Best Online Casino Providers

Gambling in England under the current regulations makes it one of the safest and most responsible gambling environments for its consumer population. The Gambling Commission covers every angle of the industry from the licensing of operators to the imposition of regulations that stipulate a compliance with legislation that sweeps in every aspect of social responsibility. This comprehensive approach to cover all eyes of their working sphere looks after the integrity of the product, the well-being of the consumer and provides compliant operators with an arena in which responsible gambling can flourish.

The casino gaming sector in England is an industry on its way as a sector in a country that is already one of the world’s leading gambling territories, in terms of a major source of entertainment and leisure pastime opportunities, accessed via a vast choice of games that are combinatorials of 36 GGY market segments and which spends as much time in satisfying particular playing preferences as it does in ensuring that all members of the playing audience are catered for.

Profiles of Leading Casino Providers in the English Market

English casino market features several major providers who are all targeted at competing for the player. They specialise in delivering top quality games, innovative technology and strategic approach to the market. Microgaming, NetEnt and Evolution Casino are among these and have been hugely influential in shaping the market.

• Microgaming: Microgaming is a major figure in online casino gaming that launched the first true online casino back in 1994. The Isle of Man based provider has come a long way since and now has a number of the most well-loved slots of any provider, including “Mega Moolah” that offers huge progressive jackpots. The company has been at the forefront of games technology, introducing such features as VR roulette and it has now partnered with a number of leading online casinos, making its multi-award-winning games available to players. In England, it has made sure that it has tied up with a number of English’ well-known online casinos and that its extensive game selection is one that appeals to as wide an audience as possible.
• NetEnt: NetEnt are a major figure in the English market and have brought some of the most visually-stunning and innovative slot games from its base in Sweden. “Starburst” and “Gonzo’s Quest” now household names among the English player community. They have become the leading supplier of digital entertainment for the industry with high player engagement and retention from its use of HTML5 technology to ensure that they are able to deliver their games to players on all platforms and devices. They have teamed up with English casinos and made their games readily available to players in England.
• Evolution Gaming: Evolution Gaming is a major figure within a sector of the market that has seen meteoric growth in the last few years – live dealer casino games. Their state-of-the-art studios stream countless games, including blackjack, roulette and baccarat, in high-definition, to deliver one of the most immersive gaming experiences on the market. The provider has a reputation for its innovative thinking and has become the “go-to” supplier for operators that need bespoke solutions. Their game shows such as “Dream Catcher” and “Crazy Time,” has not only helped open up an entirely new vertical for the live casino sector but has done so with a level of productions values that have enabled players to enjoy the unmistakable feel of a traditional table game mixed with their favourite elements of the most popular TV game shows. Evolution Gaming’s live casino games and the sheer variety of live dealer games that they offer are another reason why the English casino market is in such good health. These major providers, combined, have ensured that only innovative high quality games that engage players are available to English players at the leading English casinos and believe us, the English casino market has plenty of the latter. They have been hugely influential in shaping market trends and have been crucial to the success of the market and ensured that the saturation of the English casino market is one that continues to flourish online and offline in England.

Regulatory Compliance and Responsible Gaming in England

The UKGC demands that operators servicing players in England’s internet casino market secure a license from the commission. This requirement ensures that operators must meet strict safety, fairness and responsible gaming standards. The operator or company is put through a thorough background check, and the software and games are tested. In addition, before it is awarded a license, a financial audit is required. Under these licenses operators must also integrate a set of responsible gaming tools, as identified by the UKGC, into their platforms to promote responsible gaming. Further, one way licensed operators must contribute to the research, education and treatment of problem gambling is by making a financial contribution. The UKGC is an independent regulator, and it has the power to assess the industry and cost recovery fees to license holders. With this funding the UKGC spurs organizations, including GambleAware, to promote responsible gambling. As sole provider of responsible gambling services to the gambling industry for the purpose of promoting the prevention of gambling-related harm, and identifying and addressing the needs of those affected by problem gambling, GambleAware, received a provisional £9.2 million allocation from the UKGC in 2018.

