has gone through different laws and regulations. Today, we will go through the various stages of UK regulation and how it affects players today.
Best UK Casinos 2023
The United Kingdom is home to a large and wealthy player population. Because of that, casino members can play on numerous UK-friendly websites. Picking out the best ones from such a vast selection of websites is not easy. We have listed below our current picks for Best 10 UK casinos. See that all of them, including some new names, come from reputable and established groups.
New Player Offer: Five Days of Free Spins – Get up to 100 Free Spins when you sign up and deposit a minimum of £10. Min £10 in lifetime deposits required. Offer must be claimed within 30 days of registering a bet365 account. Reveal prizes of 5, 10 or 20 Free Spins; five spins on Free Spins reels available within 10 days, 24 hours between each spin. Max. prize, game restrictions, time limits and T&Cs apply.
Βet365 is a leading casino and bookmaker. It sets worldwide standards in the gambling industry. It is one of the oldest betting sites and has more than 19 million customers from over 200 countries!
The sports-book and financial betting are regulated by the UKGC. The casino and poker side is regulated by the government of Gibraltar. Bet365 has managed to acquire licenses in Denmark, Spain and Italy as well.
Bet365 offers an extensive coverage of markets and a great variety of games. There is also a casino, a live casino, poker and horse race betting. The biggest advantage of the site, is the competitive odds and cool features.
The live betting page is incredibly well made. There is live commentary available in your language of choice. Each bet is processed fast. You can get up to 12 live matches simultaneously. This is what makes it a truly awesome place for sports fan!
#AD New customers only. Min deposit £10. Wagering 40x. Max bet £5 with bonus funds. 100% up to £100. Eligibility is restricted for abuse. No max cashout on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Full T&C’s apply.
Race Casino is an online gambling site that’s operated by L&L Europe Ltd, a company that is known for brands like All Britsh and Yako. The site is unique to its sisters, as it allows players from Sweden and Finland to use Pay n’ Play for quick deposits & withdrawals, while other markets have different banking methods available.
Overall, Race Casino is a great option with a huge library of games, live dealer tables, relatively fast payouts (if you don’t use Pay n’ Play), and nice cashback offers. On top of that, you can claim a decent welcome promo of a 100% match.
Thumbs up for Race Casino as it has a lot of positive features and good feedback from players.
Applies only to new depositing players. 18+. Minimum deposit for 1st deposit bonus: £10. Welcome Package split over 3 deposits. Minimum deposit for 2nd & 3rd deposit bonus: £20. 35x Wagering requirement applies to match up bonus. 100 spins splits to 20 spins a day for 5 days. Spins credited in specific games. Spins expire after 24 hours. 50x Wagering requirement applies to spins. Terms and Conditions apply.
Mr Play is one of the popular Aspire Global brand casinos and attracts players with its own unique style and design. Yes, that mustache is unforgettable and to be honest an interesting touch.
Mr Play keeps players busy with the best games from top providers, exciting sports events (it is a betting site as well), and regular promotions. When it comes to payments, there are many options to choose from but we do wish withdrawals were faster.
Overall, Mr Play is a nice site that offers casino and sports to the UK, CA, NZ, and many other countries.
The minimum deposit is £10. A two hundred times wagering requirement applies on all bonuses and certain games contribute a different percentage to the wagering requirement.
Luxury Casino comes from a well-respected company that has been operating many Microgaming sites. Any casino that has managed to stay online and in business since 2000 definitely qualifies as a safe place for both the UK and Canadian players. It does hold several other licenses that allow the casino to target customers from around the globe.
As we have already mentioned, the site is powered by Microgaming software. Even though the game collection might not be the biggest, Luxury features the most quality slots from Micro.
The welcome offer will depend on your country. For instance, UK players can claim up to a £1000 bonus over the first 5 deposits.
* Welcome offer is for new customers only. The minimum deposit amount is £10 for all deposits. A two hundred times wagering requirement applies on all bonuses. Certain games contribute a different percentage to the wagering requirement and standard terms and conditions apply.
UK Casino Club is an older brand with several popular sister sites. Launched in 2000, it is considered an industry veteran. The classic design could use an upgrade, but it still functions great and attracts players from the UK, Canada and many more.
Like its sister sites, UK Casino Club is powered by Microgaming software and includes 500 games. There are decent deposit options, but payouts will take up to 3 days to arrive into your account.
