In order to choose the best online casino in the United Kingdom, you need to explore the following:
- World class software providers
- Top slots games
- Top online roulette games
- Top online blackjack games
- Option to play from your mobile device
- Bonuses and promotional offers
- The responsiveness of customer support and service
Online casinos pepper the gaming landscape in the United Kingdom. Thanks to liberal regulations, many top-tier operators have set up shop in the UK. The UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission), in conjunction with leading European regulators in the form of the Government of Malta, the Government of Gibraltar, EEA and EU authorities have fashioned comprehensive online gambling legislation to make it easy for legal age players across Europe to enjoy online casino games.
UK players have carte blanche to select from a wide range of fully licensed and regulated online casinos. The best UK online casinos all bear the UKGC stamp of approval, indicating that they operate within a strict legal framework. Players are encouraged to cross-reference licensing and regulation with the UKGC to validate authenticity. Licensed operators abide by a strict set of rules and regulations; a framework determined by the UK authorities. This ensures that players have peace of mind with games, random number generators (RNGs), external auditing and compliance, payouts, and the security of personal information on site.
Regulation is the #1 feature of the most reputable online casinos. It provides the necessary safeguards for players vis-a-vis KYC (know your customer), AML (anti-money-laundering), payouts, privacy considerations, identity protection, and security of personal information. Players will find details of regulatory approval on the footer of an online casino, in the ‘about us’ section. The absence of licensing and regulation is typically regarded as a ‘red flag’ for players.
1. WORLD CLASS SOFTWARE PROVIDERS PLAY A KEY ROLE AT ONLINE CASINOS
The best online casinos in UK are also powered by world-class software providers. The world's premier software providers are fully licensed and regulated to provide real money online casino games to players. They typically avail their services to regulated online casinos. The list of reputable software providers includes an ever-growing selection of brands such as: Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt, Play’N GO, Cryptologic, IGT, Merkur Gaming, Evolution Gaming, Dragonfish, and a host of others.
The benefit of selecting an online casino with highly regarded casino software is immediately evident. HD quality online casino games, Flash or HTML 5 functionality, practice-play mode and real-money mode, established reputation, large player networks, generous jackpots, and regularly released new games. These are but a few of the benefits available to players who select regulated online casinos with renowned software providers.
For the most part, online casinos will limit practice-play mode (demo mode) games to online slots, online blackjack, online baccarat, online video poker, and instant games. The live casino games are typically available in real-money mode only. As for gaming options, the old adage holds true: variety is the spice of life. Players tend to prefer a greater number of games than a limited selection of online casino games. More games mean more choices, and this is important with online casino players. The most popular category of games at an online casino is slots.
Slot machine games are available in many different forms, including 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, and multi-reel slot games. Classic slots are true to the original slot games – the one-armed bandits – available at the turn-of-the-century. These 3-reel slot games feature limited symbols such as bars, bells, and cherries. They are crafted off the old school appeal of the Liberty Bell slot machine, and feature prominently at online casinos. Fruit slots, Pub fruities, pokies, and classic slots all refer to the same games.
2. TOP SLOTS GAMES ARE A PRIORITY AT UK ONLINE CASINOS
The most popular slot online slots games are the video slots. These contain a wealth of features such as wild symbols, scatter symbols, expanding wilds, free spins, in-game multimedia, video overlays, bonus rounds, autoplay functionality, and more. Typically, online slots are available in multiple themes, with action-packed adventures, romance-themed slots, superhero slots, Hollywood-style slots and more.
Players can pick their preferred minimum and maximum wagers, with coin values beginning from as low as £0.01. Bet sizes cater to players of all bankrolls – casual players and high rollers alike. Slots games typically make up around 70% of all games at online casinos, and no specific skills or strategies are required to play these games. These instant win attractions are the focal point of players at the top UK online casinos. Typically, the greater the number of online slots the better the online casino.
3. THE BEST ONLINE ROULETTE GAMES
Online roulette games feature prominently at the top UK casinos. There are scores of roulette variants available, including French Roulette, European Roulette, and American Roulette. Roulette is French for ‘Little Wheel’, and it is a chance-based game which rose to popularity thanks to Blaise Pascal – a French mathematician in the 16th Century. The best online casinos feature a blend of roulette games, with single-zero European Roulette and French Roulette as well as double-zero American Roulette.
There are multiple variations of each roulette game, with bets available on inside numbers and outside numbers. Standard variants of the game feature numbers 0–36, with American Roulette featuring 0, 00, 1-36. The odds of single-zero roulette games are 2.70%, while the odds of double-zero roulette games are 5.26%. The best UK online casinos present players with a mix of options, for greater choice and betting variety.
4. SHARPENING SKILLS WITH ONLINE BLACKJACK GAMES
Online blackjack is the #1 game for card players at casinos. Blackjack fuses skill and strategy with good fortune, as players go head-to-head against the dealer for the ranking hand. The number to beat is 21, but any hand total that bests the dealer's hand without exceeding 21 wins. Online blackjack games include Classic Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Strip Blackjack, Multi-Hand Blackjack and other variants.
