We investigate free casino games, the benefits of playing for free, and where you can play them at the best casino sites today. We’ll also cover very specific online casino bonuses that may actually convert free gameplay to real money winnings after meeting specific wagering requirements.
Best Online Casinos to Play for Free in the UK
Not all UK online casinos offer free demo play for their selection of online games. However, some will offer bonuses for free play and some will only let you play with real money. We’ve found a few fantastic UK casinos that will allow you to test out their games before you put in your hard-earned cash.
Bear in mind that while a few online casinos will offer free games to unregistered players, many want you to create an account with them before you can get spinning. Here’s our list of the best online casinos to play for free:
What are Free Casino Games?
Free casino games allow you to try out the online casino game in demo mode before you spend any money playing it. When you load a free/demo game to play, it will work in exactly the same way as the real-money version, with the exception that you are playing with virtual credits that you can’t cash in.
This is a very good way for players to test out new online casino games such as free slots, so that they can understand different bonus features, paylines, and other gameplay mechanics such as Drops and Wins and Megaways.
Are casinos allowed to offer free games?
Yes, casinos can offer free games in demo mode to punters, and many of the top online casinos do so. As there is no wagering with real money, this is a great opportunity for you to try these games out.
Why do casinos allow you to play for free?
By allowing you to play for free, online casinos in the UK can give you an idea of the quality and types of games they’re offering. When you get the opportunity to play a game that you really enjoy, there is a higher chance that you will want to make a deposit on that specific game and play for real.
In general, the online casino will ask you to register an account with them before allowing you to try out their free games, and this is a great way to get your contact information and add you to their database.
Registering for an account with a UK online casino is completely free, and you can even claim your welcome bonus offer when you decide to make your first real money deposit.
The Most Popular Free Casino Games in the UK
There are many types of casino games out there, that come in a variety of gameplay options, payout potentials, and overall odds. All online casino games are based on chance, and offer players an exciting gameplay where they can even test their skills.
Whatever your favourite game is, you’ll probably be able to find a free version online that you can get playing with no deposit necessary. Let’s get into the most popular free casino games online in the UK.
Free slots
Online UK slots are arguably the most popular choice for most players at an online casino. There are new slots being produced almost every week, coming in a host of themes, layouts, payout options, and more.
Playing the free version of slots is a fantastic way to find games that you like, learn what your preferences are when it comes to reel layout, discovering new slot bonus features, and seeing how these games play out. You can also get a good feel for the RTP (return to player percentage), and seeing which games will be the most likely to yield a good payout on the basis of your personal gaming criteria.
Free blackjack -> where can I play free blackjack casino games online?
Blackjack is a classic casino card game that has made an easy transition to being a firm favourite among online players. If you’re looking for the thrill of playing this card game, you can play it for free in almost any blackjack variation you can imagine.
The casinos listed above have free demo versions available, where you will need to register for an account with them for free and then start enjoying one of the many blackjack games in demo mode.
Free poker
Texas Hold’em, Five and Seven Card Stud, Caribbean-Stud, 5-card Draw, and Badugi are just some variants of this card game that you’ll find online.
Different poker variations come with their own specific rules and gameplay options, so it is actually important that you can test these out for free before playing for real money!
Free roulette
Roulette is one of those beloved casino table games that come with simple gameplay and a wide range of exciting betting options. There are also many popular variants of these games, such as European, American, or French roulette.
Players can opt for a wide range of roulette strategies when playing either of these variants, so testing them out for free in demo mode is a great way of doing this!
Benefits of Playing for Free at a Casino?
The benefits of playing for free at a casino are many and varied. The first would be that when playing for free, you get to simply sit back, have fun, and enjoy the game without worrying about your bankroll.
Playing a free version of a game gives you the opportunity to try out a new game that you haven’t necessarily played before without the risk of losing your money. If you find that you enjoy it, you can then opt to play for real money.
Getting a few rounds of free play in is a great way to learn the game’s rules and become familiar with how it works before getting into the more serious business of betting with your own bankroll.
Playing for free is great practice, and playing online can be done anywhere on your mobile device. You can hone your skills and prepare yourself for when you decided to place real money wagers.
Many casinos online will ask you to register an account with them before you can use their demo version games, but this is completely free of charge and comes with no added strings.
Different Ways to Enjoy Free Casino Games
As we mentioned before, it is in the casinos’ best interests to get you playing their games in any way they can to get you playing for real in future. There are a few ways the casinos can do this, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Play in demo mode
When you play in demo mode, you get allotted a balance of credits to fund your game. These credits aren’t exchangeable for real money and can’t be cashed in. The game will operate in exactly the same way as a real game would.
You can run through the betting processes, test out the gameplay and implement strategies just like you would if you were playing for real money.
Play with a free bonus
Another way that casinos can offer free play is in the form of a casino bonus. Casinos offer welcome bonuses to new players and promotions to their existing players, which translate into free play.
To access these benefits, you will need to register for an account with that online casino but won’t necessarily have to make any deposits. The nice thing about playing for free with bonuses is that you can actually reap some financial rewards from it once all playthrough requirements are met. Read on to find out more about the types of free bonus play:
- Free Spins: Free spins can be awarded to new and existing casino members as a reward for signing up or playing there. These free spins are usually limited to a specific slot or selection of slots, which doesn’t give you the flexibility of the demo mode games, but can lead to real money wins. The casino will generally limit the bet amount on the free spins, and there will be a playthrough requirement before you can claim any winnings.
- No wagering: No wagering bonuses are rare, but they do exist. These bonuses are free credits. They allow you to play for free and then collect your winnings, with no wagering requirements to fulfil from your side before you can cash out.
- No deposit bonuses: With a no deposit bonus, the casino will fund your account with casino credits that you can use to play. These types of bonuses typically have steep wagering requirements that could see you depositing your own money in the end, so be sure to read the fine print before you sign up for them.
Three Tips to Make Money from Free Casino Games
- When looking for a free play bonus, look for the one with the lowest wagering requirement. Some casinos will require you to play through your winnings a great number of times before you can withdraw them.
For instance, if you won £100 with your free spins, and it was subject to a 35x wagering requirement, you’d have to bet £3,500 before you can claim your money, giving the casino the chance to win it all back from you.
- Get familiar with the specified games first. If your chosen casino offers free spins on a selection of five free slots, play those slots in demo mode first, get to know how the settings work, and find a good betting strategy.
Use your free spins or no-deposit bonus to earn yourself some great winnings when you know the games properly.
- Find the casinos offering the best no wagering bonuses and sign up to play there first.
What Are the Best Mobile Free Casino Games?
These days, all the best UK online casinos have mobile-friendly sites and native apps. Aside from the top casinos’ apps, a quick visit to your app store will reveal that many of the game developers have free games for your mobile.
Where Can I Download Free Casino Games Online?
Most online free play options are available with no download for you to play, but if you’d prefer to download the games and have them available to play offline, you can head over to Google Play or the App Store to find a wide range of casino games.
Conclusion
Free casino games are a great way to improve your gameplay and get to know the rules of the games before you play for real money. In some cases, top UK online casinos will also give players free bonuses to play on specific games, and win real money once all wagering requirements are met. There are multiple top-quality free play options available to players in the UK, so you can start playing now.