How We Review Sites Featured on the UK Online Casinos List
Here at TopRatedCasinos.co.uk, our expert team does all the legwork to scope out the very best online UK casinos. On this page is a comprehensive list of sites we recommend — all fully licensed and scoring highly in our rigorous review process.
Be aware this list doesn’t include every site in the country. Instead, you’ll find a strong set of operators that have proved their mettle when it comes to delivering the very best online casino experience. If you’d like to know about all of the factors we take into consideration when reviewing a site, you can find the full list of criteria within our editorial policy. Here are a few of the most important considerations.
Licensing
Any site that finds itself on our UK online casinos list must be fully licensed by the relevant governing bodies — no exceptions. Playing at a licensed site affords a greater level of protection to players, as the online casino is beholden to certain standards of safety. Any non-compliant operators risk large penalties and fines, with the worst offenders can lose their licence altogether.
There’s usually a different regulator in each country. In the UK, the body responsible for licensing is the Gambling Commission (UKGC). Other names you’re likely to see include the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) or Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA).
By playing at a licensed casino, you know the games you’re playing will be fair and you’re less likely to encounter issues with security or payouts; play at an unlicensed site and you’re putting yourself at risk.
Customer Support
When your money is on the line, the last thing you want is to be left high and dry when you encounter a technical problem. That’s why we thoroughly assess every casino’s customer support offering. We like to see a multitude of channels through which members can contact the site, including email, telephone, and live chat — bonus points if there’s 24/7 access.
We expect customer support to be courteous, and response times should be fast: no one wants to be left waiting when it comes to their cash. We’ll also check for active social media accounts, as these are a good way to stay up to date with a casino’s happenings, as well as offering an extra avenue through which to seek assistance.
Payout Speed
For deposits and withdrawals, choice is important for our players. Inclusion of the latest methods is essential, as these often unlock the quickest withdrawal speeds. There should be at least one e-wallet option — PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller are common — and newer technologies such as Trustly are welcome too.
No matter the payment method, withdrawals should be processed promptly by the casino, allowing players to take advantage of the speed offered by these newer services.
Site Design
It’s 2023, and a site’s design should reflect that. Antiquated graphics are a no-no, and sites should look great on mobile as well as desktop. An optional dark mode is the icing on the cake. It might sound shallow, but it all plays into an engaging experience and is something we’ll always consider before placing a name on our UK online casinos list.
Usability
What use is an online casino if you can’t find what you’re looking for? The library should be easy to navigate and filter — and that’s especially true when many slots catalogues run into the thousands. All site functionality such as banking, account management, and promotions must be within easy reach of the player. Casinos with a convoluted or difficult withdrawal process will find themselves severely marked down.
Mobile App or Site
Another factor our expert team considers when reviewing a list of UK online casinos is mobile functionality. The majority of gamblers play games and place bets on their phones, so it’s vital that a casino’s mobile site is as smooth to navigate as it is on desktop. What’s more, games like slots often thrive in a touchscreen format, so it’s also important that UK casinos take advantage of this by optimising their full games library for mobile play.
One way UK online slots and casino sites push ahead of the competition is by offering a native app available for download for iOS and Android devices. Mobile apps offer a range of benefits from push notifications to quick response times, so we’d usually recommend downloading one if it’s available.
Game Selection
An expansive and varied library of games is essential to our assessment of the best UK online casinos. Every site on our list of UK online casinos features a wide selection of titles and genres from the industry’s most esteemed providers, alongside some lesser known up-and-comers. Our recommended casinos will also cater to a range of budgets, offering titles that suit both high and low rollers alike.
Whether you like to spend big, stick to slot sites or try your luck against live dealers, these UK online casinos will more than have you covered.
Payment Options
It’s vital that a UK online casino offers players a variety of payment options. The last thing you want is to find a casino site with great games and generous bonuses, only to discover that you can’t deposit using your preferred payment method.
With that in mind, the sites on our UK casinos list will allow players to deposit using an array of payment options – from e-wallets and prepaid cards to Open Banking and pay by mobile providers. Of course, if you prefer to pay by debit card, this option will always be available to you, but alternative payment methods usually boast faster withdrawal times.
Bonuses
Bonuses are, for many players, the main attraction when choosing a new casino. It is for that reason that we place the quality of a casino’s bonuses high up in our selection criteria for which sites will feature on our list of UK online casinos.
The first bonuses we look out for are sign up offers like matched deposit bonuses and free spins, but we also prioritise casinos who consistently offer their returning customers a range of promotions that will reward your loyalty. Be aware, however, that some payment options – usually e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller – might be excluded from certain deposit bonuses, so keep an eye out for those. Debit card deposits will always qualify you for a bonus.
Terms and Conditions
Any bonus that you’re offered at a UK casino site is only as good as its terms and conditions. Impositions like wagering requirements, payment method restrictions and winnings caps all have the capacity to neutralise your bonuses and can spoil your gambling experience if you’re unaware of them, so we make it a priority to keep players informed.
Though conditions like wagering requirements often prevent you from making cash returns on your bonuses, you can rest assured that every site on our UK casinos list provides bonuses that, if non-withdrawable, have other ways of proving beneficial. Bonus funds that are tarnished by wagering requirements, for example, remain an extremely useful and low-risk way of getting acquainted with a new site before deciding which games to stake your cash on.
Innovative Features
At TopRatedCasinos, we’re well aware that there is often very little to separate one online casino from the next. That’s why we’re constantly on the lookout for new online casinos that are committed to delivering a gambling experience that is truly original.
Sites like Duelz Casino and Voodoo Dreams, for example, provide fresh design features and innovative PvP elements that add a layer of competitiveness and excitement to online gambling, which is one of the reasons they sit near the top of our UK casinos list.
