In the last few years, we have seen the rise of online casinos. Barely a week goes by without a new online casino or new online casino game being released. Whilst that’s great news for online casino fans, as it means more and better welcome bonus offers, a better selection of casino games and more variety, it does mean that for new players choosing which site to sign up, it can be confusing. In our online casino guide 2021, we will be helping you find the best online casinos, the best welcome bonus and free spins offers and the best casino games that can be found at trusted, licensed and regulated casino sites.
How We Choose the Best Online Casinos
There are, literally, hundreds of casino sites now, all promising a generous welcome bonus, lots of free spins and the ultimate user experience. If you’re one of those new players with little experience in choosing a good online casino, it can be daunting. All of them make promises, but not all of them can keep them. We have done the job for you. We have looked at the top online casino sites to find the best ones out there. Here are some of the factors that we have taken into consideration:
Welcome Bonus and Promotions
The first thing that will catch any new player’s eye is the size of the welcome bonus offer – what is this casino going to give you as a reward for signing up. Nearly every online casino will give you a welcome bonus. Here are some that you can expect to find.
First Deposit Match Bonus
A first deposit match bonus is where an online casino promises to double your first deposit. It is often portrayed as a 100% up £xx bonus. The size of this welcome bonus can vary a great deal. Some may offer up to £100, others may offer up to £1000 – and anything in-between. Some even offer s deposit match bonus on your first three deposits, which can add up to thousands. The size of the bonus depends on how much of your own money you are prepared to deposit. If you deposit £10, you will get a £10 bonus. If you deposit £100, you will get a £100 bonus.
The benefit of these types of welcome bonus offers is that you can use the bonus funds on all different casino games – table games, slot jackpot games, live casino etc.
Free Spins Welcome Bonus
Another popular type of welcome bonus is a free spins bonus. Again, this can vary in size, depending on the online casino in question. It could be 20 free spins or 200 free spins. Also, the number of free spins usually doesn’t depend on how much you deposit – as long as you make the minimum qualifying first deposit as requested, you will get all the free spins on offer. So, whether you deposit £10 or £100, you get the same number of free spins. The only drawback with free spins offers is that, unlike match deposit bonuses, they are for slots only. Also, the online casino site will also usually specify one slot game or a selection of a few slots you can use the bonus spins on. There is much less gaming variety with free spins, but you can still win real money!
Match Bonus + Bonus Spins
Now, many online casinos will offer a mix of the two, so you get the best of both worlds – i.e. 100% up to £200 + 50 bonus spins on Book of Dead. This gives players lots of gaming choices. They can try out those slot games as well as the other games that the site has to offer.
Bonus Terms and Conditions
For every welcome bonus, you will see the phrase ‘T&Cs apply’ and these are hugely important when we weigh up how good a casino bonus is:
Wagering Requirements: Nearly all online gaming sites will have wagering requirements attached to a casino bonus or bonus spins winnings. This is the number of times you have to wager your own money to withdraw your winnings. The lower the wagering requirements, the better – e.g. we will rate a bonus that has 20x wagering requirements above a bonus that has a 50x wagering requirement. Occasionally you will get wager free bonus spins. These should be snapped up!
Validity: Often a bonus or bonus spins offer will have an expiry date. Match deposit bonuses may come with a 30-day expiry, whilst bonus spins may come with a 7-day expiry. Some bonus spins have just a 1-day expiry. The longer you have before the bonus expires, the better.
Other T&Cs may also apply, such as restricted payment methods, specific online slots or casino games, maximum wins and minimum deposits and bets. Read through the terms carefully.
Choice of Online Casino Games
If you do manage to snap up a tasty welcome bonus, you want a varied gaming experience, which means lots of different types of games – online slots, jackpot games and slots, table games, video poker, lottery, bingo, scratchcards (some even offer sports betting as well). A good online casino site will offer not only popular slots from award-winning providers but also more niche games. most will offer blackjack and roulette, but we want to see games such as Red Dog, baccarat, Sic Bo etc. The more variety the better.
Casino Safety and Security
This is, really, the most important factor of any casino site. Any site that you play at – and all online casinos that we recommend with be safe and trustworthy for players. Every casino site and online gambling site that we recommend will be licensed such as Cyber.Bet
Desktop and Mobile Casino Experience
Many players and casino players like to enjoy claiming their bonuses and play casino games whilst out and about – and as such, any good online gaming site should offer an excellent casino experience on mobile as well as desktop. Not only should they be able to claim any deposit bonus or games bonus on mobile, but they should also have access to the same selection of games on mobile as well. It is common for online casinos to offer slot games such as Eye of Horus, table games like roulette and blackjack etc on their mobile casinos. However, the best mobile casinos will also offer their players the same selection of progressive jackpots and live dealer games. If the casinos offer games such as Live Lightning Roulette or progressive jackpots like Mega Moolah and Megaways jackpot slots, then these should also be available on their mobile casinos.
