Safe Online Casino UK 2024: Discover the best safe casinos and secure online casinos
Safe online casinos are abundant in the UK. That’s no doubt in part because of the rigorous UKGC licensing and rules. But also, given that the UK gambling industry is hugely competitive, online casinos must battle it out to attract customers. That means each online casino has to really push its feature set to the limit. And being known as a safe online casino is another way to compete.
So, let’s explore the criteria for making a safe casino online, secure online features of the safest casino sites and how to avoid untrustworthy casinos online…
Best Safe Online Casinos UK 2024
Key Takeaways for Safe Online Casinos UK
What Are Safe Online Casinos? How Are The Casinos Secure?
The most reputable online casinos share a dedication to player protection. This encompasses many things. Keeping data safe through the use of encryption technology. Ensuring that casino licensing is up to date and that the site is fully compliant. Providing tools for players to control their online gambling. Having round-the-clock customer support. The list goes on. The point is that safe online casinos must go above and beyond to gain the trust of UK players.
Within all of the above, there are nuances that help set some gambling sites apart from the crowd. So, we’ll be going into this in more detail below. For example, the safest online casino sites will provide a raft of tools for taking time out. Safe online casinos include limits on a gaming session or introduce a pop-up to remind players to take a break every now and then. Whereas, sites considered to not be safe online casinos might only do the bare minimum in this regard. So, whenever we’re evaluating an online gambling site, we’re looking for everything to be in its right place.
How we ensure our recommended Online Casinos are the most safest
If you’ve seen GamblingAuthority casino reviews, you’ll see how detailed we are. We cover the welcome bonus, free spins, games selection, payment methods, web design and so on. But you’ll also see a lot of casino reviews dedicated to player safety and security. So, when we’re reviewing sites in the UK, here are our main criteria for secure online casinos…
Licensed Casinos Only ✅
This one is huge – so much so that we never feature unlicensed online casinos. The UK has a reputation as the best-regulated market in the entire global gaming industry. And that’s largely down to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This licensing authority pulls no punches when it comes to keeping safe online casinos on the straight and narrow. All of which benefit the player. The UKGC ensures that there’s enough money in the vault to pay jackpot winners. That all the games are tested for fairness. And that any player complaints are resolved.
SSL or TLS Encryption ✅
It would be pretty rare not to see at least SSL encryption being used at an online casino nowadays. In fact, modern browsers including those for mobile phones will alert you if no encryption is present. Then, the latest gambling sites will be using TLS encryption, which is a slightly more robust form of SSL, though both do a great job of encrypting your personal details and financial information when it’s being sent to and from a website. Therefore, we always check that the online casino or sports betting site is using encryption technology.
Reputable Online Casinos ✅
Nothing beats actually playing casino games at a site and exploring its functionality when assessing trustworthy online casinos. But sometimes things can slip through the net. That’s why we always check the gambling forums and social media reviews of each online gambling site to check for red flags. Generally speaking, trusted online casino sites will be used on a daily basis by thousands of players and have a few minor complaints – people love to moan on the internet! But those with bad reputations will have plenty of warnings from UK players.
Good Marketing Practices ✅
We feel that the way in which reputable casino sites advertise is part and parcel of their brand image. Those that are misleading or dishonest in their marketing materials are showing that they are not to be trusted. Plus, they are more than likely to be fined by the UKGC sooner rather than later. Therefore, we keep an eye on the marketing materials of online gambling sites to ensure that they are telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth. In this way, we know when we have found an honest online casino – and which ones should be avoided.
Responsible Gambling ✅
This is another huge one for us. A responsible gambling site will have plenty of tools to help that small minority of UK players that cannot control their betting. This includes surveys to see if you might be experiencing gambling problems, as well as various features for limiting your exposure. For example, you should be able to set limits on your time spent gambling, your monthly deposits and your overall losses. Trusted online casinos will provide all of this and more because they care about the well-being of their players. Other sites should be given a miss.
Terms and Conditions ✅
We always read through the terms and conditions for the online casino bonus money offers shown on our site. And, of course, you should be doing the same. After all, you don’t want to be tripped up by the small print. But we also assess the language being used here too. That’s because an online casino that uses legalese might be trying to pull a fast one. Whereas, the most trusted online casino sites will speak to their players in plain English. The implication is that safe online casinos have nothing to hide. After all, legit casinos should be on your side!
