Editor
With the best online poker sites in the UK, you can play cash games, take part in massive tournaments, and even have fun at fast-fold tables. You can also claim large bonuses that allow you to play for free. Let’s go over the top British poker sites and find the best seat at the table.
The UK’s Best Online Poker Sites
| No 1 Crypto Poker |
CoinPoker |
150% Welcome Bonus up to $2,000 |
150% Welcome Bonus up to $2,000
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Cash Games
Jackpot Poker
MTT
PKO
+ 2 more
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PLAY NOW |
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GGPoker |
Get $100 in Free Tickets & Cash |
Get $100 in Free Tickets & Cash
|
PLAY NOW |
18+ T&Cs Apply. Welcome Bonus and Honeymoon promotion for new players only. Welcome Bonus only available to new players that make an initial deposit of $20 or more. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org. 18+ T&Cs Apply. Welcome Bonus and Honeymoon promotion for new players only. Welcome Bonus only available to new players that make an initial deposit of $20 or more. Play responsibly. www.begambleaware.org. |
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Unibet |
Get £20 extra + a £500 Playthrough Bonus |
Get £20 extra + a £500 Playthrough Bonus
|
PLAY NOW |
18+ www.begambleraware.org. New customers only, £20 extra = 1 cashgame ticket of €8 and 4 tournament tickets of €5. Tickets expire after 35 days. Further T&C's apply. 18+ www.begambleraware.org. New customers only, £20 extra = 1 cashgame ticket of €8 and 4 tournament tickets of €5. Tickets expire after 35 days. Further T&C's apply. |
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888poker |
£50 FREE PLAY ON YOUR FIRST DEPOSIT PROMO CODE: GET50 |
£50 FREE PLAY ON YOUR FIRST DEPOSIT PROMO CODE: GET50
|
PLAY NOW |
+18. UK first depositors only. Min. deposit: $10. Bonus will be granted as tournament tickets gradually over 6 days after claim date and will expire after 24 hours. Full T&C apply. www.gambleaware.org +18. UK first depositors only. Min. deposit: $10. Bonus will be granted as tournament tickets gradually over 6 days after claim date and will expire after 24 hours. Full T&C apply. www.gambleaware.org |
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| Play Hi-Lo Stud |
Americas Card Room |
100% up to $2,000 |
100% up to $2,000
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7 Card Stud
Cash Games
Fast Fold Poker
Fixed Limit
+ 7 more
|
PLAY NOW |
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| WSOP Qualifiers |
Black Chip Poker |
100% up to $2,000 Welcome Offer |
100% up to $2,000 Welcome Offer
|
7 Card Stud
Cash Games
Fast Fold Poker
Fixed Limit
+ 5 more
|
PLAY NOW |
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| Play 7 Card Stud |
Ya Poker |
Poker Bonus of 100% up to $2,000 |
Poker Bonus of 100% up to $2,000
|
7 Card Stud
Cash Games
Fast Fold Poker
Fixed Limit
+ 5 more
|
PLAY NOW |
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- Show Full Guide
UK Poker Sites Ranked by Traffic
| Brand | Players Online | Cash Players | 24 H Peak | 7 Day avg | Last Week | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 PokerStars | 55,540 | 3,475 | 3,872 | 2,100 | ||
2 888poker | 0 | 596 | 686 | 325 | - | |
3 PartyPoker | 0 | 1,054 | 1,138 | 500 | - | |
4 iPoker | 6,794 | 2,448 | 2,571 | 1,350 |
Comparing the Best Online Poker Rooms in the UK
Compare the top UK poker sites and see which have the best bonuses, what games they offer, and if they have fun variants like fast-fold poker games.
