- 1
- Custom software – unique games
- Flexible loyalty bonuses
- Excellent customer support
Bonus
£750
Min Deposit: £10
Part of the Bwin.Party gaming giant this is one of the few casino sites around with the expertise and financial muscle to develop their own games. This means you’re guaranteed a new and exciting playing experience and, with great customer service, extensively tested games and market-leading security, you’re free to relax and enjoy exploring!
- 2
- Welcome bonus covers all games
- Excellent for Video Poker
- Classic casino look
Bonus
£500
Min Deposit: £0.01
One of the best Playtech casinos around, guaranteeing you great games with an authentic casino feel. Mansion focus on your peace of mind though, emphasising the stringent testing, regulation and financial security that sets their casino apart. They want you to relax and, with all those levels of security, you know you can.
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- Huge variety of games
- Famous trustworthy brand
- Outstanding deposit bonuses
Bonus
£150
Min Deposit: £10
There’s no bigger name in UK gambling, and over 75 years of experience is readily apparent in this first-class online casino site. A massive choice of games, faultless customer support, great bonuses and a simple, straightforward homepage – everything you’d expect from an online casino!
- 4
- Massive variety of games
- Excellent Live Casino
- Playtech software – the best around!
Bonus
£1000
Min Deposit: £25
Giving you one of the best Playtech on line casinos around, with the full range of over 300 games, Winner aims to be a casino that gives you exactly what it says it will – all the games from a world leading software producer, backed up by great customer support and strong security.
- 5
- Famous and trustworthy
- Fast withdrawals
- Excellent customer support
Bonus
£150
Min Deposit: £10
One of the biggest names in the business and it’s easy to see why. A no-nonsense casino giving you great games from different software producers, top-notch customer support and banking, and fairness and security guaranteed. You know you can trust them and just get on with enjoying your favourite games!
- 6
- 15% Cash Back on all casino games
- Quality Playtech casino
- Low minimum deposits
Bonus
£1000
Min Deposit: £0.01
A fairly new online casino but, considering Genting are the UK’s biggest land-based casino operator, unsurprisingly a good one! Genting aim to cater for everyone, from the biggest high-roller to the casual gamer, and this classic Playtech casino continues that tradition – the bonuses and deposit thresholds suit all bankrolls, and the excellent customer services make everyone feel welcome.
- 7
- Exclusive software – unique games
- Simple, clear lobby
- Great practice play
Bonus
£800
Min Deposit: £20
Launched back in 1997 this casino has lots of experience, bringing you a great selection of games from a simple and easy-to-use lobby. Featuring their own software platform you’re guaranteed games you won’t find elsewhere, and with a first-rate practice play section they’re very happy for you to try them!
- 8
- Great Live Casino
- Excellent deposit bonuses
- Classy lobby – easy to use!
Bonus
£3200
Min Deposit: £0.01
The ultimate web address for an online casino and it doesn’t disappoint. A well established UK and international gambling brand, Casino.com gives you a classic, and classy, Playtech casino backed up with great customer support and enticing bonuses. Exactly what you’d expect from the web address!
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- Games from different producers
- Famous UK casino operator
- Simple bonus requirements
Bonus
£20
Min Deposit: £20
One of the biggest land-based casino operators in the UK, Grosvenor have seamlessly brought their vast knowledge and expertise into the online world. A classic Playtech casino with straightforward bonuses – Grosvenor know what works in the real world and it works online too!
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- Over 500 games
- Fantastic graphics
- Huge progressive jackpots
Bonus
£1000
Min Deposit: £20
A leading on line casino offering all the best Microgaming games, with over 500 games in total. GoWild promises to beat its competitors with its focus on first-rate customer service and comprehensive and secure banking facilities – and it’s hard to disagree with them!
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- 10-15% bonus on many deposits
- Great Playtech casino
- First-rate customer support
Bonus
£3000
Min Deposit: £20
A superior Playtech casino with the great sounds and graphics that make playing a pleasure. The focus is definitely on the games, over 350 in total, intelligently arranged and easy to access, but still with the security and high levels of customer support you expect from a first-rate casino.
In this site we offer you a clear and compact introduction to the topic, covering all you need to know to find one of the best casino sites and live casino sites and get started playing your favourite games. Our aim is for you to be able to confidently and knowledgeably open your online casino account. We give you descriptions of the games you can play, clear information on the various types of bonuses you can avail of, and honest reviews of the casinos themselves. So read on, learn what you need to, and hopefully you’ll soon be enjoying the excitement of an on line casino, secure in the knowledge that you now have a comprehensive understanding of the way things work. British or UK casino enthusiasts from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can have a look at the finest UK casino sites that are licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom's gambling authorities.
The best casino sites
Checklist to define the best casino sites:
- Reputable casino sites with good brand recognition signals
- Active marketing campaigns on nationwide television and radio stations
- Licensed in a territory where strict laws and regulations ensure a fair gaming environment
- Casino games variety and availability
- Compatibility across desktop, mobile and tablet devices
- Clear and concise Terms and Conditions as well as Privacy Policy
- History of former violations of their code of conduct with proof of official resolutions
- Participation in national and global schemes that promote gambling awareness
- Involvement in charitable activities
- Provision of secure connection to the casino website and the instant or download casino applications
Reliability of casino sites
One of the main concerns of people who are just starting out using casino websites is that the operator they choose is reliable. And this is a very valid concern – you understandably want to make sure that your personal details are safe and that the operator can be trusted financially. Although relatively rare there have been cases of fraudulent online operators, with most documented cases involving a refusal to pay withdrawals or software that is manipulated to ensure rigged payouts. To avert the possibility of this happening to you there are a number of things you can do – you can check to see if the casino has a valid gaming licence, what jurisdiction it is based in and therefore the laws that govern it, and what online casino software is used to power the casino website. These details will usually be available from the homepage, possibly in the ‘about us’ section or in the ‘terms and conditions’. It is also worth checking what level of support the casino site offers, as the best online casinos will always have a strong customer focus. In general it is better to go with a major online operator until you have more expertise in this area. All the casino sites recommended on this site are reputable and follow strict legal guidelines.
