Best Poker Sites in the UK: Fair, Regulated, Secure – HeraldScotland

The UK has long been the prime example of gambling regulation done right. Thanks to government bodies like the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, all gaming venues, both land-based and online, have to guarantee safety and fairness to players if they wish to operate.

While this provides players with an extensive selection of regulated gambling sites, youll still have to sift through hundreds of websites. Here, we pinned down and reviewed the best poker sites in the UK to help narrow your search results to those with the best offers.

Online Poker Sites in the UK - Review Roundup

888 Poker

Only for new UK players. First deposit only. 20 free bonus will be rewarded in Tournament Tickets continuously for 7 days after claiming: Full Terms and Conditions apply. Every Tournament Ticket expires 24 hours after granting. Additional 100% bonus up to 300 with WELCOME100 code: Full Terms and Conditions apply.

Pros and Cons:

+ Wide selection of games

+ No deposit bonus

+ Reputable operator

- No live chat

Were kicking off with one of the oldest poker websites in the UK. 888 Poker was launched in 1997 and has since accrued over 20 million players. The site is operated by 888 UK Limited, a company that holds both a UKGC gambling license, as well as one issued by the Malta Gaming Authority.

The array of games available at 888 Poker make it a great choice for beginners. Aside from Texas hold em, you can play 7-card stud and Omaha Hi/Lo. Additionally, the site features some unique poker games like Snap, a fast-fold poker table.

888 Poker offers two exclusive bonuses. First, newcomers can redeem a 20 no deposit bonus just by registering. The no deposit bonus is granted in the form of tournament tickets - 50 tickets of $0.1buy-in and 20 tickets of $1buy-in.

Like with other premier poker sites for UK players, the first deposit bonus here is equally generous. The online casino poker welcome promotion offers a100% match on your initial deposit, up to $400. There is no wagering requirement, but you get access to bonus funds as you accrue bonus points.

The main downside to 888 Poker is the lack of live chat support, which can be extremely frustrating. The only way to contact support is via email. Alternatively, you can find the answer yourself in their online knowledge base.

Unibet Poker

For new 18+ users only. 10 minimum deposit amount. Money will be returned as a bonus for a first losing bet. Sportsbook betting requirements: 3x at minimum odds of 1.40 (2/5). Casino wagering requirements: 35x. The sportsbook bonus must be used before the casino bonus, if not forfeited. The bonus will expire 7 days after joining. Deposits not necessary for NI players. To claim, call 08081699314. Full Terms and Conditions apply. Begambleaware.org.

Pros and cons:

+ High stake tournaments

+ 20 welcome bonus

+ 6% rake

- No tournaments on Android app

This is another venue ranked highly by players, but it lacks a no deposit bonus. On the other hand, just like 888 Poker, Unibet has been around for years, gaining quite a following among British players.

This online poker UK site is, of course, licensed and regulated by the UKGC. The operator behind the site, Platinum Gaming Limited, also has a gambling license from the government of Gibraltar.

When it comes to games, Unibet offers UK poker rooms with Texas hold em, Omaha, and Banzai - a shallow stack variant of Texas hold em. Similarly to most of the best real money poker sites in the UK, Unibet also regularly holds high-stake poker tournaments like Satellites, Pot Limit Omaha Tournament, and Sit & Go.

Unibets welcome offer rewards you 20 extra to play with and a 500 play-through bonus. As usual, these funds are rewarded in the form of tournament tickets. The rake on Unibet is pretty low, sitting at 6%, with a 3 cap per pot. Theres also a very generous VIP program in place that rewards progressive rakeback to loyal players.

During our UK poker review, we were impressed by the speed of transactions at Unibet, both for withdrawals and deposits. You can use debit cards, as well as through a plethora of e-wallets. The minimum deposit amount is 10.

William Hill Poker

The bonus is usable only once by new customers and requires a minimum first deposit of 10. Terms and Conditions and game restrictions apply. Twister Discovery Pack: 1 Tournament Ticket worth 6, 3x 1 Age of the Gods Twister + 3X 1 Twister. Collect WH Points to earn 100 in bonus money which expires in 45 days. Bonus Spins require x40 wagering and expire in 14 days, maximum return 20. Terms and Conditions Apply.

Pros and cons:

+ One of the oldest poker sites

+ Plethora of poker games

+ Unique welcome bonus

- Bonuses could be bigger

Youd be hard-pressed to find a more recognizable UK gambling brand than William Hill. With roots dating back to the 19th century, William Hill is one of the pillars of the old guard.

The online casino poker site is a member of the extremely popular iPoker network, which practically serves as a guarantee of quality. Also, the site holds gambling licenses from both the UKGC and its Gibraltar counterpart, meaning you can rest assured that your money and data are safe here.

As one of the biggest poker sites around, William Hill Poker has a huge variety of poker rooms, including Texas hold em, Six-plus hold em, Omaha Hi/Lo, and 7-card stud. The number of available tournaments is equally impressive, with nearly 15 of them being held on a regular basis.

William Hill Pokers welcome promotion is both generous and unique. You only need to place a 10 deposit in order to be treated to 100 in rewards. These rewards include a combination of various tournament tickets, as well as some free casino spins thrown in for good measure. The rake here is 5%, which is pretty standard for UK poker sites. If you choose to stick around, youll get a chance to opt-in to the sites loyalty program and earn progressive rakeback.

We were also impressed by William Hills customer service, which is available across all channels: email, live chat, phone, and thorough a contact form.

