Why Play at a New Online Casino?
Many online casinos attached to traditional bookmaking, poker or bingo sites are fine. Some feel like little more than something bolted on the side though. An afterthought. More and more new UK casinos are aimed primarily at slots players. Yes, they might have table games like roulette and blackjack or even a sportsbook but their main offering is slot games.
Without the restrictions of a traditional name, new casino sites have the opportunity to let their virtual hair down and give new things a try. That can take the form of experimental visuals, innovative casino interfaces or new promotional ideas for both new and existing players.
A casino based on ancient Greece? Why not, as Casino Gods have shown. Or even a new casino based on a pizza parlour like Casino Calzone. Anything goes! Here’s a list of the pros and cons associated with new casino sites:
| Pros | Cons |
| Innovative interface + theme | Less ways to contact customer support |
| Enticing welcome offer | Limited range of slot games |
| Regular promotions | Chance of technical errors |
| Attainable VIP programme | Less payment options & slower cashouts |
| Dedicated mobile app | |
| New slot games/providers |
If you’re looking for something fresh and novel, new casinos are certainly worth investigating.
Best New Casino Features
What things should you be looking for when assessing a new casino site? Like so many areas of life, first impressions count. Are the site visuals crisp and clear? Is working your way around the site a simple and intuitive process? Do you have to work your way through endless screens to find what you’re looking for?
Crisp visuals and clear navigation can make the whole online casino experience a much more pleasant one. A new online casino should certainly have taken note of that and incorporated it into its design. In these ever more visually literate times, design counts.
New Casino Bonuses
With the UK online casino market already jam-packed with rivals, new online casinos have to stand out from the crowd. One way they can do that is via their new player welcome packages.
Look out for no deposit sign up offers, free spin giveaways and bonus packages. No deposit free spins are always good as they let you give the casino a quick test drive without having to risk any of your own cash.
As always, be sure to read the small print to find out if there are any hidden hoops to jump through before you can claim your bonuses or wins from your free spins. We don’t really want to find massive 65x wagering requirements hidden in the T&Cs. Ideally, a brand-new online casino should be totally transparent when it comes to its giveaways.
Some casinos have moved towards bonuses free of wagering requirements. Their headline bonus numbers might not be as eye-catching as some, but so much the better if you have a chance of actually claiming the bonus without the hassle of massive play through.
Clear and open is what you’re looking for when it comes to new player welcome packages from a new online casino. All the terms and conditions are listed clearly in the new online casino list.
Existing Player Offers
Some online casinos use up all their promotional firepower trying to get new players to sign up but offer little in the way of goodies for their already existing customers. That might be fine for some players. Others might want a bit more bang for their existing buck.
What does a new online casino offer its existing players? You can usually find out by clicking on the site’s promotion page. This will give you a flavour of the type of offers you can expect. Are there daily giveaways? Are the offers focussed on reload bonuses and free spins? Or are you after bigger contests where you can win memorable prizes, high tech gadgets and other top swag?
Some new casinos offer much more in the way of contests, cash drops and leaderboard races than others. If you fancy trying your luck and winning a once in a lifetime experience to a sporting event, concert or holiday, you’ll find some casinos offer these type of giveaways far more often than others. Some casino sites are much more meat and potato when it comes to existing player offers.
It’s a similar story with tournaments. If you like to get your competitive juice flowing and battling other players for prizes, some new casinos sites will cater much better than more established casinos. A bit of research before you sign up can provide plenty of information and hopefully find you something that provides just what you’re looking for in terms of existing player bonuses.
Loyalty and VIP Programmes
If you become a regular at an online casino, you’ll want to be rewarded. How does a new casino’s loyalty programme shape up? How easy is it to amass points and what rewards are on offer when you do? Is it easy to claim the rewards or are there virtual hoops to jump through?
The good news is that new online casinos want to impress and keep their customers as they’ll get a lot less than the bigger casinos with big budgets to advertise on TV etc. This is why you can expect fresh concepts and ideas which reward players regularly and keep them coming back.
Older casinos have their set ways whilst new outfits try new methods to reward their customers. PlayOJO Casino for example, which hasn’t been around for that long, has a cashback programme where you can earn each time you spin. All winnings come with no wagering requirements too.
Slots Catalogue
Of course, a decent new casino will offer a good selection of slot games. Are you satisfied from slots from a limited range of developers or do you want a massive selection of games from a huge range of software providers? Sometimes too much choice can be a bit overwhelming.
Regardless of the size of the slot catalogue, you want to be able to find the games you’re looking for quickly and easily. This is where simple, intuitive design can really come into its own.
Having games split into categories like new, featured and favourite slots is fine in itself. Even better if the new online casinos provide some decent filters. Allowing players to search games by developer, volatility and feature is a big help. Some new casinos manage this, others not. A good example is SlotsMillion Casino who allow players to filter by provider, features, theme and paylines.
Are you a fan of a particular style of slot? We’re thinking here especially about the Megaways game engine. This has proved to be extremely popular with players. If you’re one of their legion of fans, you’ll want a casino that offers a wide collection of titles. It’s a similar story with progressive jackpot games. Exclusive content too.
