How we rate & review online casinos
At OnlineCasino.co.uk, we pride ourselves on our thorough and honest reviews of the best online casinos, following extensive criteria to produce unbiased ratings. Keep reading to learn how we rate and review UK online casinos.
Our expert review process
To ensure you play at a site you can trust, we leave no stone unturned in our online casino reviews. Our rigorous process assesses every aspect of an online casino, from account management and security to games, bonuses and payment options. Here’s what we consider for each factor:
Licensing & trust
If a casino isn’t licensed, we won’t recommend it. A licence proves that the casino can operate legally, protect its users and safeguard sensitive data. We check that sites are licensed by reputable authorities, particularly the Gambling Commission (UKGC), as this is the regulatory body that oversees the UK’s gambling industry. Any casino with a UKGC licence offers the highest levels of protection.
Safety & security
We look for casinos that employ valid SSL encryption. This ensures that private and financial data transferred between the player and the casino is always protected. We also give increased safety marks to sites that undergo additional testing from specialist agencies such as eCOGRA and GLI, which inspect, review and verify that casinos are compliant and uphold high standards for fair gaming, player protection and trust.
Game selection & software
We expect top real money casinos to offer hundreds, if not thousands, of games from leading software developers, including IGT, Games Global and Evolution. There should be a diverse collection of online slots, table games, live casino games, and even speciality options, such as bingo, scratch cards and crash games.
Our review doesn’t stop there, as we test these games to ensure they load quickly and perform smoothly on PC and mobile.
Bonuses & promotions
Bonuses can make or break an online casino. We check to see what bonuses are available for new and existing players and compare these with other sites to ensure you’re getting the best value. New players should be offered generous welcome packages comprising a deposit match bonus, free spins, cashback or a combined offer.
Loyal players should also be catered to with reload promotions and rewarding VIP programmes. We also consider the T&Cs to ensure wagering requirements align with the 35x industry average and that there’s low minimum deposit limits of £20 or less.
Payments
Speedy and secure transactions are crucial at online casinos. We go the extra mile to ensure you can deposit and withdraw using a range of payments methods by looking for UK online casinos that offer more than five payment options. The sites that we feature are all partnered with secure merchants such as Visa, Mastercard and PayPal, and offer low minimum deposit and withdrawal limits.
We also look for casinos that offer fee-free payments and fast withdrawal processing times of 72 hours or less.
Mobile experience
The casinos we recommend are optimised for mobile gameplay, so you have the flexibility to play your way. We visit these sites on various iOS and Android devices to test how games perform on smaller devices and different web browsers. This is so we can ensure the mobile casino offers the same gaming experience and features as the desktop site.
Where we can, we look for operators that have native casino apps and run the same tests. We perform routine checks on the app to see whether any unique features become available, such as push notifications, two-factor authentication and biometric login for more seamless gaming.
Customer support
All casinos should prioritise the players and ensure they have access to support whenever they need it. The best online casinos will offer live chat, email and phone support 24/7. Social media and an extensive FAQ section are also a plus. We ensure that support agents are friendly and deal with queries quickly and effectively.
There should also be links to responsible gambling helplines and resources to help with managing gambling habits. This may also include tools such as time limits, spending limits and self-exclusion options.
How our rating system works
Our star rating system evaluates online casinos based on the above criteria to make it easy for you to determine which sites are the best. Our ratings reflect the overall quality and reliability of the casino and work as follows:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars = Top online casino
This rating is only given to online casinos with the highest standards. They offer the best overall gambling experience, and we can recommend them without hesitation.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5 stars = Excellent online casino
These casinos excel in almost all areas but could make a few improvements, such as offering more payment methods. They are still solid platforms and provide an excellent gambling experience.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars = Very good online casino
Online casinos with this rating have got all the crucial aspects right but may lack points for having slower withdrawals and few promotions.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars = Fair online casino
You can expect these casinos to meet licensing and trust standards but fall short in other areas. While you’ll have a satisfactory experience at these sites, there are better casinos.
⭐️⭐️ 2 stars or lower = Avoid
Online casinos with this rating fail to meet our standards. They may have poor security measures, unresponsive customer support or questionable T&Cs. You shouldn’t play at these sites.
How we ensure accurate casino reviews
To ensure we provide objective and accurate casino reviews, we monitor changes within the iGaming industry and follow rigorous criteria to assess each aspect of an online casino.
After the initial in-depth assessment, we perform periodical reviews to ensure the casino adjusts and improves the quality of its services in line with industry standards and the ever-evolving market. We check for new games, bonuses, payment methods and improvements to the navigation and customer support service.
We also take player reviews into account to gain insight into real experiences. Our online casino reviews can be trusted, so bookmark this page and check back regularly to ensure you stay up-to-date and play at the best online casinos.
Avoid online casinos we don’t recommend
Unfortunately, not all online casinos are to be trusted. We do our best to warn our readers about untrustworthy sites and will never recommend them. Playing at low-rated UK online casinos that don’t hold valid licences can leave you exposed to risks and threats, such as:
Unfair or rigged casino games
Delayed or non-existent payouts
Poor customer support
Lack of player protection
Dishonest T&Cs
Identity theft
Always carry out due diligence when gambling online and read expert reviews before signing up for an online casino. Only play at licensed casinos like those featured on OnlineCasino.co.uk, which have undergone a meticulous review process to ensure they are safe for players.
