Which is the Best Online Casino for UK Players?

I’m sure that as a UK player you want nothing less than to play at the absolute best casino site, but how do you determine which one it is? For starters, this casino has to be licensed by a renowned gambling authority to ensure that it isn’t rogue or illegal. Then, you’d expect it to offer more than the others in terms of game selection, accepted payment methods and software quality. Last but not least, it should have many bonus offers for both new and regular players.

While you can argue which is the top choice for each of the above-mentioned features, there’s no doubt as to which is the overall best online casino in the UK. After a closer look at all the legal online casinos in the UK, it’s pretty obvious that 888 blow all their competitors straight out of the water with their unique games, state-of-the-art software and numerous bonus opportunities. Just take a quick look at their site and see for yourself!

Check out UK’s top rated online casino 888 and start playing today!

How to set apart a good online casino from a bad online casino

Playing online casino games can be a highly rewarding experience, as it gives you the chance to have fun while having the opportunity to win real money. As fun as it is though, it could be also very dangerous, since there are quite a few rogue casinos that may abuse your personal information or refuse to pay your winnings. This is why it is of utmost importance to learn to make the difference between a good and a bad online casino. Here are some of the characteristics of the two types of casinos:

When assessing an online gambling site, the first thing you should do is check whether it’s licensed. All legal online casinos displays the seal of the regulatory body that has certified them in the footer of their websites. The three most popular and renowned gambling authorities in the world are: the Gibraltar Gambling Authority, the Lotteries and Gaming Authority of Malta and the Antigua and Barbuda Directorate of Offshore Gaming. If you see the seal of one of these authorities on the site that you’re considering playing on, you can be sure that you are in safe hands. Other information that might interest you is what type of bonuses the casino offers, which are the payment methods that it accepts and which is the software provider that has developed their games. We will talk about these topics further down this article, but if you want to know these facts in terms of a specific casino, I urge you to also check out our honest online casino reviews which you can access from the menu at the top of the page. If you are looking for the most detailed and comprehensive reviews available anywhere on the web then we recommend bestonlinecasino.co.uk, they offer the best advice regarding everything to do with online casinos. If you are serious about getting value from your casino then check them out! You won't be disappointed.

Recommended Casino Bonuses for UK Players

Now that we've covered the issue of licensing, let's focus on the fun part of online gambling, starting with the fantastic bonuses that the operators offer the new players. Below you can check out three of the most interesting bonus offers presented by some of the best UK online casinos which are both generous and easy to clear. The bigger the bonus, the more time you will have to really explore these great sites and find your favourite games. There are hundreds to choose from and, if lady luck smiles down at you, you may be a big winner, too.

888 is undoubtedly the top rated online casino in the UK and as such it offers you a huge £88 free bonus to try out the games. Simply register and you’ll receive an e-mail with details of how to claim this. After that you’ll get an instant 100% matched first deposit bonus up to £100. The play-through requirement is only 30 times the amount of the bonus. It is the ongoing rewards which are the real benefits at the 888 Casino. These start with a generous comp point scheme. There are daily promotions, which cover all the popular games. To top it all off you’ll find one-off and special promotions which change every week.

Betfair has transitioned from a betting exchange into an online gambling portal offering casino, poker, sports-betting and more. You’ll start off with a huge 200% matched bonus up to £300 here. The play-through requirement is 37 times the bonus amount. There is an extra big bonus exclusively for slot game fans, worth £2000 across up to 3 deposits. You’ll find a comp point system and a no-deposit offer of 10 free spins on live Roulette too.

Eurogrand casino is operated by William Hill and focus on offering big bonuses and rewards. The more deposits you make, the bigger your bonuses get. You’ll receive 25%, 60% and then 300% on your first 3 deposits. This is one of the fastest clearing bonuses around, requiring just 12 times the combined bonus and deposit amounts for certain offers.

How to Spot Casinos with the Best Bonus Clearing Requirements?

When comparing casino bonuses there are three key factors you need to know. First, the play-through multiple – which is the number of times you’ll need to wager your bonus before this can be withdrawn. Note that some casinos ask you to play through the deposit plus bonus amount, while others count only the bonus proportion. Next you should make sure your favourite games count towards this play-through. All casinos will count slots games at 100% towards your wagering requirement. Most will allow table games only as a percentage of this total. This will vary between 50% and 5%. The lower the house edge in a certain game, the less it will contribute towards your play-through requirement. Finally, most casinos will allow you to withdraw your bonus money once you meet their criteria – however some will not. You will find bonus offers where you can keep playing with the bonus cash (and withdraw any winnings), though the bonus itself can’t be withdrawn.

Here is an example using 888 Casino’s bonus deal - this bonus is a 100% match up to £100 with a play-through of 30 times. Checking their details will show that only the bonus amount needs to be wagered. You will get the bonus credited to your account right away, so this is available to play with. You can withdraw the bonus once the criteria are met. Checking the list of games allowed in the terms and conditions gives us the following information: Slots, Keno and Scratch-Card games count at 100%, most Table Games count at 20%, Blackjack, Video Poker and Baccarat at 10% and Craps at just 5%. These percentages are reasonable compared to other casinos. Some operators will not count table games at all towards clearing your bonus.

