Guide to Betting Companies in the UK
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Top 10 online betting companies UK
1. Bet365
This company is undoubtedly our number one recommendation for many reasons. Bet365 offers the best sports betting packages in the industry, including a wide variety of markets, greater odds and a smooth interface.
What we like –
· Wide range of markets means more bet choices.
· Excellent promotions for both existing and new customers.
· Reliable and easy-to-use mobile app.
2. BetVictor
Formerly popular as Victor Chandler, BetVictor is another one of the greats in the UK. This betting company is the choice for any serious punter, given the great betting odds combined with the strong payout limits.
What we like –
· A newly-designed site that is fast and user-friendly.
· Best odds in the industry, especially when it comes to football.
· Provision of cashback in racing if the horse is not able to participate in the race at the last minute.
3. Betway
Although this company has been around for a long time, it was only recently that its popularity picked up. Most users are able to recognize Betway from their television adverts. Although it doesn’t offer much in the way of odds, the money-back offers are great.
What we like –
· Wide range of promotional packages, including free bets, money back specials and competitions.
· Getting enhanced odds on selected bets is easy.
4. 888sports
This is widely regarded as one of the oldest betting companies in the UK, as it has been over two decades since its first site went online. Although the odds provided by them are not the best (fairly decent), the sheer volume of promotions is what makes this site unique.
What we like –
· Easy to navigate site with a great search feature.
· Excellent money-back offers and free bets on the regular for a wide variety of sports.
5. Betfair
This is one of the best online betting sites when it comes to peer-to-peer betting. It is also popular as the first commercially viable betting exchange in the world. The sportsbook offered in Betfair offers some excellent fixed odds.
What we like –
· Best odds in the UK when it comes to football
· Price Rush feature that gives users the best odds between the exchange and sportsbook.
· Biggest betting exchange in the world when it comes to liquidity.
6. Coral
Since the latest redesign, with an intuitive navigation system and sleek site, Coral has become a force to be reckoned with. The competitive odds offered on this site can rival some of the best in the market.
What we like –
· Great odds, easy to navigate, and a wide range of markets.
· Regular free bet offerings with money back specials.
· Coral Connect: cash out and deposit options in any of the Coral stores.
7. Unibet
This Scandinavian betting company is also becoming a strong contender in the UK. They are consistently trying to make the product good for the users.
What we like –
· Fast site with handy indexes that makes it easy to navigate.
· Great promotional offers and bonuses.
· International coverage, making it a great option for users outside the UK too.
8. Ladbrokes
This betting company is widely regarded as one of the biggest high-street bookmakers in the UK. They are known for the big events, one-off specials and occasional accumulator bonuses.
What we like –
· Regular enhanced odds and daily price boosts.
· Live streaming and live betting are available for a wide range of sports.
9. 10Bet
This betting company has been around since 2003, and its popularity has been growing consistently ever since. It is one of the larger bookmakers in the international sports betting market.
What we like –
· Live betting section with coverage of sports from around the world.
· Huge range of sports betting markets.
· Plenty of promotional offers.
10. Betfred
This betting company is famously known as the bonus king for offering the best promotions in the market.
What we like –
· Great offers on rugby, football, and other sports.
· Innovative features in new offers and inventive markets.
Top 5 high street betting companies in the UK
· William Hill: Opened in 1934, this is one of the most iconic high-street bookies in the UK. With around 2,200 shops around the country, William Hill is known for providing best-in-class betting services to its users.
· Ladbrokes: This is another high-street bookie that was first launched in 1896, long before betting became legal in the UK. With around 1,800 shops, they are known around the world for being the best betting brand in the UK.
· Coral: This high-street betting company first started in a small office in London in 1926. With more than 1,500 shops around the world, it has dominated the UK betting markets for tears.
· Betfred: Founded in 1967, Betfred has over 1,600 shops around the UK. This high-street betting company has enjoyed huge success in sports betting, including local horse and dog racing tracks.
· Paddy Power: With around 660 shops in the UK, Paddy Power is an Ireland-based high-street bookie that has seen great success in online betting.