Customer Support ✅
Finally, we want to see round-the-clock customer support. We also want to see multiple contact methods, such as live chat, email and UK phone numbers. You never know when you might have a query or be in need of some help. Therefore, top online casinos will have this part of their offering down to a T. Plus, the online casino should be training its customer support staff to spot the warning signs of gambling addiction and be able to flag warning signs. In this way, the most trusted casinos online will be able to provide the best possible service.
Why You Can Trust Our Secure Online Casino Site Recommendations
We take pride in our honest online casino reviews. After all, we want you to have the best experience possible. In this way, the next time you are searching for a casino guide or a new place at which to play, you will return here. A bad experience will do the opposite. So, here’s why we are considered to be one of the most trusted online casino review sites in the UK…
Absolute Honesty 👍
Honesty is the best policy in our opinion. That’s why we freely admit that we may earn a commission via the affiliate links on our website. This doesn’t cost you anything and it doesn’t affect our ability to call a spade a spade in any of our reviews. Plus, we will always raise red flags wherever we find them. All in the name of transparency, honesty and integrity. We like safe online casinos as much as you do.
Security Expertise 👍
Collectively, we have decades of experience within the iGaming industry. Some of us have worked directly for safe online casinos in different countries. Some of us have focused on casino and sports betting affiliate sites. And others have worked on the press and reporting side of things. In short, we know what we’re talking about when it comes to safe online casinos. Plus, we’re all casino players like you.
Safety Information 👍
We don’t do things by half measures when looking for safe online casinos. That’s why we produce some of the most comprehensive online casino and sports betting site reviews in the business. We feel it’s important to not only get the fine details right but also to include everything you might want to know. Plus, we constantly return to update our info on a regular basis to keep you bang up to date.
What are the Safest Online Casino Payment Methods in the UK?
We touched upon the fact that a safe online casino requires a safe payment method above. However, let’s revisit the topic in more detail here by comparing online casino payment methods. After all, secure online casinos can only do so much to protect you – the things outside of their control are down to you. So, here are our recommended secure payment methods for UK online casinos…
Safe Online Banking at UK Casinos
By far the safest way to deposit and withdraw from a UK online casino site is via bank transfer. That’s because the information you provide can only be used to pay you money. Therefore, a hacker intercepting your bank account number and sort code can do nothing with the information. The same is true for the online casino sharing its own banking information with you for deposits.
The only downside to using bank transfers for casino deposits and withdrawals is the transaction times. Sometimes, for example, it can take a high street bank up to five working days to process a withdrawal – that’s after the casino has run its own anti-money laundering and fraud checks. And it can sometimes take a few days for your casino deposit to appear. But there are solutions…
PayPal and Other UK e-Wallets
PayPal and other digital wallets act as an intermediary between your bank and the casino. For this, they may charge some small fees but, most of the time, it’s free to transfer into and out of your safe online casino account. However, there are several reasons why eWallets are a smart choice for casino players. Chief amongst them is the speed of transactions, which are often instant!
Furthermore, when playing at UK PayPal casinos, MuchBetter casinos or those accepting Skrill, Neteller or Trustly, you get another layer of security. This comes in the form of two-factor authentication for all transactions. So, you can use Face ID or Touch ID to complete deposits securely. And MuchBetter casinos go one step further in generating dynamic CVV codes, too!
Ones to Avoid: Credit and Debit Cards
We do not recommend using debit cards at online casinos if given the choice. That’s because your details can easily be stolen over insecure networks. And once stolen, your card details can be sold online and cloned by any number of bad actors. Prepaid cards are slightly better because you typically only use them once and your bank account can’t be drained if they are stolen.
General Tips for Staying Safe when Playing Online Casino Games
Last but not least, we wanted to go over a few tips for staying safe and secure online. They may also help you to find safe online casinos at the same time. Plus, these general tips will enable you to have peace of mind at other sites when you’re not playing online games.
