The Best Online Casinos in the UK
Welcome to Casivo. We are here to take the hard work out of finding the best online casino sites in the UK. With so many casinos and bonuses to choose from, deciding where to play can be difficult. We have tried and tested every online casino in our top list. This includes taking a good look at their game selection, banking methods, and welcome bonuses. Safety is our number one priority and so each casino we list has a license with the UK Gambling Commission.
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Best Online Casinos 2021
How We Review Casino Sites
We apply strict criteria to each one of our online casino reviews, with no exceptions. We’re always on the lookout for the best UK online casino, but there’s more to it. Before publishing on our website, our experienced team tries and tests each site. Only when an operator has ticked every box will we will list them as one of the best. Every one of our UK online casinos has been subject to the same testing process to remain consistent. Below, we have listed exactly what we look for on sites in the UK.
Safety is Our Priority
We will only test and publish an online casino with a UK Gambling License to ensure our players’ safety. A casino site cannot operate within the UK without this licensing, and so it is the single most important part of our review criteria. Other things we look at include safety aspects like encryption and data practices. Casinos must meet these criteria before we move on to the second stage of our review. If a brand does not pass our safety checks, we will not continue with the review process.
Selection of Games
A site is only as good as its selection of casino games. This has a direct impact on your overall gaming experience, and so plenty of choice of important. We look for slots, table games and live casino options. We are looking out for the best software providers during our reviews, including NetEnt, Microgaming and Playtech. Having these available says a lot about a casino site, as these software companies only work with reputable operators.
Deposit Methods
Technology is constantly evolving, and so new payment methods are available regularly. UK casino sites have to keep up with this and give players plenty of options to deposit. As well as the usual card and bank transfers, these operators must support e-wallets like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill as standard. The increasing popularity of cryptocurrency for online gambling is just another example of the market changing.
Fast Payout Casinos
Unfortunately, some casino sites are far too slow for paying players, causing a lot of frustration. A huge part of our testing criteria includes payouts and how fast the operator processes withdrawals. Most e-wallets should be paid within 24 hours, and standard card transactions within a few days. We will only recommend casinos with fast payouts, so you don’t have to worry about waiting around too long for your cash to land in your account.
Customer Support
The importance of customer support when it comes to assessing UK casinos is often overlooked. In fact, it’s a vital part of the process. No casino site is complete without a good service team. We hope to see plenty of ways to get in touch, including live chat, email and telephone. It’s also important that the opening hours are flexible and during prime gaming times, like evenings and weekends, and the agents must be friendly and helpful.
Design and User Friendliness
Many UK players opt to play on mobile, and so a website must be well-designed and easy to use across all devices. Whatever your preference, you should be able to have the same online gambling experience. We test every casino site for usability, looking at things like the interface and navigation.
Latest Online Casino News
Registering at UK Online Casinos
Creating an account with one of our best casino sites is easy, and takes around 5 minutes. You will need your personal details, an email address and a phone number to get started. Operators are continuously working on ways to streamline the registration process even more. We’ve outlined how to sign up with a casino below, and the steps remain the same regardless of which device you’re using.
Pick a Top UK Casino
Use Casivo to compare all of the best UK online casinos and pick your favourite from the list. Your choice will completely depend on your personal preferences. Which bonus you like the most and which has your favourite casino games will play a part. Every site listed on Casivo has approval for its licensing and safety.
Click The Visit Button
Click ‘visit’ on any review, and we will transfer you straight to your chosen casino. Most of the time, this will be the registration page. This saves you the time and hassle of having to search and find the brand yourself. We do the hard work so that the process is as simple as possible for you.
Register Your Details
The good news is that online casino brands don’t ask for any more details than they need. The registration form is quite concise. You’ll need your personal details to hand, like full name and address. Casinos will also need an email address and phone number to verify your account.
Deposit & Claim Your Bonus
Once verification has been complete, that’s when the fun can start. You will need to start by selecting your preferred deposit method. After this, provide the card number or PayPal details and select your deposit amount. Once you have done this, you’re ready to start playing and claim your welcome bonus.
UK Casino Sites Verification
The UK Gambling Commission is the body that regulates the UK gambling industry. With such regulation comes many rules that casino operators must abide by. One of the most important regulations in place by the UKCC is ‘Know Your Customer’. This is the player verification process and is a legal requirement.
What is Know Your Customer (KYC)?
We know it’s frustrating when you want to sign up and get playing without any messing around. But the Know Your Customer (KYC) process is in place to protect players. You will need to verify yourself at some point, but exactly when will depend on the casino site. This can be straight after registration, on your first deposit, or first withdrawal.