When played with perfect strategy, players can significantly reduce the house edge, making this the preferred game of skilled card players. Blackjack players should seek out online casinos allowing ‘demo play’ options with no real money deposit needed. This makes it much easier to practice and perfect online blackjack play without depleting a real money bankroll in the process. Many of the leading UK online casinos avail these services to players. In all versions of online blackjack, players are not required to beat other players at the table – it's player versus dealer in pursuit of the highest value hand.
Like other skill-based casino games, the right blackjack strategy needs to be adopted. This includes a combination of bankroll management techniques, use of blackjack strategy charts, blackjack guides, blackjack statistics, and blackjack odds calculators. Combined, these resources can serve players well. The best UK online casinos feature in-depth blackjack guides, articles, and expert commentary to assist players. These are typically available through the online casino blog, or under the ‘Blackjack Tips, Tricks & Strategies’ section. It's a good idea to review the educational sections of online casinos to evaluate the quality of their player resources.
Believe it or not, there are also effective online slots strategy guides, roulette strategy guides, and blackjack strategy guides that can assist players. The purpose of playing online casino games is multifold. Players tend to enjoy the experience of an online casino session, which includes maximising a bankroll, enhancing the quality of gameplay, learning the ins and outs of specific games, playing responsibly, and enjoying as much variety as possible.
5. THE SHIFT TO MOBILE CASINO GAMING IN THE UK
In recent years, there has been a shift towards mobile gaming as well. Players are seeking out mobile friendly online casinos with highly responsive Android and iOS interfaces. Today, the best UK online casinos are associated with free mobile apps direct from the Google Play Store, or App Store. Mobile gameplay is an increasingly important component of picking the right online casino. Mobile casino games require 3G, 4G, or Wi-Fi functionality. Games have been optimised for the smaller screen sizes, with fewer features and maximum functionality. Mobile games now include slots, card games, table games, video poker, and live casino attractions.
Live casino games rank alongside mobile casino as one of the most coveted features of UK online casinos. The concept of live casino is appealing on many levels. For starters, live dealer casino games mimic the best of Las Vegas and Atlantic City casinos with real dealers, in real time. The games stream from secure studios to players in real time. Players can interact with professional croupiers via SMS, and players can see dealers taking bets, dealing cards, or spinning the roulette wheel. Luckily, dealers cannot see players – so it's possible to play live casino games from the comforts of home, in your pajamas, at work, or during a coffee break.
Live casino games are only available in real-money mode, much like table games at bricks and mortar casinos. When it comes to live casino games, players are spoilt for choice. Live Roulette, Live Blackjack, Live Baccarat, Live Texas Hold'em, Live Three Card Poker, and Live Caribbean Stud Poker games are available. The beauty of live dealer games is evident in the authenticity of the action. Players do not need to rely on RNGs for the outcomes of these casino games. Lady Luck alone is responsible for the cards dealt, or the roulette outcomes of these games.
6. BONUSES AND PROMOTIONAL OFFERS ONLINE
Bonuses and promotional offers are saved for last, but they are certainly an important consideration when picking the best online casino in UK. Bonuses and promotional offers are enticements to get players involved in the action. There are many different types of bonuses players can apply for, notably deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, re-deposit bonuses, free spins offers, high roller bonuses, and more. Many bonuses are exclusive, meaning that players must carefully select the right options, or risk foregoing certain deals.
The wagering requirements with each online casino bonus or promotional offer are clearly laid out under the T&C section. Players are encouraged to carefully read these requirements to understand how many times the bonus + deposit needs to be wagered before any winnings can be cashed out. Improperly wagered bonuses and promotional offers may disqualify players for the benefits involved. Promotional offers cover a full spectrum of player-friendly deals. These include Live Casino Promos, Roulette Promos, Slots Promos, Blackjack Promos, and Daily Deals.
7. THE RESPONSIVENESS OF CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND SERVICE
It is important for players to fully understand the terms and conditions of each offer before registering, depositing, and claiming a specific bonus. It's best to get in touch with customer support to have the bonuses and promotional offers explained before making a deposit. The responsiveness of customer support is a great indicator of the quality of the online casino. Players can learn a lot about an online casino and its customer-centric approach to players through customer support.
The most responsive online casinos feature live chat functionality, email assistance, telephone, fax, snail mail, online contact form, and the like. Support agents are typically available in multiple languages, and online casino deposits/withdrawals are available in multiple currencies. Players get to enjoy real interactions, responsible gaming conduct, and credible online casino gaming with the finest UK online casinos. It's important to evaluate each online casino on its merits, with a focus on the features and elements listed in this comprehensive guide.
*Credits for main photo in this article belongs to Eran Alergant
