Online casinos aren’t exactly new on the scene, but their popularity has skyrocketed in recent years. Players from all walks of life are seeking out the best destinations in search of both entertainment and the possibility of winning some serious cash. Not sure where to start your online casino journey? Let us take you through everything you need to know before you get started.

Why Play at an Online Casino?

If you want to experience the thrills of playing at a casino, there’s nothing stopping you from heading out to your local brick-and-mortar establishment in search of some big wins, but this isn’t always convenient. Whether you just don’t fancy the journey or would simply rather play in your living room, online casino is the more efficient option. Yet, it’s not simply a matter of convenience. Many online casinos provide games collections that feature over 500 different games, with the very best featuring over 1000! These are figures that land-based casinos struggle to match.

With so many options, there’s something for everyone at the top online casinos, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced pro.

How to Play for Real Money at an Online Casino

1. Choose where to play
   First things first, you’ll need to decide which online casino you want to play at. There are thousands of options at your disposal these days. Don’t fancy spending hours looking for your ideal casino? We’ve done the legwork for you. Our expert review team has put together an awesome line up of the best licensed online casinos, featuring some of the biggest brands and a few exciting newcomers too.
2. Sign up
   After pinpointing a favourite, you’ll need to sign up to create an account. This is an effortless task which only requires you to provide a few details and some personal information for the casino to verify your account.
3. Deposit & claim your bonus
   The next step is to make your first deposit. Pretty much every online casino offers support for debit and deposits, as well as accepting payments via Neteller and Skrill. Some of the best online casinos accept PayPal deposits, and there are even pay by phone bill casinos, which means there’s something for everyone. Make sure you meet any minimum deposit requirements – you wouldn’t want to miss out on your welcome bonus, it only comes around once! Once you’ve made your deposit, your welcome bonus is usually credited to your account almost immediately.
4. Try free demos
   For the uninitiated, a bit of practice will go a long way in your quest to become a successful casino player. Fortunately, you won’t have to risk your hard earned money while you get the hang of things. The best online casinos offer free demo versions of some of the best titles. This is a great opportunity to get familiar with a game, it’s features and controls. You could even put a gambling strategy to the test – there’s no risk of losing money!
5. Find a game to play
   Once you’re familiar with the games and ready to play, you’ll be able to switch over to a real money game within seconds. Simply head over to your chosen casino’s games collection and pick out a game. Whether you’re a slots fanatic or a table game aficionado, you’re guaranteed hours of fun!

Licensing

You’ll never find a gambling site without a license at Compare.bet. Before any site is considered for our shortlist, we confirm that it’s fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). The UKGC is widely regarded as the best governing body in the world of gambling. It oversees all things gambling in the UK and put simply, ensures that gambling operators play by the rules. This means that any online casino you find here is guaranteed to be trustworthy. Expect fair gameplay, secure payment methods and top of the range software!

Online Casino Games

An awesome gaming experience comes as standard when you pick a casino featured on our site. We’ve worked hard to filter that long list of online casinos down to the ones that wowed us with their collection of top casino games – featuring a blend of old favourite and the hottest new titles available online.

Slots

Online slots fill out the bulk of the games collection at pretty much every online casino. It’s no surprise either. With dozens of high-quality software providers such as NetEnt and Microgaming constantly pushing the envelope, the calibre of these games is constantly improving. The most popular type of slot is the progressive jackpot variety. These payout lottery-sized wins for stakes starting as low as 25p a spin!

Casino Classics

While slots are arguably the most buzzworthy gaming category, classic casino games are a staple of any good online casino. Table games, such as roulette, craps, baccarat and sic bo are widely available at top casinos – these games of chance can provide hours of fun. If you’re looking to put your skills to the test, popular card games blackjack and poker involve some strategy and might be your best bet if you’ve got some experience under your belt.

Live Dealer Casino

The latest innovation on offer –and our personal favourite– is live dealer casino. If you’re looking for the most realistic, immersive casino experience available online, you’ll want to make sure that you choose an online casino with live dealer tables. You’ll find live versions of popular table games such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat at the very best casinos. These games bring the realism of a land-based casino directly to your desktop or mobile device by live streaming a live croupier, using real casino equipment. You’ll be able to see and hear all the sights and sounds of a real casino game whenever and wherever you want!

We’ve just scratched the surface here. The top online casinos featured on Compare.bet offer a number of variations for the most popular casino classics, as well as the latest and greatest HD video slots – the collection of games is always getting bigger and better! Have a browse, you’re sure to find a game that you fancy a flutter on.

Bonuses & Promotions

While the biggest bonuses are usually designed with new players in mind, loyalty rewards and promotions are made to keep existing players coming back. We’ve picked out casinos that offer fresh, exciting new promotions and regularly give back to loyal players. With jaw-dropping giveaways, rewarding VIP schemes and free spins bonuses on offer, there’s plenty of incentive to keep playing with your chosen casino.

Bonuses

When weighing up your options, you might find that comparing games collections and promotions isn’t enough to filter down your list. Casino bonuses aren’t just a great tool used by casino operators to attract players, they’re also an excellent way to make your decision a little easier and kick off your casino gameplay with a bankroll boost. Let’s have a look at the best you can find out there.

