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Top Poker Sites for UK Players 2025
The United Kingdom is one of the countries with the most gambling tradition in the world; it is expected to find friendly poker games in the countless pubs of cities like London, while online poker is legal in the country and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. This article explores the best online sites to play in the UK.
Best online poker sites in the United Kingdom
Below, we list the sites that, in our opinion, are the top-rated online poker rooms to play from the United Kingdom:
| Category | Poker room | Welcome bonus | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Top poker site in the UK | GGPoker UK | 100% up to $600 | NLH, PLO, PLO5, MTT, Spin&Go, Mystery Bounty, All-in or Fold |
| ✅Most reputable | PokerStars UK | 100% up to £400 | NLH, PLO, MTT, Spin&Go, SnG |
| ✅ Good for beginners | 888Poker | 100% up to $1,000 | NLH, PLO, MTT, Spin&Go, Mystery Bounty, MTT |
| ✅ Biggest tournaments | ACR Poker | 100% up to $2,000 | NLH, PLO, Hi/Lo, Spin&Go, SnG, MTT |
| ✅ Crypto-friendly | CoinPoker | 150% up to $2,000 | NLH, PLO, PLO5, Spin&Go, MTT |
You can play for real money from the United Kingdom at any poker site mentioned in this article. Our selection includes the best sites with promotions for all tastes, from casual to professional players.
For beginners, we recommend checking out GGPoker, PokerStars, or 888Poker, which have bonuses and platforms designed for newcomers to the poker world, giving free entries to tournaments and other unique benefits.
GGPoker UK
GGPoker UK combines a UKGC licence with access to one of the world’s largest networks of cash game tables and tournaments, all via a modern app compatible with any device. The secure platform supports deposits via card, PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller.
Perhaps the most recognized British GGPoker ambassador is Lewis Hamilton, Formula 1 driver, accompanied by Jimmy Carr in the friends of GG team.
The site offers a wide variety of game formats, including 6- and 9-handed Hold’em, 4- and 5-card Omaha, Short Deck, Fast Poker, and All-in or Fold. With such a vast selection, players can always find cash game opponents at any limit and at any time.
Players have access to several exclusive SnG tournaments and a huge MTT grid in the tournament lobbies, ranging from microlimits to tournaments with buy-ins up to $25,000. British players can compete for the bracelets of the WSOP Online series only at GGPoker UK.
New players are eligible for a 100% first deposit bonus up to $600 or a $100 ticket package and 60% rakeback through the Fish Buffet program. Ongoing promotions, including over $10M in monthly rewards, freerolls, jackpots, and cash drops, enhance the overall experience.
Pokerstars
PokerStars is one of the world’s most recognized poker brands, boasting a strong reputation and a UKGC licence to operate. The platform provides apps for desktop and mobile across multiple operating systems, letting you play from anywhere with an internet connection.
In terms of game variety, PokerStars offers more than just solid traffic of 6-max Hold’em and Omaha tables. Players can also enjoy cash games in 7-card Stud, Badugi, 5-card Omaha, Stud Hi/Lo, Razz, and 5-card Draw.
Notable tournaments include Spin & Go events, offering the chance to win up to $1,000,000 for first place, as well as major series with million-dollar guarantees, such as WCOOP and SCOOP.
After fulfilling the wagering requirements of 100% first deposit bonus up to £400, players can also earn 15% to 60% rakeback through the PokerStars Rewards program. Along with extra bonuses from various challenges that don’t require grinding.
Sky Poker
Sky Poker is operated by a well-known British gaming brand. In 2025, the poker room joined the global iPoker network, boosting its game volume to rival that of PokerStars.
Sky Poker's traffic is based on hundreds of 6-max Hold'em tables up to NL5K€. Tournament options include Twister Spins with buy-ins from €0.25 to €200, as well as numerous daily MTTs. Flagship events provide guarantees of up to €70,000, while series tournaments can triple that amount.
However, Sky Poker’s bonuses are limited. New players can claim a €40 sign-up bonus after earning 50 points and completing a week of daily missions. The Sky Poker Rewards program also provides 20–40% rakeback, depending on the player’s level.
888poker
888poker obtained its UK licence in 2009 and is well-known locally as the host of the regular UK Poker League (UKPL) series. The platform also runs online satellites to the festival’s £560 Main Event.