Aside from protecting the most vulnerable part of their community – children – the UKGC places responsible gaming at the core of its efforts to regulate online gaming in the UK. Under the licenses, a range of tools must be accessible to assist in managing end users gambling activity: GAMSTOP, which is an operator provided service that allows end users to self-exclude from all online casino operators’s in the market, all at the same time; Self-exclusion programs, which allow players to block themselves from all gaming for a period of their choosing, with the UKGC’s GAMSTOP service allowing players block themselves from all online operators instantly; Deposit limits, where the customer can place limits on the amount that they can deposit into their account on a daily, weekly or monthly basis; Reality checks, which are prompts that can be added to games that give a reminder of the time they have spent gambling and showing the amount they have either lost or won; Access to their gambling history, so the the player can always check back on their gambling patterns, frequency and spend.As well as ensuring that players are being treated fairly by operators, the UKGC wants to make sure that all games offered by any licensed operator are fair games for players. To this end the UKGC insist that all games be tested for fairness by one of a range of approved third-party test houses that are approved. The house test the Random Number Generator (RNG) used by the games, to make sure that its random and unbiased and that outcomes are not predetermined.The commission provides a number of guidelines and procedures that operators must follow with any third-party game supplier that they use, as well as insisting that there should be clear and easily accessible data about their chances of winning in the games, available to any player that decides to play.

The regulatory environment for casino gaming in England was created with player protection as the number one goal. The UKGC has set the bar high, maintaining the highest operating standards of fairness, transparency and responsible gaming in casino gaming in England, and these high standards have set them apart, as others in gambling jurisdictions around the world have taken their lead. The UKGC has continually reviewed and improved their regulatory mandates for keeping pace with the new and emerging technologies to ensure the safest and most entertaining gaming environment for all casino patrons across the England.

Game Fairness and Security Measures

In the world of casino gaming in the United Kingdom, fairness in gameplay and the tightest security measures are essential to protecting players and online providers alike. With the UK Gambling Commission serving as the main governing body, licensed casinos are held to the highest standards to ensure every game offered operates fairly and secure to the highest standards to protect player data. Security measures include:

• Random Number Generators: At the core of maintaining fair play is the payment and use of Random Number Generators, or RNGs. These are complex algorithms used by online casinos to produce random outcomes for its games, particularly for slots and card games like roulette, ensuring every dice roll, card draw or spin is completely random and fair as possible. Casinos serving UK players must have their RNGs tested and re-certified on a regular basis by an outside auditing firm such as eCOGRA (eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance), iTech Labs and TST (Technical Systems Testing) to confirm standards of fairness.
• Certifications for Game Fairness: These certifications are a testament to the casino’s commitment to fair play and are provided by an outside testing house which puts casinos and their games through an extensive battery of tests. For English players, they help demonstrate that an online casino offers a trusted venue and viable chance of winning.
• Security measures and encryption: As the highest standard technology available to online operators, most UK based casinos use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology to protect all financial transactions and data used or transmitted data between the casino and your computer or mobile device. When data is transmitted using this technology, it is virtually impossible for an unauthorized party to access and decipher and personal information including bank account details, credit card numbers and more. In addition, the strictest of data protection regulations were greatly enhanced to prevent abuse and enhance privacy.
• Continuous monitoring and regulation: The UK Gambling Commission requires all licenses to keep and maintain the highest standards of safety and fairness to players. Their licensees are required to have their RNG software reviewed regularly and demonstration game payout percentages reviewed as protective measures to shield players against shoddy business practices. In addition, the Handling of Consumer Funds and Prizes and the Reporting to the Commission of Suspicious Betting could also be checked too. The overarching provision and safety clause is that the UK Gambling commission is to be informed of any events that could disrupt operations at any casinos, particularly in relation to criminal activities like money laundering. Any licensee that is judged to have violated any of these regulations faces stiff penalties that can be a fine, denial of renewal of a license, removal of a license or in the case of serious infractions, criminal prosecution.