Most Popular Betting Markets in the UK
The online sports betting market has been growing at a rapid pace, largely because of the enhanced digital infrastructure of the world today. According to an online report, the size of the sports betting market is expected to reach around $140 billion by 2028. Here is an overview of the most common bets placed in online betting companies –
a. Football Bets: Being one of the most popular sports in the UK, it occupies almost 40% of the sports betting market. The huge volume of bets made in this sport has helped in the growth of this industry.
b. Horse racing bets: Although this sport accounts for only 5%of the total turnover in the UK sports betting market, it is quite popular among experienced punters. With greater odds and extensive coverage of racing, the market for horse racing bets is steadily growing.
c. Golf bets: This is another popular choice of the punters as it offers many betting formats and a great range of players. Big high-street bookies like Willian Hill and Ladbrokes have dedicated news services for catering to the growing golf betting market.
d. Rugby bets: Rugby is one of the most exciting sports to bet on today as it provides the punters with a wide range of competitions. It is also an exhilarating sport to watch, which explains why it occupies a large percentage of the online sports betting market.
e. Darts bets: This sport is steadily growing in popularity. Many betting sites are coming up with better events and larger markets to cater to the increased demand for darts bets.
f. Esports bets: When it comes to betting volume, e-sports is one of the fastest-growing sports betting markets in the UK. To meet the growing demand for esports bets, all prominent bookmakers are working to enhance their e-sports offering
Up until the 1960s, the landscape of betting in the United Kingdom was vastly different than it is today. It was after the introduction of the UK Betting and Gambling Act on May 1, 1961, that betting shops were allowed to operate officially. The new laws helped in eradicating illegal gambling to a great degree. In a matter of six months (after the introduction of the Act), more than 10,000 betting shops were operational in the country. The two biggest names in the betting industry at the time were Willian Hill and Ladbrokes, as their business expanded to a great degree.
The next big change in the betting industry came in 1992, with the introduction of the Football Premier League, as more and more people started betting on sports. This was followed by massive growth in the online betting and gambling market. New laws were introduced in the UK to ensure that the betting companies adapted to the new environment.
Gambling laws in the UK
The Gambling regulation that allowed UK residents to gamble legally came into effect in 2005. The laws were brought in to regulate the gambling industry, which eventually helped in making it safer for people to gamble.
Minimum Age: The legal age for gambling in the UK (both live or online) is around 18 years. As per the law, sportsbooks, casinos, and gaming establishments need to ensure that the customers are over 18 years of age through identity cards or other documents. The only exception to this rule in the UK is football pools, scratch cards and lotteries, where the minimum age has been set as 16.
Besides setting the minimum age, the gambling laws also stipulate the functioning of sportsbooks and casinos and the rights enjoyed by the gamblers –
For Gamblers:
No license is required to gamble
Besides minimum age and the checks for anti-money laundering, there is no acceptance criteria for betting/playing.
If you are not a professional gambler, you do not need to pay any tax on winnings.
For Operators:
Gambling and betting companies are required to pay 15 per cent tax on profits.
Having a license from the UK Gambling Commission is a must.
Operators need to comply with the codes of practice and advertising standards.
List of Offences in the Gambling Act: Many offences are laid down in the Gambling Act which can result in fines and also jail time (in some cases). Here is a brief overview of these offences –
- Minimum age violation – a penalty of £1,000 fine
- Underage employees in gambling facilities: £5,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 51 weeks
- Any form of cheating in gambling: £5,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 51 weeks
- Operating with permit/license: £5,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 51 weeks
- Violating the advertising regulations: £5,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 51 weeks
- Adding machines with permit/licence: £5,000 fine and/or imprisonment of 51 weeks
UK betting companies need to be registered with the UKGC
The UK Gambling Laws stipulate that gambling and betting companies need to be registered with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). The Gambling Commission is responsible for monitoring all the licensed operators in the UK, and their primary aim is to promote responsible gambling. If individuals want to play/bet legally, then they should look for UKGC-licensed companies.
The list of registered companies can be found on the official website of the Commission.