A Checklist for Finding the Best Online Betting Experience
Based on the team’s combined knowledge, years of experience, and various failed attempts at testing, we have now found a way that revolutionises how online bookmakers are rated. The system takes many factors into account, to allow a well-rounded view of every site. We're not blinded by one standout promotion or feature.
We have found that there are plenty of things to consider before signing up to a betting site - no, it’s not just about the bonus!
In our
online bookmaker reviews, we cover all the important facets of a betting site, paying particularly close attention to:
- Security:
First and foremost, we want to make sure that your funds and your personal data will be secure when using the site.
- Licensing:
We also need to ensure that the site is legal, licensed and regulated. Anyone without a UK Gambling Commission licence won't be featured.
- Payments:
A good betting sites should have a range of payment options, including debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards and more.
- Functionality:
The bookmaker in question should have a well-designed and user-friendly interface.
- Mobile:
Any bookmaker should have an accessible, easy to use app or mobile-optimised website.
- Customer support:
If and when things do go wrong, it's important to know that you are in good hands and that your issues can be resolved swiftly.
- Betting markets:
As well as having a solid range of sports, the best betting sites also have multiple markets available for each sport and league they offer.
- Live betting:
In 2024, betting live is hugely popular and players expect great in-play odds, statistics and even live streaming.
- Gaming options:
When it comes to the online casino side of a betting site, you want to have a quality selection of games to play.
- Odds:
At the end of the day, value is the most important thing in betting, so finding the best odds possible for each bet is vital.
- Additional Features:
The landscape is changing; bet builders, expert blogs and tips plus prediction games are all positives when betting online.
We know what you’re thinking - don't panic, we’ve got a thorough look at bonuses, promotions, and rewards programs covered, too!
Factors to Avoid When Betting Online
Betting on sport should be enjoyable and it’s hard to have a good time if you are worried about your online safety. After all, there are plenty of rogue betting sites out there who’ll happily take your money and leave you with nothing. So how do you figure out which betting sites to try and which to avoid? Here are few simple things to look out for:
Confusing Terms and Conditions
Any betting site is only as good as its terms and conditions. After all, it is the small print that tells you what you are allowed to do and how the betting site will operate. As such, a betting site’s terms and conditions should be clear about everything from who can sign up to its platform to how much you can potentially win with your bets.
Terms and conditions are especially important when it comes to betting bonuses and offers. This is because it’s all too easy to be lured in by a promotion that promises you everything but ends up giving you nothing. Above all, avoid any betting site that fails to have any terms and conditions that tells you exactly how it works in a simple, easy to understand way.
Bad Customer Care
There’s nothing more annoying than bad customer support, and this is definitely true when it comes to betting sites. Ideally, you’ll want customer care that is available 24/7 via live chat, email, phone and social media. Plus there’s nothing like a good FAQ for explaining the basics of how the betting site works. If you encounter a betting site who makes it hard to get in touch with its customer care team, then that says a lot about how it treats its customers.
Lack of Licensing and Regulation
Betting sites are only allowed to legally operate in the UK if they have a license from the UK Gambling Commission. So if you see any betting site without such licensing, it tells you that this operator is acting illegally and that it will give you absolutely nothing in terms of customer protection.
What makes things a little more confusing is the fact that there are numerous online gambling authorities all over the world. Some of these authorities hold more value than others, and if you see a Curacao betting site, it’s best to leave it well alone.
UK Gambling Sites
Here at Betting.co.uk, you can expect to find an authentic take on all kinds of online gambling across the UK. If your online bookmaker provides a sportsbook, casino, and poker, then you can guarantee that our online reviews will let you know exactly what you can expect from each of the platform’s assets. Have a particular gambling niche you’re into? Check what’s covered in our products, below.
- Sports betting
- Online casino
- Online Poker
- eSports
- Online Scratch cards
- Online Lotto
- Online Bingo
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Betting in the UK
We want to help you to become as prepared as possible before you register an account and start betting. That's our experts have tackled some of the most common questions that our readers have asked before using a UK betting site:
1. How Do I Know if a Betting Site is Legit?
For a site to be legal to use for UK players, it must have a valid license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Plus you'll want to make sure that the site features a minimum 128-bit SSL-level encryption to keep your data and deposits secure.
2. What is The Legal Age For Online Betting in the UK?
For all forms of online gambling, the legal age in the UK is 18 and older. This applies to both betting on sports and playing online casino games. Likewise for poker.
3. How Can I Fund my Betting Account?
There are many ways to fund your betting account, including Visa and Mastercard, PayPal, Neteller, Skrill and much more. Just note that you cannot use a credit card to make deposits at a betting site in the UK.
4. Is It Safe To Bet Online in the UK?
As long as you use a licensed operator that is recommended by us, then you should be safe when betting online in the UK. Just remember to always gamble responsible. Use whatever deposit limits and tools are provided by the betting site.
5. Do Online Betting Welcome Bonuses Really Work?
Yes they do, however, most of them will have certain conditions, such as qualifying deposits and/or bets, minimum odds and/or wagering requirements that need to be met for bonus use or withdrawal. So make sure that you always read the small print before claiming one of these deals.
