Best Gambling Sites UK – Safest Gambling Options for UK Gamblers

UK Money Banner

When you’re doing research online before you buy a new car, what do you want to see? Do you want a lot of flashy photos and videos with no real substance? Or do you want a down-to-Earth review with detailed stats and specifications?

So, without further ado, let’s hop in to check out what makes the top gambling sites in the UK so good!

Rank CA Gambling Site Deposit Bonus Products Get Started
#1 Bovada Logo
Bovada
50% Up To $250
  • Sports
  • Casino
  • Poker
Visit Site  
#2 Las Atlantis Logo
Las Atlantis
280% Up To $14,000
  • Casino
Visit Site  
#3 BetUS Logo
BetUS
125% Up To $2,500
  • Sports
  • Casino
Visit Site  
#4 BetOnline Sports Logo
BetOnline Sports
60% Up To $1,000
  • Sports
  • Casino
  • Poker
Visit Site  
#5 SportsBetting.ag Logo
SportsBetting.ag
100% Up To $1,000
  • Sports
  • Casino
  • Poker
Visit Site  

Chances are, everyone wants the latter, and we do too. That’s why when we talk about gambling sites in the UK, we try to give as much detail as possible. Nothing is too small to mention, whether it’s the wagering requirements on a bonus or the RTP of a specific slot game.

Our team strives to give a complete look at the best online gambling sites in the UK, and that includes educational material on betting, casino games, strategies, and the latest sports betting tips.

Gambling Sites in the UK by Region

The United Kingdom may be four countries operating as one political union, but many gambling sites ignore the differences between them. For example, if you ask an Englishman to name the top UK bookmakers, you’re likely to get different answers than if you ask a punter from Northern Ireland.

We understand these differences, and that’s why we’ve categorized these UK gambling sites by region. Our chief editor has hand-picked the best betting sites for English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish gamblers. These sites offer sports betting, casino games, poker, and bingo. Go ahead and click your country to view the best gambling sites it has to offer.

England Icon
England
Scotland Icon
Scotland
Wales Icon
Wales
Northern Ireland Icon
Northern Ireland

As you’ll see, there’s no shortage of world-class bookmakers to choose from. That’s no surprise. UK punters spent approximately £14.4 billion on gambling online in 2018 alone. The best gambling operators in the world are in the online market because they want a piece of that pie!

How to Choose an Online Gambling Site in the UK

777 and Money
Make Sure You Understand What You Want

Even if you’re a first-time gambler, you probably already know what you’re looking for. You may
want to bet on your favourite football team, or perhaps you want to play a
progressive jackpot slot. Either way, the best gambling sites will have what
you’re looking for. Keep in mind, most online gambling websites specialize in one or
two areas and offer everything else as a secondary service. Choose the site
which focuses on the type of gambling you most want to engage in.

Jail Bars Made of Poker Chips
Make Sure the Gambling Site Is Legitimate

You’d be surprised by
which UK betting sites treat players unfairly. Some of them are household names,
and unsuspecting new punters blindly trust them on brand power alone. We don’t
recommend taking anything at face value. Do your own research, starting with our
online gambling site reviews, and find legit online gambling sites that pay on time.
They should also honour all bets, and shouldn’t slash your jackpots with
extortionate withdrawal fees.

5 Stars
Don’t Decide Based on Our Reviews Alone

Something you have to understand is that our
ratings are based on what’s right for all of our readers combined. The best
site, on the whole, might not be the best gambling site for you as an individual. For
example, a UK betting site might get five stars from us because it offers a huge
selection of betting markets across lots of sports, but it might have a weak
esports section. That’s no good to you if you’re primarily interested in betting
on esports, right? The best thing you can do is visit the sites for
yourself and take a look around.

Man Hugging Money
Tell Us About Your Gambling Experience

While our team reviews and ranks the websites you see listed here, we consider player feedback,
too. We’ve delisted more than one UK gambling website because of a number of
player complaints. We do in-depth research, but we can’t catch every little
thing, so we’d really appreciate it if you took the time to let us know what you
think about the gambling websites you’ve tried. Don’t forget to contact us and tell us about
the positive experiences as well as the negative!

Top UK Bookmakers

While American sports have made inroads into UK culture in recent years, they
still don’t come close in a popularity contest against the good old-fashioned
classics like football, rugby, tennis, snooker, and darts. Naturally, the best
UK betting sites focus on these.