| UK Poker Site | Welcome Bonus | Rakeback | Poker Games | Fast Fold Poker | Tournaments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CoinPoker | 150% bonus match up to $2,000 | 33% | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha 5 | N/A | Tournament Series, SNG, PKO, Jackpot SNG (Cosmic Spins), Qualifiers and Satellites, Live Tournament Buy-in |
| GGPoker | $100 in rewards or 100% up to $600 | Up to 60% | Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Short Deck | Rush & Cash | Tournament Series, PKO, Jackpot SNG, Qualifiers and Satellites, Live Qualifiers, All-In or Fold, Flip & Go |
| 888poker | £50 Free Play on first deposit | Up to 50% | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha 5, Omaha 6 | SNAP | Tournament Series, SNG, PKO, Jackpot SNG, Qualifiers and Satellites |
| ACR Poker | 100% bonus match up to $2,000 | 27% | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha 5, Seven Card Stud | Blitz Poker | Tournament Series, SNG, PKO, Jackpot SNGs, Qualifiers and Satellites, Live Qualifiers |
| Black Chip Poker | 100% bonus match up to $2,000 | 27% | Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Omaha 5, Seven Card Stud | Blitz Poker | Tournament Series, SNG, PKO, Jackpot SNGs, Qualifiers and Satellites, Live Qualifiers |
Best UK Online Poker Sites for Beginners
With the best online poker sites in the United Kingdom now easily accessible, you’ll find plenty of stacked tables and big-guarantee tournaments. But which are the top platforms for beginners?
To be considered truly friendly to new players, a UK poker room must support low stakes, have an easy-to-navigate lobby, and keep deposits and withdrawals simple. Plus – crucially – it can’t be packed with highly experienced sharks, ready to gobble up the new players’ cash!
Top recommendation: CoinPoker
For new players, CoinPoker is the best site for online poker in the UK. Cash game stakes start from $0.01/$0.02 – the absolute lowest micro stakes available. Traffic is really consistent here, so you’ll find several tables running for no-limit Texas Hold’em that you can join for just $2 and have 100 big blinds.
Tournaments at this crypto-friendly poker room are ideal for new players. There are 15 daily freerolls on the UK poker room, starting every 90 minutes. Freerolls are tournaments you can enter for free, but where you can also win real cash.
There’s also a centroll at 35 minutes past the hour, every hour. This has the smallest buy-in possible at a UK poker site at just $0.01, with prizes often including entry to larger $1 or $2 tournaments. That’s 100x-200x profit if you qualify!
For newbies, we’d also recommend the $1 Daily Dollar with a $200 guaranteed prize pool. It’s a great tournament for checking out the action without breaking the bank, and the relatively small prize pool keeps the most experienced players away.
150% Welcome Bonus up to $2,000
- Get 33% rakeback every Monday
- Anonymous poker with easy registration
- Free from deposit & withdrawal fees on cryptocurrencies
Honourable mention: Black Chip Poker
Black Chip Poker is one of the best poker sites for UK players, and beginners in particular. Even though the poker lobby is a bit more difficult to navigate than at CoinPoker, you’ll find a lot of tables at the minimum $0.01/$0.02 blinds. It’s mainly Texas Hold’em, but there’s some Omaha, too.
On top of that, Black Chip Poker has a slight banking advantage for newcomers, since you can deposit with credit and debit cards through the cashier. This is more beginner-friendly than the crypto-only payments at CoinPoker.
Best UK Online Poker Sites for Experienced Players
The requirements for experienced poker players often include high traffic for bigger tournaments, great rakeback, a big poker bonus, fast withdrawals, and a poker client with the right features. So, which real money poker sites in the UK fit this description?
Top recommendation: CoinPoker
Once again, CoinPoker came out on top. This UK-friendly poker room truly delivers the complete package across a range of stakes.
Simply put, it has the best poker bonus in the UK, giving new players a big incentive to join and deposit a significant amount. Plus, it also offers an industry-leading rakeback system where you can claim 33% back from the rake you pay towards cash games and tournaments.
The extra funds will come in handy when browsing the many cash games for mid-stakes. But it doesn’t stop there. This is also the best UK poker site if you’re interested in high stakes play.
In late 2024 and early 2025, CoinPoker hosted the first Cash Game World Championship (CGWC), which saw players such as Nik Airball, Tony G, Linus Loeliger and eventual winner Owen Messere competing at $100/$200 cash game tables, with live-streaming and commentary from the CoinPoker team.
