Online casinos in Great Britain enjoy a certain advantage because gambling has been familiar to the locals for a long time. The bets on casino games, horse races and sports events are not suspicious here.
But the British are not stuck in the 19th century – the country’s attitude towards online games is also very liberal. The UK is one of the most forward-looking countries in terms of gambling laws. Residents of England, Scotland and Wales have access to both offshore and local gaming platforms. If a gambling site is whitelisted by the UK Gambling Commission, it may advertise any of its services to UK citizens.
If somewhere there is a “paradise” for online players, then the UK is as close to it. All types of bets are legal and available online in all countries that make up the United Kingdom. In addition, online gambling in the UK has legally been declared a hobby, not a job, which means that British citizens do not pay any taxes on their winnings.
Is gambling legal in the UK?
Yes, UK citizens can bet online as long as they adhere to the two UK Gambling Commission restrictions. The first limitation is simple – you must be at least 18 years old to legally bet. Second limitation: you must place bids on sites that have received a legal license for gambling.
In recent years, gambling law in the UK has steadily expanded. The most significant change came in 2005, when a whole set of restrictions and regulations were adopted with the aim of making the betting industry more cultured and civilized. The new laws did not restrict access to legal gambling (at least not for adults), but established measures to protect children and other vulnerable groups.
To date, some relatively new rates have become available to UK citizens. Currently, this country has one of the most popular lottery systems in the world, within which both regional and national games are available. There are also several large casinos operating in the country. Gone are the days when it was possible to play casino games only in small “Clubs”. Today, the UK Gambling Commission issues licenses to major gambling establishments (even as online betting is gaining more and more market share), proving that operators can still make good money by offering gambling to the British.
The most popular bets in the UK
British gambling preferences are very similar to American tastes. Of course, certain features of the UK gaming industry make it unique, unlike the American market. For example, many forms of social betting (“pub betting”) are legal and widely available to British citizens, so private gaming is much more common here than in America.
How to find the best UK online casinos?
1) Before making your first deposit, take the time to quickly find complete information about online casinos. It is important to make sure that the online casino you choose is using licensed and legitimate software and whether the casino has complaints from players.
2) Pay special attention to promotions for bonus packages, as well as rewards in the VIP program. Each bonus promotion must have a user agreement, which stipulates the conditions.
3) Better to play only in online casinos that also accept British pounds.
When choosing an online casino platform, carefully check for several key aspects of an online casino. First, the operator has a gaming license from the Gambling Commission. Once this is confirmed, pay attention to the security of the site, and only then proceed to the selection of game and software providers.
What about loyal players?
At licensed online casinos in the UK, loyal players get the opportunity to participate in ongoing promotions. The variety of these promotions is great, it can be daily or weekly free spin bonuses for games in new slots, replenishment of bonuses, free points (comps), which can then be exchanged for real money.
