FAQ

No. You must be 18 years or older to gamble. Underage gambling is illegal and casinos take steps to prevent youngsters from accessing their products. For more information we invite you to go through our responsible gambling guide.

Creating a player account at an online casino requires you to input some key information as a first step. This can include but it not limited to an email address, a username, and a unique password. You will then be asked to input personal details such as address, date of birth, and so on to be able to use all your new casino account’s features. Once you have input all your information, the next step is to learn how to keep your casino account safe.

Always ensure that your personal details are accurate, as any incorrect details may result in the casino delaying a withdrawal to investigate any errors. It’s also important to remember that intentionally providing false details could be considered fraudulent activity, with all the penalties that entails.

No, creating a user account at an online casino should always be free. If you come across a site that asks you to pay before setting up a user account, steer clear. You must however, be 18 years or older to gamble.

What players want from an online casino differs between individuals but there are universal guidelines for choosing the best casino for you. These include licensing, game choice, mobile compatibility, player support and site design.

The best casino for you will depend to a large extent on the kind of gambling activities you enjoy. However, there are important considerations to keep in mind when evaluating a casino and these are valid whether you are looking for a sports betting casino, a slot casino or any other type. Following these guidelines will ensure that you can make an educated choice about which casino to join.

Blackjack is a card game played between two or more players and a dealer, where the objective is to end with a set of cards whose value amounts to 21 or as close to 21 as possible. Another name for blackjack is, in fact, Twenty-One. For a full guide on the rules of blackjack and some tips and tricks, visit our Blackjack Guide here.

Slot games are, broadly speaking, reel-based games of chance. A player clicks a button to spin the reels and the game’s internal software, called an RNG, will create a completely randomised sequence of symbols. Symbols that fall in specific patterns called paylines are considered winning combinations and the player is awarded coins.

Learn more about how slot games are built, the kind of features available and the jargon used in our online Slots guide.

Players can place bets on the outcome or outcomes of sports, politics, and even TV events at bookmakers or online casinos that offer sports betting. Most offer a huge array of events, including football, basketball, and tennis, alongside the outcomes of national elections, e-sports, and all kinds of others. Players can choose to bet at fixed odds or with spread bets, and some casinos offer in-play betting that takes place while the match or game is going on.

Please read all about sports betting and how to get involved on our Sports Betting guide.

Fixed-odds betting is a traditional type of betting in which the bookmaker determines the odds of a specific outcome of a game, match, or event. Skill games are games that are not fully based on chance. Good examples are poker and blackjack.

Fixed-odds betting is one of two popular types of sports betting, the other being spread betting. The latter allows other factors to determine a win or a loss and the amounts involved. For example, in a fixed-odds bet, a punter would wager on a team either winning or losing a match. In a spread bet, the punter can put money down on the margin by which the team won, at which point in the match goals are scored, etc.

Skill-based casino games require some level of knowledge to play. Games like blackjack and poker do rely, to some degree, on chance but an experienced player will perform better than an inexperienced one. Games like slots, on the other hand, do not involve skill as all outcomes are randomly generated. Visit our detailed guide on “What fixed odds and skill games?” to learn more on this topic, including information on casino odds, house edge & pay-out percentages.

All casino games are built with a piece of software called a Random Number Generator. This very complex bit of programming ensures that the outcome of a turn, whether that’s a spin of a slot or the drawing of a hand in blackjack, is completely random. This is crucial to ensure that casino games are fair and cannot be tampered with by either the player or the casino.

To ensure that the RNG software is working as it should, games are audited by independent entities that test the program and check whether the outcomes it generates are truly random. Games will only be awarded approval if they pass this range of tests. For more information on what RNG means for casino players, read our in-depth article.

There are a number of variations on the game of poker, with most casinos offering two or more as table games and live dealer games. The objective of poker is to convince other players to fold so that you can claim the pot of cash wagered by the group.

