The island nation known as the United Kingdom is renowned for its gambling sites, and many famous bookmakers took their first steps there. With the rise of esports betting, a lot of gamblers have shifted their focus to this new and exciting form of entertainment, as have new sportsbooks to meet the demand of a new form of betting.
With all these new names popping up, it can be hard to find a trustworthy website that knows how to deliver on esports betting. Don’t worry, because, in this article, we will tell you everything there is to know about the UK esports betting industry and who are the top esports bookmakers in the UK.
Full List Of The Best UK Esports Betting Sites
If you still haven’t found the right esports betting site for you, don’t worry; here at Esports-gamblers, we have reviewed a lot of sportsbooks, and many of them are considered some of the best esports betting sites in the United Kingdom. From all the websites we tested, we have created a list with some of the top-rated bookmakers for esports available in the UK.
On our list, you will find established sports betting sites like Bet365 and William Hill, but also more esports-focused options like Midnite. All of them are licensed to operate in the UK and 100% legitimate sportsbooks that you can trust with your money.
Online Esports Betting In the UK
In the United Kingdom, more than 10 million people are reportedly gambling every month, which is approximately 15% of the whole population of the UK. If we look at the gamblers that placed a bet in the last three months, that number skyrockets to 30 million players, or 46% of the UK inhabitants.
Granted that the majority of the players gamble on the national lottery, esports betting is slowly carving its way into becoming an important part of the gambling ecosystem. This is because esports appeal to a younger audience than traditional sports, and this lucrative market is what esports betting sites are looking to tap into.
Between the ages of 18 and 35, it is fairly commonplace to follow esports games, and since the UK is a relatively prosperous nation, people have money to spend on their leisure.
Thanks to all these reasons, esports betting is on the rise in the United Kingdom, with millions of esports bets placed every year. According to the numbers, the platforms most used for esports betting are Unibet and Bet365, with live betting being the favorite type of bet for esports bettors. Even though these websites are not focused on video games, they are doing a good job of providing esports betting markets and competitive odds.
The last part of the puzzle to having a complete image of the esports betting scene in the UK is the COVID-19 pandemic. During the lockdowns, the interest in esports betting saw a massive increase, with one-third of the bettors in 2021 claiming they started betting because of the pandemic.
Even though the United Kingdom has some pretty strict online betting regulations, the environment is stable, and bookmakers know what they must do to join the betting world of the UK.
The Most Popular Esports In the UK
The United Kingdom is very diverse, with millions of people, each with their own likes and dislikes. When it comes to esports, though, there seems to be a consensus on what people enjoy, seeing how only a handful of esports are receiving the majority of viewership amongst all gamers.
The most popular esports in the UK are Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, Fortnite, Overwatch, FIFA, and Rocket League. All of these titles are famous worldwide, and the United Kingdom seems to be following the same trend as everyone else.
One thing that is out of the norm is the most famous esports professionals in the UK. Usually, the top players are playing CS:GO, LoL, or Dota 2, but this is not the case in this country. Instead, some of the most popular esports professionals are playing Fortnite and Call of Duty, which is not to say that they are not big games, but their esports scene is lacking compared to the big three.
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of Fortnite in the UK, you probably have heard of the name Jaden ‘Wolfiez’ Ashman, one of the world’s best and youngest Fortnite players. He wrote history at the Fortnite World Cup Finals of 2019 when he placed second and is the youngest-ever esports player to win a million dollars. Since then, his career has skyrocketed, and he has achieved international stardom.
Benjamin “Bance” Bance is another talented esports player born and raised in the United Kingdom. Bance has taken many Call of Duty esports events by storm, dominating as an SMG player and leading his team to multiple tournament titles, including the Call of Duty League 2021: Stage 2 Major. He has played for various esports organizations but has achieved most of his success coming on the Toronto Ultra roster.
The UK is not only home to professional players but also some of the most prominent esports organizations. The most famous one is Fnatic, which was founded in 2004 and has since then evolved into one of the industry’s most well-known professional gaming organizations. Even though it started in the UK, Fnatic has more than 20 rosters for all of the popular esports titles.
Another UK team that cannot be ignored is London Spitfire, owned by a prominent North American esports organization Cloud 9. The team was a force to be reckoned with and won the inaugural Overwatch League title.
Future of Esports Betting In the UK
Even though the UK is not the most active country in esports, it has seen tremendous growth in the last few years, tripling its revenue from 2017 to 2022. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that esports betting is the hottest gambling activity in the UK, with many new people joining the fun.
Even though the UK has one of the highest penetration of esports betting in Europe, there is still a lot of room to grow, with predictions estimating that esports betting might even overtake online casinos. However, that would be in a much longer time frame.
The United Kingdom also has no shortage of esports players influencing the UK’s youth toward this new form of entertainment.
