With a passionate interest in the online casino and betting industry comes a similarly strong disdain towards unreliable or downright criminal activity from online casinos. When players are treated poorly by casinos, it tends to have a negative impact on the rest of the industry, so it is extremely important for us at CasinoUK.com to protect our readers from what we feel are unsafe, unreliable or suspicious casinos.
It may seem like a gargantuan task but the CasinoUK.com team is committed to helping improve the industry as a whole by steering unsuspecting players away from casinos that are untrustworthy.
There are plenty of ways to end up on Casino UK’s blacklist: unfair play, not paying out winnings, hidden conditions that disadvantage players, using crooked software and much more. Through careful research, we hope to prevent players from learning the hard way that some casinos are not what they seem.
The First and Easiest Steps to Spot a Rogue Casino
The first step in making sure a casino is genuine is to make sure the software it’s built upon is strong, secure and fair. Avoid any casino built on BLR Technologies, COA World Entertainment and Start Your Own Casino software, as they rig games in favour of the house. Start Your Own Casino even advertises how unfair it is, which is as unintelligent as it is unethical.
Of course, we rely on external audits and certification to regulate fairness and make sure players are protected. Dodgy operators exploit this fact, so stay far away from Atlantic Vegas Casino, Aztecasino and Casinostates as they falsely claim to be licensed when they’re anything but.
Non-Paying Casinos
Nothing is quite as frustrating as being denied what is rightfully yours and some casinos go to great lengths to prevent players from claiming their casino wins. The following casinos have been confirmed as no-pay establishments. Stay away from these brands, as they have been shown to use dodgy tactics to keep players from their money. Take a look at this list of blacklisted online casinos:
BeTheDealer- Europlay-Malta
- Games4Money
- LondonCasino
- Mighty Slots
- Oceans Online Casino
- Sunshine Bingo
- OddsMaker
- Orangegamez Casino
- Plum Gaming
- WinAsDealer
BeTheDealerAnd avoid any casinos that fall under the following groups, as they also don’t pay out when players win:
- Rushmore Casinos
- Sierra Star Casinos
- Sunny Group
- Virtual Casino Group
- Wager21 Casinos
Other Factors to Look at When Choosing a Casino
Look at the deposit methods and payment options provided to you by the casino. Research these companies online. Check to see if they exist. Are they from reputable, authoritative financial services or do they link to strange unkempt sites, raising your suspicion?
Also check if the casino uses encryption software. Most reputable casinos pride themselves in using 128-bit encryption and above to keep your private details protected. It would be ludicrous to trust a casino that does not.
Customer support is also an easy way to gauge how accountable a casino is. Do they offer 24 hour support? Are they contactable over telephone and do they have live chat options? Customer support is pivotal for the success of any casino as a business: they know that the better customers are treated, the greater the chance of retaining them. For this to happen, casinos always make themselves available 24/7 to their players. Some casinos may not offer round-the-clock support but any reputable site will offer multiple support channels and a comprehensive Help page.
And of course there are the guaranteed seals of approval handed out to respected casinos in the industry. Look out for a proper auditing by financial research houses such as PwC and Technical Systems Testing (TST) or ECOGRA badges that have ensured compliance with regulatory requirements, fairness in gaming and industry standards.
Digging out the Weeds…
Uncovering shady casinos is a constant battle but we pride ourselves on giving our readers sound advice and protecting them from unethical practices. Ranging from full-blown scams to subtle, obstructive strategies to prevent withdrawals of funds, there are many ways casinos can try to get one over on the unsuspecting player.
That being said, there are plenty of kosher, professional casinos that strive to put the player first and offer transparent and understandable processes when it comes to transactions and handling player complaints. Check out our casino reviews for sites that you can trust will give you the player experience you want, on desktop or mobile.
If you have spotted or, worse, experienced, any dubious casino operations, there are several ways to go about protecting yourself and others. Most gambling licensing authorities offer players the option to report suspicious casino behaviour through forms on their websites and several player-run forums exist to help warn others of the risks. You can also get in touch with us if you have come across a casino engaged in unsavoury practices that you feel we should know about.
Best Licensed & Registered UK Online Casinos
Now that you know which casino’s you should not be playing at, we recommend the following online casinos as they are licensed and registered. This means that players can have a safe and secure casino experience at these online casinos:
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100% up to £150 | + 150 Bonus Spins On Great Games | |
| Applies only to new depositing players. 18+. Minimum deposit for 1st deposit bonus: £10. Welcome Package split over 3 deposits. Minimum deposit for 2nd & 3rd deposit bonus: £20. 35x Wagering requirement applies to match up bonus. 100 spins splits to 20 spins a day for 5 days. Spins credited in specific games. Spins expire after 24 hours. 50x Wagering requirement applies to spins. Terms and Conditions apply. | |||
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121% up to £100 | A Regal Casino | |
| 18+. New players only. Min deposit £10. Bonus funds are 121% up to £100. Bonus funds are separate from cash funds and subject to 35x wagering requirement. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contributions. £5 bonus max bet. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days, spins within 10 days. Affordability checks apply. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org | |||
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Deposit match up to £150 | + 50 free spins | |
| 18+. New players only. Min deposit £20. Deposit match up to £150 plus 50 free spins. Bonuses split between first 2 deposits. Bonus funds subject to 35x wagering requirement. Bonus funds expire after 21 days. Free spins expire after 24 hours. Terms & Conditions Apply. | |||
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100% up to £25 | + 25 free spins | |
| 18+. New players only. Min deposit £20. 100% up to £25 plus 25 free spins. Free spins expire after 24 hours. Bonus funds expire after 21 days. Free spins expire after 24 hours. Bonus funds subject to 50x wagering requirement. Terms & Conditions Apply. | |||
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100% up to £300 | + 30 Bonus Reactoonz Spins | |
| 18+. New players only. Min deposit £10. 100% up to £300 + 30 bonus spins on Reactoonz. Bonus funds + spin winnings are separate to cash funds and subject to 35x wagering requirement. Only bonus funds count towards wagering contribution. £5 bonus max bet. Bonus funds must be used within 30 days, spins within 10 days. Terms Apply. BeGambleAware.org | |||
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25% UP TO £1000 | + 100 FREE SPINS | |
| 18+. New players only. Min deposit £20. First deposit is 50 free spins. Second and third deposits are 25% up to £200. Deposit four is 25% up to £600. Deposit five is 50 free spins. Free spins usable on Book of Dead. Bonus funds are subject to 50x wagering requirement and funds and free spins expire after 30 days. Deposits with Skrill are not eligible for this bonus. Terms & Conditions Apply. | |||
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100% up to £200 | + 100 Bonus Spins | |
| Applies only to new depositing players. 18+. Minimum deposit: £20. Welcome Package split over 3 deposits. 35x Wagering requirement applies to match up bonus. 100 spins splits to 20 spins a day for 5 days. Spins credited in specific games. Spins expire after 24 hours. 50x Wagering requirement applies to spins. Terms and Conditions apply. | |||
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