Visit our comprehensive Poker Guide for an in-depth explanation of the different types of poker, how to play and how to hone your technique.

To deposit money at an online casino, you will first need to select a payment method. Bank transfers, credit cards and e-wallets are the most widely accepted at online casinos. If you select an e-wallet service, you will need to create a user account. In the case of bank transfers, you will need access to online banking to affect transactions.

Once there are funds in your payment method of choice, visit the casino’s deposit page, choose your amount and the payment method, and you are good to go!

Note that some methods take longer than others to process and not all casinos accept all payment methods. Some operators also place restrictions on bonuses when depositing via specified methods.

Casinos often establish minimum and maximum deposits and withdrawals. These limits determine the smallest and largest amounts a player can deposit or withdraw at any one time.

On average, casinos allow deposits and withdrawals as low as £10. Most casinos will also specify a monthly withdrawal limit and will show different types of casino deposit options. This information can always be found in the casino’s terms and conditions.

Before allowing players to withdraw winnings, especially when it’s their first withdrawal or a particularly large one, a casino will need to carry out Know Your Customer procedures. The operator is legally obligated to check that all withdrawals are legitimate and that players have given the correct identifying information. This regulation has been put in place to protect players and operators from fraud and money laundering.

There may be other reasons your withdrawal request is taking a while. If the casino suspects any untoward behaviour such as a breaking the terms and conditions or bonus abuse, (also known as ‘bonus whoring’), the casino team will investigate further. Similarly, if there are any discrepancies between the personal information you provided and that which appears on your submitted documents, the casino will want to clear that up first.

A casino will request documents proving your identity and other details such as date of birth, address, etc. Accepted identifying documents include a passport, national identity card, and driver’s license. You can submit recent (i.e., less than 3 months old) bank statements, utility bills, or council tax bills.

Casinos will request that you submit very clear and legible copies of your documents. Scanned documents are generally of better quality than photographs so you may want to use a scanner or visit a copy shop to get high quality images.

A no deposit bonus is one which can be claimed by a player without making a deposit. This type of bonus is most commonly available to players who have just registered a casino account.

Casinos can offer no deposit bonuses in a variety of ways but this kind of bonus is usually offered to new players who have just signed up. A no deposit bonus can comprise bonus cash, free spins, on-site points or any other reward the casino can offer.

Like all bonuses, a no-deposit bonus casino has rules, which are set out in the terms and conditions. No-deposit wagering requirements, game weightings, time limits, and winnings caps are all factors that can apply to no-deposit bonuses.

A reload bonus is a casino bonus awarded to an existing customer i.e. a player who has already registered with a casino and has already claimed the welcome bonus. Casinos can choose to offer reload bonuses at any time, as part of a recurring promotion or as a one-off promotional event.

Reload bonuses will often have different terms and conditions to the welcome bonus or welcome package, and players should be familiar with these restrictions before they claim one. On the whole, reload bonuses offers are not as generous as bonuses offered to new players but they can add value to the gambling experience for returning players.

Wagering requirements determine the amount of money a player would need to wager before winnings from any bonus perks (cash or spins) can be released for withdrawal.

These are displayed as a multiplier – x35 or x40 – and this helps players work out how much they need to wager before they can withdraw. For example, at a casino with x35 wagering requirements, £3500 would need to be wagered to release any winnings made from £100 in bonus cash. Free spin winnings can also be subject to wagering requirements.

Many casinos also specify a time limit for meeting wagering requirements. Any bonus perks and winnings will be forfeited if a player does not meet requirements within that time.

It’s important to remember that not all casino games contribute towards meeting wagering requirements to the same extent. Slots, for instance, are often set at 100% game weighting, which means that £10 wagered on slots will contribute £10 to the required £3500 wagering requirements. Other games like table games and jackpots may contribute a lower percentage or, in the case of the latter, often be excluded entirely from contributing.