Not only does CoinPoker have a busy schedule for online poker UK tournaments, it also runs a special series known as the Crypto Series of Online Poker (CSOP). The 2024 debut had an incredible $25 million in guarantees over three weeks.
Honourable mention: ACR Poker
ACR Poker remains a solid choice for serious online poker in the UK.
It gets great traffic, so finding an active table with an open seat will not be an issue, no matter what stakes you prefer. It’s also the home of a progressive jackpot race called ‘The Beast’, where you can earn extra rewards simply by playing poker and earning points.
The Jackpot SNG events at ACR are worth mentioning here for experienced poker players in the UK. These are fast-paced events with three players available at $5, $15, and $50 buy-ins where the prize is determined randomly before the game starts and can go up to $1,000,000. The rake sucks on smaller prizes, but the games are full of fish playing non-GTO poker.
Top UK Poker Sites for Cash Games
Poker cash games are the most popular among British players. The blinds remain the same and you can leave the table at any time. Plus, playing online poker in the UK comes with some handy perks, like the option to multi-table, customise the layout, and more.
If you’re interested in the best poker sites for cash games anywhere in the United Kingdom, check out the following recommendations.
Top recommendation: ACR Poker
The overall best UK poker site for cash games is ACR Poker. It covers multiple variants of the game across a range of stakes. You’ll find tables for:
Texas Hold’em- Omaha
- Omaha H/L
- 5-Card Omaha
- 5-Card Omaha H/L
- 7-Card Stud
- 7-Card Stud H/L
Texas Hold’emACR is feature-rich, with all-in or fold, short stacked and bomb pot options. You’ll also find quite a few cash tables that are “7 Day No Rathole”. This means that players can only join the same table within seven days by using the same amount they had when they left the table. This feature stops players from winning a big pot, leaving the table, and coming back with a shorter stack.
In other words, no more ‘hit and run’.
100% up to $2,000
- Blitz poker for speed and convenience
- Seven card stud poker available
- WPN network with solid player base
Honourable mention: CoinPoker
Although CoinPoker has fewer game variations, its online poker UK cash games section is always buzzing. The main options are for no-limit Hold’em and pot-limit Omaha, with 5-Card Omaha also being available for cash games. Ante cash tables are quite popular at CoinPoker UK, and you’ll also find tables with a maximum of four players.
One of the special types of cash games found here is known as “Show Hole Cards”. As the name suggests, all live hole cards are automatically revealed at the end of the hand. The option to muck the hand is not available on these special tables.
Best British Poker Sites for Tournaments
Poker tournaments can provide a big payout from a small buy-in, but they require different skills than the ones for cash games. If you can nail them – and enjoy some luck along the way – you could win upwards of six or even seven figures in certain events.
Top recommendation: GGPoker
The GGPoker lobby is a colourful explosion of options, with all sorts of zany All-In of Fold events, bounties, major MTTs and everything in between.
Online series like the GGPoker World Festival give you the chance to play for millions in guarantees. At certain times, you can even win WSOP bracelets via online tourneys at GG. Since they purchased the WSOP brand for $500 million in 2024, we can expect even more opportunities like this, alongside satellites to massive live events.
Even when no series is running, you can still compete for your share of $8 million per week through Daily Guarantees, with double guarantees on Sundays.
Get $100 in Free Tickets & Cash
- $4 million in monthly random drops
- Up to 60% cashback every week
- Leaderboards and regular races
Honourable mention: CoinPoker
The tournament offering at CoinPoker is impressive. As one of the best poker sites in the UK, CoinPoker gets great traffic and this results in big tournaments at all stakes. The operator also makes sure to offer a variety of events with special features and modifiers. In addition to the standard formats, you’ll also find variants such as:
- Satellites
- Turbos
- Hyper turbos
- Knockout bounty events
- Rebuys
- Add-ons
CoinPoker is one of the only sites for real money online poker in the UK where you can directly buy packages for live tournaments. These include tournaments in major series in the UK and Ireland. You can also check out the qualifiers for the chance to win live poker packages for less by playing online.
