Although gambling is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining hobbies around, many people are still wary about safety when it comes to gambling, particularly when it comes to online casino websites. However, online casino websites do a lot to make sure you’re protected and are safe, details of which you can find here. But if you’re still worried about safety, you can take a look at our recommendations of safe casino sites, all of which we’ve personally verified to be safe and fair to play at.
As we’ve already mentioned, online casino websites do a lot to keep you protected and safe, and all of this is required by current law under the Gambling Act 2005. If you want more detailed explanations on how online casinos keep you safe, we suggest you keep on reading.
One of the most important factors when it comes to online gambling is licensing, and this applies all over the world in most regulated gambling markets. When it comes to gambling in the United Kingdom, all gambling is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, an organisation which was founded to regulate both online and offline gambling. The regulatory body is responsible for granting licenses to online casino operators, websites, and game developers, allowing them to provide their services to people based in the United Kingdom.
In order to acquire a license from the Gambling Commission, companies which apply for a license must provide extensive documentation and are required to follow the Commission’s various policies, all of which have been imposed to ensure that you are kept safe, protected, and are offered a safe gambling experience.
In short, any casino operator which doesn’t hold a UK license should be avoided since there will be a lack of protection for UK customers, but any website or operator that does hold a license from the Commission are completely safe to play at.
Licenses aren’t the only important factors when it comes to online gambling. The fairness of casino games should also be considered if you’re thinking about registering with an online casino. There are several ways to determine the safety and fairness of a casino game, and one of the main ways of doing this is by checking the game’s RTP.
RTP is an anacronym for Return To Player, and it’s basically a rate which tells you how much of all wagered money a casino game will return to players over a long period of time. Although the rate doesn’t specifically tell you when you’ll trigger a payout, it does offer an estimation into how likely it is as well as how fair a game is. So, the higher the RTP, the better for you as you’ll be provided with a fairer chance at making wins. If you’d like to know more about RTP and where you can find the highest RTP slots, take a look here.
In addition to RTP rates, some online casino sites work with testing agencies which test and review the safety of casino games to ensure that they provide you with a fair chance at making wins and are not rigged. While most sites offered at UK online casinos are safe to play due to conditions from the Commission’s licenses, it’s always great to have a second opinion on the games. One of the companies that look into the fairness of casino games is eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) which is based in London.
Most online casino websites offering promotions both to new and existing customers. It’s important to note, however, that safe online casino sites will provide registered players with fair casino promotions, and you’ll need to look at several different factors to determine how fair a promotion is. This is done by carefully reading the terms and conditions associated with a casino bonus.
First of all, you’ll need to take a look at what is required of you when using a bonus. Most casino promotions – not no deposit bonuses – will require you to make a deposit in order to claim a bonus, and you’ll need to check what the maximum bonus you can receive will be.
You’ll also need to check the wagering requirements of a bonus, meaning the number of times you’ll need to wager your bonus, winnings or bonus combined with your deposit before anything can be withdrawn. Generally speaking, a higher wagering requirement will be more unfair and harder for you, particularly when paired with a short expiration date, as you’re more likely to lose winnings and your bonus trying to complete it. If you’d like more information on wagering requirements, check out our explanation guide here.
What’s more, it’s important to check whether the bonus you’re thinking of claiming has any win limits which restricts how much you can withdraw when having claimed a bonus. This means that if you’ve managed to win £100 from a bonus that has a win limit of £50, the remainder of your winnings are forfeited.
Generally speaking, a safe casino will offer a fair bonus which has low or no wagering requirements, high or no win limits, long expiration dates, and low deposit requirements. Now, you probably won’t find a casino that meets all of this, but it’s a good idea to consider what factors are more important for you and then finding a site that meets your requirements.
Finally, we’ve found that most casino sites which hold a UK license are incredibly strict when it comes to handling payments, ensuring that you are kept protected along with your financial information. Most casino sites now implement the same technology online banks use to crack down on fraud and prevent anyone from acquiring any of your details, this means that there’s nothing to worry about as long as you’re playing at a website that is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, as we discussed in our earlier point.
