How Do We Review Casinos in the UK?
To make sure we cover every tiny bit of information our users may need to choose the best online casinos, we’ve developed a list of points we review when we are testing out casino sites.
1. We pay attention to their Licences
It’s common knowledge that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is one of the most stringent regulatory authorities.
Those casinos licensed by the UKGC are required to uphold their exacting standards on player protection, responsible gambling, and transparency.
Any casino regulated and licensed by the UKGC should be a safe environment where to play and deposit your hard-earned money. Be careful of casinos licensed by other iGaming jurisdictions. These are not supposed to accept British players.
For example, the Curacao e-Gaming Licensing Authority (CGLA) adopts a notoriously hands-off approach regarding player disputes with their licensed casinos. There’s no regulatory complaints framework and licenses are easily obtained from the CGLA.
2. We find out what Bonus and Promotions they offer
If a welcome bonus could be a valid reason to join a casino, its promotions and regular offers are usually the reason you keep going back!
The following areas are ones we usually explore when we look at what kind of bonuses and promotions casino sites offer.
Welcome bonus and wagering requirements
When it comes to bonuses, the first thing we check is their welcome bonus.
All casinos will present financial incentives for you to sign up, and we are here to make sure you get the best offer.
But are they all equal? Not at all.
Wagering requirements play a huge role in how useful (or not) a welcome bonus is.
The games you can use the bonus on are another crucial factor.
Are you a slot or a live casino player?
Depending on that, some casinos are a better choice.
Find some of the lowest wagering requirements in the UK at bet365 Casino! New players will be treated to a £25 welcome bonus while returning players can find a host of rotating promotional offers.
Free Spins
Free spins are another enjoyable bonus incentive for signing up to an casino site.
If you are a complete newcomer to casinos, free or bonus spins are handy to help you learn the dynamics of slot gameplay.
Since a lot of casinos offer these kinds of bonuses, we check free spin terms very carefully to determine whether conditions are too restrictive.
Offers and promotions
The best casinos not only reward their customers with initial welcome bonuses, but they also run promotions and regular offers too.
Reload offers motivate loyal existing customers to make additional real-money deposits and receive further matched bonus funds to play with.
We know it’s hard to keep an eye on all of them, but don’t worry!
Our casino reviews receive regular updates so you’ll never miss out on an offer from your favorite operator.
Loyalty Schemes
The top-rated casinos also go further by rewarding loyal players by operating tiered loyalty schemes.
Long-time players can work their way up the tiered system and receive increasing benefits such as increased deposit limits, speedier withdrawals, exclusive gifts, etc.
By reading our reviews, you’ll find out about those programmes for every casino you might be inclined to join.
3. We check their Games and Provider Selection
To make sure you play the best of the best, we make sure to check the following categories at the casino sites we review.
- Online Slots selection
- Poker Rooms
- Live Dealer tables
- Game Providers available
- Exclusive LGames and Branded Tables
4. We learn about their Payment methods
The payment methods available at casino sites say a lot about the casino sites they are available at.
The wider the variety of reliable payment methods, the more likely it is that players will find themselves sticking to certain casino sites.
5. We figure out what their overall casino RTP is
To understand whether a casino site is worth spending one’s time and money on, it’s important for us to assess the RTP rates (return to player) in the games the different casino sites offer. This area often determines whether a casino site has fair games or not, so the higher a game’s RTP rate, the better.
6. We make sure they have a good Customer Support
The customer support offered at UK casino sites is highly important to overall customer satisfaction.
The more contact options a site offers, the bigger the chances of happy players.
7. We download their Mobile application
To be able to assess how accessible the UK casino sites we intend to guide you towards are, we usually download their mobile casino applications.
8. We learn about their Responsible Gaming programme
Whether or not a casino site takes its players’ safety seriously is another very important area we tend to look at when we consider what sites are safe to spend time and money on.
Responsible gambling should be among the top priorities of any casino site. The more a casino site dedicates to the safety and wellbeing of players, the more likely it is that players will remain loyal.
Did You Know?
Some casinos offer both a bonus and free spins as part of their welcome package. One such casino is the UK-licensed William Hill Casino, which offers up to £300 in bonuses + 50 spins.
The different kinds of casinos we review
The best online casinos offer different forms of entertainment, and below is a list of casino sites we typically review on our site.
“Classic / Standard” casino sites
The classic casino sites are some of the most preferred casino sites for several players as they usually offer a variety of game categories, from online slots to Live casino, therefore we dedicate a lot of our time to keeping up to date with and reviewing the very best ones in the country.
The following casino sites are considered to be classic casino sites:
Purely Live Casino
There are plenty of UK casino sites that offer purely Live casino games and entertainment and we like to keep our Live casino lovers updated with the latest when it concerns Live casino games.
Crypto Casinos
While Crypto Casinos are still a fairly new phenomenon, they are an area of interest to a lot of players. Unfortunately, they are not currently legal in the UK.
Mobile Casino
Ideally, your chosen casino will have a fully responsive mobile-friendly site. But sometimes, that is not the case. So we make sure to test them all.
Furthermore, when speaking about mobile optimisation, it’s handy to have a casino app to spend your time on if don’t fancy using a web browser to play.
Leading operators have invested heavily in developing casino apps suitable for iOS, Android, and Windows smartphones, and tablets and we’re here to tell you all about them.
Did you know?
Many UK casino sites offer players the opportunity to enjoy a casino experience via mobile apps.
Our Casino Reviews help you play with the very best!
In summary, finding a good casino doesn’t have to be rocket science. So long as it is licensed by the UKGC, offers a fair and exciting welcome bonus, and a solid library of casino games, you can’t go too far wrong!
Check out our UK casino reviews to get to know which are those fully-licensed casino sites that keep rewarding British players with bonuses and other treats, and visit CasinoHawks from time to time to discover new casinos that have entered the market.
We’ll help you avoid dodgy casinos and introduce you to those that will provide real value, security, and entertainment!
All casinos
| Name | Total rating | Popularity | Usability | Customer Service | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.co.uk | 50 | 81 | 87 | 92 | May 18, 2012 |
| 21Casino | 92 | 92 | 95 | 95 | October 19, 2021 |
| 666 Casino | 84 | 85 | 84 | 86 | August 1, 2018 |
| 777 Cherry | 83 | 85 | 92 | 80 | March 31, 2022 |
| 7Bet | 82 | 81 | 88 | 89 | May 1, 2024 |
| 888 Casino | 95 | 97 | 95 | 85 | May 2, 2022 |
| All British Casino | 91 | 88 | 95 | 100 | April 11, 2012 |
| Amazon Slots | 82 | 80 | 90 | 85 | January 15, 2018 |
| Amber Spins | 87 | 85 | 95 | 100 | October 7, 2021 |
| Bally Casino | 82 | 80 | 85 | 85 | September 11, 2023 |
| Barz | 90 | 88 | 98 | 95 | March 28, 2022 |
| Bet UK | 94 | 96 | 95 | 95 | January 1, 2018 |
| bet365 | 98 | 97 | 98 | 95 | January 1, 2000 |
| Betfair | 92 | 95 | 93 | 75 | January 1, 2000 |
| Betfred | 92 | 95 | 91 | 86 | November 27, 2005 |