Extra Bonuses for Preferred Payment Methods

Often, casinos will give you an extra bonus for using one of their preferred payment methods. These offers are usually in the 10% to 15% extra range. The payment methods chosen are usually eWallet type solutions including PayPalSkrill, Neteller or Click2Pay. These have lower processing costs for the casinos compared to Credit cards. eWallets are also convenient for players, acting as a secure intermediary between your bank and the casinos. A great example of a safe online casino that offers deposit method bonuses is EuroGrand. If you want to take advantage of this kind of offer, you’ll sometimes need to ‘claim’ your extra bonus by e-mailing customer services.

• Company name: PayPal S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A.
• Website: www.paypal.com
• Founded: 1998
• Registered office: L-1150 Luxembourg
• Regulated by: CSSF
• Owner: eBay Inc.

Other Kinds of Casino Bonus and Rewards

Ongoing bonuses and rewards will be boosting your bankroll for a long time after the initial welcome bonus has been cleared. There are several different categories of ongoing bonus offers. These include comp point loyalty schemes, reload bonuses, free spins, tournament entries, VIP programs and many one-off and time-limited deals. Here is what to look out for:

Comp Point Schemes: These schemes award you points as you play, which can then be exchanged for cash. In some schemes if you collect enough points you move up to the next level and can exchange your points for bigger cash bonuses. Casinos will sometimes promote specific games by offering ‘double points’. Next we have Reload Bonuses: Sometimes these will come via e-mail, and sometimes as part of a daily promotion schedule. These bonuses are similar to your welcome bonus for additional deposits. You’ll need to play-through the amount before you can withdraw. We then move on to Free Spins / Games: Many casinos give you the chance to try out different games for free. Spins on slots are common, and you’ll also find yourself offered entries to slot tournaments. Betfair give new players the chance to have 10 free spins on their Live Roulette (worth £10). VIP Schemes are open to high-rollers who will benefit from bigger and better bonuses. Some of these schemes are invitation-only. While others are connected with comp points targets. Top tier VIP players get their own on-site rep. And finally one-off Promotions: This is a broad category and the best online casinos in the UK make an effort to continually add new and interesting promotions, many are connected to current events such as football, Wimbledon, Olympics etc. and change regularly.

What software do the top online casinos use?

Only the biggest and most popular casinos have the resources to build their own games. The majority will license their lobby and game software from specialist companies. There are some dominant players in this market including PlayTech, MicroGaming and Net Entertainments. This is the reason that you’ll often see the same game and slot titles at different UK online casinos. This model does have advantages. The casinos can specialise in marketing, customer service and payments – while the software companies can focus on creating better games. Most casinos still choose one software provider for their entire suite of games. This model is now being challenged by operators who select the best titles from several different software houses. This brings wider choice for players – and also allows niche and innovative software companies to challenge the incumbents. Examples of upcoming software houses include BetSoft and SkillOnNet.

• Company name: Playtech Ltd.
• Website: www.playtech.com
• Founded: 1999
• Headquarters: Douglas, Isle of Man, UK
• Email: info@playtech.com
• ISIN: IM00B7S9G985

PlayTech is considered the leading casino software producer by experienced casino players. This company have picked up a long list of accolades and awards over the years. PlayTech's software is trusted by the biggest brand names in the industry including BetFair, Titan Casino and Ladbrokes Casino. Many of the most popular online slot games are produced by PlayTech, including the Marvel themed titles. Jackpots are linked between all the casinos using this software. This allows them to grow into the millions of Pounds range. 888 Casino are big enough to have effectively gone it alone with software creation. Their software is multi-device compatible, including smartphone and iPhone apps. They have created some of the best playing casino software out there, which includes 100’s of slot titles as well as table games. Players looking for a unique experience instead of the same old games that other popular online casinos have, should definitely check out 888 Casino.

• Company name: Microgaming Software Systems Ltd
• Website: www.microgaming.co.uk
• Founded: 1994
• Headquarters: Douglas, Isle of Man, UK
• Email: generalenquiries@microgaming.co.uk
• Phone number: +44 (0)1624 647777

• Company name: Net Entertainment NE AB
• Website: www.netent.com
• Founded: 1996
• Headquarters: Luntmakargatan 18, Stockholm
• Email: info@netent.com
• ISIN: 556532-6443

• Company name: Dragonfish Total Gaming Service
• Website: www.dragonfishtech.com
• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: 20 Thayer Street, London, UK
• Email: sales@dragonfishtech.com
• Phone number: +44 (0) 20 3362 0888

Best online casinos with instant play games

In the past, you needed to download the casino's software to access the games. Early browser games were slow and crash prone. These days, the instant play games have caught up with the download versions. This allows you to access the games in your browser on many devices, including tablets and smartphones. In fact, some of the top rated online casinos have skipped the software download completely. A great example is the innovative Mr Green Casino. This brand has selected the best instant-play games from 5 different software makers, something they would not have been able to do via a full download. Players get a seamless choice of 400 titles, all from their browser window. Not only can you access these games from all your devices, the risk of downloading unknown software is now a thing of the past.

Making Sure Your Online Casino Experience Is Safe

Many players have concerns over online casino safety. While there are always rogues around, you can stay very safe with just a few common-sense checks. The first thing I do is check for a license from a recognised jurisdiction. The best UK casinos are licensed by European authorities including Malta, The Isle Of Man or Gibraltar. You should also look for external testing of game fairness. The reputable online casinos will always display this information on their homepage – along with links to the testing companies. Finally, reputation is key to online gambling safety. Brands that have been operating for several years and have built up a reputation for great service and fast payments are the right casinos to choose. Here we only list the very best UK online casinos. This includes reputation, as well as a great game selection, licensing, auditing and of course - generous bonuses.