More UK Sports Betting Options

This is by no means an exhaustive list of sports you can bet on; however, these are the most popular, and all of the best online gambling sites in the UK will offer them.

Horse Racing in the UK

Horse racing is an ingrained part of the culture in the United Kingdom, as is evidenced by the fact
that several of the biggest annual races take place here. Not only do we provide you a list of
the best horse racing betting sites online, we’ve provided you with lots of
stats, tips, and advice on betting on horses.

Let’s take a look at some of the biggest races:

  • The Grand National – The eyes of the entire horse racing
    world are on Aintree Racecourse for every Grand National Race. This is the
    biggest event in horse racing and is one of the most exciting races of the year.
    Even people who don’t ordinarily gamble might feel obligated to toss a few quid on the Grand National, if of course
    they find a trustworthy online gambling site to do so at.
  • Cheltenham Gold Cup – This festival lasts four days, which is longer than most all other horse racing events on the calendar. Will you pick this year’s winner and win a bet on
    Cheltenham?
  • Stayers Hurdle – Also run on the Cheltenham Racecourse, this
    race involves only 12 fences over three miles. It’s open to horses four years
    and older, and it is a great race for spotting rising talent. Lots of punters at
    UK gambling sites bet on the Stayers-Hurdle, as it’s a race where absolutely
    anything can happen.
  • Queen Mother Champion Chase – Due to its partnership with
    British betting giant Betway, this race is known as the Betway Queen Mother
    Champion Chase. It’s a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase open to horses five
    years and older.
  • King George VI Race – Kempton Park lights up for three miles
    of sheer exhilaration each year when this race happens. It’s open to horses four
    years and older, but the historical data says that horses of seven or eight are
    most likely to win. Keep that in mind if you plan to bet on the King George VI
    Race at UK gambling sites.
  • Champion Hurdle – Also called the Unibet Champion Hurdle
    thanks to a partnership with the top Scandinavian betting brand, this one is run
    on the old course at Cheltenham each March. It’s open to horses four years and
    older. It’s any horse’s race. Stats show winners ranging from four to nine years
    old in recent years.
  • 2000 Guineas Stakes – This race is exclusively open to
    three-year-old colts and fillies. It’s a one-mile race, and it has been popular
    ever since it began back in 1809. It takes place in April or May each year on
    the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.
  • 1000 Guineas Stakes – This is a flat horse race only open to
    three-year-old fillies. It’s run after the 2000 Guineas Stakes and is one of the
    five “classic” British races. People have bet on the 1000 Guineas Stakes since
    it started in 1814, and there are plenty of wagers available at the best gambling sites.
  • Epsom Oaks – Another flat horse race for three-year-old
    fillies, this one is run over one mile, four furlongs, and six yards. It’s known
    as “The Oaks” among horse racing fans, and it has been going on since 1779,
    making it one of the longest-running horse races in Britain.
  • Epsom Derby – “The Derby” takes place at the Epsom Downs in
    Surrey every June. It’s a highly prestigious event, and it’s not uncommon to see
    royalty attend it. There are many other races which have borrowed the term
    “Derby” around the world, but this is the original. You can bet on the Epsom
    Derby at majority of the top gambling sites.
  • St Leger Stakes – This race is run each September at
    Doncaster and is open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds of both sexes. It was
    established back in 1776, meaning people have been betting on the St Leger
    Stakes for close to 250 years.
  • King’s Stand Stakes – Each June, horses run five furlongs at
    Ascot as the horse racing world watches in anticipation. It’s been going on
    since 1860. With a purse of £500,000, this race attracts the best jockeys in the
    world, and lots of punters bet on the King Stand Stakes as a result.
  • Ascot Gold Cup – Run over two miles, three furlongs, and 210
    yards at Ascot, this is the most popular long-distance horse race in Britain.
    Have a punt on it at one of our approved horse racing betting sites.
  • Champion Stakes – Each October, as part of British Champions
    Day, this exciting race takes place at Ascot over one mile and two furlongs.
    Punters have been betting on it since its inauguration in 1877.

Best UK Online Casinos in 2024

There are more than 150 casinos and 180,000 gaming machines in the UK, so it
comes as no surprise to find an ever-growing list of UK gambling sites and
online casinos. Casino players in the country wager over £2 billion per year on
online slot machines alone, and that doesn’t even include all of the other
games. We’ve created detailed sections to teach you about how each game works,
some useful tips and strategies you can use to win more often, and which online
casino sites are the best for each game type.