Usernames and Passwords 🔑
When it comes to usernames, it's worth varying them each time. And if your email address is your username, consider using a different one for your online gambling. That's because hackers often link the information they find using the same email address at multiple sites. And when it comes to passwords, be sure to use long, hard-to-guess phrases with lots of numbers and special characters. Alternatively, you can use software like 1Password to automate this process. Finally, it goes without saying that you should never share your passwords.
Two-factor Authentication 🛅
Another great solution for thwarting hackers' attempts to steal your personal details or other information is two-factor authentication. In fact, while it isn't foolproof, it makes it significantly harder to crack and hackers are more likely to go for the low-hanging fruit available elsewhere. When using two-factor authentication at safe online casinos, you'll have to enter a code received over SMS text message or email to access your online casino account, for example. Another good one is to save passwords on your phone and access them with Touch ID or Face ID.
Secure Payment Method 🔐
While entering a debit card number might seem like the easiest method to deposit money into your casino account, it's not all that safe. Encryption will help, of course, but it won't prevent a determined hacker from getting your card details. That's why you should enter this information on public Wi-Fi networks or ever have Bluetooth on while out and about, for example. However, by using bank wire transfers, e-wallets or prepaid cards, you can mitigate some of your exposure. Especially if you are required to authorise payments with your phone.
Terms and Conditions 🔏
No one likes reading the terms and conditions when signing up at the best online casinos – or any other website, for that matter. However, it can save you a lot of grief later on down the line. This is especially the case when it comes to things like safe online casinos using your data or marketing preferences. Coupled with this, you should always read the small print when gambling online and claiming online casino bonus money. Secure online casino sites will often give you significant terms and conditions upfront. This makes it slightly easier to see what's what at a glance.
Trust your Instincts 🙏
We all want to play safe online slots at secure online casinos. But if something doesn't seem quite right to you, then look elsewhere. The safest online gambling sites will have looked at every page and optimised the flow for players. Whereas, if you're trying to make a deposit and the page keeps hanging, for example, that's mighty suspicious. So, if you want the safest casinos online, avoid those that give you a bad feeling. You never know, your instincts could be right and it could save you a whole world of trouble. Now, go enjoy your online casino games!
New Safe Online Casinos UK April 2024
| Rank | Casino | Deposit bonus | Bonus without deposit | Terms and Conditions | Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Deposit bonus 50 £ 50 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 2 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 22 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 3 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 20 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 4 |
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Deposit bonus 2000 £ | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 5 |
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Deposit bonus 300 £ | Bonus without deposit 21 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 6 |
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Deposit bonus 200 £ | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 7 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ | Bonus without deposit 88 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 8 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 100 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 9 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 30 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 10 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 50 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 11 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 50 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 12 |
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Deposit bonus 50 £ | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 13 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 100 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 14 |
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Deposit bonus 200 £ | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 15 |
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Deposit bonus 500 £ 150 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 16 |
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Deposit bonus 50 £ 25 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 17 |
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Deposit bonus 150 £ 50 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 18 |
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Deposit bonus 300 £ 100 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 19 |
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Deposit bonus 100 £ 100 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play | |
| 20 |
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Deposit bonus 66 £ 66 Free Spins | Bonus without deposit 0 £ 0 Free Spins | Read review Play |
How To Avoid Rogue Online Casinos in the UK
We’ve identified the things that safe online casinos have in common. But what about the less-than-trusted online casinos and sportsbook sites out there? There’s a lot of money in the gambling industry, which means they’re a natural draw for criminals and fraudsters. Here, then, are some of the ways in which you can spot and thus avoid the rogue casinos out there.
❇️ Safe Online Casinos and Licensing
You won't find any unlicensed online casinos based in the UK because they are illegal. All UK casino sites must carry a license from the notoriously strict UK Gambling Commission. Therefore, you can spot 100% rogue casinos from a mile away – they won't have any license whatsoever! However, you may also, find offshore sites with licenses from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) to name but one example. These sites should still be good to go, but we still recommend only playing at sites licensed by the UKGC if you are playing from within the UK.
❇️ Safe and Responsible Gambling
We see a casino's responsible gambling features as a sign of goodwill. In fact, as we pointed out above, we always look at this aspect in our reputable site reviews. So, you can guess what we think of online casinos and other gambling sites that do not feature responsible gambling initiatives and information about treating gambling addiction. Yes, that's right, sites that do not care tuppence about their players won't have any responsible gaming tools available. This is great for us because it means we can more easily spot and avoid many casinos.