Best Poker Sites in the UK for Bonuses and Rakeback
Bonuses and promotions make a big difference when playing online poker for real money in the UK. You can earn more when you deposit, claim rakeback while you play, and even take part in special promotions with cash rewards.
If you’re looking for the best websites for poker in the UK that have awesome bonuses, here are the best picks.
Top recommendation: CoinPoker
The welcome bonus at CoinPoker provides the most value for real money UK online poker players. You can benefit from a significant boost when making a first deposit on any of the most popular poker sites.
The maximum limit ensures that even high rollers can take advantage of this deal. Similarly to other UK poker bonuses, the CoinPoker welcome offer is released in 10% instalments as you pay rake.
Speaking of rake, the 33% rakeback offer at CoinPoker is also above the industry norm. This is awarded every week. To qualify, your account just needs to have some CHP, which is the poker room’s unique cryptocurrency.
Some of our favourite promotions at CoinPoker include:
- Daily leaderboards for Omaha and Hold’em ($1,000 prize pools)
- Monthly tournament leaderboard worth $15,000
- Bad Beat Jackpot
Honourable mention: ACR Poker
ACR Poker has its fair share of poker bonuses and promotions for players in the UK. It starts with a match bonus on the first deposit and continues with weekly reload bonuses. The other promotional highlights on the network include the three progressive races:
- The Beast
- Daily Double
- Sit & Crush
Top UK Online Poker Sites Reviewed
To find more details on the best sites for online poker in the UK, we’ve put together in-depth reviews for each brand. This way, you can see how they compare and choose the one that works best for you.
1. CoinPoker – Best UK Online Poker Site in 2025
| UK Poker Network | Licence | Withdrawal Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | Anjouan Offshore Finance Authority | 0-12 hours |
CoinPoker is the best site in the UK for poker online for real money. It uses a decentralised random number generator (RNG) to ensure that every shuffle is random. This makes the games fair and actually better than the live poker games in London.
Moreover, the poker client is user-friendly and you can easily navigate the lobby on a desktop computer or on your mobile as it has one of the best online poker apps around.
You’ll find cash games at all stakes, tournaments of various sizes, special events and even live buy-ins, and jackpot sit and go events called Cosmic Spins. CoinPoker offers games across Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 5-Card Omaha. Traffic is solid, with stakes starting from just $0.01/$0.02 and going all the way up to $1,000/$2,000 blinds.
Banking for real money online poker in the UK is only done through cryptocurrencies, while the displayed currency is USDT to make it more familiar for all players. You can deposit via major coins and also from an exchange.
The welcome bonus is applied automatically and so you won’t need to worry about any promo codes. When we did our CoinPoker review, withdrawals only took around 10 minutes to process.
Pros
- Easy to access from anywhere in the UK
- Instant deposits and fast withdrawals
- Great action across all stake levels
- Exclusive series of tournaments every year
Cons
- Lack of fast-fold poker options online
- Limited help section on the site
150% Welcome Bonus up to $2,000
- Get 33% rakeback every Monday
- Anonymous poker with easy registration
- Free from deposit & withdrawal fees on cryptocurrencies
2. GGPoker – Best for Cutting-Edge Software
| UK Poker Network | Licence | Withdrawal Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Winning Poker Network | Curaçao Gaming Control Board | 1-2 days |
GGPoker is not just one of the best poker sites in the UK, but the world. Over the past few years, it’s emerged out of nowhere to become a leader in the online poker world, even scooping up the WSOP brand for $500 million.
The in-game graphics at GGPoker make the site instantly recognisable. Tables are designed to be incredibly welcoming to new players. They have cartoonish graphics, slow reveals on the river, the ability to manually peel back cards, the option to throw objects at opponents, and more.
You’ll see many of these features imitated at other online poker sites in the UK, but GGPoker lead the way on this.
Despite the playful nature of the tables, tournaments are serious business at GGPoker. The GGPoker World Festival usually runs for a month and is packed with huge guarantees. The 2024 edition boasted a massive $250m GTD over five weeks.