The welcome bonus is spread out over your first five deposits. The first is a 100% match up to £/$100.
Min. deposit amount £20. Max bonus 1st deposit £50 and 2nd deposit £100. Wagering required. Applies on all bonuses x35. 20 extra spins will be credited on first deposit and 30 extra spins on second deposit. BeGambleAware.org, 18+ T&C’s Apply
Many online casinos have royal themes of kings and kingdoms. King Casino is one these lavishly themed sites. It is popular among UK players due to its Aspire Global platform. Aspire is known for quick, smooth websites that include great game collections and a wide choice of deposit options.
But this kingdom comes with tricky bonus policies which will have you feeling less than royalty. Many of the games are excluded from the bonus terms. We also would be happy to see improvements with the withdrawal times.
Overall, King Casino is a nice establishment. You can try it with a 100% bonus and 20 free spins on your first deposit. Your second will get a 50% match + 30 free spins.
18+. New players only. Min deposit £10. 100% up to £100 + 30 Bonus Spins on Reactoonz. Bonus funds + spin winnings are separate to cash funds and subject to 35x wagering requirement. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. £5 bonus max bet. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days, spins within 10 days. Affordability checks apply. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org
PlayGrand Casino is yet another site that is coming from White Hat Gaming family. The company is known for such popular sites like 21 Casino or Casilando that are sisters to PlayGrand. The casino itself is well-designed and targets mainly UK and European players.
A great part of the game library is taken by slots. You can find table and live dealers but still, it is mainly a slots-focused casino. PlayGrand features titles from Microgaming, Playngo, NextGen and many others.
When you sign up with PlayGrand, you will be treated with a nice welcome promotion: 100%up to £100 (€1000) match bonus plus 30 spins.
First Deposit Only. Min. deposit: €10, max. Bonus €100. Game: Book of Dead, Spin Value: €0.10. WR of 30x Deposit + Bonus amount and 60x Free Spin winnings amount (only Slots count) within 30 days. Max bet is 10% (min €0.10) of the free spin winnings and bonus amount or €5 (lowest amount applies). Free Spins must be used before deposited funds. Games are subject to availability. Bonus Policy applies
If you are missing magic in your every day life, Slots Magic Casino will instantly bewitch you. It has one of the largest selections of online slots, video slots, table games and live dealer games. This casino is ready and waiting to meet the demanding expectations of the gambling community.
You can come across legendary software providers here. Bally, WMS, IGT and Amaya Games (Chartwell) are all available. And of course, their own SkillOnNet is there as well.
The website is available in more than 20 languages. They accept 10 different currencies and have various payment methods to choose from. Every player can be comfortable picking what suits them best. By being an active member of this casino, you can join the VIP lounge and take advantage of constant rewards and promotions.
Slots Magic should definitely be added to your short-list of new casinos to try.
Applies only to new depositing players. 18+. Minimum deposit for 1st deposit bonus: £10. Welcome Package split over 3 deposits. Minimum deposit for 2nd & 3rd deposit bonus: £20. 35x Wagering requirement applies to match up bonus. 100 spins splits to 20 spins a day for 5 days. Spins credited in specific games. Spins expire after 24 hours. 50x Wagering requirement applies to spins. Terms and Conditions apply.
Regent Play belongs to Marketplay LTD which owns multiple casinos and sportsbooks available in the UK, Canada, Finland, and many other countries. It is run on Aspire Global which is a popular platform solution but it has its issues.
The game collection is decent as it has more than 700 titles which is enough for regular players. Slots are predominant but there are also table games and jackpots.
Regent Play is a good option to try out with up to a £200/€800 pack on your first deposit.
First Deposit Only. Min. deposit: £10. Game: Spinning Wilds, Spin Value: £0.1, Max Free Spins: 108. WR 60x free spin winnings amount (only Slots count) within 30 days. Max bet is 10% (min £0.10) of the free spin winnings amount or £5 (lowest amount applies). Free Spins must be used before deposited funds. Deposit/Welcome Bonus can only be claimed once every 72 hours across all Casinos. Bonus Policy applies.
Spin Genie has a modern design. It has more than 600+ games from 20 different software providers including slingo, slots, bingo, live casino and many others.