Poker Sites for UK Players

The UK loves poker just as much as any other country. From pro players like
Stephen Chidwick to high-profile enthusiasts like former heavyweight British
boxing champ Lennox Lewis, there’s no shortage of inspirational figures in the
UK poker scene.

We’ve created this section to teach you about all the different variants of
poker and where you can play them at the best online poker sites in the UK.

Banking Methods for Online Gambling Sites in the UK

Remember how we mentioned earlier that the UK gambling industry is one of the
safest and cleanest in the world? That’s to your advantage in more ways than
one. One of the big plus sides is that payment processors of all kinds are
willing to handle online gambling transactions without worrying about violating
anti-money laundering regulations. As a player, that means you have lots of
different ways to deposit and withdraw funds at the best gambling sites in the UK.

  • Debit Cards
  • Credit Cards
  • Paypal
  • Neteller
  • Skrill
  • Paysafecard
  • Pay By Phone
  • Bank Transfers
  • Bitcoin

Credit and Debit Cards

Paying by credit or debit card is undeniably easy, but there are some pros
and cons to using them at online gambling sites. You should consider these
before opting for this payment method.

Visa

The advantages are obvious.

  • You won’t be required to create extra accounts. You can pay the same way
    as you would for anything else online.
  • They are widely accepted. That means you’ll have access to the top UK
    gambling sites when you use Visa or Mastercard to make deposits.
  • The money will come straight from your bank account or credit balance,
    so you can easily keep track of payments.

The disadvantages are less immediately obvious. Withdrawals take longer
(typically 3-5 business days). Hackers can steal your card details. Also, there
can be extra fees if you’re playing at gambling websites based overseas.

We guarantee that every UK gambling site recommended on gambling-giant.org is
safe and secure. However, using credit and debit cards to make online payments
of any kind comes with some degree of risk. Sometimes, even the top UK betting
sites fall prey to hackers or data breaches.

PayPal

PayPal gambling sites
are hugely popular in the UK. PayPal is not only a trusted brand across the UK,
but British players seem to prefer it over all of the other e-wallets available.
Perhaps it’s the trust that comes with being pioneered by Elon Musk, or being
accepted at huge e-commerce sites like eBay and Amazon.

As with all other payment methods, there are advantages and disadvantages to
using PayPal to bet online.

The advantages of PayPal are many:

  • It offers lightning-fast deposits and
    withdrawals, which typically take a few minutes.
  • PayPal accounts are also free. You won’t pay a
    penny to create an account.
  • Lastly, you’ll never have to share your card
    or bank details with the gambling site.

One of the other plus sides of PayPal is that you won’t pay withdrawal fees
for GBP transfers to UK bank accounts. That’s one major advantage it has over
other competitor e-wallets (see below).

Disadvantages

First, you’ll need to take the time to create
an account and verify it. PayPal can take fees of up to 3% on currency
conversions, and not every UK gambling site accepts PayPal, so your choices will
be relatively limited as compared to using Visa or Mastercard to deposit and
withdraw.

Neteller

Neteller

Neteller is the main rival to PayPal, and it made its name servicing the US
poker industry back when it was big. Since then, Neteller has diversified,
although a lot of its transactions still come from the business of gambling online.

The pros and cons of gambling with
Neteller
are almost the same as gambling with PayPal. It’s highly
convenient, fast, and saves you from sharing your bank or card details.

However, Neteller isn’t the same as PayPal in every way. There are some stark
differences. For example, you can’t use Mastercard to fund your Neteller
account. However, you can use Skrill, Paysafecard, Neosurf, and even
cryptocurrencies with your Neteller account.

What about fees? Neteller fees for funding your account are 2.75% by most
payment methods. Withdrawals fees run from a flat $10 to 1.75%, depending on how
you withdraw.

You’ll also earn Neteller rewards when you use it to gamble regularly. Some
players see this as a way to double up on loyalty points. You’ll earn them from
Neteller, and you’ll earn them from the gambling site at the same time.

Skrill

Skrill is the other major e-wallet which UK gamblers use. It isn’t quite as
big as PayPal or Neteller, but it offers a similar service. Skrill even has a
dedicated page to showcase gamblers why it’s worth using.