How To Choose The Best Esports Betting Sites In the UK?
It can get tricky if you want to choose the best esports betting sites the UK has to offer since the options are too many, and at first glance, it is hard to distinguish between a good esports bookmaker and a bad one. However, there are a few key things that you can look for before choosing an online betting site.
In the United Kingdom especially, the first thing you should look for is a valid gambling license issued by the UK Gambling Commission. Any sportsbook that operates legally in this country must get a license issued in the UK. If you look at the website’s footer, there should be a clickable logo of the UKGC that takes you directly to its website, so you can double-check the validity of the license.
Another thing you can do to choose the best esports betting website is to ensure that the bookie has enough esports markets available to cover your betting needs. Since esports betting is about variety, a bookmaker with only basic betting options is not the best option. You should always look for multiple markets, especially on big matches, and ideally, some exotic bets to spice up your betting experience.
Additionally, the best esports bookmakers will always have exclusive promotions for the biggest esports events. These promotions can be deposit bonuses, bet insurance, free bets, and more. No need for huge bonuses since they can be difficult to obtain, just some small free bet stakes or bet credits that can give you something to look forward to.
How To Sign Up At A UK Esports Betting Site
Signing up at a UK esports betting site is as straightforward as it can be since the goal of any sportsbook is to make your betting experience as smooth as possible. You can go from deciding on an online gambling website to making your first bet in a few hours, even in a country with such tight restrictions on who can gamble.
The process you can follow to sign up is similar to most bookmakers, and it is usually completed with the following steps.
- Go to the domain of the website you prefer.
- Click on the sign-up button, usually located at the top right part of the website.
- Complete the registration process by providing all the necessary information the platform asks you.
- You are done!
Be aware that after you create an account, it might take some time before you can move on to depositing money into your account. Depending on the website, you might be asked to complete identity verification before you make a deposit. In both cases, you will need to provide proof that you are over 18 years old before you can start betting.
Payment Methods At UK Esports Betting Sites
The UK has always been at the spearhead of innovations, and it appears that the payment methods that British players prefer are strengthening that statement. The UK esports betting sites have moved fast to accept all of the modern payment methods while keeping the old ones always available.
Some of the most popular payment methods at UK esports betting sites are debit Cards (VISA, MasterCard, Maestro), e-wallets like PayPal, ecoPayz, Trustly, Apple Pay, Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, Zimpler, and cryptocurrencies. One notable exception is credit cards, which are not allowed as payment in UK gambling sites. This is done to protect the most vulnerable players at risk of gambling addiction.
The dominant and most popular payment method in UK esports betting sites are bank cards. In the whole UK, bank cards are used even more than cash, with more than 56% of the population using them for their day-to-day spending. Everybody has access to a debit card, and transactions are very easy to execute.
A form of payment that has gotten a lot of attention lately is e-wallets. Thanks to their ease of use and lightning-fast transactions, many British punters are using this method to fund their gambling. It is estimated that they can overtake the use of debit cards in the gambling industry.
Mobile Esports Betting & Betting Apps In The UK
Thanks to the ever-increasing performance capabilities of smartphones, most people prefer to use their mobile devices over computers. Most sportsbooks in the UK are aware of that for quite some time now and have taken steps to make sure that esports betting is accessible to anyone, no matter what device they want to use.
For casual bettors, who don’t spend too much time on their smartphone waiting for the perfect betting opportunity but still want to have the option, they can access most sportsbooks with a mobile browser. The website of any modern bookmaker will be optimized to work on mobile phones, and placing bets will be as easy as through a computer browser.
If, on the other hand, you want to be always ready to place bets, no matter where you are, then your best option is to find a gambling platform with a mobile betting application compatible with your phone. Thankfully, most high-quality sportsbooks already have one, and in some cases, it is even easier to use than the website. The betting application is a necessity for any big bettor and a nice extra feature for the casual player.
UK Esports Live Betting & Live Streaming
As one of the favorite types of betting in the UK, live betting is a whole new world compared to typical pre-match betting. Even though it is very common for the live esports betting markets to be limited, the excitement that comes from winning live bets is amazing.
Live betting can also be quite profitable if you have quick fingers. When you are paying close attention to the match and the odds that a bookie gives you, you can sometimes notice inconsistencies between the state of the game and the odds. As a result, you can make some pretty good bets without taking huge risks.
Don’t forget that live betting is not possible without a live stream of the match available, so you should make sure that the gambling site you choose hosts a live stream on the website, so you can focus on the game you want to bet on without any distractions. The positive for UK bettors is that there will almost always be a live stream in English, a privilege many other countries can enjoy.
How To Make A Winning Bet?