If you have your documentation available, KYC should be a quick and painless process. On a good day, you should expect for verification to be complete within a few hours if you’re quick at your end. Most delays are usually caused by missing information, so try to avoid this. We’ve compiled a list of documentation required to complete KYC. Remember, casinos may ask for any of these things, so it’s best to have them all at hand.
KYC Documentation
You will need to provide one, or several, of the following:
- Photo ID (Passport, Driving License)
- Proof of Address (Utility Bill)
- Proof of Income (Payslip)
- Affordability Checks
- Bank Statements
- Photo Evidence of Card
- Telephone Confirmation
- Deposit Limits
Choosing the Best Casino Sites
With competition heating up, online casino sites are having to work hard to attract new players. Knowing which to choose can be hard, especially if you’re a beginner. There are so many different casino sites out there, all offering their own welcome bonus, and we’re here to make the whole process much easier.
Our complete guide to the best online casinos includes each welcome offer, as well as an overview of the casino games, promotions and much more. We look closely at every brand and compile a detailed review for you to read. This means that you will only find the best quality sites in the UK on Casivo, and you can use our reviews to make your personal choice.
Your Preferences
Comparing our options and choosing your favourite from our top list will depend a lot on personal preferences. Whether you prefer live casino games, tables, or slots, there really is something for everybody out there. We suggest that you look closely at the specific welcome bonus available, and decide which works best for you as a player. For example, generous deposit bonuses are perfect for those that want more bang for their buck, but bonus spins would suit UK players looking to spend less.
As well as a preferred bonus type, you are also likely to have your favourite games. You want to make sure that these are featured on your chosen casino to avoid disappointment after registration. An online casino site’s look and feel can also make a big difference to first impressions, so all of this will come to preferences. The key points to consider when looking at casinos in the UK is licensing, customer support, banking methods, games and bonuses.
Our Casino Site Reviews
We are here for so much more than just presenting you with the best bonus offers. In fact, our detailed reviews are there to make the process of choosing the best UK casino sites even easier. We look at many important aspects of a brand and leave it up to you to pick your favourite from the list. Using a comparison site like ours will save you plenty of time and effort, so you can completely avoid browsing through hundreds of different operators yourself.
News at Casivo
As well as our helpful reviews, we are always up to date with what is happening in the online gambling industry. Our frequent news posts cover everything from the launch of new casinos in 2021, to special promotions and important updates. Our team of researchers, content writers and casino experts constantly have their ears to the ground. Because of this, whenever something big happens, you will be the first to know as a follower of Casivo.
Welcome Bonuses at Online Casino Sites
A welcome bonus is the biggest attraction at UK casino sites, and it is easy to see why. Players can benefit from generous offers simply for joining and making their deposit. In fact, in some cases, a spend isn’t even required. Which you choose will depend on the type of player you are, and your personal definition of value.
Some players prefer lower-value deposit bonuses that are wager-free or have low wagering requirements. Others may like bigger offers that come with tighter terms and conditions. Either way, the important thing is understanding what is on offer across online casinos for UK players.
First Deposit Match Bonus
The most popular welcome bonus is the first deposit match. This is where a casino site will offer you a bonus on your first spend and can range anywhere from 50% right up to 200%, and sometimes more. These offers are a great way to play with a bigger balance, but keep in mind that bonus funds are separate from real money, and will be subject to 35x wagering or more. Despite such terms, these are great fun and have always been one of the favourite bonus offers amongst players.
Reload Bonuses
The reload bonus is similar to a deposit match, with one important difference. Instead just a reward on your first deposit, you can actually get casino a balance boost across multiple. The most common configuration is a 100 welcome bonus, then smaller amounts or percentages on the second and third. These are becoming more common across sites in the UK, so players are starting to realise the benefit of multiple casino bonuses.
Free Spins
You won’t come across many UK casino sites without some mention of free spins or bonus spins. They are a great way to familiarise yourself with new slot games or play your favourites for free. These tend to come in two different formats, with some brands rewarding you with completely free spins on selected games after registration. Alternatively, you will bag them after making your first deposit. This can look something like 50 bonus spins on selected games alongside a deposit offer.
No Deposit Bonus
The most generous of welcome bonus is completely free, and this is exactly what you get with a no deposit bonus. Varying in size, usually ranging from £5 to £10, they are most commonly offered by new casino sites trying to attract new players. Remember that the bonus is separate to cash funds, and will have terms attached. They also don’t last very long, and usually need to be used within 72 hours of registering.
