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If youāre looking forĀ safe online poker sites in the UKĀ to play on youāre in the right place. Our poker experts have hand-crafted this trusty guide that not only tells you the best operators to join but also gives you tips on what to look for in a great site. As poker players and experts ourselves, we understand the importance of trust and reliability when it comes to choosing a poker site and above all, legality. After all, you want to know that the operator is legit before you register and is committed to handling your personal and financial details securely. Read on to discover more about how to spot a rogue casino, what payment methods are safest to use, and whether you can trust mobile poker apps.
The Best & Reliable Online Poker Sites in the UK
All casinos in the list below have been tested by our experts. Now British players are free to choose any casino they like and enjoy safe playing!
Before you sign up toĀ top online poker sites, there are a few crucial points you should note.
First, not all safe online poker room providers are legit. In order to operate legally, the website must be licensed and regulated for legal poker gaming in the region that it is active in.
Second, online poker sites vary in terms of what they offer, including poker bonuses and promotions, features, loyalty programs, poker tournaments and available games such as Texas Holdāem (the most popular online poker game) and Omaha.
Therefore, before you jump in and start playing poker with the first site you come across, itās good practice to research, readĀ online poker reviews,Ā and check out ratings and comparisons to see what the real consensus is towards a particular brand you are interested in. In the section below, we have outlined a few of the most important considerations.
Things to consider: safe poker registration
In order to play poker online with the best online poker site, you must first create a new poker account that gives you access to a network of games and tournaments. Trusted online poker sites provide a robust registration process that you must complete before being able to log in to the platform. The best online poker room sites operate on secure servers (SSL) with encrypted connections and certificates that can be manually verified.
Additionally, the best online poker rooms must hold a valid license in their registered jurisdiction and be regulated by the countryās governing body. Bear in mind that not all online poker sites are available in every location so itās important to check what brands are available in your region.
Deposit and withdrawal on reliable online poker sites
When playing poker for real money online, you need to be able to deposit funds to your account so that you can buy in to games, claim a poker bonus and enter tournaments. Doing so is easy at the best poker sites and requires a valid method of payment and a short transaction process between you and the operator. Although the process varies from one site and payment method to another, the biggest online poker sites all generally follow the same steps as outlined below:
Register and login at your preferred online casino or poker site.
Visit the cashier section of the website and add a payment method.
Choose the amount of real money you wish to add to your account and click deposit.
Use the deposited funds to play real money poker games.
There is a wide variety of available payment methods at the majority of legalized online poker room providers, including traditional cards like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover, along with e-wallets such as PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. For players that want added security, e-wallets are preferred over payment cards as no financial details are ever revealed to the site.
Furthermore, you can use the same or different payment when making a withdrawal of winnings from real money poker sites. Simply visit the cashier and cash-out your winnings. Be sure to note the variable transaction times and any associated fees.
Other parameters of the safest online poker sites
In addition to the considerations mentioned above, there are a number of characteristics to look out for when reviewing online poker sites in order to find the right operator for you. Our experts have listed the most important elements from regulated online poker sites below:
Legal poker sites: Internet poker rooms that are legally licensed and regulated to operate provide the most security and peace of mind when it comes to receiving support and getting access to any winnings. These operators have to abide by strict rules and laws to provide responsible gambling services to all players with protections in place for vulnerable persons and minors.
Offshore poker rooms: Some online poker rooms are based offshore and are not licensed and regulated in the same way. They are also not bound by the same laws and legislation as legit poker sites in specific jurisdictions. You may wish to proceed carefully when considering joining an offshore operator.
Geo-location: Some sites use geo-location tracking to ensure you are accessing the platform from a legal location that the brand serves.
Customer service: The most important thing to consider at safe and trusted poker sites is the customer service and player support that is available. The best online poker sites provide members with multiple channels of support at all times of day or night, including live chat, email and telephone.
Poker software: Reputable poker sites that provide access to poker games and tournaments use robust software and have a reliable network of players. The larger the network, the busier the traffic will be in terms of player numbers. This is good for ensuring a varied player skill and experience level.
What hints that an online poker site is unsafe?
Unfortunately there are always companies out there that are prone to scamming players and engaging in rogue behavior. There are a number of red flags to watch out for from our experts:
Low ratings and negative feedback on poker site reviews and comparison guides. If a few players are unhappy with a particular brand or service, it is usually with good reason. Negative feedback usually relates to operators delaying payments or withholding funds from being cashed-out.
At the bottom of each poker website, trusted operators always display important company information such as licensing, regulatory information and operator details. If any poker site does not provide you with these details then it should raise alarm bells and may be best avoided.
All payments to and from poker websites should be secure. If you are unable to see a padlock in the corner of your web browser this is a serious red flag. Avoid depositing real money to a poker site that does not have a valid security certificate as you may fall victim to network eavesdropping.
Mobile poker apps ā are they trusted?
In modern online gambling, mobile poker apps are extremely popular. In fact, many players prefer playing poker on their mobile devices because it is more convenient and more accessible. With that said, mobile poker apps and mobile-optimized sites are just as secure as desktop platforms and provide the same levels of safety features and reliability. Some of the most reliable mobile poker brands in the poker industry are PokerStars (largest poker site), PartyPoker (which has millions of online poker players), 888poker (one of the top poker sites in the UK), Unibet real money poker and WSOP. The great news is almost all trusted online poker sites offer mobile solutions for playing legal online poker on the move.
How to protect your online poker account from fraud
Nobody wants to be a victim of fraud or scams when enjoying online poker. Although there are plenty of measures you can follow to ensure your safety as outlined above, there are additional precautions you can take to protect your online poker account. These include:
Avoid public WiFi: Internet connections that you can use in public locations are usually free and open to anyone. Public WiFi often lacks security and is vulnerable to data mining or sharing, particularly when transactions take place.
Set secure passwords: The longer your password is and the more alternative characters you use, the more secure it will be. Use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Itās also a good idea to regularly change your password periodically.
Play with reputable poker providers: Trusted providers offer poker software that is kept up to date and is robust. This means it is less likely to be hacked or fall victim to password leaks. Signing up to a reputable provider eliminates the risk.
Conclusion
As you can see, itās important to take the necessary measures and precautions when playing on UK online poker sites to ensure you have a safe, secure, and enjoyable experience. Our experts have outlined all the details you can learn to maximize your chances of playing in a trusted andĀ reliable pokerĀ environment. We also advise making a checklist from the points in our guide, which you can refer to when taking a look at a new online poker site to see how they match up against other brands on the market.
FAQs
Yes, online poker is legal in the United Kingdom. The UK has a well-regulated and licensed online gambling industry, including poker.
An online poker client uses software applications that connect to poker networks. These poker networks are completely safe and secure, meaning that every player receives the same reliable service regardless of their location or country in which they live.
Itās important to fully understand and know crucial details about the online poker operator you are signing up with to avoid scams and viruses. We discourage anyone from installing software from sites they do not understand, as they be liable to hijacking and viruses that infect the device being installed on.
Emily Campbell (professional name) is our go-to person, and she has served as our Chief Editor since 2018. Educated at Newcastle University, Emily has worked in the marketing industry across the UK, helping various companies to gain traction and to build up quality, value-driven information aimed at readers.