Matched Deposit 

Matched deposits are arguably the most common bonus found at online casinos and you’ll be pleased to hear they do exactly what they say on the tin. When you place your first deposit with a casino they will match it up to a certain amount. Most matched deposits will be something like ‘100% up to £100,’ which means that they’ll double your initial deposit, but only up to the value of £100. It’s not uncommon to see matched deposits as low as 50% and as high as 200%. Matched deposits will also come with certain wagering requirements attached to them that will affect how you play, so keep an eye out for those.

Free Spins

Free spins are another very common online casino bonus and they’re equally easy to understand. You can claim them as a standalone bonus, but you will usually see them bundled in with other bonuses like a matched deposit. It goes without saying that free spins will typically apply to slot games, but because they are often part of a wider casino bonus, you can often use your free funds on a variety of other games too! There will still be wagering requirements attached to free spins so it’s best to keep an eye out for the terms and conditions.

No Deposit  

No deposit bonuses are pretty easy to wrap your head around. All you need to do as a new customer is sign up to a new casino and the bonus should be waiting for you! They will usually come in the form of free spins or in-game tokens, but they can also come as free cash bonuses. They’re a great way to get to grips with a casino and test yourself on their games selection. These will also come with wagering requirements and winnings caps attached that can limit how you play, so make sure you take a note of them.

No Wagering

Wagering requirements can often make or break a bonus, so finding an offer with no wagering requirements attached should be a no brainer. Any winnings you make as part of a no wagering bonus are, therefore, immediately withdrawable as cash. There are quite a few no wagering bonuses out there so you’ll have a fair selection to choose from. But, while they may come with no wagering requirements, they will come with other terms and conditions attached that will still affect how you play, like win limits and games restrictions.

Loyalty Rewards 

It’s not just new customers that can get their hands on some great offers because the best online casinos will offer their existing players some top quality promotions as reward for being loyal customers. Let’s have a look at the offers you can expect to find at the best online casinos.

Cashback Bonuses

Some top casino operators provide players with frequent cashback deals, giving you the chance to turn the tables when you haven’t got a rub of the green. While you’ll usually only receive a percentage in return and this amount will often be capped, it’s still a great consolation prize when you don’t land that big win.

Deposit Bonuses

Much like the matched deposit reserved for new players, returning VIP customers can expect to find their deposits matched by their online casino. This means you can play with some extra funds for simply making a deposit! 

Exclusive Promotions

While there are some great promotions for new players out there, the best offers are reserved for the VIPs. These include a larger amount of free spins and increased matching deposit deals. For most top VIP programmes, you get to personalise your own promotions so they suit the games you play the most.

Payment Options

Online casinos offer a wide range of different payment gateways but they aren’t all treated equally. Many UK casinos exclude deposits via Neteller or Skrill from all deposit related bonuses – this includes the welcome bonus. Therefore, think about which method you want to use before joining, and make sure that you can get the bonuses if you want them.

Debit Card

Arguably the most familiar payment method to online casino players, debit cards are accepted pretty much universally at online casinos around the world. It can take up to 5 working days for transactions to be processed and come with all the security measures provided by your bank. You will be unable to bet with your credit card, however, as they have been banned from any form of gambling since 14th April 2020. The change in the law came as a result of the Government’s Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures which later saw the UK Gambling Commission announce that the payment method would no longer be accepted by online gambling sites. 

PayPal

PayPal has long been a popular payment method for customers and its popularity is now growing rapidly in the online casino industry. It’s completely free to sign up and transactions are usually processed within 24 hours, making depositing and withdrawing your funds very straightforward. What’s more, it’s completely secure. You only need to share your email address with the casino, not your banking details, and PayPal’s two-factor authentication and 24 hour fraud monitoring service will keep your money secure. Bear in mind that certain casinos may disqualify PayPal deposits from welcome bonus, so make sure to check your choice’s terms and conditions.

Neteller

Neteller is another increasingly popular payment method for online casino players. It is trusted by millions of users in over 180 countries and it’s easy to see why. Transactions are usually processed within 24 hours, meaning you’ll be able to get your hands on your funds as soon as possible. On top of this, it is one of the most secure payment methods operating today and even includes two-factor authentication in its service. The only real drawback is that it may disqualify you for certain bonuses depending on the terms and conditions of the individual casino.

Skrill 

As one of the longest running ewallets around, Skrill know what they’re doing and they’ve become one of the most trusted payment methods available today. It is perfectly secure to pay with Skrill and what’s more, transactions are usually processed in a matter of hours. The Skrill 1-Tap feature even allows you to make your deposit with just one click, instead of having to go through the slightly inconvenient process of entering your email address. The only drawback is that, while the casino will never charge you for using the e-wallet, Skrill does have certain transaction fees for withdrawals. Using Skrill may also exclude you from specific bonuses if the individual casino’s terms and conditions disqualify them from the bonus.

Top 10 Best Licensed Casino Sites for UK Customers:

Compare & Play

Now that we’ve taken you through the ins and outs, you’re now much better equipped to pick out a top online casino. Check out our carefully curated list for a selection of the very best licensed brands available online today. You can review brands side-by-side to check out their bonuses, variety of games, promotions, banking, and mobile capabilities. Once you’ve found your perfect match, simply sign up, claim your exclusive welcome bonus and play top casino games today!