The site is ideal for cash game enthusiasts, offering Hold’em tables up to $200 NL in both standard and fast-play (Snap) formats. Tournament players can enjoy Spins Blast with buy-ins up to $100 and a top prize of $1 million, along with numerous MTTs, highlighted by the flagship $109 Big Shot Main Event with a $150K guaranteed prize pool.
New players can choose from two welcome bonuses:
- 100% wagering up to £800 (bonus code WELCOME100)
- £50 in tournament tickets (bonus code GET50)
How we rank the best UK online poker sites
When it comes to regulated markets, the struggle to become "the best poker site" is difficult because they have usually all already passed the filters established by the authorities. However, at Worldpokerdeals, we study the whole spectrum so that our players can choose to play with safety, good promotions, and enough traffic:
- License: Ideally, we recommend poker rooms licensed by the UKGC, Isle of Man, Malta, etc.
- Background: In addition to the license, we also consider the trajectory of the online poker site of utmost importance; some of the offshore sites included in our list have more than 20 years of experience on the market.
- Security: Poker sites with a clean past without non-payment disputes, direct communication with the public, state-of-the-art software, encrypted communications, recognized payment methods
- Cashier: We prefer a mixture of modernity (cryptocurrencies) with classic methods (Skrill, Neteller, PayPal).
- Traffic: Sites with 24/7 traffic or with a strong focus on European time.
Considering that the UK is an ideal country to play online poker, we only include the best and most reliable sites in our list.
Online poker in the UK
The United Kingdom has traditionally been considered a paradise to play online poker due to its legal status and the absence of taxes for players, even though regulations have tightened considerably in recent years. This situation has changed a little in recent years as the law has tightened the screws on possible gambling addictions and money laundering, adding restrictions on deposits and withdrawals that help the established objective, but affect grinders who have different bankroll management.
Some important considerations:
- Today, most major online poker sites in the country support play in British Pounds (GBP), so currency conversion is rarely necessary.
- Open liquidity allows you to access the so-called ".COM pool" and share tables with players from different countries.
- In legal online poker sites, you should make sure to download the software designed especially for the UK, usually identified with the Union Jack flag.
In general, locals and visitors from the United Kingdom can legally play on many poker sites, taking advantage of promotions such as rakeback, welcome bonuses, and rake races, among others.
Legal background of online poker in the United Kingdom
The UK has a long history of being gambling friendly, always from the legal:
- In 1960, the Betting and Gaming Act was enacted, allowing the creation of bookmakers and legalizing different types of games.
- In 1968, the Gaming Act was extended to commercial casinos.
- In 2005, the Gaming Act legalized online poker, creating the Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Online poker is 100% legal in the UK. The cherry on the cake is that there is no particular tax in the UK; players do not have to pay the government additional fees apart from the tax applied to all citizens, which is reasonable compared to other European or American countries.
In recent years, UKGC regulations have become stricter, and players are now more frequently required to verify their source of income as deposit limits have increased.
Some points considered illegal when it comes to online poker in the UK:
- Playing as a minor (under 18 years of age).
- Making any kind of cheating at the tables (e.g., collusion).
- Use of prohibited software.
- Using fake documents to verify your identity.
- The funds used to play must be your own.
There are not many poker prohibitions in the United Kingdom, and they mainly correspond to measures to ensure the integrity of the games.
Regulation of online poker sites in the UK
The Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the regulatory body responsible for monitoring compliance with the laws for playing poker for real money, both online and live. Under the Gambling Act 2005, online poker is 100% legal, and rooms wishing to offer their services on British territory must apply for a license.
British regulations impose several requirements on UKGC-licensed poker rooms:
- Verify your income with documents to increase the deposit and monthly loss limits.
- The UK has fully prohibited the use of credit cards for all forms of online gambling, including poker.
- Player-to-player (P2P) transfers are not allowed, as the UKGC classifies them as high-risk transactions.
- Withdrawal requests cannot be canceled, a measure designed to help minimize the risk of gambling addiction.
Poker is regulated in all areas — in casinos, clubs, bars, private and non-commercial games. Each branch has different rules, although the main conclusion is that it is allowed to deposit, withdraw, and play all over the country.
Poker-related taxes
The UK has the dream law: the tax for poker players is 0%. This applies to online and live games, even abroad (some WSOP Main Event finalists have collected millionaire prizes with 0% tax).