Players can take advantage of Spin Genie’s impressive VIP program. There are two levels: VIP and Platinum VIP. Both levels have perks for having the membership, including cash back, priority withdrawals and birthday gifts. Make sure to check out the exclusive VIP events as well.
If you are looking for a quick-running website where depositing is easy and withdrawals are simple, check out Spin Genie and enjoy its 108 free spins on your first deposit!
UK Gambling Laws & Regulations
Modern UK gambling laws came into existence with the country passing the Gambling Act of 2005. The act governs both brick-and-mortar and online gambling across several venues. The UK allows gambling on arcades, casinos, gaming machines, bingo, sports betting, and lotteries. Each game type has slightly different rules that apply to it, which makes sense. Different types of gambling should have their differences respected. In this article, we will keep our focus on casino games.
Both real-world and online casinos are legal according to UK gambling laws. However, not all online casinos are available to casino members in the United Kingdom. Approved operators must have a license issued by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission or UKGC for short. The UKGC’s rules are in place to protect players and ensure casinos handle gambling fairly.
The new licensing system brought in by the Gambling Act of 2005 sets forward three priorities. First, to prevent gambling from being a source of disorder or a crime. That means giving players a legal way to enjoy their hobby while giving them ways to control their gambling. The second priority is to protect children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The third priority is to ensure casinos conduct all gambling fairly.
These priorities remained active as the UKGC continued to iterate on its implemented rules. One of the most significant changes came in 2019. Before that point, online casinos had to verify the player’s age within 72 hours of registration. However, the Gambling Commission pointed out minors could still enjoy online gambling during that time. As such, the rules now force UK-based operators to verify your age before you can bet or make a deposit on their platform.
UKGC guidelines also prevent promising big wins or life-changing payouts to market to players. While you can recognize a title has considerable winning potential, you cannot sell it as a sure thing. The regulator also does not allow turbo spins or auto spins of any kind. The same is true for bonus buy features. Casino members in the UK cannot skip directly to a bonus round by paying more than usual.
Too Much Regulation?
On their own, every adjustment and change to the UKGC guidelines and rules make sense. However, too much regulation can be just as damaging for a market as no regulation at all. A recent report by the Betting and Gaming Council found offshore gambling across Europe is on the rise. In their press release, the BGC noticed the number of British iGaming bettors using unlicensed websites increased dramatically over the years. Per the report, that number includes around 460,000 players and billions of pounds.
This is not a British only problem, though the UKGC’s increasing regulation has left its mark. BGC’s CEO, Michael Dugher, warned enormous scope changes of the current UK iGaming scene could prompt black market growth. Shrinking the regulated market could mean a potential loss of 120,000 jobs in the country’s gambling industry. Not to mention the loss of £4.5 billion worth of taxes the industry pays each year.
Responsible Gambling in the UK
One of the advantages a regulated market brings is the funding to fight against problematic gambling. The UKGC’s website has an entire section devoted to responsible gambling. There, players can find information about playing responsibly in licensed online casinos using online gambling management tools.
The responsible gaming page’s most important feature is teaching you how to control your gambling activities. The regulator already demands that online casinos give players tools to limit their playtime if not wholly restrict it. Teaching players to use tools to limit playtime or to self exclude is essential in ensuring casino members stay safe.
It also teaches players how to stay safe from scams and frauds. You can learn how to identify licensed online casinos and how to verify your information in one. The page also has guides on various elements of the online gambling industry. Helpful for new players just getting started.
History of Gambling in the UK
Most of the UK’s history saw gambling being illegal in one way or another. However, this changed in the 16th century when the government passed the Unlawful Games Act of 1541. The act effectively made all gambling illegal due to worries games interfered with military training. Additional acts throughout the years focused on financial securities, illegal lotteries, and other popular gambling games.
In 1845, the British Parliament legalized games of skill. The act simplified gambling regulation and made gambling contracts legally unenforceable. During this time, betting establishments became popular in the UK, despite additional laws suppressing them. From 1906 onwards, the government would start legalizing more gambling acts.
The popularity of horse racing helped lead to their regulation in the Racecourse Betting Act of 1928. The Betting and Lotteries Act of 1934 allowed wagering on greyhound races six years later. Football pools were next to be legalized. In 1960, the country made private casinos legal through the Betting and Gaming Act. This would be the last major update to the law until the government adopted the current, modern framework in 2005.
