Betting on slots is one of the simplest and most popular forms of gambling online. So it’s no surprise that in the UK there are 1,000s of slot sites for punters to choose from. Whilst many offer a similar experience, the level of service from one to the next will be different. It pays to find a site that offers good value and good choice. In this article we provide some useful tips to help you do just that.
- Look At The Range of Games and Software
A good indication of the quality of an online slot site is the size of the game catalogue and the number of software providers featured. The smallest sites will normally have around 500 games from 20 suppliers to browse through whilst the biggest casinos have 5,000 or more games from 100 suppliers.
That is a big difference.
If you are new to slots then 500 games would be enough choice. But if you are a regular player who wants to explore more titles and filter down by provider or game format like Megaways or Cluster Pays for example, then 500 likely won’t cut it.
So, before you sign up to any casino it is advisable to browse the game list to see how much choice there is, to see if your favourite providers are listed, and to see how many new games are shown. A high number of new games is a good indicator that a casino is a good choice for a slot player.
- Look At the Bonus Package In Detail
Most slot sites in the UK have a generous sign-up package including free spins and match bonuses. However, the devil is always in the detail. Or rather, the terms and conditions. The headline might look great, but you should always check the following to see if a deal is right for you.
- Game eligibility – this tells you which slots you can use your free spins on. There is no point in taking up free plays on a game you don’t like.
- Minimum deposit – the minimum threshold for activating a bonus may be £10 or £20. If you only plan to deposit a tenner then you’ll need to find a bonus to suit your budget.
- Wagering requirements – how many times must you turn over the amount of the bonus before your winnings become withdrawable. In the UK this can be anything from 20 times to 60 times. That’s quite a difference. And if your casino asks you to wager a £10 bonus 60 times, that’s £600 wagering. Chances are, by the time you hit that number you will have lost your winnings and be left with nothing.
- Max Cashout – as well as wagering requirements, casinos usually put a cap on how much you can cash out from winnings from a bonus. This can be anywhere from £10 to £500. On rare occasions there is no limit. Your best bonus is one with low or no wagering requirements and a high, or no cash out limit.
- Bonus Expiry – there will also typically be an expiry date on your free spins. This might be 24 hours or 7 days. If you don’t use them, you lose them. You may want longer to use your freebies, so check the small print.
- Check Your Preferred Payment Service is Available
There are many ways to deposit into a casino account in the UK. Debit cards – Visa, Mastercard and Maestro – are accepted everywhere. Other options – eWallets like Paypal, Neteller, Skrill and MuchBetter, or Trustly, Apple Pay or mobile payments – are not always available.
It’s very easy to check to see if your preferred option is accepted. Just browse the payment logos at the bottom of the casino website or check with the support team. It is better to do this first rather than to go to the trouble of signing up only to find you can’t deposit.
- Look For Fast Withdrawal Times
Over the last decade withdrawal times at online casinos have improved significantly. Regulators have now banned ‘pending periods’ where withdrawals were held for a few days during which time they could be reversed back into the players account if the player requested it.
Now, most casinos will process transactions in under 24 hours, though some still won’t do at weekends, meaning a Friday night withdrawal might take 72 hours to process. You can find information about withdrawal times in most sites FAQs or check a site like this one that has tested withdrawal speeds at popular casinos and listed the fastest.
- Always Check For a UK License
As for sports betting, so too for slots and casino. You should only ever spend your money at sites that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
At regulated sites the slot games have been audited by a 3rd party to ensure that they are fair. Licensed operators are also required to provide safe gambling tools to help you to manage your spend, and they must make the terms and conditions of all their offers fair and transparent.
If you play at unlicensed sites you have none of this protection. Therefore we always advise that you check the footer of any casino you play at to see that the operator’s license number is listed, with a link to their account on the Gambling Commission website.
Following these 5 tips will help you to choose a slot site to meet your preferences. Above all, remember that it pays to do a bit of research before you dive to ensure you are playing at a safe site with a good reputation.