Cashback
Cashback is a less common welcome bonus, but it is offered at some UK casino sites. In a nutshell, a cashback bonus means that you will get a percentage of your losses back up to a certain value. An example would be 20% back up to £100 in your first week. The great thing about this is that it is real money, and you can claim it without wagering the total bonus first. Players enjoy playing for the chance to win, but getting some money back if they don’t. So although not entirely risk-free, it comes with less risk in knowing that you will get some money back.
Multiple Welcome Bonuses
You can actually get your hands on a whole range of casino bonuses. Most will only have one welcome bonus offer per player, but there is nothing to stop you from joining several UK online casino sites. Doing so can involve some shopping around you will need to pick and choose between many different brands. The benefit of using a comparison site like Casivo is that we have all of your options in one place. We make it easy to claim multiple bonus offers and get the most from your money.
Online Casinos Payment Methods
The list of payment methods offered by online casinos is regularly growing, and we now have more options than ever before on how to deposit and withdraw our money. Some will always prefer the traditional means of paying, such as using a debit card or making a bank transfer. On the other hand, many players are also open to new options, and there are plenty of them.
When choosing how you will pay on a casino site, you need to consider any withdrawal times. Although payout processes have improved markedly over the years, some casino sites are still way behind in this department. You can increase the speed in which you get your cash by selecting a faster payment method like E-wallets. It’s not just about how fast your money arrives, though, sometimes it comes down to convenience, and pay by mobile casinos are a prime example of this.
How to Pay
- Debit Card
- Bank Transfer
- PayPal
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Trustly
- Pay By Mobile
- Paysafecard
What to expect from an online casino
The best online casino sites in the UK will continue getting better and better, and 2021 is going to be a huge year for the industry. New brands are regularly launching, and we expect to see a further rise in ‘gamification’.
Gamification casinos are those that include levelling up, regular rewards, leaderboards, and races. These are all designed to make the experience more fun for players. There’s also likely to be a further increase in the generosity of loyalty programs. Expect bigger rewards for existing players, in a bid to compete with the new operators. If you enjoy visiting a land-based casino, there are many reasons why you may prefer the online casino platform.
Why Use an Online Casino?
- There’s a diverse selection of games available
- The welcome bonuses at online casinos are generous
- You can play on any device, at any time, without leaving the house
- Each online casino has a UKGC license, so you can play safely and enjoy your experience
- There is never a queue at your favourite game, so you don’t have to wait around to have your fun
Casino Sites With The Highest RTP
All UK casino sites have a house edge, the same as you find at any land-based establishment. This is how the operator can predict and limit their losses from particular games and bonuses. It’s important to remember that random number generators power casino games. This means that the outcomes of every spin or hand are entirely random and not controlled by anybody. The only exception to this is live dealer games, where the result is determined by chance with a real dealer.
The return to player percentage, or RTP, is essentially the odds of slot games. Each one has its own individual RTP, and so the odds of winning at a specific casino site becomes very difficult to calculate. It would be an amalgamation of all games on-site and their individual return to player percentage, so it is almost impossible to measure.
We recommend that you look at a game level when looking at odds instead of an entire operator. Playing games with a high RTP will increase your chances of winning. The highest RTP slot games in the world can be anywhere between 98% and 99%, whereas around 96% is average. Anything less than this would be considered low, and thus result in less chance of winning.
Top Casino Sites With Low Wagering
Even the very best casino site will have some kind of wagering requirement attached to its welcome bonus, or any regular promotions they have available. Its something that we have gotten used to as players, and c0me to expect. But as online gambling becomes more popular, brands are working hard to attract players and do better than the competition. One of the best ways to do this is to offer them something they can’t refuse, and this is why casino sites with low wagering were invented.
A low wagering casino site means that bonus funds are subject to much lower wagering requirements. These can be as little as just 5x. So you can claim a welcome bonus like spins on selected games, and significantly increase your chance of winning real money from it.
It doesn’t get much better than being able to play your favourite online slots without having to worry about the wagering requirements. This is quite a new concept, and it can make it much harder for the operator to predict their losses. Despite this, some of the UK’s top casino sites are starting to go this way after seeing how popular it is with players.
Casino Software Providers
Behind exciting slots, table games and live casino games is a team of talented software developers. Their sole purpose is to design the very best in online entertainment. With the rapid increase in new casinos, the list of software providers is also growing. There are still some very popular market leaders that are guaranteed to dominate the market for years to come. You will find these guys available on all of the best UK casino sites, and we have outlined some key facts below.
NetEnt
Around since 1966, this Swedish casino gaming provider is the biggest in the world. They are the name behind slot games Gonzo’s Quest, Street Fighter 2, and many TV-based slots like Narcos and Jumanji. NetEnt is a favourite with all types of players, and they will likely continue with its popularity. There is plenty of others to choose from, though, including new brands.
