Online Casino Reviews: Expert UK casino evaluations, ratings & information 2024

Author: Stephen Jones

Stephen Jones Senior Editor

With an education from the University of Cambridge and while working with iGaming for the last 6...

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Stephen Jones Senior Editor

With an education from the University of Cambridge and while working with iGaming for the last 6...

Read more about the author

Fact checker:

Peter Wilson

Peter Wilson Editor-in-Chief

Peter is our Editor-in-Chief at Gamblingauthority. He has more than eigth years of experience from the iGaming...

Read more about the author

Peter Wilson Editor-in-Chief

Peter is our Editor-in-Chief at Gamblingauthority. He has more than eigth years of experience from the iGaming...

Read more about the author

Last updated: 23 November 2024

Editorial use

Our experts write impartial, objective casino reviews based on strict editorial guidelines. As part of this process, we thoroughly research and fact-check all casino content. In our reviews, we strive to be honest, fair and balanced by covering the pros and cons of each casino. This is to help you make an informed decision about where to play. For more information, please refer to our Editorial Policy.

Ad disclosure

At GamblingAuthority, we earn a commission for new registrations and deposits made via our affiliate links. There’s no additional cost for you when clicking these links and our services remain free for our users. Our affiliate partnerships do not influence our casino content and we only recommend licensed casinos to ensure your safety. For more information, please refer to our Advertising Disclosure.

Online casino reviews are our bread and butter. But we focus on quality, not quantity. So, while we review most gambling sites in the UK, we ignore ones of ill repute.

Instead, we handpick the best online casinos (and poker and sports betting sites) and give our 100% honest opinions each time.

If you're looking for the best UK casinos, this is your online casino and gambling review site. And we've done all this so you can compare the top UK casinos in one place!

Expert online casino reviews

So, what is it that makes us the GamblingAuthority?

Well, first of all, we feel our online gambling experience is second to none. On our team, we have slots specialists, table game gurus, and sports betting masters. We all collectively try out the latest UK online casinos and give our opinions on them. Then, one of us writes up a detailed blow-by-blow account, going through each of our criteria and comparing each feature to what's already available.

Another reason to trust GamblingAuthority reviews is that we are 100% independent. We stand by our word. We heap praise on the online casino sites that get things right, but we don't pull our punches when things need improvement. Therefore, we only shout from the rooftops when gambling sites provide new UK customers with an exemplary experience. At the same time, you can expect us to raise red flags when something isn't quite right or if it's just plain bad.

In short, we write all our online casino reviews with as little bias as possible. Also, we don't just cover UK online casinos. We also review a multitude of different sports betting sites, too. You can find a page dedicated to online casinos with sportsbook features. Plus, as many UK online casinos also feature bingo, poker and live dealer casino games, you will find the perfect place to play. When it comes to gambling online, we've got your back.

We don't review blacklisted online casinos

Coupled with the above, we focus on removing links to dodgy online casino sites. To do this, we maintain a blacklist of casino operators who don't cut the mustard. After all, we want you to always feel safe and secure when playing at a site recommended by GamblingAuthority. Therefore, we won't ever write online casino reviews about unlicensed UK casinos. We have also listed the casinos you should avoid on our rogue casinos page so you can be certain you are not playing at a casino you shouldn't be. You're welcome!

How review and rate casinos in the UK

Having been around the block more than a few times, we're picky when recommending the top online casinos in the United Kingdom. An online casino cannot simply do one or two things well to the detriment of the overall experience. We find that the best online casino sites have certain things in common. They not only offer a great welcome bonus (with low wagering requirements and plenty of free spins) but round this off with a stellar selection of casino games, round-the-year promotions and great customer support.

Regarding the welcome bonus offer, our online casino reviews pay particular attention to the small print. While an offer can stick out from the crowd for its headline bonus money figure and battery of bonus spins, the details matter. After all, it's no good taking the maximum bonus if it will condemn you to a month of grinding to make the appropriate wagering contribution. That's why we always go through any terms and conditions with a fine-tooth comb. And we dock points if everything is buried in legalese rather than written in plain English.

Finally, aside from the criteria we apply to online casino reviews (below), we're very hot on responsible gambling. For example, each site should give players a choice of opting out of marketing materials. They should also give UK customers tools to limit deposit amounts, losses, and time spent playing slots online. There should also be the option of self-excluding from the online casino entirely for a short cooling-off period or indefinitely. These quality-of-life features can help turn a good online casino into a truly great one.

How to choose a top online casino

Here, we will review the various criteria for our online casino reviews. You can then use the same considerations when picking a UK site that best suits your needs. And don't forget that many online casino operators also feature sportsbook sections and poker rooms if you ever want to bet on the Champions League or play a few hands of poker instead of chasing progressive jackpots, joining live casino games or playing slots online. So, here's our list of things we weigh against the competition in each UK casino site review…

Welcome bonus ☑️

A welcome bonus offer can make or break some of the best UK online casinos. This is especially the case in the eyes of brand-new players. We want to know not only the max bonus amount but also the qualifying deposit, if a free spins bonus is included, any follow-up deposit bonuses, the bonus expiration date, and if game weighting applies when wagering. When writing our online casino reviews, we read all the small print to ensure no tricky T&Cs apply.

