In the past 10 or 15 years, the online gambling industry in the United Kingdom has exploded. This led the country to become a predominant player in today’s virtual gambling world, so you’ll be sure to find an excellent and fun gambling site which accepts the British currency. Nowadays there are more than 1,000 sites that offer gambling products and services to UK players. Most of them are licensed and regulated and use software and games you can trust. In addition, they feature different online gambling offers especially designed to attract UK players and keep their attention.
Generally referred to as bonuses and promotions, almost all UK-friendly gambling sites feature these offers. They can be regular or temporal; some are offered on a daily basis, others on weekly or monthly. Some are designed for new customers only; others are tailored to keep players’ loyalty. These gaming offers have several things in common:
- They are ‘free’ bonus incentives aimed at catching the eyes of new players and/or retaining existing ones;
- All gambling offers have their own terms and conditions customers must adhere to;
- They boost a betting / gaming bankroll with little or no investment;
- Most offers allow players to keep the generated winnings under specified rules.
If interested, check out the best online gambling offers for UK players available on our website. They are offered by reliable, reputable, licensed and trustworthy online casinos, poker rooms, bingo sites and bookmakers and are available in British pounds. On the table below you will learn more about the best online gambling offers available to players from the United Kingdom.
Selection Criteria to Identify the Best Offers
Each bonus offer has rules also known as terms and conditions gamblers must meet if they want to claim it and cash out the bonus winnings. They can also tell you how generous a bonus deal is whether it is worth claiming. The following are several criteria that will help you identify the best UK gambling bonus offers:
The bonus amount
The most common offer is the 100% welcome match bonus up to £100. However, some casinos might offer a 150% or 200% match bonus up to a higher amount. Naturally, as a player you will go for the higher bonus amount because it gives you plenty of value for your money. However, it’s always advisable to read and understand the terms and conditions of the offer because a higher bonus doesn’t necessary mean that it has generous rules.
Wagering requirements
Welcome match bonuses usually come with wagering requirements that range between 30x and 50x (bonus and/or deposit amount). These requirements refer to the number of times a bonus and/or a deposit must be wagered on games before a cashout is requested. By comparing the wagering rules of several bonus offers you can identify the best and most generous one. In general, a good bonus offer is the one that has easy-to-meet wagering.
Wagering contribution of games
Not all games are eligible and count towards meeting the wagering requirements of a casino bonus. The eligible, partially eligible and ineligible games are often listed in the terms. The games that often count 100% towards meeting the wagering are slots and/or scratch cards and Keno. So if you want to play games such as roulette or blackjack, better check how much percentage they contribute. Also, choose the offer that allows you to play your favorite games with bonus money.
Bonus validity
Another restriction gambling offers have is the validity of their bonuses. A certain amount of time is required to meet the wagering and you should check how long your bonus is valid for. Pick a bonus with longer validity, i.e. a bonus that lasts for at least 30 days. This way you will have plenty of time to meet the requirements.
Cashable bonus
This is another selection criterion that should be considered. Sometimes a gambling site allows you to cash out the bonus along with the bonus winnings. This bonus is cashable and it’s stated in the rules. There are also non-cashable bonuses. If you try to withdraw them, the bonus amount will be deducted from the entire amount.
Legal Situation
This section refers to the legal situation of online casinos and other gaming/betting sites that accept UK players. As a rule of a thumb, always check where the gambling site is licensed and who regulates it. All licensed UK casinos have a valid gambling license granted by the UK Gambling Commission, a regulatory body responsible for issuing licenses to gambling operators that want to offer their content and services to players from the UK. These gambling sites display this license at the bottom of their homepage along with the registration number. Only this way you will know for sure whether a gambling site is legal and can be trusted.
Types of Gambling Offers
What following is an in-depth explanation of each and every type of online gambling offer available to UK customers.
Types of Casino Bonuses
The majority of UK gamblers enjoy playing online casino games. UK-friendly Internet casinos offer one of the best gambling offers to their players, both new and regular. What follows are the most common types of casino bonus offers:
No deposit bonuses
As the name implies, to claim this offer no deposit is required. You simply need to register a new account. The bonus is then automatically credited into your account or you might need to enter a bonus code to claim it. The amount of this bonus is usually between £5 and £30. Just like all bonuses, the no deposit bonus has its own terms and conditions that differ from one casino to another. The most important rules that will tell you how good a no deposit bonus is, is the wagering requirements. In general, this bonus has pretty high wagering, usually between 40x and 100x. To find the best offer, compare different no deposit bonus amounts and their wagering requirements. In addition, check other rules such as bonus validity and maximum cashout amount.
Free spins bonuses
Free spins are also given to new players only. There are two types- free spins with and without deposit. The first type obliges players to make a deposit and claim a match bonus before or right after they get the free spins. The second type requires no deposit at all. They are automatically transferred into a player’s account upon registration. The free spins bonuses can only be used on slot games and fruit machines stated by the casino. Bonus winnings from the free spins are counted as bonus money. To transfer them into your real money account, you must meet the casino’s standard bonus wagering requirements.
Free play bonuses
This is another type of no deposit casino bonus given to new UK players. The bonus also requires no initial deposit and can be used on various casino games within a specified timeframe, usually one hour. If you manage to generate winnings higher than the bonus amount, you can transfer them into your bonus account. Afterwards, you must make an initial min deposit and wager the bonus winnings according to the bonus rules and requirements.
Welcome match bonuses
Almost all best casinos that accept UK players offer welcome match bonuses. These bonuses match the initial deposit of a player up to a certain percentage and/or amount. A common example of a welcome match bonus offer is the 100% bonus up to £100. A deposit of £100 gives you an extra £100 in bonus money so you get an initial balance of £200. However, you cannot cash out this money. Firstly, you must meet the wagering requirements of the bonus. In most cases, they rage between 25x and 40x. Also, take a look at the types of casino games you can play with this bonus because not all games count towards the wagering.