Casino sites payout percentages
After the casino site reliability the primary concern of most users will be their chances of winning! This is known as the casino payout percentage and it’s obviously a good idea to maximise this. It is taken as a percentage across a long period of time and so can obviously vary quite considerably in a short time period but, in essence, a payout percentage of 95% means that for every £100 you wager you will get £95 back in winnings. The payout percentages can vary considerably across casino sites but generally it is considered that online casinos offer better percentages than land-based casinos as they do not have the same overheads. Your choice of game will have an effect on the payout percentage too. Poker, for example, is not played against the house so your winnings will be based on the skill with which you play against other players. Games like roulette and keno have fixed odds so the payout percentage should not vary much between casinos. It is in games like slots where payout percentage is crucial as this can be fixed by the operator, albeit with each individual spin still generated by random chance within the parameters set by the house. Payout percentages in slots vary considerably, between about 82% and 98%, so it is definitely worth checking the payout percentages advertised by casinos. In general a payout percentage of about 95% is considered to be quite good.
Casino Site | Casino Payout Percentage | Amount Wagered on Casino | Average Returns to Player | Average Casino Gross Profit |
---|---|---|---|---|
William Hill | 96.11% | £100.00 | £96.11 | £3.89 |
bet365 | 96.77% | £100.00 | £96.77 | £3.23 |
888casino | 96.40% | £100.00 | £96.40 | £3.60 |
PartyCasino | 96.19% | £100.00 | £96.19 | £3.81 |
Casino Sites Payment Methods
There are many ways to fund your on line casino account, from credit and debit cards to e-wallets, bank transfers, and in-store cash vouchers. Some have conditions attached to their use, some attract fees, and some take longer to process – so it’s definitely worth taking a bit of time to decide which method will suit you best and which online or live casino accepts it. Read more about payment methods for casino sites.
Historical casino background
Research into the history of gambling shows how games of chance and skill have featured prominently in all cultures, from the dice games of the ancient Romans to the roulette wheel in 18th century France and the armies of slot machines in the casinos of Las Vegas. And with the rapid growth of the internet in the 1990s casino websites were, of course, an inevitability. The earliest software was quite primitive but now, with live dealers for live casino sites and great graphics and sound, a real casino experience can be had anytime on any platform and anywhere.
Casino Sites of 2017
The early days of online casinos, with slow connections and low-quality games, is long gone. As their popularity grew so too did the incentive to create better casino websites and better games, with great graphics and a more realistic playing experience. The appeal of the traditional bricks and mortar casino waned as people realised that the same buzz and excitement could be obtained from a comfortable seat in one’s own living room. Some excellent online casino software companies, such as Playtech and Microgaming, were founded that specialised in the production of online casino games, and reputable operators started to adhere to strict and internationally-recognised standards in fairness and security. And this is where we are today, with some outstanding and trustworthy casino sites offering a wide and ever-increasing variety of games. With great graphics and sound and interactive chat facilities the difference between playing online and in a land-based casino has been minimised. And with live dealers streamed to your computer it really can feel as if you’re physically there.
The Past of Online Casino Sites
Casinos have come a long way since the gambling houses of seventeenth century Europe and the saloons of the American Wild West. The giant resorts of Las Vegas and Macau are testament to their fame and popularity and it was inevitable that, with the coming of age of the internet in the 1990s, they would take their place as one of the bastions of the online world. The first online casino site was launched in 1995 based on primitive software and with a very limited range of casino games, but since then they have developed at a rapid pace. Land-based casinos were seen as fast-paced hives of constant activity, but often associated with the seedy underbelly of society and not necessarily the type of place that would appeal to everyone. Online casino websites gave people the opportunity to participate in the excitement of a casino from the privacy and comfort of one’s home, and this held wide appeal. However, this also led to the development of some less-than-trustworthy casino sites, and over time it became necessary to develop a stringent regulatory framework. As the software powering the casino websites improved, so too did the testing and security safeguards necessary to guarantee a fair and secure playing environment.
Casino Websites in The Future
The popularity of casino sites really is phenomenal, with the ability to have an exciting and realistic casino experience anytime and anywhere obviously having mass appeal. And it’s apparent that you can expect casinos online to continue fine-tuning the things that they know matter most to their customers. Ease of access is crucial and already you can play your favourite games on your mobile and tablet. This is relatively limited at the moment but it is certainly an area where we constantly see great growth and improvement. Live casino websites with Live Dealers are another great aspect of the online casino experience that you can expect more and more of. People like to have the most realistic experience they can, wherever and whenever they want, and this is what the future holds – an incredibly realistic casino experience based on live streaming and fantastic graphics and sounds transmitted to you on demand.
Sign up to a casino site
Read our guide with simple steps on how to sign up to a casino site , enjoy the games and get your bonus.
Warning/Reminder
Always remember that casino sites should be used as a form of entertainment; that playing the games you like should be an enjoyable experience. We strongly suggest that you should therefore only spend money that you can afford to lose. If you feel that you are developing a gambling problem or if you, or those around you, notice any changes in your behaviour you should consider cutting back or stopping. Such changes can include becoming irritable or unsociable when gambling or asked about it, chasing your losses, concealing your involvement in gambling, or maybe finding that it is becoming a bit of an obsession. If you find that it is becoming a problem and are having difficulty cutting back or stopping, then you might need to consider seeking outside help. Further information is available from www.gamcare.org.uk and other organisations.