Evaluating and Selecting Casino Providers for English Players

When you’re looking for a casino provider who caters to English players, there are some key criteria. The English market offers a variety of gaming options, and with a strict regulatory environment, it pays to be thoughtful about your choice of casino provider.

• Game Variety and Quality: A casino’s game selection is the first indicator of good quality. A platinum-level provider should offer a large variety of slots, table games, live dealer games, and more. High-quality graphics, engaging gameplay, and a wide range of themes are signs that a provider is attentive to the files they cater to. Some software developers in the gaming industry are known for creating game portfolios that are extensive and filled with innovative games. The biggest names in this category are Microgaming, NetEnt, and Evolution Gaming.
• Return to Player (RTP) and Fairness: When choosing a casino provider, it’s important to note the return to player percentage. This tells players how much can be expected to be returned to them, on average, over time. Games with higher RTP percentages are generally preferred by players. Additionally, respected gaming signals from independent testing agencies like eCOGRA are vital in making sure a casino’s gaming operations are fair. These certificates are proof that a game functions correctly, and that the results of the game are random.
• Customer Support: Customer support should be available in multiple languages, and it should be distributed enough to provide solid foundational support to its players. A provider should offer support through a variety of channels, including email, live chat, and even phone. A quick, helpful response is another way to test the quality of a provider’s support.
• Licensing and Regulatory Compliance: If a casino is targeting English players, it must hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This means that a provider must follow a very strict set of regulatory standards, including measures geared towards player protection. This includes offering responsible gaming features, such as deposit limits and cool off periods, encrypting player data, and ensuring that the gaming is fair.
• Security Measures: The security of a player’s personal and financial information should be watertight. A player should only seriously consider providers that feature state of the art security features, such as SSL encryption and have a clear privacy policy. A reliable and trustworthy range of payment methods are a must and should be appraised each time a player is looking for a new casino.
• Bonuses and Promotions: While a player should never make this their sole consideration, a solid selection of bonuses and promotions can add a lot of value to a player’s experience. If a player is comparing two different providers and is struggling to make a decision, you will often find that the quality, and the transparency, of the bonus terms is all that differs. A player should always be on the lookout for providers that feature fair bonus terms; this could mean achievable playthrough requirements and rules that are plain to see. An example of the later would be stipulations on which games contribution to a bonus and the wagering requirements of a bonus.
• User Experience and Mobile Compatibility: It’s an absolute no-brainer to expect a top-quality user experience. This means a nice, clean interface, lots of fun and easily navigable games lobbies. The ability to quickly locate your favourite games is also essential. On top of this these days it’s an absolute must that a casino is completely mobile compatible. More and more players are taking to their phones and tablets to play at this casino and you can bet that a casino that does not provide a top-notch mobile experience will not be around for long.

Collaboration and Integration in the English Casino Ecosystem

Partnerships between software developers, platform gamers, regulatory bodies, and sometimes phone casino marketing agencies are essential for creating a diverse and innovative gaming environment, where players can enjoy an array of games within a legal framework. Typically, international software developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, and Evolution Gaming, will partner with local online casinos. This has been the case, with the majority of English platforms providing slots, table games, and live dealer games, all under one legal and secure online roof.

These collaborations have allowed the latter companies to offer a wider range of games to players via their desktop and mobile sites, by integrating the former’s APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). Arguably the most successful of these integrations has been between Evolution Gaming and several big English platforms. This agreement is essentially the blueprint for an integration partnership. The former is renowned for its live dealer games that can be streamed in HD directly from their Latvian gaming studios, as well as from several land-based casinos around the world. Its range includes live blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, and these have been integrated with ease onto the latter’s platforms. They’ve even been given a tweak to ensure that only English players can interact with the dealers and croupiers at their tables. However, by far and away the biggest benefit of the new relationship has been that players at some of the biggest and best English online casinos can now play live dealer games in real-time, with a land-based feel, from the comfort of their own home.