Do you want all the latest new releases or just the big-name titles? How about old classics? Most new UK casino sites will allow you to browse their catalogue before you sign up so you can get an idea of what’s available. Take advantage of this opportunity before signing up.
New Mobile Casinos
Advances in technology mean that more and more players are using increasingly powerful mobile phones and tablets to play online slots. The top new online casino sites will have mobile play covered. Virtually all sites allow mobile in-browser play. Not all have a native app. If they do have an app, is it available on Android or Apple devices?
Some new casino sites have their focus aimed firmly at mobile players. A good mobile casino will offer all the same elements as its desktop equivalent.
Check to see whether the catalogue of available games is as big if you’re using a mobile as it is if you’re spinning on a desktop computer. Look out too for special offers that are aimed exclusively at mobile users. Some offer exclusive bonuses to players using handheld devices.
Payment Options
Long gone are the days when the only way to get money onto your online casino account was via a debit card or a bank transfer. Credit card transactions are not allowed in the UK. New casinos will usually offer a wide selection of payment options. These usually include money wallets like NETeller and Skrill and the prepay Paysafecard as well as debit cards.
It’s not just mobile phones themselves that have changed dramatically in recent years. There are now opportunities to use your phone to fund your online casino account. If you’d like to use this method, check whether a new casino offers the likes of the Boku mobile payment platform.
Also increasingly popular with UK online casino players is PayPal. If you already use the popular payment platform for eBay and other shopping transactions, it’s a top choice for online casino play. Expect quick and secure transactions.
Apple Pay is another payment option that more and more new online casinos are offering. Want to use Bitcoin? Some new casino sites allow that too.
Withdrawal Times
Playing a new UK casino may be great but cashing out your winnings is one of the most important aspects in determining how well a new venture will fare against experienced casinos with years behind them.
You may see a nice and fresh site or mobile app coupled with a wide range of top slot games and an inviting welcome bonus. However, new online casinos won’t stick around very long if cashouts take longer than against established ones. Quick withdrawal times are key for regular players so new casinos need to get this right.
If you take Rizk Casino for example, they were established in 2016 so are a relatively new casino compared to oldies like BetVictor Casino and 888. Offering instant withdrawals, they have a unique and revolutionary Withdrawal Lock feature which allows players to lock withdrawals and keep winnings safe. Innovations like this are more commonly found in new casino sites.
Security
Another important factors to consider when weighing up a new online casino site is security. Is your money safe on this site? We only recommend online casinos which have been regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
The UKGC is considered one of the most stringent regulators in the online gaming world. Being UKGC regulated means that new casinos have to abide by certain rules regarding players safety and security. That means player funds are kept in a segregated account so your money will be safe if the worst comes to the worst and the casino goes under.
All new casinos should be using full encryption to keep transactions secure. Using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) data encryption algorithms used by banks is a must if you want to play at a secure new casino.
Account Verification
As per the regulations set out by the UK Gambling Commission, UK players need to verify their account. Many casinos verify players automatically using the information provided on registration and others require players to submit/upload documents to do this.
New casinos have the advantage in that they can set up verification systems from the off. Older casinos may need to change established systems and procedures so will be slower to conduct quick verification. A new casino site that offers automated verification is a good sign they have their house in order.
Customer Support
Ideally, you won’t need much in the way of interaction with a casino’s customer support team. In a perfect world, everything would be crystal clear on the casino website and if you did have a query, you’d be able to find the answer via the casino’s help or FAQs section.
There’s always something though. Live chat is the way most casino’s process their customer support. The odd one also still allows chats on the phone. An increasing number of new casinos are using WhatsApp and social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.
You can expect service 7 days a week and if not available 24 hours a day, you should be able to get in touch with someone apart from perhaps in the early hours of the morning. Our detailed new casino reviews go into the customer support options in depth.
New Casinos Summary
Fresh ideas and innovation are the main reasons to try out a new casino. That innovation can come in the form of design, theme, features, bonuses or promotions and offers.
Players at new UK casinos can expect plenty of giveaways in the form of free spins and bonuses. There’s plenty available for existing players too if you dig around. If you’re more accustomed to playing with a mobile rather than a desktop or laptop, there are plenty of new mobile-friendly casinos to choose from too.
The ideal new casino offers a combination of fresh design, original theme, variety of bonuses and cracking customer service. Check out the list of new casino sites to discover the current pick of the bunch.
FAQs
Putting your money on a new casino can seem like taking a bit of a chance. We only recommend and review casinos that are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. You can get a detailed idea of what you can expect from each new online casino by checking out the features a new casino should have.
The UK online casino market is extremely competitive. New casinos are always having to up their game in terms of design, offers and customer service if they want to remain popular. New online casinos can deliver innovative new features – that can be design, casino games, bonuses, features or support. See a list of new casinos pros & cons for more details.
You’ll usually find all the usual suspects like debit cards, bank transfers and the established money wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller. More new casinos are offering alternative mobile platforms like Boku, Apple Pay and MuchBetter.
Changes in technology mean that mobile gaming has become an important factor in the online casino world. Some new casinos are aimed at mobile players as much as desktop users. Check out the list of the best new casinos which all offer play across mobile, tablet and desktop devices.
