PAYPAL CASINOS - Secure Gaming, Quick Money Transfers and Special Bonuses

Licence and Regulations

The strongest preference is given to casinos that are under the oversight of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) – the world's premier regulatory body for online casinos.

Casinos don't have to actually be on UK land to be regulated by the UKGC. Many independent British protectorates are "whitelisted" by the UKGC, meaning that they meet a level of oversight sufficient to be allowed to advertise to and sign up UK players. These include the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) as well as Alderney, Antigua and Barbuda, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man and Tasmania.

Malta is something of a special case. In addition to being covered by the UKGC as a member state of the EEA, Malta has its own regulatory body called the Malta Gaming Authority, which provides an extra layer of protection to both UK and international players.

In addition to government oversight, online casinos often contract out with third-party companies that test the fairness of their games. We look for casinos that work with highly reputable testing agencies such as eCOGRA or Gaming Laboratories International (GLI).

PayPal Casino Bonuses

There are certain common types of bonuses that online casinos offer. For example, most will match a player's initial deposit with a large amount of free play or cash. Many of them also offer smaller matching bonuses for ongoing deposits.

Casinos will sometimes increase the size of these bonuses for players who deposit using PayPal. In some cases, they have matching bonus offers that are exclusively attached to PayPal casino deposits. That's because PayPal is a hugely favourable means of payment processing for the casinos. PayPal takes a great deal of the risk, expense and regulatory requirements out of handling customer financial information on the casinos’ behalf – which explains why casinos would prefer to get as many customers as possible to use this method.

PayPal also offers other conveniences that apply to both the player and the casino. These include fast internal conversion of foreign currencies and a "One Touch" system that can be integrated into the casino software for instant transfers of funds. PayPal really is the payment system that pulls the rare trick of making gaming safer and more fun!

Types of Games

PayPal casinos in the UK are usually among the biggest and best in the industry. That means they offer players a full range of games to choose from.

At minimum, any online casino will have a core of slots, video poker, and single-player table games like blackjack and roulette. Some casinos offer additional games such as bingo, keno, Slingo and virtual sports.

The biggest casinos add sports betting and live dealer games. Live dealer games use video streaming to feature an actual dealer you can interact with. In fact, some of the games based in Malta are streamed from an actual casino. The sports betting sections usually offer advanced features like in-play betting, which allows for various types of wagers while a game is going on. Given that PayPal has high standards, the casinos that it works with are usually established and financially stable. They also normally offer a broad range of gaming options to suit every taste.

Playing at an online casino has a number of advantages. There is no pressure when learning a new game or evaluating your options, and you can take as much time as you need. You can use reference materials to assist you in getting to grips with games such as blackjack and video poker. And just about all casinos offer a "play money" mode that allows you to practise any type of game without risk.

Software and Graphics

Most online casinos don't develop their own games. They license them from software developers, which is why you sometimes see the same slot machines and table games at different casinos.

The casinos on our list only license games from safe, reputable developers. We also look for games that are fun and that have great features, such as progressive jackpots and bonus rounds.

Great graphics are also an important element throughout, from the design of the casino down to the individual games. We understand that people aren't robots and don't just want to crunch numbers while playing. The graphics are a big part of how enjoyable the overall experience is. Graphics and sound help attract a player to a new game, recreate the experience of a live casino, and provide the player with little visual and audio rewards for their play. Even if you aren't winning, you can still have a great time with a slot machine or table game that has excellent graphics.

Graphics are especially important for the new generation of slots that are licensed from movies or television shows. Titles like Titanic, Wheel of Fortune and Game of Thrones need to convey the feel and themes of the franchise in a way that resonates with fans.

Of course, taste in graphics and game style is highly individualised. That's why we look for casinos which offer a broad range of games, so that there's something available for every preference.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

We're focusing on PayPal because it's such an advantageous method for both deposits and withdrawals, but it's always good for an online casino to offer a wide range of options to players.

There are certain basic funding methods that we expect a top casino to offer. Besides PayPal, they should have support for the major credit card brands, such as Mastercard and Visa. Most casinos worth their salt will also accept a means of funding by direct bank account transfer, wire transfer or cheque.

They may also support other popular e-wallet services, such as Neteller and Skrill. As well as being considered good means of making deposits and withdrawals, these may sometimes come packed with their own unique bonuses. This list focuses on PayPal because the fees are reliably low to non-existent, and the processing time on both ends is very fast.

Mobile Casino Options

We also check out each casino's options for playing on mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones. There are various operating systems for mobile devices, and their hardware differs from that of desktop and laptop computers. Therefore, the casino will offer alternative ways to play on these devices. The usual options are a mobile app and a "no download" version of the casino that is played entirely through a web browser.

Due to hardware and software limitations, mobile casino versions often have fewer options than the versions for computers. With some casinos it's a very small difference, while with others it's quite significant. We evaluate the mobile options for each casino we list, making sure they offer a good amount of games and features to players.

Loyalty and VIP Programs

Most online casinos give you some amount of cash back for your play. That said, loyal players who concentrate their play at their favourite casinos can reap even bigger benefits.

In addition to the "rewards points" you get from betting that are exchanged for cashback and prizes, some casinos also give you "tier points" that gradually move you up through different levels of a loyalty program. At the very least, new tiers usually give you more favourable exchange rates for changing rewards points to actual funds. The higher tiers often bring weekly or monthly gifts of free play or even free spins.

Online casinos that are affiliated with brick-and-mortar locations might give players an expenses-paid vacation with complimentary accommodation, food and drinks. Or they might allow you to book a suite for the price of a standard room.

The VIP levels are where things really get exciting. High rollers are treated to lavish perks such as private games with much more favourable rules, personal assistance and concierge services, higher deposit limits, quicker withdrawals and huge weekly or monthly gifts of free play and spins.

As well as the virtual perks, VIPs often get to enjoy real-world gifts. Online casinos have been known to offer high rollers flights and limo transportation to their properties, celebration dinners, and even all-expenses-paid cruises.

Customer Support

We strive to list casinos that have an excellent reputation for timely and accurate player payouts and generally smooth operation. Mistakes and glitches do happen, however, even at the best gambling venues. When a mishap strikes, you want quality customer service to be available immediately.

We check out each casino's customer service offerings to see when they're available and how long it takes them to respond. Ideally casinos will have several methods available, all of which are staffed 24/7 – for example email, phone and browser-based chat service. Besides testing out their response times, we look over legitimate player reviews and complaints to see how each casino has handled disputes in the past. A casino needs to offer a high level of support and have an established reputation for handling disputes professionally and fairly to make it to the top of our list.