For gambling enthusiasts, reading expert reviews about UK online casinos is very important. It paints a crystal-clear picture of what an ideal online casino looks like and what to expect if you decide to choose a particular site.
There are thousands of casinos on the internet, some better, some worse. It’s unreasonable to expect each player to spend their money and time trying out each new casino, which is why many opt to read expert reviews before signing up. Our reviews are written by experienced gambling enthusiasts who know what makes a casino great.
Rating an online casino involves several steps. In each review, our team of experts follow the same strict and unbiased criteria to evaluate the relevant features that will affect your gambling experience. Below is an overview of the things that we follow while rating each online casino.
Security is everything in an online casino. While reviewing any online casino, we look out for key security attributes such as: SSL Encryption, DDOS Protection, a Valid Security Cetificate, and Secure Banking Options.
We review the type of SSL encryption to ensure that it is in line with the industry’s standards. A standard 128-bit SSL encryption is the minimum for any top online casino. That way, there is an assurance that all data is transmitted in an encrypted format and will require decryption keys to gain access. This is a perfect way to ensure secure banking and to keep players’ information safe.
Similarly, for any UK online casino, having a license from the UK Gambling Commission or Malta Gaming Authority is a must. The UKGC is specific to players located in the UK, and if you are one of those players, there is no better feeling than the assurance that comes from Her Majesty’s government.
Irrespective of what experts say or what you see on many review sites, nothing is more valuable than experience. The overall reputation of an online casino is made by thousands of actual user reviews. This information is not based on speculation but instead on the opinions of actual paying customers.
That being said, it is essential to be able to spot a fake comment when you see it. Some online casinos pay to get good comments to boost their reputation. Hence, we are always on the lookout not just for any reviews but genuine reviews from active players in particular.
Having thousands of games in the casino’s game section is one thing, but having trusted and well-respected partners and game providers is completely another. More often than not, having a plethora of known names, such as Evolution, NetEnt, Playtech, iSoftBet or others, is a good sign that this casino can be trusted. These companies rarely, if ever, make deals with unproven quantities.
For example, the presence of NetEnt is a sign that you will have access to some of the best and most prestigious collections of slot games like Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst. Likewise, if you see names like Evolution and Vivo Gaming, you are about to experience incredible live casino titles. As you play more casino games, certain providers will become your favourites, and you’ll start looking for their names whenever you choose a new casino.
As already mentioned, the game variety in an online casino depends largely on the featured software providers. With big names like Playson, Playtech, Microgaming, Evolution Gaming, Thunderkick, NetEnt, NextGen Gaming, Aristocrat and many others, there is already an assurance of a massive game variety.
We gather information about the type of games that are available, taking into consideration that different players have their preferences. We are always on the lookout for different catalogues of games, such as: Slots, Card and Table Games, Jackpots, Live Casino Games, and Keno.
We look for high paying slot games and other games with high RTP. Likewise, in other game variants, we ensure that the games have been audited by an independent auditor to guarantee a fair and random outcome always.
Every online casino offers one form of bonus or the other. However, not all of these offers are worth your time or money. Some might be a trap in disguise, which is why we pay very close attention to the bonuses and their T&Cs. We start with the welcome bonus to see how it benefits the player, taking into consideration the wagering requirements, validity period, and other withdrawal conditions.
Even more, we check out other offers as well as the VIP loyalty bonus. Promotions are a continuation of the welcome bonus, and we also understand that these offers change from time to time. However, we look at the current offerings and test them to see the minimum and max bonus amount, the games that contribute to the wagering requirements and the validity of the bonus.
More and more people are playing casino games on their phones. With smartphones and tablets, it’s a lot easier and more convenient to partake in gambling fun, no matter where you are. Hence, for any modern online casino, its compatibility with mobile phones is a must.
Many online casinos offer hundreds of mobile compatible games. In some cases, there is also a downloadable app. We try out the app on various iPhones and Android devices to see if it’s compatible and how well it works. If there’s no such app available, we check if the mobile version of the site is fully-featured and can it play all the slots, table games and live dealer titles.
Many online casinos go as far as offering thousands of games but miss out on live dealers. With live dealers comes a different perspective of online gaming, where players get to enjoy an immersive gaming experience that replicates the real-life casino feel. Live dealer casinos feature live tables and high-definition streaming from live studios across the world, hosted by professional croupiers and dealers.
All of these imply the highest level of technology and sophistication, which only the best software providers like Evolution can pull off. Hence, we look for the best online casinos that offer the best live dealer games like Monopoly Live, Blackjack Live, Roulette Live and many others.
One thing is for an online casino to offer numerous payment options for both deposits and withdrawals. Another is for it to have your preferred option depending on your location as well. Most reliable casinos go for the obvious payment options in terms of popularity, speed, convenience, and availability.
Bearing that in mind, we look for casinos that offer top electronic wallets like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. Likewise, we also check other popular options like Visa, Paysafecard, Trustly, Zimpler, Mastercard, Ecopayz and many others.
Another thing that we are conscious of is the withdrawal speed. We know that electronic wallets are fast, but we also know that casino policy differs and could cause delays. We test the speed and make our selections based on experience.
The support options in an online casino are vital. The most popular options include email, telephone and live chat. With live chat, players get to enjoy almost instant access to their queries, while email takes a little more time, which could run into hours or even days. We check the response time at various times of the day to see if they are slower during the night. After all, it’s convenient to have quick answers to your questions 24/7.
In the end, we test the support system in these online casinos to get a first-hand experience of how they work in terms of speed as well as how they handle the issue. Indeed, it is essential to know that you will get help when you need it.
While all of these individual features matter, the sum of your entire experience in an online casino is everything we care about. We are always on the search for online casinos that offer a balance between all of these amazing features. For example, a casino could offer great games from the finest developers but in the area of banking options and payout speed, it could have huge gaps.
Hence, we ensure that every casino is rated based on the overall casino experience it provides to players. From the appearance, speed, layout, game library, banking options, bonuses and promotions, customer support, live dealers, and loyalty scheme, everything counts. Our final rating is based on all of these features as discussed and any other that will affect the players’ experience in any way.