Take the integration as well of Microgaming’s industry-leading progressive jackpot network with English sites. The network, home to popular titles like “Mega Moolah,” had allowed players in the UK to compete for, and win, life-changing jackpots, all in a fair and regulated gaming environment. Again, this shows how these collaborations are bringing world-class gaming experiences to local markets.

The Benefits of a Collaborative Future

The benefits of these collaborations – for players and casino operators – are manifold. For the former, they allow access to a wider range of games, better gaming experiences and the knowledge that they’re playing in a secured, and fair, environment. For the latter, they allow a good baseline of standards to build and stand out upon. In what is an already incredibly competitive market, casino operators need to make sure that the games they’re offering are not only of high quality, but also are compliant with the UK Gambling Commission’s regulations. These are in place to ensure that the market remains fair, and as such, retain consumers in this burgeoning new market.

Partnerships like these also foster innovation. As they continue to work together, casino operators and software developers will feed off each other’s skills, cutting-edge technology and experience, and use it to develop new gaming formats, technologies and features that further enhance the gaming experience. So, it’s pretty clear that collaborations and integrations are shaping the English casino ecosystem. They help ensure that players get access to high-quality gaming experiences, they drive innovation throughout the industry and make sure that the market remains as fair as possible. As the casino gaming landscape continues to evolve, however, expect these partnerships to endure – as without them, casino operators in the UK might not be where they are, or be headed where they’re going.

In-Depth Game Reviews and Recommendations for English Players

The English casino gaming market is a rich and diverse mix of venues and games that cater to the tastes of players of just about every stripe. Whether they are classic slot gamers or in search of a unique live dealer experience, there is something out there for everyone. Listed bellow are detailed reviews of some of the most popular games on the market today, breaking down what sets them apart, and why they resonate with English players.

Starburst by NetEnt

• Overview: Starburst is a legendary slot game that has captured its players with its vibrant colors, simplistic gameplay and its potential for astronomical payouts. It’s space-themed presentation is vividly beautiful and its sound effects help create an immersive playing experience.
• Gameplay: This 5-reel, 10-payline slot game is all about simplicity and win anticipation. The Starburst Wilds feature can appear on reels 2, 3 and 4, and will expand to cover the entire reel and trigger a re-spin, thereby putting present and past wins in the hands of the player.
• Why is it Popular in England: The game’s ease of play makes it a sexy choice as an introduction to slots for brand new players, while experienced players will find the high RTP (Return to Player) of 96.09% a welcomed sight. The feature appeals to the English player, who is passionate about finding games that offer both a ton of fun, and a reasonable chance to win.

Gonzo’s Quest by NetEnt

• Overview: Another masterpiece from the NetEnt team, Gonzo’s Quest provides English players with a unique adventure to find the lost city of gold, Eldorado. The slot’s own Avalanche feature, which sees symbols fall into place rather than a traditional spinning format, was seminal in the revolution of slot play.
• Gameplay: With the Avalanche feature, winning symbols explode, and new ones fall into their place, which can lead to multiple wins on a single spin. The Free Fall feature is a set of 10 free spins with multipliers that are multiples of the initial x3 multiplier – players can win a maximum 15x multiplier, and the feature is triggered by three or more golden Free Fall symbols.
• Why It’s Popular in England: The reason Gonzo’s Quest has continued to be popular with players in England isn’t just its narrative and imaginative gameplay, but also its massive potential wins, which can come from its multipliers in the Free Fall feature.

Live Blackjack by Evolution Gaming

• Overview: For years Evolution Gaming could be relied on to deliver top-notch live dealer games, and Live Blackjack is one of their latest and best. Offering real-time play with professional dealers via live stream, it gives the ultimate experience in interactive online gaming, delivering as close a version to land-based casino play as possible to your device at any time.
• Gameplay: Players join a live table with a dealer and other players, and aim to beat the dealer’s hand without busting by making the best hand they can from two cards and up to three shared cards. Players can enjoy special features like ‘Bet Behind’ and side bets.
• Why It’s Popular in England: The reason Live Blackjack has been a popular game for English players is thanks to the game’s superiority to regular online blackjack and its ability to recreate the real-life casino experience online. Blackjack itself is a game that combines a social aspect and a skill element, meaning players get to enjoy a more immersive and interactive experience if that’s what they’re looking for in a game.

