Online gambling is a gigantic and lucrative industry. UK residents can choose from hundreds of sites, and only some of them protect personal data and deposits. To make the right choice, look beyond welcome offers and dig deeper. You need a safe and secure environment with a rich variety of games, attractive rewards, and reliable customer service. Follow our guide to find the best place to gamble at.
Choose Sources Carefully
Make an informed decision based on feedback and verdicts from experts. For example, the UK online casino list 2021 is a summary of professional research. User feedback can be found via forms and online communities dedicated to online gambling.
Do not jump to conclusions too quickly. Some comments are purely subjective. It is the recurring issues (problems encountered by several users) that raise alarm bells. For example, if a website seems to be delivering a consistently poor experience in terms of withdrawals, this is a red flag. Here are the top five criteria.
1. Game Variety
First, make sure the website has all the games you need. Different platforms cooperate with different software developers. Hence, if you are looking for a specific game like Mega Moolah by Microgaming, pay attention to its availability.
Popular websites feature hundreds of games in all popular categories — classic table games and slots. Progressive jackpot slots are particularly attractive if you dream of spectacular jackpots.
2. Fair Play
Reliability in terms of fairness is determined by the random number generator. This engine comes from the software developer, and it must be inspected on a regular basis by monitoring organizations like eCogra. Honest providers have nothing to hide. You should find this information in a special fair play section of the site along with the certificates confirming the audits.
3. License
Every website in the UK has to be authorized by the UK Gambling Commission. At the same time, there are popular offshore sites that do not have a UKGC license. They may be authorized in jurisdictions like Malta or Curacao. In any case, the licensing details must be easy to find on the site. Usually, they are located in the footer.
4. Rewards
After identifying licensed collections with your favorite games, compare their introductory offers. Most commonly, they include free spins, free cash, or some combination of the two. No deposit bonuses let you compare the software safely.
Look at the wagering requirement behind each bonus to see how many times it must be wagered to allow withdrawal. 35x is decent while 80x is difficult to attain. An unrealistic requirement renders any bonus impossible to withdraw. If the multiplier is difficult to find, or it seems exaggerated, the site is suspicious.
Consider the loyalty programs, too. Check if staying on the site will pay off. For example, members of Casino Rewards over 6 status levels, each with a selection of gifts, bonuses, and VIP games.
5. Encryption
Like any websites accepting financial information, a casino must have a solid encryption in place and use only HTTPS (the secure version of HTTP) for any page involving payments. Make sure your data and deposits will be safe. Any traffic exchange between your computer and the platform must be protected from prying eyes. Many popular sites use 128-bit encryption.
6. Customer Service
Last but not least, pay attention to the quality of customer support. Most commonly, websites provide support by email and live chat. Type a query on the site to test the speed and quality of assistance. If the team seems to make you wait for ages or its competence is questionable, this is a major red flag.
The Bottom Line
The gambling industry offers a convenient and captivating form of entertainment that is always a tap or a click away. At the same time, players intending to when real money must choose their platforms with caution. Reliable websites are licensed, responsive and secure.