Top Apps For Betting Online in the UK
The online gambling world has surged in popularity, leading to the natural evolution and need for mobile betting. Most credible online operators now offer punters the chance to bet on the go, provided they have access to the internet.
Due to the influx in usage, our
mobile betting app reviews
are now equally as comprehensive as those created for online platforms, highlighting many key areas including availability & requirements, usability, security, payment methods, data & live offers, customer service, and much more.
Now, if you’re sat on the daily commute or out shopping and remember that you forgot to place your pre-match bet, you can simply boot up the app and make your way through a stream of in-play options.
Advantages of Using a Mobile Betting App:
Your mobile phone is with you all the time, so you can place a bet on your favourite sports anytime and anywhere.
With most betting apps, you can whip your phone out and place a bet within a couple of taps of your phone, making it quicker than desktop gambling.
On many gambling apps, you can customise the interface so that the sports and games that matter to you most are brought to the forefront.
The ability to log in and deposit using biometric features of smartphones such as Face or TouchID makes the process of betting even more secure.
When using an app, you never miss anything, as you can set notifications to alter you when sporting events that may interest you are about to happen. The latest offers and bonuses are often sent this way too.
Sometimes, an operator will encourage players to download its app by offering an additional bonus to mobile users.
Enjoy a little multi-tasking with your sports bets
Bet while out and about
Online Betting in the UK: Everything You Need to Know in 2024
If you're new to online betting or looking to brush up your knowledge about how it works in the United Kingdom, here are some of the key topics.
Legality of Online Betting
Online betting has been legal for decades now as long as the bettor is over the age of 18. The key piece of UK legislation came via the Gambling Act in 2005. This brought the previous laws into line with an industry that had moved on from simply betting in person at a bookmaker, on the racecourse or in a casino. When people can bet from anywhere at any time, it's important for the laws of the land to account for that. The act accounted for a host of requirements from the operators including licencing and promotion of responsible gambling.
There have been various updates to this legislation, including a major reform in September 2022 which includes additional requirements around protecting those at high risk of issues when betting. If you've bet online before you'll likely notice that online betting sites will usually verify your ID, sometimes as part of the sign up process to allow them to ensure against both underage gambling and money laundering laws.
Taxation of Betting Winnings
In 2024, there is no taxation of betting winnings in the United Kingdom. That's the same no matter how you win money, be it from sports betting, casinos, bingo, poker or any other type of gambling. You won't be asked to pay tax on it and no losses can be deducted from your other earnings either.
This means whatever you win from a bookmaker or casino is yours to keep without having to factor in giving a percentage to HMRC. The UK is one of the most liberal countries in this regard, perhaps because betting has been legal for a long time and events such as the Grand National are part of the culture.
History of Online Betting
The early days of online betting were the late 1990s. With the increase in popularity of the internet, some existing bookmaking brands, as well as new ones, began to spring up offering online bettors the chance to wager without being in a physical location around the turn of the millennium. The more people began to do things online, the more bookmakers recognised that this was an opportunity to make it easier for those who wanted to place a bet to do so at their convenience.
Betfair launched in June 2000, around the same time that bet365 was formed, although they didn't officially launch until 2001. From there, even more brands either started up online or moved part of their operations online to meet the growing trend. With the emergence of smartphones, faster and more affordable internet access, the online betting industry now accounts for a Gross Gaming Yield of over £6 billion. As of 2024, the UK has around 175 officially licenced brands operating and the industry employs around 100,000 people within the United Kingdom.
Online Betting FAQs
🏆 What is the best online betting site in the UK?
It will depend what you are looking for as to which gambling site is the best. However, popular sites such as Betfred, bet365 and BetMGM offer some of the best and most rounded experiences.
👍🏻 Is online betting legal in the UK?
Yes, online betting is completely legal in the UK as long as the player is 18 or over.
👀 How many people bet online in the UK?
According to the most recent statistics from Xace, it's estimated that around 26% of the UK population gambles. This could include sports betting, bingo and lotteries as well as those using casinos.
Sports betting is the most popular form of online gambling according to research from the EGBA. Casino games come next lotteries and bingo proving less popular across the general population.
🖋️ When did the UK regulate online betting?
The Gambling Act of 2005 was the major step forward in terms of regulation from the UK Government. Since then, many ammendments have been made to keep up with the changing landscape, not least the updates in 2022 and 2023 focusing on responsible gambling
Get Started Betting Online With These Top Operators
1.
Bet now
New customers only. 7 days to place qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.
2.
£25 Free Bet
+ 25 Free Spins
Bet now
New UK/IE customers only. Sign up and place your first sports bet at offs of Events (2.0) or greater and if it loses, get a free bet equivalent to 50% of your first bet stake (min £10), to a maximum value of £25 plus 25 free spins on Gold Horsey Winner. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ / BeGambleAware.org
3.
£20 Back-Up Bet as Free Bet
Bet now
Min deposit £10, Max stake £10, Min Odds 1/1 (2.0); Max free bet £10; New players only
4.
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Bet now
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
5.
100% Profit Boost up to £100
Bet now
New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via ‘My Offers’ page within 30 days. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play, min odds 1/1 (2.0). Max. extra winnings £100. Once claimed, 30-day expiry. Cashed out, System & EW bets do not qualify. Other Promotional Play Restrictions Apply. T&Cs apply.