The fastest and easiest way to identify a safe casino site, for anyone based in the United Kingdom, is by loading up the website and then scrolling down to its footer. A safe casino site should display the UK Gambling Commission logo, confirming that it possesses a valid license and is safe to play at. Most casino sites also display the logos of all payment options they accept as well as any other licenses they hold, which means you’ll be able to tell whether a casino site offers the payment option you want with just one look.
Also in the footer, you’ll be able to see whether the casino has partnered with testing agencies to review their games, and which gambling charities and services the site has partnered with for information and support for gambling addictions. So it always important to check a casino website’s footer, even if you’re already decided to register with it.
There are hundreds of online casinos which hold a valid license from the UK Gambling Commission, but how do you work out which are the safest casino sites? Well, if you’re looking for some recommendations, we’ve decided to help out and have put together a list of websites we believe are worth checking out. All the sites we list below are safe to play at, hold a valid license, and offer plenty of content and promotions that are all equal and safe.
PlayOJO is one of the biggest online casinos around and is known for being incredibly fair. The website is giving all new customers who register and make a deposit 50 wager-free spins, which means there are no wagering requirements. It’s also home to a wide selection of casino games, daily promotions, and it accepts most major payment options too. If you’d like to discover more about the website, we suggest you check out our in-depth PlayOJO review here.
BGO is another great online casino and one that was popular for its wide range of casino promotions. It also offers a wide selection of casino games as well as bingo and virtual sports betting. Anyone who registers with the website now can claim 500 free spins on a £10 deposit, but the bonus comes with various restrictions including a short expiry date and more. You can read more about the website in our BGO review.
Mr Green is a great online casino website which is home to a gigantic selection of casino games, including video slots, table games, and live casino content too. New players who register can claim a £50 bonus with 50 spins, but the promotion requires a £20 deposit and all bonuses and winnings have a wagering requirement of 35x. Want to learn more about the website? Check out our Mr Green review here.
The lion-themed LeoVegas is a wonderful online casino that is jam-packed with fun casino games and sports betting. The website is currently offering a welcome bonus of 10 free spins with no deposit required along with a £100 cash bonus with 20 spins on a £10 or more deposit. Sound good? Well, learn more with our LeoVegas review.
SlotsMillion is a slot-focused online casino which is giving all new customers a £100 welcome bonus with 100 spins. Meanwhile, you can enjoy more than 2,000 unique video slots from dozens of different developers, and you can make payments through various methods. Check out our SlotsMillion review for more information.
Genesis Casino is a fun space-themed online casino owned by Genesis Global Limited. The site is giving all new users a £100 bonus with 300 spins, and it supports multiple payment options. There’s plenty more to enjoy at Genesis Casino, and we suggest you read our review for more details.
PlayFrank is a colourful and unique online casino which is giving all of its new users a £100 bonus with 50 spins. It’s home to a wide selection of casino games including table games, video slots, and live casino too. It runs an exciting loyalty programme, accepts multiple payment options, and so much more. Discover more with our PlayFrank review.
Casumo is another big-name online casino. The site offers new players a £300 bonus with 30 spins and is home to a gigantic catalogue of more than 2,000 casino games as well as a great sportsbook. You can play through a mobile app, in-browser, or on a computer or laptop. You can discover more about the website in our Casumo review.
It’s incredibly important to play at a safe online casino as it means you’ll be better protected. If you are gambling, you’ll want to ensure that your financial details are kept safe and not stolen, that you’re provided with fair games that offer you a chance to make wins, and that bonuses you claim weren’t designed to lose you any money.
What’s more, safe casino sites, meaning those which are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, offer more protection regarding gambling addiction and whether anything does happen while playing at a casino site. Although playing at an overseas online casino site may be tempting, we suggest you stick with casino websites that are licensed for the UK or whatever jurisdiction applies. This will ensure your safety and the fairness of games and promotions offered.