Free spins ☑️

As mentioned, casino free spins (known under UKGC rules as bonus spins in the United Kingdom) are a vital part of an online casino's package of promotions. In our online casino reviews, we bear in mind not just the number of free spins but also the maximum bet allowed, the included online casino game, and the wagering requirements that apply before being able to withdraw your free spins winnings. Again, we read through all the T&Cs to ensure you know exactly what's what.

Casino promotions ☑️

Having a good selection of casino promotions is key to keeping players interested after the fun and games of the welcome bonus have ended. And we're not just talking about the seasonal promotions everyone and their dog offers at Christmas and other UK national holidays. We want to see plenty of reload bonuses, casino cashback deals and slots tournaments to maintain our interest over the long haul. Bonus funds are very important!

Wagering requirements ☑️

We believe that any wagering requirements shouldn't be too prohibitive. That's why we look for industry-standard wagering of 35x the bonus funds (or lower). In our opinion, anything higher than that (or any casino deals that also force players to wager their first deposit) isn't worth it. Plus, the minimum deposit should be low enough to cater to all players, and the date unused bonus funds expire shouldn't be set too harshly.

Casino games selection ☑️

Most of your time at an online casino in the UK will be used to play games. Therefore, you need a very good selection of top casino games from some of the best providers on the planet. Video slots, fruit machines, and progressive jackpots should be covered more, but what about live casino games? On top of that, perhaps you also like to mix things up with a sports bet, a round of bingo or a hand of poker. You should consider all these things.

Site design and usability ☑️

Not only should a UK casino site be visually appealing, but it should also function flawlessly. By this, we mean that navigating the site shouldn't be a chore, finding information about payment methods (and any associated fees, for example) or claiming a deposit bonus. That's why we recommend playing at the best online casino sites where everything is laid out logically, you can search or filter things appropriately and everything is within easy reach.

Mobile casino sites and apps ☑️

Coupled with the above, most UK casino players now use their iPhones, iPads and Android devices to play casino games. Therefore, we judge the best online casino sites on a responsive design that works on smaller touchscreens or provides a dedicated iOS or Android app instead. This is why we always test a few casino games on a mobile device to see if the best performance is up there. Mobile casino gaming isn't going away!

Online casino reputation ☑️

Online casino reviews should cover how the gambling community feels about a site. After all, it's a great indicator of the casino experience you'll get. So, we regularly frequent various trusted gambling forums and social media channels. This enables us to see how many people are complaining about each of our featured sites. Many people might have trouble getting their winnings in a timely fashion, for example. If so, we will highlight this in our online casino reviews.

Casino payment methods ☑️

Credit cards can't be used for gambling in the UK. However, any decent online casino should provide players with various payment methods. This includes bank wire transfers, debit card casinos, prepaid cards, and e-wallets. Also, there shouldn't be any unnecessary fees charged for making deposits or withdrawals. Most importantly, withdrawals should be processed within 24 hours (if not sooner). If these things are to our liking, a casino gets top marks from us.

Casino customer support ☑️

If you have an issue, no matter how big or small, you should be able to speak to someone. They can help you return to more important things – playing casino games! We specifically test out the customer support team by sending them a few tough questions during our casino review process. Not only does this give us an idea of the training but also the response times. We want 24-hour support to answer queries in the dead of night.

UKGC casino licensing ☑️

Unless you're looking for a crypto casino, you should always play at a UKGC-licensed casino. The UK Gambling Commission is one of the world's most trusted, effective and downright judicious licensing authorities. And because the UKGC always has a player's back in case anything goes wrong, we strongly believe that you should only play casino games at sites officially approved by the licensing organisation. Unlicensed casinos are asking for trouble.

Safety and security ☑️

Thanks to the UK Gambling Commission, all safe casino sites operating out of the UK should have robust data protection policies. For example, your information should be stored on dedicated servers and deleted at your request. In addition to that, we always want to see full SSL or TLS encryption used on every single page. This will help keep your personal and financial details (such as your debit card number) safe. You don't want them falling into the wrong hands.

Responsible gambling ☑️

Finally, we would not recommend a site that slacks on its commitment to responsible gambling. Gambling is perfectly fine for the majority of players. Yet some still fall through the cracks and need a little extra help at certain times. So, in our online casino reviews, we look for self-exclusion tools, links to professional gambling addiction organisations, and a trained customer support team. We dock points if these measures are not in place.

Conclusion

The GamblingAuthority team has many years of experience working within the iGaming industry. During that time, we've written hundreds of online casino reviews. So, we've been there, done that, and got the T-shirt. Therefore, we believe that we offer a one-stop shop for all things relating to online casino reviews in the United Kingdom. Check out the online casino reviews and links above for more information, and you're good to go.

Stephen Jones Senior Editor

35 Articles 25 Reviews

With an education from the University of Cambridge and while working with iGaming for the last 6 years, Stephen has obtained a lot of knowledge about the industry. He usually writes about the different types of online casinos, casino bonuses and various gambling strategies.

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