Paddy Power Poker

For newly registered players from Ireland and the UK. If you bet 20. you receive 50 worth of bonuses over the next 5 days. Paddy Powers Standard Promotional Terms apply.

Pros and cons:

+ 4 rake cap

+ Member of iPoker network

+ No transaction fees

- Limited PayPal use

If it isnt already obvious from the name, Paddy Power is one of Irelands online poker sites and a leading brand in the global gambling market. The site is incredibly popular throughout the UK due to its great bonuses and top-notch marketing.

The operator running the site is PPB Counterparty Services Limited, which holds gambling licenses from the UKGC and the Malta Gaming Authority. Just like William Hill, Paddy Power is a member of the iPoker network, meaning theres always going to be a significant amount of people to play with.

It comes as no surprise that established platforms such as Paddy Power, offer a vast selection of games. These include Omaha, limit Omaha, pot-limit Omaha, Omaha hi-lo, Texas hold em pot limit/no limit, Texas hold em head-to-head, 7-card stud, 7-card stud hi-lo, and 5-card stud, as well as a few unique proprietary games.

The welcome offer at Paddy Power is similar to those at other UK online poker sites. Once you play 20 worth of tournaments, youll receive a 40 tournament ticket bonus, as well as a free entry into a 1,000 freeroll tournament. The rake cap is 4 - standard for online poker sites.

Paddy Power supports the usual string of transaction options, with the minimum deposit being only 5. On top of that, the site doesnt charge you any transaction fees.

Betfair Poker

Intended only for new customers. The minimum deposit amount is 10, while the maximum first deposit bonus reaches 1200. Full Terms and Conditions apply.

Pros and Cons:

+ Two gambling licenses

+ Huge number of tournaments

+ Unique in-house games

- Dated visuals

Before entering the poker market, Betfair built a name for itself as one of the most popular sportsbooks around. Its foray into poker was more than successful, making it an even more established platform in the process.

Like most respectable platforms, Betfair holds two gambling licenses - one from the Malta Gaming Authority and the other from the UKGC.

Betfairs site isnt exactly pretty, but it gets the job done. The overall design looks dated, and the interface is somewhat cluttered. On the other hand, the sheer amount of information on the homepage means you can find everything you need without having to access other pages. The downloadable poker app is definitely a superb option, and most players should stick to it when possible.

The available games include Texas hold em, Omaha, Omaha high/low, as well as a unique in-house game called Speed Poker. Betfair wouldnt be on our list if it didnt have a large number of tournaments available as well. There are Sit & Go and MTT tournaments, as well as Multi-table ones, among others.

The welcome bonus at Betfair is two-fold. First, it matches your initial deposit by 200%, up to 200. Second, you receive 500 in Sunday freeroll tickets. The minimum deposit required for this bonus is 10.

In case you face any issues when you play poker online at Betfair, you can contact their support team via email, live chat, phone, or social media.

Bet365 Poker

Players who create an account receive a Welcome Package after logging in. The bonus of 365 is claimed in installments depending on the Status Points collected. Tickets and prize spins expire after 7 days. Exceptions and Terms and Conditions apply.

Pros and Cons:

+ Generous welcome bonus

+ Great desktop app

+ Superb visuals

- Occasional lack of poker players

Bet365 is not just one of the biggest sites on the UK scene, but is also an international powerhouse. While it initially stuck to sports betting, Bet365 recently expanded its offer to include poker games.

As you would expect, Bet365 is fully licensed by the UKGC to run both sports betting and poker gambling operations. The site has more than 22 million active players, so youre at no risk of running out of people to play with.

Poker can be played either through Bet365s website or via the downloadable mobile and desktop apps. Bet365 puts most poker sites to shame with its modern-looking interface and superb optimization. The downloadable client is equally well-designed and is widely considered to be a standard by which other poker apps are judged on.

Newcomers are treated to a 365 bonus, which is rewarded in smaller installments as you earn Status Points by playing. Additionally, you get access to a welcome prize wheel spin through which you can earn valuable rewards. There is also a 1 Twister ticket thrown in as a threat.

Customer support is top-notch at Bet365. Theyre quick, knowledgeable, and polite - you can reach them via live chat, email, and phone.

partypoker

Offered only to new UK players. Players are required to deposit a minimum of 10 into their account. Terms and Conditions apply.

Pros and Cons:

+ $2 rake cap

+ Tournament variety

+ Instant Play

- Slow customer support

If youre on the lookout for places to play poker online in the UK and would like to find a site with some star power, look no further than partypoker. This venue was famously promoted by Mike Sexton, the host of the World Poker Tour.

The site is owned and operated by ElectraWorks, a company with multiple successful gambling sites under its belt. They are fully licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

When it comes to poker game diversity, partypoker does not disappoint. Some of the games you can play are Texas hold em, pot-limit Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, and 7-card stud, which should be enough to satisfy even the most demanding players. As for tournaments, there are plenty of choices, including Multi-Table Tournaments, Sit & Go tournaments, Shoutouts, and Bounty.

Another reason why many people find partypoker to be their preferred site of choice is the welcome bonus. The new player promotion matches your deposit by 100%, up to 400 and gives you six days of free tournament tickets worth 40.

The incredibly low rake is capped at only $2, which is only surpassed on high-stakes games.

GGPoker

Offer redeemable for new players over 18 years of age. Two welcome bonuses are available to choose from after depositing $20. Terms and Conditions apply.

Pros and Cons

+ Two welcome bonus options

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Best Poker Sites in the UK: Fair, Regulated, Secure - HeraldScotland