Pros
- Owners of WSOP brand following $500m deal
- Ultra-engaging in-game graphics
- Option to stake other players
- Huge guarantees including $250m GTD GGPoker World Festival
Cons
- Action-packed lobby may confuse some players
- Loyalty program can be confusing
Get $100 in Free Tickets & Cash
- $4 million in monthly random drops
- Up to 60% cashback every week
- Leaderboards and regular races
3. Unibet Poker – Best for Low Stakes
| UK Poker Network | Licence | Withdrawal Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Winning Poker Network | Curaçao Gaming Control Board | 1-2 days |
Unibet is famous not only for offering online poker in the UK, but also as a sportsbook. Using its popularity, it has leveraged its position to offer live events as well. The Unibet Open has been running since 2007, which stands Unibet above many lesser UK poker sites.
Moving back to online poker at Unibet, the software is very modern and fairly intuitive for beginners. You’ll often find tournaments and tables at lower stakes, although higher-stakes tables can take some time to fill up, especially during off peak hours.
UK poker sites which focus on new players sometimes seem to forget about rake – but not Unibet. Here, you can claim up to 50% rakeback or even 65% with the boost. To get the maximum, you’ll need to reach the top level of the loyalty scheme, which is the 34th level overall.
Pros
- Generous rakeback scheme
- Plenty of amateurs at lower stakes
- Satellites into live UK poker events
- Consistent flow of sports bettors trying poker
Cons
- High-stakes tables can be a bit sparse
- Tournament guarantees generally small
Get £20 extra + a £500 Playthrough Bonus
- Respected brand for over 25+ years
- Sports betting and casino available
- Casual-friendly site with soft games
4. ACR Poker – Best for Major Tournaments
| UK Poker Network | Licence | Withdrawal Timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Winning Poker Network | Curaçao Gaming Control Board | 1-2 days |
ACR Poker, formerly known as Americas Cardroom, is popular across the pond as well. In fact, it’s one of the best poker sites for real money for UK players. The software is available on desktop and mobile and, after releasing an iOS in December 2024, they’re now covering all bases.
ACR is known for its massive tournaments with multi-million guarantees, which means a very busy lobby. To navigate things a little easiers, use the filter options to only view cash games, low stakes or high stakes events.
In addition to Hold’em and Omaha, ACR also has a few tables for Seven Card Stud, which is a great alternative for playing poker online in the UK. Because it’s on the Winning Poker Network and has huge events like the $12.5m GTD Venom tournament, traffic is top-tier.
Another highlight here is that it’s one of the few online poker real money sites in the UK that offers staking. This allows you to purchase a portion of another player’s buy-in for a tournament, or sell a part of yours.
By buying a stake in another player, you receive a percentage of the payout if they make it into the money for that tournament. With several ACR pros and experienced players on the website, staking can be a cool way to earn money without even playing.
Pros
- Major tournaments including $12.5m GTD Venom
- Option to stake other players in big events
- Instant withdrawals using cryptocurrencies
- Endorsed by major pros like Tom Dwan and Chris Moneymaker
Cons
- Mobile layout for instant play could be improved
- Persistent issues tackling bots
100% up to $2,000
- Blitz poker for speed and convenience
- Seven card stud poker available
- WPN network with solid player base
Online Poker Games for Real Money at UK Poker Sites
The best poker websites in the United Kingdom all have multiple games – not just Hold’em. Since each has its own set of rules, it’s important to know how these games work before taking a seat.
Learn more about the main types of poker games found in the UK.
Other Poker Games in the UK
If you’re looking for poker where you don’t need to bluff or take on fellow players, you’ll find that the best UK poker websites also have dedicated casino sections. These are great for enjoying other games and include poker variants like casino Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud Poker, Three Card Poker, and more.
Just remember these are completely different to peer-to-peer poker, and there’s a house edge.
Video poker machines are also popular poker games and they include Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better, and Joker Poker. These are quite easy to play. You start off with five cards and can replace any of them in one round in an attempt to create the strongest hand for a matching payout.
Again, there’s a slight advantage to the casino, and the outcome is less determined by skill than ‘regular’ poker.
Banking Methods for Online Poker in the United Kingdom
Banking is of major importance and the best poker sites for British players offer a solid range of methods for depositing and withdrawing funds. These allow for simple transactions, usually with limits starting from just £10 and going well into the thousands.
