Learn the game before you play it
Six short tracks covering the ideas that matter most, each linked to tools you can use to check the maths yourself.
How casinos make money
Every casino game is priced. The price is the house edge: the share of each stake the game keeps on average. Understanding that one idea explains almost everything else.
- A game’s return to player (RTP) and its house edge always add up to 100%. A 97% RTP is a 3% edge.
- The edge applies to every pound you stake, including winnings you stake again, so the amount you put through a game matters more than the amount you deposit.
- Online results come from a random number generator. Each result is independent: a game does not “owe” you a win after losses.
- Short sessions are dominated by luck; long sessions drift towards the edge. Both are true at once.
Odds and strategy
Strategy can stop you giving away extra edge, but it cannot turn the edge round. The useful kind of strategy is about choosing better bets and sizing them sensibly.
- Bets on the same table can carry very different edges. In craps, the Pass Line keeps 1.41% while Any Seven keeps 16.67%.
- Expected loss is simple arithmetic: total staked × house edge. Halving your stake halves it; playing twice as fast doubles it.
- Progressive systems such as the Martingale change how results arrive, not what they average. They trade many small wins for occasional large losses.
- In games with decisions, such as Three Card Poker, a simple rule (play with queen-six-four or better) keeps you close to the best available return.
Martingale reality check Odds converter Variance
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Bonuses and free spins
A bonus is a discount on play, wrapped in conditions. The conditions decide whether the discount is worth having.
- Wagering requirements tell you how many times bonus money, or bonus winnings, must be staked before you can withdraw.
- Since 19 January 2026, the Gambling Commission caps wagering on bonuses at ten times for operators licensed in Great Britain.
- Every pound staked to clear a bonus carries the game’s house edge, so the real cost of a bonus is wagering × edge.
- Free spins have a fixed value per spin set by the casino. Check that value, any cap on winnings and the expiry date.
Bonus wagering calculator Wagering requirement Free spins
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UK casino rules
Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission. A licence brings rules that protect you, and they are worth knowing before you choose where to play.
- Online operators serving British players must hold a Gambling Commission licence, which you can check on the Commission’s public register.
- Online slot stakes are capped at £5 per spin for adults aged 25 and over, and £2 for adults aged 18 to 24.
- Gambling with credit cards has been banned since 14 April 2020. Debit cards and other payment methods remain available.
- Every licensed online operator must take part in GAMSTOP, the national self-exclusion scheme.
UK casinos we list Gambling Commission Responsible gambling
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Game rules, explained
Learn the rules with play money first. Each of our free games shows its odds openly, so you can see how the maths feels at the table.
- Craps: the come-out roll wins on 7 or 11 and loses on 2, 3 or 12; any other total becomes the point, which must repeat before a 7.
- Three Card Poker: beat the dealer’s three cards; the dealer needs queen high to qualify.
- Dragon Tiger: one card each, highest wins. On a tie, Dragon and Tiger bets lose half.
- Hi-Lo, Mines and Crash: simple choices with multipliers priced from the exact odds, so every decision returns the same long-run percentage.
Play Craps Play Three Card Poker Play Dragon Tiger
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Playing safely
The best gambling decision is often the one made before you start: how much, how long and when to stop.
- Set a deposit limit with every operator you use. Licensed sites must offer them.
- Treat the money you stake as spent on entertainment. Never chase losses.
- GAMSTOP blocks every UK-licensed gambling website and app for a period you choose, from six months up to five years.
- Free and confidential help is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
Responsible gambling guide Self-exclusion What a session costs
