How We Review Land-Based Casinos
Our founder and CEO, Ionut Catalin Marin, has developed a comprehensive and transparent review system for local UK casinos so you know exactly how we examine and rate these establishments.
Why Do We Review Local UK Casinos?
We know that some British gamblers still prefer going to a land-based casino venue so we want to offer them the same level of knowledge and information as we do with online casinos before they make the trip. We use a standardised examination system to compare land-based casinos in the UK and choose the ones most suitable for you.
Having a clear picture of what you can expect from an offline casino establishment can help you save time and money by not testing the venues yourself.
Why Trust Our Offline Casino Reviews?
Our KingCasinoBonus.uk experts have over 7 years of experience analysing online and offline casinos. We offer only user-oriented reviews to help you decide if the venues are suitable before visiting.
While we have financial partnerships with the casino operators we feature on our page, the monetary aspects don’t influence the transparency of our investigations and ratings. You will only find our experts’ personal experience and opinions regarding all the factors any British gambler might be interested in.
How We Review Local Casinos
- Before we decide when to visit the casino, we check the operator’s background to ensure the UKGC license is valid and there are no fines or other penalties towards the casino.
- Afterwards, we visit the venue anonymously for at least 8 hours.
- We use a budget of at least £100 to test the games and other amenities available.
- Our experts go through our review checklist by analysing the slots, table games, staff & service, loyalty benefits, house rules, and player feedback.
- We examine our findings for over 12 hours and compile our reviews.
We visit each casino in person
Similar to our methodology for online casino reviews and bingo site reviews, we prioritise first-hand testing of local UK casinos.
Before each visit, we perform a background check on the owner and operating company to ensure the legitimacy and validity of the gambling license. We check the rules before physically going there, apply for memberships if needed, and set up a spending budget based on the prices we find online for the restaurant and other features.
We test by spending real money on the premises
To get a real perspective on the gaming options and how it actually is to play at a particular casino venue, we spend money on the games and around the facility, trying all its standout features. That’s how our KingCasinoBonus team provides a reliable review of your gaming and entertainment options.
We update our ratings every 6 months for every casino
All our offline casino reviews are kept fresh as we schedule a new visit every 6 months. Our ratings may change because a different KingCasinoBonus expert carries out each new examination.
What Do We Review?
- Slot Machines
- Casino Games
- Staff & Service
- Loyalty & Rewards
- Casino Atmosphere
- House Rules
- Player’s Feedback
- Operator
While other casino reviewers may limit themselves to gaming options, restaurants and membership, our team at KingCasinoBonus.uk always wants to provide you with the most complete information possible.
We examine and rate local UK casinos based on 8 distinct criteria to create the most accurate and reliable ratings.
Slot Machines
Since land-based operators can have up to 150 slot machines from different categories per UKGC regulations, we test at least 25 different machines, depending on how many are available. We ensure the betting limits are sufficient for low and high-roller British gamblers by placing the minimum and maximum stakes each game allows, usually ranging from £0.10 to £5.
Regardless of size, most venues offer British punters IGT and Novomatic machines, so a third game provider helps us differentiate between top UK casinos for slots.
As for jackpots, we check the establishment to see whether there are both fixed and progressive game options.
Slot Machines factors we analyse
- Number of slot machines
- Suppliers
- Jackpots
Casino Games
Analysing the casino games starts with counting the physical tables and reviewing the game types available. Our KingCasinoBonus.uk team believes a top UK casino should provide the following options and their main subtypes:
- Roulette: European and American
- Blackjack: Classic, 21+3
- Baccarat: Classic, punto banco
- Poker: Stud poker, Texas Hold’em, Three-card poker,
- Craps
Top casinos welcome players of all budgets, so we check how adaptable the betting limits are, using bets ranging from £0.10 to £50 for each game.
Lastly, since a significant percentage of UK punters like to play in poker tournaments, we make sure to find all the relevant information about the competitions organised by the operator.
Casino games factors we analyse
- Game types
- Betting limits
- Poker tournaments/cash games
Staff & Service
Top-notch customer service is a must for a worthy gaming session, and for this section, we rate everything from bouncers, pit bosses, dealers, managers, bartenders, waiters and so on. Every member of staff needs to be friendly and respectful to patrons.
As for the services, we check the restaurants and bars separate from the gaming rooms, tidy rooms to spend the night, clean restrooms around the premises and free parking.
Your security must also be cared for properly with dedicated staff and surveillance cameras.
Staff & service factors we look into
- Staff
- Food and drinks
- Parking
- Accommodation
- Security
Loyalty & Rewards
We know that when an offline casino offers great games and services, British punters are likely to return for future gaming sessions, so we also investigate the loyalty benefits you can receive by being a regular patron. We check the establishment’s website to see if there’s information about the VIP program there or ask the on-site staff for details on joining and the rewards.
Loyalty & rewards factors we analyse
- Ease of registration
- Discounts
- Free play
Casino Atmosphere
Evaluating the casino atmosphere consists of two sides: our KingCasinoBonus experts’ subjective opinions on how the casino looks and feels and checking the attractions and events it provides.
Casino atmosphere factors we analyse
- Interior design experience
- Location and attractions
- On-site events
House Rules
Our KingCasinoBonus.uk team has no universal standard for T&C fairness at local casinos nor the newest online casinos added to our database. That’s because we consider it vital to judge an operator’s rules individually, as well as how they are enforced first-hand.
House rules factors we analyse
- Membership
- Schedule
- Dress code
- T&Cs
Player’s Feedback
We extract the data from Google reviews and Tripadvisor for our rating of the players’ feedback. This rating helps us determine the most common issues players have faced before.