Cash back bonuses
They are given to existing players and are sometimes part of casino’s loyalty programs. The bonus is a percentage of money given back to players for losses incurred from playing games. They usually range from 10% to 50% and have the most generous terms and conditions. In particular, they often have no wagering requirements and the bonus amount is immediately transferred into players’ real money accounts. Players can use the money to play games or cash it out.
VIP loyalty programs
The majority of UK casinos also have VIP loyalty programs. Regular players earn a VIP status and climb up the VIP ladder based on their casino activity and regular play. Most casinos, for every pound wagered, give players a comp point. Gamers gather these points and after they accumulate a certain amount they can redeem the points for real cash. Moreover, as they play games, players also advance to the next VIP level. Each level entails exclusive rewards such as bigger and better bonuses, higher comp point to cash conversion rate, entries to casino tournaments, invitations to special events, birthday gifts, trips to exotic lands and so on. If you’re interested in becoming a casino VIP, carefully read the casino’s VIP programs in order to learn what you’ll get. If necessary, contact the customer support for more information.
Other Types of Gambling Offers
Gamblers in the United Kingdom also take part in other types of online gambling activities such as poker, sports betting and bingo. The following are the most common types of offers available at these gambling sites:
Poker
The majority of UK poker rooms offer deposit match bonus offers. Sometimes they may offer reload or refer-a-friend bonuses. The first type of bonus is given to new players when they make a deposit of a specified amount. The second poker offer is given on the second and/or third deposit, while the refer-a-friend bonuses are given to players that refer their friends to a UK poker room. What’s different about these bonuses is how they are given. For example, a poker room gives a 100% welcome bonus offer up to £600. You can get this bonus at once or over the first three deposits within 90 days. A deposit of at least £50 must be made to claim the first deposit offer. The bonus is not real money and players must clear it. Moreover, the money is released in £10 increments as you clear it. The bonus is cleared as you earn VIP player points and 170 of them releases £10 in real poker money. The VIP player points are earned by playing raked games or real money tournaments.
Sports betting
UK bookmakers often offer free bets to its bettors. They come in various shapes and sizes. There are several types of free bets. For example, there are stake returned and stake not returned free bets. The first type is the best one. It means that if you win you will get the free stake back with your winnings. With the second type you don’t get the free bet back if you win, so a £25 stake not returned free bet which wins at evens will give you £25 not £50. There are also no deposit free bets. As the name suggests, you don’t have to make a deposit to claim it. Many free bets are also offered as no lose free bets. These bets usually mean that you will receive a free bet if your first bet loses.
Bingo
Free no deposit bonuses and welcome match bonuses are the most common types of gambling offers available at UK bingo rooms. The bonus amount offered at these gambling sites is usually smaller than the one offered at casinos, but it’s usually worth claiming. Common examples are a £5 free sign up bonus and ‘deposit £5, get £15’ type of bonuses. Some bingo rooms also give re-deposit bonuses as well as refer-a-friend bonuses and they work more or less the same as their casino bonus counterparts.
The Best Gambling Offer for UK Players
From all gambling offers that cater to UK players we have reviewed, we chose the one available at 888 Casino. The site gives a 100% first deposit bonus up to £100. You deposit £100 and you get £100 on the house. You will start out with a boosted bankroll of £200. If you want to request a withdrawal, you must first meet the bonus wagering of 30 times the bonus amount. In other words, you must wager £3,000 (£100 bonus * 30x wagering) on eligible games such as video slots, arcade games, scratch cards and Keno. Some games such as roulette, poker table games, some video poker variants and blackjack titles count a smaller percentage, 20% or 10%. There are also ineligible games and if you bet on them, your bonus and/or associated winnings will be void. Only after meeting the wagering restriction you can request a cashout. For more information, visit 888 Casino.
Conclusion
There are several advantages of online gambling offers. Firstly, they boost your money account with extra bonus cash. Secondly, the no deposit offers are an excellent way to get to know a gambling site and its gaming or betting offer without any risk. Thirdly, even though you get bonus money you can turn them into real money under certain conditions and even cash out this money. All in all, they are nice incentives and can be found in a large number. Depending on your favorite type of online gambling activity, you can find many different offers and with comparison you can pick the best one.
Perhaps a somewhat negative feature about online gambling offers is that they come with terms and conditions. However, these bonus rules are a must because casinos and other gambling sites need to protect themselves. There are many ‘bonus hunters’ who join a gambling website simply to take advantage of offers and walk away. Therefore, the free bonus offer is not as free as it seems. The terms and conditions restrict its use.
But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t claim any offer. On the contrary. We advise you to choose a type of gambling bonus you want to claim and compare it with other similar offers. For example, if you want to join an online casino and play games as well as claim a no deposit bonus offer, it’s best to compare different types of no deposit bonuses. Take a closer look at their terms and conditions. See whether the bonus wagering requirements are easy to meet. Check how big the bonus is and how long it lasts. These criteria can tell you a lot about each offer. Only after you find a suitable and generous no deposit bonus, sign up with the casino that offers it and claim it.
It’s very important for UK players to read the terms of online gambling offers. They reveal a lot more than what’s initially advertised on a gambling site. Players should also understand them and know what they are getting. If they have doubts and are not sure what to do, it’s highly advisable to contact the customer support service and ask for more information. We also advise you to consider the gambling offers available on our website. They are all tailored with UK players in mind and are offered by secure and trustworthy casinos and other online gambling destinations. We have also summed up their important rules for a quick review so you can easily find the best offer for your taste.