Recommendations for English Players

As an English player, you’ll want to consider your own personal preferences when selecting casino games based on gameplay complexity, theme, and payout potential. Games with high RTP %, like those mentioned above, and those developed by world-class providers such as NetEnt or Evolution Gaming are recommended based on their overall quality, as well as their fair play. There are endless recommendations it seems, but ultimately it’s key to remember to play responsibly – always play within your limits and for fun to keep it enjoyable!

Special Focus on Themed Games and Cultural Resonance

English casino gaming has increasingly gravitated toward an interesting trend of incorporating themes that are deeply English in nature. In doing so, gaming operators are not only enhancing these games, they are further ingratiating players to the titles as they reach much deeper into English culture and history to pluck their themes. Themed games of all kinds — slots, virtual table games, and more — offer a quick way to travel back in English history and across various locales where countless legends were not only born, but played out before the populace. Whether the theme is a famous figure in English history, a momentous event or an iconic landmark, players will no doubt be thrilled to engage in games that will make them feel as though they are a part of the swing of things through different eras.

One of the most popular avenues for a themed casino game in England is through the country’s many legends and its listeners’ empowering myths. Knights of old, King Arthur and his knights, and special game play that follows the heroic deeds of Robin Hood are exactly the kinds of games players will enjoy and which teach them a bit about their rich historical tapestry as a nation. What this gives back to the legends — while maybe just a few pounds at a time — helps developers blend the myths of old with contemporary legend to bring history to vibrant life in an entirely new format.

The London Eye, Big Ben, red telephone boxes, and English thatched roof pub signs have all found their way as winning symbols into English casino games. So, too, have legends of a different sort. As the English are some of the most ardent music, television and film super-fans on the planet, games themed around The Beatles, James Bond and even a popular recent program, “Peaky Blinders,” each tangentially demonstrates just how much the English love playing themed games and having a blast as they do so. These kinds of games bring players back to the times and places where they collapsed laughing — maybe even while betting the horses with some friends or family — and enjoying everything that makes English music, frame and genius the king of the mountain in any corner of the Earth.

The online casino game developer may team up with a well-known English football club or offer a takeoff game on a popular British comedy or series of comic films (The Pink Panther, carries a certain following), and immediately gain tens of thousands of followers. In doing so, the gaming operator can count on an automatic fan base of potential players who may not even realize they are doing anything but following something that they love. The tie-in comes when these same players discover that one of these comic film or another item associated with his or her interest in turn is tied into a themed casino game. This allows the developer to enhance the depth of play within the game too. The developers hope with games such as these is that they can build a bridge between the casino and a massive television, movie or music fan, and then constantly refine that bridge until the viewer has his or her nose buried into the actual casino game itself. In fact, fans would ideally be brought so deeply into the action that they may not even feel like active players physically; let alone emotionally. No matter, the developers will have the winning hand all the way into their bank account as the large chunk of followers that the original brand felt that they had inside of a city or country will soon be in the possession of the developer, as they name the daily, weekly, and monthly winners on their new themed casino game.

The ability to make a casino game that plays long and offers a new way to engage with peers through familiarity is how a themed game is meant to be created. By doing so, the developer can count on a continuously playing clientele who otherwise might take a break from the same drab lines and properties shown over and over again, and of course in a slightly different form with every yank of the lever. As a new reeling alternative, the themes being visited today have created neither new or old styled games. As a result, half the world is pleased with the current setup of a progressive machine while the other prefers the old three-reelers that you would find in old English pubs.

Global Casino Market Insights for English Players

With English players, the worldwide casino market is a grand and fascinating place, with dozens of bodies of all types making diverse games available from all corners of the world. It is beyond borders to explore these sites, nonetheless: Players must be adhere to the law, ensure their safety, and practice play on any international casino stage.