When we cannot find reliable reviews, we check with the players at the venue and ask for their feedback on the establishment.
What we research
- Data from Google reviews
- Data from Tripadvisor reviews
- On-site feedback
Operator
Besides the mandatory UKGC licence, we check to see if the casino operator has a clean reputation and numerous venues throughout the UK.
The lack of a UKGC licence translates to 0 points and cancels the review!
Factors we analyse
- Licensing
- Company reputation
- Casinos operated
How We Rate Local UK Casinos
A casino’s final score is the average of all the main rating factors. However, some of our criteria, like the casino atmosphere, are subjective, based on the expert reviewer’s experience, which may change with each visit we make.
We start each category with 5 points, then check our analysis criteria and lower the final mark considering all the factors.
Slot Machines factors we rate
For a maximum score in this category, our experts must find at least 25 different slot machines supplied by 2+ top providers (IGT and Novomatic), with each additional supplier making up for any other shortcomings we discover for this category.
While the UKGC doesn’t allow all types of venues to have unlimited stakes, if the casino fits the regulatory criteria, we expect to see at least 1 machine with no betting limits. Furthermore, an operator must provide 5 or more jackpots with fixed and progressive options for a maximum mark.
Casino Games rating factors
Our experts believe that for a good score for this category, an operator must offer British punters at least 10 tables for all the main game types: roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat and craps. We appreciate when the tables are inclusive to UK gamblers of all experience and budget levels and allow bets starting at £0.10.
However, in the case of large-scale establishments, we consider it mandatory to have VIP rooms with higher stake limits for loyal customers and experienced players.
We do not lower the score if a casino hosts no poker tournaments but has a poker room or tables where you can play cash games. We still highlight venues where tournaments are offered.
Staff & Service rating factors
For this category, the most important factor our experts look at is the politeness of the staff. We take into consideration every employee, from the security staff to dealers and restaurant staff.
Other criteria we rate are the quality and prices of the food and drinks, the availability of security personnel and cameras throughout the premises, and parking spots. One aspect we look at separately from the main rating is the accommodation the operator offers. Our team doesn’t believe this is absolutely necessary, but having it will make up for shortcomings in other aspects.
For instance, a venue may not provide free parking to all customers but to members only, or it could have a top-end restaurant, but prices are too high, or the menu lacks vegan food. Scoring in these situations remains at the expert’s discretion.
Loyalty & Rewards rating factors
For the Loyalty section, we check the type of benefits British punters can receive, the different reward levels and how easy it is to reach them. Most importantly, our KingCasinoBonus team believes that the best UK casinos automatically enrol you into their VIP programmes as soon as you make your first visit.
We award higher scores to operators who give you access to free play bonuses and discounts for the bar and restaurant. Our experts also find the usability of the loyalty programme a significant benefit. For example, if you receive a member card that automatically records your VIP points and lets you redeem the rewards.
Casino Atmosphere
This category usually holds very different ratings depending on the KingCasinoBonus expert who carries out the evaluation. Still, our score summarises how elegant and exciting the venue felt during our visit.
On-site events are our most significant consideration factor. Our team appreciates a mix of public and private events for usual patrons and VIP members, respectively.
The quality of the surroundings and interior design is expected to be modern and tasteful. Luxurious casino buildings in good areas get extra points, as do venues with separate event rooms.
House Rules rating factors
Our KingCasinoBonus.uk team looks at various aspects of the house rules to determine the final score. We demand total transparency and fairness when it comes to house rules! Everything about becoming and being a member of an offline UK casino should be laid out in plain view.
We believe strict dress codes should be mandatory only for special events, and more relaxed attire should be permitted for usual sessions. Furthermore, we give higher ratings to operators who allow free access to the venues
Other points may fall off the final score if the casino has a limited schedule. All policies we consider too limiting for players will lead to varying point penalties.
Player’s Feedback rating factors
Our team highly values your experience with the casinos, so we check the best sources of user feedback: Google and Tripadvisor. When we don’t find enough information to present you with a sufficient outcome, we ask players on the premises for further details about their experience with the establishment. The final score is usually a combination of the British user ratings given online, but we also take into account the live player feedback.
Operator rating factors
Our KingCasinoBonus team completes a thorough background check of the operator that starts with the validity of the UKGC license. We check and inform you of any penalties or suspensions the operator received as breaches of the UKGC regulations.
Other factors we consider for this category are the reputation of the managing company and the number of venues offered. We believe that a track record of successful land-based casinos is an important factor to look at before you decide to visit.
Our Land-Based Casino Ratings Explained
Our KingCasinoBonus.uk is very strict when it comes to giving out maximum scores because we want our readers to be sure of the highest quality when they see a rating of 4.5+. Our team wants you to use our rating system as a helpful tool to decide if a casino venue is worth your time. This is how you can easily use our grading system to determine the value of a casino.
4.5 to 5 stars – Top Casino
Whenever we award an operator a rating over 4.5, you can rest assured that all categories are close to the maximum rating and don’t have any major downsides.
4 to 4.5 stars – Superior Casino
When you have a rating between 4 and 4.5, one or two categories might have minor shortcomings but nothing that will impact your experience significantly.
3 to 4 stars – Average Casino
Whenever a venue falls into the 3 to 4 score category, you might find some of the sections we rate entirely missing. For example, you will not find a restaurant, bar, parking or other important facilities.
Less than 3 stars – Poor Casino
When we give a casino a rating of 3 or less, we are unsatisfied with our experience or find many of the major rating criteria missing and generally don’t recommend the venue.