More information on casino wagering requirements and game weightings can be found in the terms and conditions document, as well as alongside promotional offers.

If you do not meet wagering requirements within the time limit the casino has set, any bonuses and winnings associated with them will be confiscated by the casino.

Game weightings determine how much of a wagered amount will contribute to meeting wagering requirements. Games can contribute fully i.e. 100%, at a lower percentage or not at all.

Table games are often weighted lower than slots, usually around 5-10%. If a casino sets the weighting at 10%, a player who wagers £100 on blackjack will only have chipped in £10 towards the wagering requirements.

Some games are exempt completely, regardless of the category they fall under. These exemptions will be listed within the terms and conditions document. Game weightings are often displayed as a table in the T&Cs.

Casinos offer VIP programs or loyalty schemes in order to reward returning players. There are no hard and fast rules about what to expect from a VIP scheme but most casinos follow the same template. Tiered VIP programs award different levels of rewards, depending on how much the player wagers within a set amount of time. Some programs have levels to make it easier to track the player’s progress.

At some casinos, players are immediately enrolled in the VIP scheme, while at others, they may need to request access from the support team. Several casinos operate their VIP programs on an invite-only basis, whereby the player is contacted directly by the team and offered a spot.

Even if the player is automatically enrolled in the loyalty scheme, they do not necessarily have to do anything related to it. Casino VIP schemes are there to give players additional incentives to play – if you do not want to take up the offer, you are perfectly entitled to do so by simply ignoring the program or scheme.

Casinos can offer all manner of VIP rewards, including online goodies and real-life perks. Most casinos will offer VIP players exclusive bonuses and/or bonuses on their birthday or the anniversary of their account being created. Players can also be offered exclusive access to online casino events such as tournaments.

Other rewards can include faster withdrawal processing, preferential rates of exchange for loyalty points and the services of an account manager. Casinos can also offer holiday packages, invitations to exclusive casino events, hi-tech gadgets, and pretty much any other desirable perk you can think of.

This depends on the casino. At some sites, you are automatically enrolled in the VIP program and can start accumulating points at once. Some casinos ask interested players to get in touch to request VIP status while others operate a strict invite-only enrolment. In this case, an account manager will get in touch with the player to offer access.

Like any other website, online casinos can fall prey to malicious attacks. However, the online gambling industry is one of the most closely scrutinised and tightly regulated, so casinos are very keen to stick to the highest standards of security and safety. Reputable casinos will employ the top encryption techniques to protect their players.

It’s important players carry out their research before choosing a secure online casino. There are also steps that users can take to protect their accounts, not just at online casinos but anywhere. Choose a hard-to-guess password and keep it secret. Change your password every few months and do not use the same password for more than one online site or service.

Casinos will display their security credentials, usually within the footer section of their websites. This is also where you will be able to find information on that casino’s licensing. Having a license from a reputable regulator is a good sign that a casino is secure.

For information on the security standards imposed by licensing bodies, visit the regulators’ websites to get more details.

Casinos catering to EU players must adhere to the Union’s General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR. This means that casinos must be completely transparent about what they could do with player data and offer the opportunity to opt out of giving third-party access to that data. In short, a casino can only use your data to provide you with the service and it cannot pass your details on without your permission.

Of course, there will be those who are happy to bypass the rules. If you suspect your data has been shared without your consent, you can report the site to the Information Commissioner’s Office (for UK players) or the corresponding authority in your country.

Many casinos have what is called a ‘casino affiliate program’. This allows individuals and companies, known as affiliates, to earn commission by marketing and promoting a casino and its products. How much an affiliate gets paid depends on the kind of payment model the casino has in place.

Blogs are a popular platform for affiliates as are sites dedicated to finding casino bonuses. Casinos can create exclusive offers for affiliates to market to their readers or viewers and traffic from an affiliate site is tracked using affiliate links – unique URLs that the casino provides and monitors for activity.