Playtech
Playtech is the self-titled ‘King of Casino’, developing some of the most-loved casino table games and slots. None more notable than the Age of the Gods series, which has many variations including Roulette and Blackjack versions. They also sport the Superman series, including Man of Steel and Superman the Movie.
Microgaming
Microgaming has been around since 1994. This makes them one of the longest-reigning names in the casino software world. They’re best known for their more stripped-back and classic style Vegas slots. But they are also behind one of the biggest jackpot slot games out there, Mega Moolah. This pays out staggering sums of money, sometimes reaching tens of millions.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution is well known as being the pioneer of live casinos, creating some of the first live casino games. Their advanced technology was the beginning of live dealer games, which have become incredibly popular with players. Some of their best-known titles include multiple variations of Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat.
Most Popular Online Casino Games
Live Casinos in the UK
Live casino is one of the most popular ways to play, and it has taken the industry by storm since it first launched. Playing this way involves interacting with a live dealer who will control shuffling and dealing cards, rolling the dice or spinning the casino wheel. The best part is that there’s very little difference between visiting a real casino establishment and playing this way. Many UK players prefer this to random number generator games, as there is something more fun about actually watching the game unfold in front of your eyes.
Although any top UK online casino will have some sort of live dealer section, several are entirely dedicated to the platform. Using a brand that specialises in the live casino will result in a better gaming experience, as they are using the best technology and offering specific bonus offers. This is quickly becoming the preferred way to play table games, and even slot games are becoming available on the platform. We expect even bigger things in 2021 and beyond, with more technology developments like virtual reality gaming.
Casino Site Licensing
All UK casino sites must hold a UK Gambling Commission license. The commission ensures that online casinos are safe and fair for players, regulating all games, and promotions. Another important feature of UKGC is gambling protection, providing support for players with addiction. Any disputes with operators go through the UKGC, who works as an independent party.
Casivo only recommends legal, licensed, and regulated casino sites, because quite frankly they are the best and safest choice. We have assessed each website for safety and security, only publishing the best. Playing elsewhere puts you and your data at risk, so we recommend that you avoid doing so.
Why a Licensed Casino Site?
- Safe personal data
- Responsible gambling controls
- Dispute resolutions
- Payment safety
- Customer support
Online Casinos FAQs
✅ How Do You Determine The 10 Top UK Online Casinos?
✅ Which Online Casino Sites Have the Best Odds?
✅ Can You Win Real Money From Casino Sites?
✅ Which Are The Best Casino Sites for Mobile?
✅ Which Is the Top UK Casino For Bonuses?
✅ Who Can Play at These Casino Sites?
✅ Which Games Are Most Popular on UK Online Casino Sites?
✅ Why Is an Online Casino Site Better Than a Real One?
✅ Can I Withdraw My Casino Bonus?
✅ What Should I Know Before I Play?
✅ Why Are There New Casino Sites In The List?
Our Commitment to Responsible Gambling
The most important thing about playing at an online casino is that it should always be fun and safe. Gambling addiction is a serious problem, and something we at Casivo take very seriously. We only work with operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, in a bid to protect players from problem gambling. The regulations from the UKGC are updated regularly, and so the rules can change. We are constantly checking UK regulations and will update our website accordingly when there’s a change in the law.
We recommend utilising the safe gambling controls available to you. There are many things that you can do to protect yourself from problem gambling. Log in to your chosen casino and visit your account section to access responsible gambling tools. These include:
- Deposit Limits
We strongly recommend that you implement deposit limits as soon as you register. It’s easy to get carried away sometimes, and this is exactly how you avoid it. You can set a daily, weekly, or monthly limit. Although any decreases are effective immediately, you will need to wait 24 hours to confirm if you wish to increase it. Some online casinos in the UK also offer other types of limits such as time limits. Where you can set limits on how much time you want to spend on playing. - Cooling Off Periods
This is the ideal solution if you don’t have a gambling problem, but feel like you need to take a short break. It’s a temporary solution, and you can select a time period anywhere from one day right through to a month. Remember that if gambling has started to affect your private life negatively. Maybe it’s time to take some time off. - Self-Exclusion
Self excluding from a casino entirely means that you will no longer be able to access it. This is ideal if you feel as though your gambling has become out of control. Self-exclusion is done on a site level, but you can opt-out of all online gambling through Gamstop. The options you will get for self-exclusion are for a period of 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. Remember to withdraw your funds from the casino you are about to exclude yourself from before registering with Gamstop UK.