Gambling FAQ's

How do online casinos compare to real casinos?

Online casinos work in the same way as regular casinos offering the same selection of games and playing experience. The main obvious difference is that all the games are virtual with most sites offering a free download or CD version of the software required to play.

The sites use certified random number generators to calculate the out come of each game (NB the free play or demo modes may use a simpler/different generator to calculate the out come of games which can lead to more favourable odds for the player!).

All the top sites have a demo or free play function which allows you to "try before you buy".

To play for real all you have to do is open an account. There are a number of different ways to pay which varies from site to site. As a general rule it is best to use a debit card as this makes it easier for you to transfer your winnings back to your bank account. Credit cards are accepted but each site has different rules for withdrawing your winnings and may impose limits on the amount you can transfer back onto your card.

For details of payments, withdrawals and banking see the relevant section under each casino review.

How safe are online casinos?

All the casinos on this site are part of major existing static casinos or betting firms and as such already have a proven track record so you can bet online with confidence. We have also checked out each site personally and can guarantee them all safe to play.

All the casinos listed have their performance and payout rates independently monitored (see individual listings for details). All cash transactions and account details are protected by encrypted secure servers.

Security is the casinos number one priority as they know people must be 100% confident to gamble online.

How do I know if online casinos are fair?

This question could also be asked of normal static casinos, and so as with all gambling the overall odds are waited in favour of the house, they are after all in the business of making money. So with this in mind it is not in their interest to cheat their customers also if a casino online or otherwise was found to be operating unfairly they would have their licence revoked. This is why it is always advisable to only use reputable companies like the ones listed on this site.

How do the bonuses work?

All the major casinos offer cash bonuses or incentives to persuade you to use their site and these are as varied and numerous as the sites themselves.

In most cases to claim your cash bonus (e.g. £20 for £200 wagered ) you need to deposit and then wager £200 before you can access your bonus, this isn't as bad as it sounds as you will normally have at least a month to do this and also includes any money you win. These are commonly called match bonuses and are available on most sites.

For more details on bonuses see each individual review as they change regularly.

Where are the online casinos and are they legal in the UK?

All online casinos are currently based offshore, this was originally for tax purposes but is now solely due to UK licensing laws.

Any casino with a static bricks and mortar site will obviously have a UK address and many others also have UK offices. Where available these details are listed in the review section.

To date there have been no laws passed in the UK to make online gambling illegal, in fact the government are in the process of granting new licenses for static casinos across the UK.

We will continue to monitor government legislation and update the site with any changes to the current law.

Choosing which casino to play

Once you are sure the site is reputable and safe there are two main criteria when choosing which casino to play. This comes down to the bonuses offered by the site and the choice of games. This site will help you to compare all the sites listed as bonuses change on a regular basis.

The best way to compare the games and ease of use is to pick a simple game with which you are already familiar with the rules. A good example would be to play Blackjack in the demo mode on your choice of sites to get a feel for how the site works in terms of placing bets and the additional info you are given as you play.

Once you are comfortable with the controls and procedure you can easily switch to playing for real.

NB When playing a new game for the first time it is always a good idea to try it out in demo mode first.