❇️ Encryption at Safe Online Casinos
Never, ever enter any information into a site that is not encrypted. That includes signing up for a casino account in the first place with an unsecured connection. And, it goes without saying, but never deposit money with a debit card without checking that there's a padlock symbol next to the web address. All this goes to show that some thieves aren't all that smart because they won't have secured sites. Regardless, it provides us with an important lesson for staying safe online. All safe and secure casinos will be using encryption, no two ways about it.
❇️ Gambling Forums
As we stated above, we always check the forums for red flags about online gambling sites. Here, you will get a good overview of what players really think about even the best online casinos. However, try to take things with a pinch of salt. There are a lot of fake posts out there trying to tarnish reputations, so be sure to get a consensus and find out if the more negative comments are backed up elsewhere. Nevertheless, if a casino website is getting a lot of grief on the forums, there's usually no smoke without fire. In short, go with reputable safe online casinos instead.
❇️ Social Media
Similar to the above, it can be worth looking over various social media platforms as a final safety check. So, head to the official Facebook, Twitter and other accounts of the safe online casinos in question. See how they deal with people complaining online. If it seems that they answer promptly and try to resolve problems, that's a good sign. If, however, there are loads of UK players complaining about online gambling at that site, maybe it isn't one of the legit online casinos. But once again, take things with a grain of salt. Social media is stuffed with hate.
Examples of Online Casinos You Should Avoid
Questionable Practices
Reports of players not being paid out winnings
Failure to payout winnings
Players said to have not received winnings
Lack of customer service availability
Wagering requirements are unrealistic
Don't respond to customer complaints
Doesn't have an international licence despite claiming to have
Parent company threatening players
Safe Online Casinos – Conclusion
Nowadays, finding safe online casinos in the UK is easy. That’s because the UKGC has ensured that trusted casino sites follow the rules to the letter. Safe online casinos exist because of these rules that protect players at every turn. And by following the additional advice in our guide to safe online casinos, you’ll be doubly protected. All of this means you can get on with playing casino games without a care in the world. And if you’re still unsure, check out our list of the best safe online casinos above.
Safe Online Casinos FAQ
Are online casinos safe and secure in the UK?
Yes, we would say that 99% of online casinos in the UK are perfectly safe. So long as the online casino is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, then you shouldn't have any problems. There are a few more nuances above, of course, which you can read about in the article above.
Are online casinos legal in the United Kingdom?
Yes, so long as you are over the age of 18, you can play legally at online casinos based in the UK. This was enshrined in law by the Gambling Act 2005. However, the UK market is still regulated and there are huge fines and other punishments for casinos breaking the rules.
Where can I find legit online casinos in the UK?
Right here at GamblingAuthority! We vet each online casino featured on our site and you can read an in-depth casino review of each one. We take safety and security very seriously, so you can be sure that we've gone over absolutely everything in this regard with a fine-tooth comb.
Are mobile online casino apps safe and secure?
While there are a few questionable casino apps in both Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, the majority are perfectly legit. To be on the safe side, we recommend only going with the apps made by legitimate online casinos and reading our expert reviews before signing up.
How are UK online casino sites regulated?
All online casinos and sports betting sites based in the UK must adhere to the rules set out in the Gambling Act 2005 and enforced by the UK Gambling Commission. Casino games providers are also independently checked for fairness by companies such as eCOGRA and others.
Are online casino games rigged to make me lose?
No. And there's no real reason why online casinos would need to do this. That's because online slots have a return to player (RTP) percentage below 100% and all table games have the house edge. So, the odds are always in favour of the house – not that it isn't possible to beat them!
Can you win real money at UK online casinos?
Yes, otherwise there wouldn't be much point in playing at them. Plus, to take the idea even further, if no one ever won, no one would ever play at online casinos and the industry would be wiped out within a few weeks at most. Online casinos want to see some people win money!
What is the safest online casino payment method?
Bank wire transfers are definitely the safest payment method. If someone steals your details, all they can do with that information is send you money! However, bank transfers are notoriously slow, so a good option is to use e-wallets with built-in two-factor authentification.
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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