The UK decided to take the path of charging taxes to operators (at a rate of 21%), which in one way or another pass these costs on to users, although usually, this does not affect poker players but casino bettors.
However, other taxes may apply as a UK resident, so we recommend hiring a local accountant if you decide to take up poker as a profession.
Deposit and withdrawal methods for UK poker players
Britons have a wide range of possibilities to deposit and withdraw money from online poker rooms:
- Skrill, Neteller, Luxon
- Debit cards (Visa, MasterCard)
- Cryptocurrencies (BTC, USDT, ETH, LTC, among others) - available only on offshore websites.
- PayPal
- Bank transfers
Keep in mind that the payment methods depend on the chosen site. Similarly, the maximum and minimum amounts are regulated by law, so if you need to deposit more money to play (a typical need for poker players with large bankrolls), you must verify your account and income with documents.
Live poker in the UK
Live poker is very popular in the UK. As we have already mentioned, it is expected to see tables where Sit&Go games are played between friends in London pubs. There are local series, such as the APAT (Amateur Poker Association and Tour) and Grosvenor UK Poker Tour, which usually partners with online rooms such as GGPoker to organize satellites that are becoming increasingly famous.
London has hosted the best players in the world in series such as the Triton Super High Roller and official stops of the WSOP Circuit, while Nottingham is home to perhaps the most popular casino and poker room in the whole of the United Kingdom: Dusk Till Dawn, owned by Rob Yong.
Famous poker players from the UK
TOP-5 United Kingdom All-Time Money List:
- Stephen Chidwick —$74,5M+
- Ben Heath — $35,6M+
- Sam Trickett — $21,9M+
- Talal Shakerchi — $19,9M+
- Sam Grafton — $15,67M+
The United Kingdom has a strong track record at the WSOP, with more than 40 British players earning bracelets over the years. The country’s biggest star is Benny Glaser, who leads the pack with eight titles. Other well-known names such as Stephen Chidwick, Chris Moorman, and Patrick Leonard have also helped cement the UK’s reputation as one of the most competitive poker nations in the world.
At 36, Stephen Chidwick boasts 16 seven-figure winnings, two WSOP bracelets, and is currently ranked second on the All-Time Money List. Experts predict he could surpass Bryn Kenney in this ranking in the near future.
Chidwick's largest career payout - £4,410,000 - came for fourth place in the £1M buy-in Triton Million for Charity event in London in 2019.
Other British players worth mentioning are:
- Benny Glaser. The only non-American to have eight WSOP bracelets.
- Chris Moorman has earned over $25 million in online tournaments and holds the world record (30+) for triple crowns – winning three tournaments in three different poker rooms within a single week.
- Dave "Devilfish" Ulliott. A charismatic old-school player. And one of the figures who helped popularize poker on British television in the 2000s.
- Sam Trickett. Runner-up of the $1,000,000 The Big One for One Drop in 2012. He won $10,112,001 for 2nd place.
Responsible gambling
Gambling addiction is one of the biggest concerns of the British authorities, which is why the Gambling Commission has deployed several strategies to help gamblers who have problems, supported by foundations such as GamCare. Some of the recommendations include:
- Block gambling sites, promotional messages, payment methods.
- Self-exclusion of game accounts for a certain period.
- Money management, including assistance for people who have acquired gambling debts.
- Control of the time spent at the gaming tables.
We recommend all our players play in moderation and train themselves to identify the signs of a potential gambling addiction, which include compulsive gambling, feeling the need to gamble more and more, restlessness when not playing, trying to recover lost money at the tables, etc.
If you are in the UK, you can ask for help at GamCare's live chat or call 08088020133 (24 hours a day).
In the same way, the MyGamCare platform allows you to create a personalized space in which you can monitor your personal needs regarding the game.
Summary
Online poker in the United Kingdom remains one of the most stable and secure markets in Europe: it is fully legal, regulated by the UKGC, and supported by all major poker sites. Players benefit from strong traffic, reliable payment options, and clear regulations that safeguard them from fraud and irresponsible gambling. Live poker is thriving as well, from casual pub games to major events like the WSOP Circuit and Triton.
If you're choosing where to play, the Worldpokerdeals team can help you find trustworthy and rewarding options for players of any level.
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