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 2022
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.
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!
New customers only, min deposit £10, wagering 40x, max bet £5 with bonus funds. Max bonus is 100% up to £100. No max cash out on deposit offers. Welcome bonus excluded for players depositing with Skrill or Neteller. Cashback is cash with no restriction. 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 such brands as 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 100% match.
Thumbs up for Race Casino as it has a lot of positive features and good feedback from players.
The wagering requirement must be met in full within 14 days of the. Game contribution: All games under the “classic slots”- 75%. Deposits made via Skrill or Neteller are not eligible for the welcome offer. Play Responsibly | 18+ begambleaware.org | Full T&C’s Apply
In few words: We can’t explain it, but we are just in love with SpinIT. Well, we can explain: it’s cool, it offers great bonuses, it pays fast and it’s perfect for mobile as well which is important for us.
SpinIT offers over 1300 casino games by more than a dozen providers. Despite the name, it’s not just about slots – they have a wire range of games including Live Dealer tables and special Live Dealer Bonus.
18+ new players only. Maximum £50 bonus. Minimum deposit: £20. Max bet with active bonus: £2. Wagering requirement 100% match bonus: 30 times sum of deposit + bonus. Winnings from Free Spins are credited as Real Money. Some games may not be played with an active bonus. Games may contribute differently when wagering a bonus. www.begambleaware.org
Launched in 2016, NY Spins Casino was created by the owners of VoodooDreams. NY Spins has a clean reputation and is secured with UK and Maltese licenses.
The site strives to provide fast withdrawals. You will get your winnings either the same day, or the day after you cash-out. And the cash-out limits are high.
NY Spins offers a welcome bonus up to an impressive £/€1,000. The bonus is spread out over four deposits. Your first deposit gets a 100% match up to £50, plus 50 free spins.
New reg only. Opt in & deposit £10, £25 or £50 within 7 days & further 7 days to wager cash stakes 35x to unlock reward (£50 on 2 deposits). 3 day exp. Wagering/game contributions vary. 10 wager-free spins x10p to added to Book of Dead with each qualifying deposit, 3 day expiry. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
LeoVegas is one of the most popular casinos in the UK and Scandinavia. It launched in 2011, when most virtual casinos were desktop based. Management at LeoVegas saw the future and built their casino specifically for mobile players.
LeoVegas was an immediate success. They became the fastest growing online casino and gained a word wide reputation. In 2013, they won the award for Best Innovation For Casinos. They have won 17 titles since then, including Casino of the Year.
LeoVegas offers an extensive range of games, slots, live dealers and more. This casino pays fast. The site has a reputation for being a fair, professional and player friendly.
You can check them out with their 20 spins upon registration offer.
Jammy Monkey is a brand new casino brought to us by Intouch. This means that this site is a perfect UK mobile casino with unique games you cannot find anywhere else. So if you want to enjoy them to the fullest, Jammy Monkey sisters are the places to be.
But to be fair, Jammy Money is not the site for everyone since the amount of games is very limited while other UK casinos can offer thousands of slots from various providers. However, the fact of having just one can be an attraction to someone.
We definitely like the promotions offered. Not only you can grab a generous £10 no deposit bonus to test the titles, but also take advantage of 200% deposit match.
New customers only. Min £10 deposit. Neteller and Skrill excluded. Max bonus £100. Wagering deposit + bonus 20x within 30 days. Bonus max bet £5. 10 spins per day for 5 days. Game weighting apply. Play Responsibly | 18+ begambleaware.org | Full T&C’s Apply
After launching in 2016, Rizk immediately followed the footsteps of its sister, Guts casino, by winning the New Casino of the Year Award.
The player experience here is simply superb. The withdrawals are almost instant (0-4 hours). You can lock withdrawals, meaning that you cannot reverse it, if suddenly you have the rush to loose it back. Withdrawals are also processed over the weekend.
Rizk has many special promos for loyal players. The casino has a friendly, low wager welcome bonus to get you started. Try it out!
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.
18+. New players only. Min deposit £20. Max bonus bet £5. Bonus spins on selected game only and must be used within 72hrs. Winnings from Bonus spins credited as bonus funds and capped at £100. Bonus funds expire within 30 days. Offer is 100% bonus match up to £200 + 50 Bonus spins on your 1st deposit, and 50% bonus match up to £50 on your 2nd deposit. Bonus funds are separate to cash funds & subject to wagering requirement (35x deposit + bonus). Only bonus funds contribute towards wagering requirement. Affordability checks apply. Terms apply. Please gamble responsibly. BeGambleAware.org
Casimba is the self proclaimed king of casinos. The site attracts players from all over Europe. To amp up the royal feeling, the logo is a lion crowned by a casino chip. There is no denying that this brand wants to be the best. We personally like the lion theme and support them in their quest to conquer the gambling world!
The casino belongs to White Hat Gaming, a company that owns more than a dozen hit brands. Maybe you know them from Slotnite or Spinland. Casimba launched in 2017. Even though it is relatively new, it is loved by players and recognized as one of the top slots websites on the market.
The welcome bonus is spread out over your first two deposits. The first one will surprise you with its generosity. It goes as high as a 100% match up to £200 with additional 50 spins.
There are more than 500 games at Casimba, all by developers you know and love. The lobby includes Microgaming, NetEnt, NYX and a live casino section powered by Evolution Gaming. Don’t miss the chance to try it all!
18+. New players only. Available via Feature Game. Free spins (18p) locked to The Spinfather. Expires 7 days after registration. Winnings paid as bonus credit (40x WR). Max withdrawal from bonus winnings is £50.
Min Deposit £10. Deposit Bonuses expire after 30 days. First Deposit: Up to 200% (Max Bonus £100), Up to 50 Free Spins (15p) locked to Supernova Crush. Second Deposit: Up to 100% (Max Bonus £200), Up to 50 Free Spins (20p) locked to Coins of Fortune. Winnings paid as bonus credit (40x WR). Withdrawing qualifying deposit excludes player from promotion. T&Cs apply, BeGambleAware.org
If you are not familiar with the group, you should know that Bonus Boss features solely its propriety slots. This means you cannot find any NetEnt or Microgaming titles. There is not a wide choice of games, but the ones they have are unique.
By creating an account at Bonus Boss, you’ll receive up to 100 free spins on The Spinfather! If you decide to make your first deposit, you can get a 200% match up to £100 and 50 free spins on Supernova Crush.
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.
