Online Casinos for UK Players
Online gambling is alive and well in the UK thanks to favorable laws and a lightly regulated industry. There are hundreds of sites to choose from, and they are all licensed to do business in the UK. Unlike some other countries, the UK takes a proactive approach in licensing gambling sites and regulating the industry.
The end result is that you can choose from any number of safe and legal casino sites. The most important thing is to pick a site that meets your specific needs. Even though the industry is regulated, there’s a wide range in quality. Some sites have lackluster gambling options while others give you the full casino experience at your computer.
Safety isn’t a big concern in the UK as long as you stick with licensed, big-name gaming sites such as those listed above. Smaller sites come and go, but the big sites have staying power. Some of the biggest names in online gambling have been handling bets since before the internet even existed. Staying power is important because it indicates stability, safety and success.
Safety does become an issue when you venture to casinos that aren’t licensed to do business in the UK. The UK is one of the biggest markets for online gambling, so just about every casino on the planet accepts customers from the UK. Casinos located in other markets aren’t subject to the same licensing requirements as casinos in the UK.
As long as you stick with reputable gambling sites that are licensed to do business in the UK, you’ll be in good hands. That is one of the primary reasons we recommend the casinos listed above. These are all high quality places with longstanding reputations for security and fair games.
Something else we look for when ranking sites is what types of gambling options they have on offer. The biggest sites do a little bit of everything. They have real money poker, hundreds of casino games, full-fledged sportsbooks, bingo rooms and more. Having that variety is nice because it eliminates the hassle of moving your bankroll around to different gambling sites every time you feel like switching it up.
Depositing and Withdrawing
Moving your money to and from a licensed gambling site is easy thanks to the government’s favorable view on online gambling. In other countries, deposit options are limited due to anti-gambling legislation. It’s a totally different story in the UK. You can deposit with your credit card, PayPal, Skrill, direct bank transfers and even cash.
Withdrawing your winnings is also easy. In most cases, you can have your winnings sent straight to your bank account. Or if you prefer, you can have your money credited to your PayPal or Skrill account. There are dozens of options – all you have to do is log in to your account and choose the method that works best for you.
Legitimate gambling sites should process your withdrawals within a few days of your request. It takes a little time to process financial transactions, but it shouldn’t take more than a week. Casinos in the UK do not have the same legal troubles as gambling sites located in other parts of the world, so there are no excuses for slow payments. This is just another reason to stick with large, respected gambling sites.
As far as currencies go, you can choose between pounds sterling, the US dollar and the Euro. Most casino sites allow deposits and withdrawals in all three currencies. At some of the larger international sites, you can deposit with even more currencies. It’s all designed to make it as easy as possible for customers to deposit, play and withdraw.
Gambling Options in the UK
The UK doesn’t have much in the way of restrictions. As long as the games are truly random, online casinos are free to offer pretty much any form of gambling. Anything that you could play in the real world can also be found online.
The biggest online casinos in the UK offer a little bit of everything. Sign up for an account at one of these bigger sites and you’ll have access to:
- Casino games
- Online poker
- Sports betting
- Horse / greyhound racing
- Bingo
- Financial betting
- Player vs. player skill game
It’s nice to have so many options. You can go with casino games that rely entirely on luck or you can go with other forms of gaming that involve a significant element of skill. If you decide to join one of the big, all-in-one gambling sites, you can try it all with a single account.