How we select the best gambling sites
At Smashing Life, we know how hard it can be to find a reputable and exciting online casino, sports betting site, poker site or bingo site. That’s why we have put together a team of industry experts to bring you our choice of the best gambling sites.
Save yourself time and enjoy your online gambling in the UK by signing up for the online casino sites that we recommend. You will get a cool welcome bonus and know you are playing on a trustworthy platform.
UK gambling site licence
All the best gambling sites we recommend are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This means the operators stick to strict rules to protect you, the player. Your funds are safe and your personal data is secure. Bonuses are straightforward and easy to release, and each of our online casino sites, poker rooms, bingo sites and sports betting sites have fast and friendly customer service.
Licensed sites follow strict advertising and marketing rules and promote responsible gambling. Each platform must opt-in to GAMSTOP, where players can self-exclude for as long as they wish.
Variety of payment methods
The best gambling sites will offer many options for depositing on and withdrawing your cash from UK online casinos and sportsbooks. Our review team expects fast, hassle-free and encrypted transactions so that you can begin playing safely and fast – and enjoy any winnings.
Next, we look at deposit and withdrawal limits to make sure they are likely to suit your needs. Every UK gambling site has different limits, but all those we recommend should fall within your expectations.
Popular online casino payment methods include:
- Skrill
- PayPal casino
- Debit cards
- Neteller
- ecoPayz
- Bank transfer
- Bitcoin
- paysafecard
- Apple Pay
- Neosurf
- Rapid Transfer
- Boku
- EntroPay
Number and quality of casino games
For UK online casinos and bingo sites, we look for a large catalogue of the latest and most exciting games for you to enjoy. From the best slot games, live casino dealers and multiple bingo rooms, we only seek the best gambling sites.
Whether you prefer traditional casino table games like blackjack and roulette, or know how to win baccarat games, you will find plenty of options when you sign up to one of our recommended online casinos.
Sports betting sites must offer an exceptional range of sports and markets to make our top gambling sites list. From the usual football, cricket and golf to eSports, basketball and NFL, we want you to be able to bet on the games you love.
It’s not just the number of games on offer, we demand the best games software providers. For slot games and table games that will be the likes of NetEnt, Microgaming, Playtech and IGT. For live dealer games – the closest you will come to experiencing real-life casino play – then good quality providers include Evolution Gaming.
Online bingo platforms are great fun, and we like to see a variety of games, busy rooms and a thriving player community for you to enjoy.
Cool promotions and rewards
UK gambling sites are highly competitive, each trying to sign new players. They do this by offering generous casino sign-up offers, casino bonuses, sports betting free bets, casino and poker reload bonuses and more.
While this all seems well and good, we act for you by ensuring all online casino promotions and bonuses are fair and easy to release. What do we mean by that? If you are offered a deposit bonus or free spins, there will be wagering requirements attached. You must play a specified amount before your bonus funds or spins are released to you. We insist these conditions are fair and that you will benefit from your loyalty.
Smashing Life also likes to see UK gambling sites offering rewarding bonuses and promotions to existing players, not just those they are trying to sign up.
By studying the online casinos we recommend on this site, you will see a wide array of casino bonus offers. It’s worth signing up to more than one site so that you can bag more freebies.
Great gambling site customer service
Everyone loves good customer service. You are the customer, and you expect star treatment. Our recommended UK gambling sites must offer exceptional customer service. We expect at least two of these options for players:
- Live chat
- 24/7 email support
- Telephone support
- Extensive FAQs and guides