The actual deposit methods will depend on the sites for online poker in the UK. You can learn more about the top options here:
- Credit and debit cards: Since many of the top poker sites in the UK are based in other jurisdictions, they don’t have to worry about local regulations for using credit or debit cards online. This means that you can deposit via Visa and Mastercard on most poker rooms. But these options aren’t always available for withdrawing, so you might have to opt for something else.
- Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies have become the best banking methods for online poker in the UK for real money. They allow for instant deposits and fast withdrawals without charging any significant fees.
- eWallets: While eWallets like PayPal and Skrill remain quite popular for online transactions in the United Kingdom, they’re not usually available on the best poker sites. Instead, eWallets have largely been replaced by cryptos at the top poker sites in the UK.
- Wire transfers: Bank wire transfers remain a solid option for online poker in the UK. They’re a safe option for large transactions, but can also present much higher fees than the other methods covered above. Withdrawals by wire transfers can take several business days to complete.
Types of Bonus at UK Online Poker Sites
If you’re planning to join any of our top-recommended UK poker rooms, you’re definitely going to be offered a bunch of bonuses. But what’s the difference between each one? And which ones offer the best value?
Here’s a quick breakdown to help you sniff out the high-value offers.
- Welcome Bonus: All the best online poker sites in the UK will kick things off with a welcome package, just like you’d get if you joined an online casino. This is often the highest-value bonus you can get. It’ll usually include a big first-deposit bonus, and may also have some tourney tickets thrown in.
- Rakeback: Every time you play poker online in the United Kingdom, you contribute something called ‘rake’. This is a small percentage of the tournament buy-in or cash game pot which goes to the house. Rakeback is like a mini refund, giving you back some of the rake you’ve paid. CoinPoker has a 33% rakeback deal, making it one of the best among UK poker rooms.
- Tournament Tickets: If you want to play for real money, but want to trim down your outgoings as much as possible, keep your eyes peeled for tournament tickets. These get you free entry into legit events, where other players have to pay to enter. The best UK poker sites will give you tickets to online events with major real-money prizes, despite taking no risk.
- Reload Bonus: Also known as a deposit bonus, this is when the poker room awards you extra chips on your deposit. This could be a 5% top up, a clean double up, or even more. You’ll need to unlock your bonus in instalments before you can think about cashing it out.
- Loyalty Program: If you play online poker in the UK a lot, it’s best to use a site with a strong VIP or loyalty program. These tend to reward high-volume players with perks like free tournament entry, deposit bonuses, merchandise, increased rakeback and invites to exclusive events.
New Poker Sites in the United Kingdom
You can never have too many good poker sites, so it makes sense to keep an eye on the newest additions to the market. New poker sites in the UK often come with unique features, which can be larger bonuses, different games, or even softer competition.
The newest brand that’s competing with the best online poker sites in the UK is BC.Game. Known among players for its casino offering, the site now also features a poker section, available without any downloads.
BC.Game Poker has tables for Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 5-Card Omaha, and Short Deck Poker. While it doesn’t have a lot of traffic just yet, the competition is very soft since most players come over from the casino section. It also runs several tournaments, including daily freerolls, and has extra tables for All-In-or-Fold (AOF).
Online Poker Regulations in the UK
The United Kingdom is recognised as one of the most online poker-friendly countries in the world.
No consumer taxes, permissive regulations, and strong modern gambling traditions have shaped it into a European iGaming enthusiast’s dream. UK citizens can easily access a variety of poker sites and play for real money at any time.
The only negative aspect of the UK’s legal situation is that the majority of quintessentially British gambling businesses moved their headquarters offshore. But this is not at all surprising, considering how non-competitive the UK’s tax system is when compared to the likes of Gibraltar or the Isle of Man.
United Kingdom Real Money Online Poker Laws
Two important, 21st-century legal documents outlined regulations pertaining specifically to online poker.
The first was the Gambling Act of 2005, which essentially guaranteed players the freedoms they were already enjoying at the time. It explicitly allowed UK-based players to play on poker platforms of their own choosing, outlawed cheating, and transferred licensing authority to local regulatory bodies.