Once your account is ready and you can place esports bets, this is where the fun but also the difficulty begins. Betting is exciting, but you will have a better time if you are actually winning bets. Since we are talking about real-world money, making the correct decisions is important so you can profit from your bets.
Although it is not easy to make a winning bet, you can follow these steps to have the best shot at doing so.
- Only bet on matches between teams that you are familiar with. Taking your chances with random teams that you don’t know their background is not worth the risk. Do your research.
- Place the safest bets possible. Although this option can vary between different esports, with a quick Google search, you can find which betting market is the easiest to win.
- Avoid big accumulator bets. The payouts are really tempting, but acca betting with many options is very difficult to do, and you are probably going to lose money.
Although these steps are really simple, many esports bettors constantly ignore them, which is why they lose a lot of money. If you follow our tips, your risk will be minimized.
Is It Legal To Bet On Esports In the UK?
Esports betting in the UK is completely legal if you are over 18, and you can do so on any of the various betting platforms that offer odds for esports events. But the United Kingdom is not exactly a paradise for esports betting operators.
The UK was one of the first countries to make online betting legal through the Gambling Act 2005. Britain saw an opportunity to join a lucrative market and took it in 2005, although it is not easy for a sportsbook to operate in this country. The only way to legally do so is by obtaining a gambling license from the UK Gambling Commission.
The UGGC is renowned as one of the most secure licenses in the betting industry, but at the same time, it is complicated to acquire. Many of the newer betting sites don’t have the resources to get one, so they usually avoid trying to provide their services to British customers.
At least, you can be sure that if a website operates in the UK with a legitimate license, it has been through rigorous checks to ensure it can guarantee its customer safety and privacy.
How Much Tax Do You Pay On Gambling Winnings In the UK?
Here comes the good news. You pay no taxes on gambling winnings in the UK. Contrary to other countries, like Germany, in the UK, any winnings you might have from gambling activities are completely tax-free.
Of course, the United Kingdom still profits from gambling. It taxes the sportsbooks, and in the case of offshore providers, they have to pay a 15% duty.
UK Overview
Esports betting is set to break new records in the coming years, and the UK is at the center of this new betting trend. As a result, more and more bookmakers are offering their services to the British people, and the industry’s profits are on the rise.
Esports are quickly joining the mainstream, and gambling sites are becoming better at covering the needs of esports bettors. Live streaming, live betting, and mobile applications have become industry standards, and nowadays, it is easier to create an account and start betting.
If you want to take a quick look at the most important information about the UK esports betting ecosystem, the following points are a quick overview of everything concerning this system.
- The United Kingdom’s capital is London; the biggest cities are Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, and Edinburgh.
- English is the official language of the UK; however, people also speak Scottish, Welsh, and Irish.
- The official currency of the UK is the Pound sterling, while many esports bettors use bitcoin and Ethereum for their transactions.
- The most popular online payment methods available in the UK are debit cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies.
- Some of the most popular esports in the country are FIFA, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and Rocket League.
- The most popular esports players from the country are Benjamin “Bance” Bance (CoD), Jaden ‘Wolfiez’ Ashman (Fortnite), Donovan “TekKz” Hunt (FIFA), Alex “ALEX” McMeekin (CS:GO), and Kyle “Scrub Killa” Robertson (Rocket League).
- Some of the most popular esports competitions in the United Kingdom are ESL UK , Insomnia Gaming Festival, and the Epic.LAN
- The National University Esports League (NUEL) is Europe’s longest-running university tournament organizer.
- The Red Bull Gaming Sphere is a gaming and esports venue in the middle of London.
- The winnings from esports gambling are 100% tax-free.
Final Words
After reading our article, you should be equipped with all the knowledge to choose the correct esports betting site and join the hottest gambling industry in the UK. If you are a British citizen, you can have your account ready in just a few minutes, and a whole new world of entertainment will open up for you.
Don’t hesitate to create your account today, and if you follow all the advice we gave you, you are guaranteed to enjoy yourself on your journey of esports betting.
FAQ
Is esports betting legal in the UK?
Yes, esports betting is legal in the UK, and anyone can place bets without any problems. But you have to bet only on sportsbooks that are licensed by the UKGC.
What is the most popular betting site in the UK?
The most popular esports betting site in the UK is Bet365. As with many countries, Bet365 has attracted millions of customers thanks to its excellent marketing and tempting offers. In the UK alone, Bet365 has approximately 20 million monthly visitors.
Where can I bet on esports games?
You can bet on esports games in bookmakers like Midnite, Parimatch, and Stake. All of these websites are fully licensed, and trustworthy bookmakers with all esports betting features that a player will ever need.
Who regulated esports in the UK?
There is no regulatory body that is dedicated to esports in the UK. However, the British eSports Association is an independent organization that is dedicated to increasing awareness about esports and improving the standards of the industry.