The main advantages of using Skrill gambling sites are:

  • The speed with which you can make payments.
    Deposits and withdrawals are almost instant.
  • The Skrill rewards. As you gamble more, you’ll
    pay lower fees and will rack up extra benefits.
  • The reduced risk of fraud or stolen financial
    details. You’ll fund your Skrill account, then fund your gambling account,
    so would-be hackers will never see your card or bank details.

Skrill’s fees are also reasonable – you’ll pay 1% to fund your account by
most payment methods. You’ll also pay flat fees of £4.76 for withdrawals to your
UK bank account.

Lots of UK betting sites accept Skrill. You’ll have access to some of the top
bookmakers and casinos online if you opt for this payment method.

Paysafecard

Paysafecard

Have you ever wished you could deposit at a UK gambling site with cash? With
Paysafecard, you almost can. This is a cash-for-voucher system which allows you
to upload cash to your account with a PIN.

The major advantage here is obvious: using Paysafecard eliminates the
possibility of having your financial details stolen. A hacker could technically
spend your balance, but they won’t get away with anything else.

Paysafecard, like all payment methods, has its drawbacks, too. One pin is
worth £100 maximum, which doesn’t always work for higher rollers. Then again,
this can be an advantage as it can help you control your spending. The other
downside is that you can’t withdraw by Paysafecard. You’ll have to use another
payment method to get your jackpots or winning bets.

Paysafecard isn’t as big in the UK as the previously mentioned payment
methods, but it’s growing in popularity. If you like the idea of leaving no
trace of your payment details, this is the payment method for you.

Pay By Phone

If you either don’t want to share your payment details online or want to have
a bet before payday, Pay By Phone payment methods are an option. There are
multiple Pay By Phone payment methods in the UK. Boku, Siru, and
several other up-and-coming companies offer the chance to charge gambling
transactions to your mobile phone bill.

The upsides here are that:

  • You can use your phone credit to gamble,
    eliminating the need to share your payment details.
  • You can bet online even if you don’t have a
    bank account or credit card.
  • You can bet if you’re in a cash crunch
    temporarily. For example, if you get paid on Monday and want to bet on a
    football match on Saturday, Pay By Mobile is an option.

There are a couple of drawbacks. First, you can’t bet more than £30 at most
Pay By Phone gambling sites. You also can’t withdraw jackpots to your mobile
phone. It’s also worth noting that relatively few UK gambling sites accept this
payment method. The fees can also be steep. Some Pay By Mobile providers charge
15% for deposits.

Bank Transfers

Piggy Bank With Money

You can do a good old fashioned bank transfer straight from your account, or
you can use one of the fast bank transfer methods designed for gambling
sites in the UK. Trustly is one example – deposits and withdrawals take minutes, whereas
normal bank transfers can take days when it comes to withdrawals.

Let’s say you opt for a standard bank transfer. The upsides are that

  • It’s simple and straightforward.
  • You won’t require any extra accounts.
  • You can also easily monitor what you’re
    spending.
  • You can spend whatever is in your account – it’s
    your money!

On the other hand, sharing your bank details is risky. If a hacker breaks
into your account, they’ll have direct access to your bank details. Combined
with your personal details such as your address, that’s a dangerous situation.
The other drawback is that withdrawals can take several business days.

Bitcoin

If you’d like to bypass all of the registrations, verifications, account
limitations, and risk of having your financial details stolen, Bitcoin might be
the answer.

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency which came to mainstream prominence in 2017.
However, online gamblers have used Bitcoin for almost a decade. There are lots
of Bitcoin gambling sites for UK players.

Bitcoin is fast, it offers an unrivaled level of privacy, and it can
dramatically increase in value in short periods.

The Current Value of Bitcoin

Bitcoin

It’s not for players who struggle with tech, though. There’s a steep learning
curve involved in gambling with Bitcoin, and the fees can be steep when the
network is busy. Usually, they’re under £1 per transaction, but they can be
considerably higher when things get busy.

Many people believe Bitcoin is the money of the future. At the very least,
you should try it out once and see why so many UK gamblers use it.

Using Cryptocurrency for Gambling in the UK

One of the first uses for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin was online gambling.
While the US led the way with Bitcoin betting, it has become a reasonably
popular way to gamble online in the UK. Punters like it because it’s private,
fast, and thrilling in and of itself. Prices can rise dramatically in short
periods of time, sending jackpots skyrocketing.

Of course, there’s a downside to it. You have to learn how to use Bitcoin to
gamble online, and just as it can rise dramatically, it can nosedive, too. Just
holding Bitcoin is a form of gambling in and of itself.