The second was the 2014 Gambling Bill, which reintroduced licences for offshore gambling sites looking to offer services to UK residents. Keep in mind this bill did not fence-off the UK gambling market. It simply imposed a point-of-consumption tax on operators.
As hard as it is to believe, the United Kingdom didn’t have any regulations mandating poker sites pay relevant operator-side taxes. On the contrary, the British regulators were counting on sites to pay their dues voluntarily.
Local residents have had legal access to poker online in the UK since the earliest days of the industry. Cash games? Check. Sit & Go tournaments? Check. Multi-table tournaments? You bet.
Everything was available right from the get-go. And, when you win, it’s all tax-free.
UK-based players haven’t had to pay any consumer taxes on online poker throughout the poker boom, an era which started back when Chris Moneymaker won his WSOP bracelet in 2003. The event made poker news all over the world and encouraged loads of other players to try their luck as well.
This tax-free status is due to the fact that, in 2002, the Labour government got rid of consumer taxes on all forms of gambling in an attempt to encourage local iGaming enthusiasts to play more.
History of Online Poker in the United Kingdom
The roots of modern online poker regulations can be traced back to the Betting and Gaming Act of 1960, long before poker online in the UK existed. This act allowed residents to bet on Bridge and other games of skill. It also allowed UK-based businesses to open betting shops across the country.
By 1965, over 15,000 betting shop licences had been issued by local magistrates.
The second breakthrough for UK-based gambling came with the Gaming Act of 1968, which added land-based casinos to the mix. In 2005, the Gaming Act was expanded to include massive Las Vegas-style gambling establishments. It’s worth noting, though, that this came with rather strict limits on the total number of venues of this type that could be built.
With that limitation, online casino enthusiasts and high-stakes players often look to international casinos instead. These acts set the stage for all the aforementioned modern legislative acts. They allow for large player pools for poker, giving UK players access to international networks. For example, you can even play on some of the best poker sites in Canada while in the UK.
Where Can I Play Poker Live in the United Kingdom?
With 570+ poker tables spread across 78 rooms located all over the country, the United Kingdom is the perfect place for people who enjoy playing poker in person.
It’s also a major tournament hot-spot, with big events scheduled throughout the year. Below, you can check out a the UK’s top brick-and-mortar poker rooms:
- Dusk Till Dawn (Redfield Way, Boulevard Retail Park, Lenton, Nottingham, NG7 2UW)
- The Vic (150-162 Edgware Rd, London W2 2DT)
- The Hippodrome (Cranbourn St, Leicester Square, London WC2H 7JH)
- Aspers Stratford (312 Montfichet Rd, Olympic Park, London E20 1ET)
- G Casino Coventry (Ricoh Arena, Phoenix Way, Coventry CV6 6GE)
- Empire Poker Room (6 Leicester Street, London WC2H)
- Grosvenor Casino Victoria London Poker Room (150-162 Edgware Rd, Marylebone, London W2 2DT)
Top Poker Sites UK – Conclusion
The bottom line is that poker online for real money is booming in the United Kingdom. You can join UK online poker rooms and start playing within minutes, with CoinPoker and ACR Poker being the best choices right now.
Both of these offer great cash games and tournaments, plus SNG events, special series, and more. Banking is simple and secure, with cryptocurrencies providing the quickest withdrawals.
Generous welcome bonuses, tax-free winnings and some exciting, new poker rooms competing with the top poker sites in the UK is essentially the perfect recipe for online poker – and long may it continue!
FAQs
Where can I play online poker for real money in the UK?
Can I withdraw my winnings from a UK poker site?
Is PayPal available for deposits on UK poker sites?
Can you trust UK poker sites?
Resources
- https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-betting-and-gaming-statistics (UK Betting and Gaming Statistics)
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/917113/share-of-poker-at-a-pub-or-club-betting-great-britain/ (Poker Participation Statistics)
- https://www.ageuk.org.uk/about-us/people/responsible-gambling-guide/ (Responsible Gambling Guide)
