The United Kingdom is home to some of the finest and most well-known casinos and betting shops in the world. It is no surprise, therefore, that the UK also has a thriving online casino presence and is considered one of the top markets for online gambling.
With so many different online casinos in the UK vying for your patronage, it is not difficult to find lucrative offers for free cash upon signing up and bonuses for continued play and deposits. What is difficult, however, is finding an online casino that meets your needs and expectations. We have compiled the ultimate guide to finding the right casino and winning big!
The History of UK Casinos
When online casinos began popularizing in the early 2000s, Britain was one of the first countries to pass legislation regarding its regulation. The Gambling Bill, which was passed in 2005, stated that online casino UK betting sites are permitted to function with a Remote Gambling License as long as they were run in a fair and open manner. This made the UK not only a safe haven for online casino operators but a safe country from which gamblers could play.
A later bill was passed in 2014 which required offshore online gambling companies to pay a 15% Place of Consumption Tax (POCT). This resulted in a short-lived departure of gaming companies based on the British Isles. For most, however, the benefits still outweighed the POCT costs and the UK online casino industry continues to thrive.
Choosing an Online Casino
There are many UK online casino options available and choosing the right one might take a bit of trial and error. Just as you may prefer one physical casino over another, so too an online casino might not offer the action or excitement to suit your needs. More on that later, however. There are certain crucial elements that are absolute MUSTS when it comes to online casinos in the UK.
Regulation
No matter where you decide to place your bets, you should always be sure that a casino is fully licensed, accredited, and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Many users are attracted to fake sites that take their money, but never award prizes. These spoof sites come and go so quickly, that users are often shocked to find they have been had.
At CasinoOnline.TF, we ensure that all of our online casino recommendations meet the highest regulatory standards. This means that if a company does not meet our caliber, it will not be added to our top list.
Safety
It is an unfortunate reality that the internet can be an unsafe place. Every single day identities, credit cards, and even banking information is stolen, inconveniencing victims or even ruining their lives. As with any online site that accepts personal details, an online casino must feature the highest level of security and the most advanced fraud prevention features available. Modern casinos are equipped with thousands of cameras and anti-cheating technology, so why shouldn’t an online casino be held to the same standard.
CasinoOnline.TF values your safety and our recommendations will never feature any gambling site that has a history of hacking or theft. Period.
Reliability
The funny thing about the gambling bug is that it can strike at any time. A good online casino should be operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Downtime is a factor every online business has to deal with, but that is something they should have to deal with, not you. It is therefore quite important to find an online casino that won’t have any downtime and will always be reliable.
Also important is that an online casino allows you to withdraw your winnings whenever you choose, with prompt transfers and clear payout guidelines. CasinoOnline.TF only directs players to the most upstanding online casino sites in the UK.
UK Gaming Options
One of the best things about a casino is the sense of excitement and possibility you get just by looking around. Being in a casino is a sensory experience, with lights, sounds, and, of course, the palpable joy you feel when people win. While online casinos may have yet to reproduce the same experience, the games available on UK gaming sites are an experience in their own right. There are an unbelievable amount of options and they are only becoming more interactive and immersive.
Slots
When the slot machine (or the fruit machine in British English) was first introduced to the world in the 1890s, its inventor Charles Fey could not have known how popular it would become. Now the most played game in casinos around the world, there is just something hypnotic about the spinning wheels that both tempt and test fate.
Online casinos offer some of the finest slot machines imaginable. With an endless selection of game styles, themes, and betting options, digital slots have become a staple, even in real-world casinos. Gone are the days when a handle had to be pulled each time you placed a bet. Modern slots can be activated with the push of a button or the click of a mouse.
Whether you like a classic three-reel slot machine design or prefer the five-reel layout, you should have no trouble finding your preference at an online casino. Additionally, most online casinos offer a progressive jackpot. This means that the prize money goes up with every play, increasing your potential winnings with each click.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a table card game that requires a lot of skill and just a bit of chance. Similar to a real casino, online gambling websites in the UK allow players to “sit” at tables with other users and experience the excitement of Las Vegas in their own homes.
Online blackjack comes in two forms: video and live. Video blackjack works similarly to a machine you would find in a gambling hall. Users interact with a digital platform that is programmed to work with the same odds of a real deck. Video blackjack is preferred by many, as demonstrated by its popularity in even physical casinos, but for people looking for a more genuine experience, there is live blackjack.
Live blackjack relies on a live feed from a real blackjack table with real dealers and an augmented reality system that enables quick betting and the display of card sums. This type of online blackjack takes the best of both worlds and places users in an actual casino from the comfort of their homes. It is quickly becoming the preferred method of play by many users.
Poker
There is no casino game more exciting than poker. It is a game of both skill and savvy that has inspired some of the most iconic scenes in the James Bond franchise. Aside from spies, however, Britain is known for some of the best online poker options on the internet.
Similar to online blackjack, players have a choice of video poker or live poker. Additionally, there are a multitude of poker styles players can choose from. These include classics like Texas Hold’em and Omaha High, but users can also find more unusual variants like Badugi and Deuce to Seven Triple Draw.
One of the best parts of all of these online games is that they can be played from anywhere, be it in the comfort of your home or even during your morning commute! Online casinos offer the flexibility of mobile gaming, so no matter where you are, the casino is with you.
Getting Started
We are sure that by now you’re ready to get started! CasinoOnline.TF only features the most well-known and trusted casino UK online sites. Here are four sites that stand out as the ones that are worth your time:
Betsafe
Betsafe serves nearly half a million customers in over 100 countries. They are known as an industry leader for their strict abidance of gambling laws, great games, and competitive payouts. Operating for over a decade, Betsafe has established itself as a trusted name in the world of online casinos UK.
Hippodrome
You may know Hippodrome as the largest casino in Britain, but their online casino presence is just as significant a force to be reckoned with. Featuring all of the games you know and love, Hippodrome Online extends its casino services to even more players, increasing the action and providing some of the biggest jackpots on the web.
Casumo
Don’t let the fact that Casumo was founded in 2012 fool you. The online service provides some of the best gambling you will find. Designed from the ground up, Casumo provides users with a lighter take on the online casino platform with bright colors and graphics. With a stated mission of erasing boredom, they are a good bet if you are looking for something more out of the box.
888
With a symbol on the London Stock Exchange, 888 has established itself as one of the most successful online casino brands on earth. Having served over 25 million satisfied players, the company knows what people look for in an online casino. 888 offers some of the biggest payouts and the highest sign-up bonuses, so you can start playing risk-free today!
