We promise UK players clear, evidence-based guidance on choosing online casinos. We outline how we rate them to ensure they are safe, fair, and fun. Our review method is transparent and can be repeated, showing exactly what factors we consider.
We only look at casinos that accept UK players and are regulated by bodies like the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, or Gibraltar Regulatory Authority. Casinos must pass strict checks to be rated by us.
Our guide talks about how we assess things like licensing, security, game fairness, and customer support. We use a mix of manual and automated checks. This means our ratings stay up to date and accurate.
Our evaluation philosophy combines consumer protection with what real players want. We aim to find casinos that are safe, fair, and fun for UK players.
Our main principles are being clear, consistent, basing our assessments on evidence, and keeping an eye on casinos. We rate each casino by standard categories for easy comparison.
Player safety is our top concern. We look at licenses, encryption, and tools for responsible gambling first.
We judge fairness and fun by checking if games are fair and if they’re enjoyable. This includes live dealer quality, game variety, and how well it works on phones.
We also consider what UK players like, such as Pay by Phone and Apple Pay, when we judge a casino’s fun factor.
We start by checking regulator lists and licences. We check the list of game providers and confirm third-party audits, like by eCOGRA and iTech Labs.
We start by checking the legal status of each operator. We use official records to ensure their licence details are correct.
We look at the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority records. This helps us check licence numbers and types. We also look for any warnings or restrictions.
By examining Companies House filings, we confirm who owns UK-facing operators. We check how they’re linked to other brands. We read the fine print to make sure legal claims match up with licences.
We ensure complaints can be taken up with regulators easily. These checks are a big part of how we decide if an operator is trustworthy.
We check if sites are secure and use the latest encryption. We also make sure their security certs are up to date.
We see if privacy policies meet UK GDPR standards. It’s important that sites are clear about how they handle data. They must also say how long they keep data and if they share it with others.
We look at how operators prevent fraud and protect your data. They should clearly explain how they verify your identity and keep you safe.
We watch for tools that help with responsible gambling. Features like limit setting and reminders are what we look for.
We test if self-exclusion works and if operators link to services like GAMSTOP. We check if operators really follow through with their policies.
We explore what operators do to support responsible gambling. This includes training their staff and checking their own practices regularly.
We check a casino’s game offerings to meet player needs. Our list includes video slots, classic slots, and more. We look into search tools, demo options, and unique titles for UK players.
Our review covers how the platform works on both desktop and mobile. We look for UK-specific games and local table options. The quality of live streams, dealer skills, and table limits in live casinos are checked.
We check the reputation of software providers, favoring well-known companies. Names like NetEnt and Microgaming show a casino’s quality. We’re cautious with sites using unknown software providers.
We examine smaller suppliers’ histories and certifications. It’s important that progressive jackpots and RNGs are clear and from reliable sources. We also look for license details and game rules.
Independent tests confirm if a casino’s games are fair. We look for reports from eCOGRA and other labs. These audits tell us if the games are fair and safe.
We compare RTP figures to ensure accuracy. It’s important how casinos show RTP and game volatility information. We also check how casinos handle fairness issues and if audits are easy to find.
We check the casino’s payment options for UK players. This includes debit cards like Visa and Mastercard, e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller, and bank transfers. We also look for modern ways to pay, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Pay by Mobile, and Open Banking. Then, we look into fees for processing, the lowest and highest amounts you can transact, and if they support GBP to skip exchange fees.
Our review also covers how casinos handle the KYC (Know Your Customer) process. This is important for secure payments. We see what documents they ask for and how fast they check them. Clear instructions are key. They prevent delays in taking out your winnings and make sure anti-money-laundering rules are followed without hassle.
We note how long the casino says it will take to process payouts. We also look at how long it takes in reality by making test withdrawals. Plus, we see how quickly they deal with bonuses and communicate with users. This tells us a lot about their payout speed.
How the casino supports its customers is important too. We check how you can get in touch with them, whether it’s live chat, email, or phone. We make test calls to see how quickly they answer and how helpful they are. We find out if they’re available 24/7, have local UK support, and how clear their help documents are. Quick and clear help scores high with us.