Curious? Check out the links below for more information on betting online with cryptocurrency.

Online Gambling Laws in the United Kingdom

UK Scales of Justice

One of the best things about the UK gambling industry is that it’s legal,
regulated and controlled
. This leads to a cleaner, safer gambling industry which
generates billions in tax revenue.

While there is some variation in land-based UK gambling laws (for example,
casinos are illegal in Northern Ireland), online gambling is a different story.

Online gambling in the UK is regulated by the
Gambling Act
(2005)
. The regulator is the UK Gambling Commission. This is one of the
strictest regulators in the world, and if a bookie wants to offer legal
services to its players, it needs to have a UKGC license.

Any of the top gambling sites in the UK with this license can be trusted. The UKGC
regularly tests games, fines operators, and constantly pressures gambling
operators to mitigate and eliminate problem gambling. They’ve publicly
humiliated some of the biggest gambling operators and have fined them tens of
millions on multiple occasions.

What does this mean for you as a player?

That you have a legally regulated
gambling environment which puts players’ interests first. Once again, the UK
leads the way
when it comes to how online gambling should be done. While other
national gambling industries may be crime-ridden and full of shady operators,
the United Kingdom has virtually eliminated all of that by legalizing, regulating, and
taxing all types of gambling online.

How We Review Gambling Sites in the UK – What We Look for

We already mentioned that our team members are online gambling experts, but
we understand that, as an intelligent gambler, you probably want a little more
than our word on that. That’s fine. We’re happy to explain how we pick the best
gambling sites, sports betting sites, and online casinos.

Where and How to Play Bingo in the UK

Spare us the clichés about British grandmothers and their “bingo wings” will
you? While bingo is still enjoyed by elderly Brits on holiday in the sun, these
days, it’s very much a hip game played by people of all ages on mobile phones
and computers at home. Find out about the best UK bingo sites and learn lots of
information about the game in this section.

Bingo
Online Bingo Guide

It’s safe to say that bingo has drastically evolved over the years. Pieces of
paper have been traded in for computer screens, and cloth sacks have been traded
in for random number generators. When bingo made its grand entrance into the
online gambling world in 1996, we weren’t surprised by how quickly this game
grew in popularity. Today, thousands of people enjoy playing bingo over the
internet on a daily basis.

Bingo
Best Online Bingo Sites

With more people playing bingo online today than ever before, there are also
more bingo sites to choose from than ever before. Finding a quality bingo site
can be a very time-consuming process. It involves testing out hundreds of
different sites to check out the quality of their games, chat rooms, customer
service teams, banking options, and more. Lucky for you, we have already done
the grunt work for you.

Sports Betting Tips

We don’t just show you how to gamble and which online gambling sites in the UK to use, we
also provide you with expert tips to help you win more often. Our UK betting
tips cover football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, and lots of other sports. Use
them to make more informed betting decisions. We don’t promise that you’ll win
every time, but we do promise that you’ll have a better chance if you listen to
our professionals.

Gambling Sites UK FAQs

Are Gambling Sites In The UK Legal?

Gambling in the United Kingdom is, in fact, legal and regulated. Many of the popular casinos or sportsbooks that service the UK undergo strict licensing processes from the UK Gambling Commission.

Are UK Gambling Sites Safe?

This question goes along with the previous question. All sites that are regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission have to meet stringent security protocols. These involve equipping the site with SSL-encryption or outsourcing security to a third-party contractor. So you can rest assured that the sites we recommend are all safe and secure.

What’s The Best Online Gambling Site in the UK?

Bovada is one of the best all-round gambling sites, but Unibet has one of the most well-rounded sportsbooks for UK players.

Should I Claim A Bonus?

It depends. If you’re just looking for a couple minutes of play each day on slots or roulette, claiming a bonus might not be in your best interest. They come with wagering requirements, and if you don’t meet them in a certain time frame, you forfeit your bonus. But, if you plan on playing for at least a few hours a week, a bonus might be worth your while!

How Many Online Gambling Sites Are There In The UK?

There are certainly hundreds of gambling sites in the UK or target the UK market. At least 80% of these gambling sites aren’t worth your time, either because they are unlicensed offshore sportsbooks or they just don’t treat their players right. There is only a small handful of online casinos and bookies that provide good service to UK residents. We will only recommend these top gambling sites.

1st place site
June
Casino of the Month
250% Match Bonus
up to $5,000
X