Legal Implications for English Players

Players from England should first familiarize themselves with the legal framework surrounding online gambling in the UK, which is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Any operator – domestic or foreign – serving the English player base must obtain a licence from the UKGC or an organization recognized by UKGC such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) or the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA).

Safety Measures for Accessing International Casinos

No doubt, safety will be a primary concern when English players set out for international casino sites. It’s critical to first ensure that a chosen casino employs strict security measures; standard industry safety techniques such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption are imperative for protecting sensitive personal and financial information. Additionally, look for operators that promote responsible gaming as part of their Safe and Fair policies, offering limit setting and self-exclusion features for players.

Best Practices for English Players

• Research and Verification: Before English players sign up to access international casino action, they should always complete their own independent research. This means looking for licensing information, reading through reviews from other players and browsing through industry relevant forums and watchdog sites to ensure that an operator is balanced, fair and ethical.
• Understanding Terms and Conditions: A casino’s terms and conditions, particularly where bonuses, withdrawals and wagering requirements are concerned, can differ markedly between jurisdictions. Players should therefore be aware of this and understand how it might affect their experience and access to winnings.
• Payment Methods: Players should make sure that the casino they are playing at offers payment methods that are both accessible and convenient for English players, as well as a fast and secure transaction experience. E-wallets, such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller are popular options, in part due to their ease of use, along with the additional layer of security they bring.
• Customer Support: It is always better to opt for a casino that boasts robust customer support – think 24/7 coverage through multiple channels, such as live chat, email and phone. This also holds true for English speakers, as a service that caters specifically to these players will be able to offer a more fluent and effective communication channel, if and when it is necessary.
• Game Selection: Finally, make sure to look through the casino’s game selection to make sure that they are suitable for your needs. International casinos usually offer a significantly wider range of games compared to those found in the English market, as they pull from a greater number of providers.

Final Thoughts

In the long-term, the future of casino gaming in England is likely to be shaped by one factor: adaptability. Not only in terms of technological innovation, but also with regards to the evolution of regulatory frameworks and the gradual shift in player preferences. In some respects, this future is being driven by the larger, established operators, with industry heavyweights such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Evolution Gaming leading the way. This triumvirate has enjoyed an enduring influence over the last decade and beyond, with each having a huge role to play in the revolution of online and offline gaming.

Even now, each of Microgaming and NetEnt roll off fully-formed games by the bucket load at a rapid rate of knots, having not stopped over the last 12 months. In the main they have both preferred to remain production houses, with many innovative new games coming from each. That’s not at all to say that they haven’t tried their hand at anything else, with VR being one such exciting possibility which they have thoroughly exploited you would have to say. Elsewhere, Evolution Gaming are now pretty much fully-grown and find themselves right at the front of the market, particularly in the mobile gaming space.

Regulatory oversight for all casino gaming here in England is overseen by the UK Gambling Commission, and together with game fairness and security, it is revolutionising the face of online gaming through its stringent compliance requirements and zero-tolerance policy for anything less than responsible gaming. The challenge lies in adapting this to new technologies – and quickly, as providers such as Microgaming, and NetEnt are in top gear with the likes of VR, live dealer games and other advancements in mobile gaming. More uniquely titled games, and more diverse themes and ways to win in your favourite classic games; augmented and virtual reality technologies make for full on, in casino, day at the races kinds of experiences that are as immersive as they are fun and exciting while the integration of the best of all English casinos is a major boost for players, resulting finally, in the best of the best.

In a country that brought civilization lights, fast, high fashion and fun in the form of what many argue to be the world’s most inclusive casino gaming experiences to date, ultimately, game-changing regulatory bodies and among the world’s most respected gaming providers make it just that: an experience – a safe, great, and, ultimately, responsible one. Because, while the future promises to come with its own unique and never-before-seen set of challenges, the overall spirit of the sector remains clear to see – the commitment to excellence in an industry that is, yes, a business, but whose gaming is as much a social, relaxational activity.

Jessica M. Heckart

Editor & Casino-Expert