Customer Support and Payment Methods
Finally, we look for casino sites that offer excellent customer support. The online casino site’s customer support should be available all day, every day. They would also be contactable via live chat, email and phone. You should also be able to contact them on mobile and desktop. If you are putting your money into an online gambling site, you should always be able to access help.
In addition, a good online casino will offer a variety of different payment methods, including cards, e-wallets and prepaid cards so that you can deposit and withdraw your money safely, quickly and easily
Popular Online Casino Games
Having taken all of this into account, and having found the online casinos that fit the bill, it’s not always easy for new players to know what games they should be looking for.
Slot Games
All online casinos are usually full of real money slots to play – some based on popular land-based casino slots. Here are some to look out for:
Slots by the award-winning provider, NetEnt. The best online casinos have popular slots such as Starburst game, Gonzo’s Quest game and the popular Twin Spin game
Jackpot Slot Games: Everyone likes a jackpot game to get their adrenaline rushing. Look out for games such as Mega Moolah and the Megaways slot game selections such as Buffalo Rising Megaways, Leprechaun Megaways and Secrets of the Phoenix Megaways. Again, you should see if you can play these games on the mobile gaming site as well as desktop casino site.
Casino and Table Games
Some casinos are better than others when it comes to table casino game selection:
The most popular casino game is roulette. However, look for a gaming site that offers a variety of roulette games. The best online casinos offer variations such as European Roulette, French Roulette, American Roulette, speed roulette, lightning roulette, Goldenball roulette. The best casino sites will have lots of roulette games – both RNG roulette and live dealer roulette games.
Blackjack. We would be surprised if an online casino doesn’t offer blackjack. But, again, the best online casino sites will offer blackjack real money variations you can play such as European Blackjack, Spanish Blackjack, Perfect Pairs Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Blackjack Switch etc.
Other Games: Other popular games that you might want to play include: craps, 3 card poker, Texas Hold’em, Baccarat, Pai Gow, Red Dog etc. We like to see not just RNG varieties but also live casino games.
Live Dealer Casino Games
Live casino games are more popular than ever, with casino players looking to play on real money games with live dealers, giving them a feel of real casino life. The best online gaming sites will offer players the chance to experience the live casino gaming experience on mobile as well as desktop. The best live casino gambling sites include games from award-winning live casino gaming provider, Evolution Gaming. These include games such as speed roulette, baccarat squeeze as well as game show style gambling games like Football Studio and Dream Catcher.
Sports Betting
Some aren’t just online casinos but are gambling sites, which means that as well as having the chance to play casino games, they also give you the chance to place real money wagers on sporting events. So, when you no longer want to play on the slots, or you have run out of bonuses to spend in the casinos, then why not head over to the sports betting section and play your money on the Saturday afternoon footie game?!
Online Casino FAQs
What are the Best Online Casinos?
There are a number of excellent casinos out there to play on, but the best will be a matter of taste. Choosing the best casino for you will be based on what games you like to play. Do you prefer to play slots? Are you looking to play table games, or would you rather play your real money games at the live casino? It also depends on what type of bonuses you prefer. Are you looking for bonus spins or deposit bonuses where you can play a bigger selection of games? All gambling sites and casinos are different and all come with strengths and weaknesses.
What are the Best Casino Bonuses?
New players first deposit bonuses come in all different shapes and sizes. Although we look at the size of the bonuses on offer, we also see what T&Cs apply to the bonuses, and how fair they are. The best deposit bonuses have lower wagering (turnover) requirements and ideally won’t ask for anything over 50x wagering. We also like the bonuses to be available on a good game selection and you should be able to enjoy it on mobile as well as desktop. The best casino bonuses are those that are less restrictive and offer fairer terms.
What is the Best Deposit Method for Online Casinos?
Most online casinos offer a variety of deposit methods. The most popular include debit cards, e-wallets such as PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. Others include deposit methods such as Paysafecard, Trustly, Bank Transfer, Boku etc. It is a matter of choice, but remember, when you pick a deposit method, this is the method that you need to make your withdrawals with. E-wallets offer quick withdrawals. However, some bonuses have deposit method restrictions, meaning that if you make your deposit with eWallets like Skrill or Neteller, you won’t be able to claim your bonus.
What is the Best Mobile Online Casino?
Pretty much all good online casinos will offer an excellent mobile site. The best mobile casino sites will allow you to enjoy the same game selection on mobile as desktop, including jackpot and live casino game selections. It should have the same selection of slots, same customer support and offer as good a user experience as on desktop. All of our top recommended casino sites will offer excellent mobile apps and browser sites.
What is the Best Way to Win Real Money at an Online Casino?
The best way to be successful at an online casino is to play responsibly. This means knowing how much money you can afford to spend and stick to your budget. With games such as slots and tables games, whether you win or lose is just a matter of lady luck. Some you win, some you lose. However, whether you win on the slots or lose on the slots, stick to your budget and never chase your losses. The best casino players are those who know how to play for fun and stop when it stops becoming fun.
