Safe Betting Sites and How to Find Them

April 25, 2017

The online betting universe is a vastly unchartered territory which is packed with hundreds – and thousands even – different gambling and betting sites you can visit and invest your money at.

You can, but should you?

Blind trust is something that bettors should avoid as it is not necessarily mutual and with a good number of betting sites, you are likely to be tricked into trusting the operator, who ends up taking your money or in better case scenario simply disappointing you with unprofessionalism, unreliability and the total lack of trustworthiness.

There are several key elements that can help you identify the unsafe betting site and the first one is definitely slow cashouts. The less respectable bookies will have normal cash outs at first, money withdrawals that take no more than 2 or 3 weeks at first, but then the time starts to be prolonged until you can no longer take your money. The site can also look for all sorts of reasons not to pay you, while the customer support dodges your questions or simply does not answer your cries at all.

In order to avoid getting scammed for your money, you need to do a background check on a betting site and tick all the necessary boxes in order to call a betting site reliable and safe.

Referral & Reputation

Before you dig in the search yourself, have a listen to a couple of voices and do some asking around. The best way to get true and valid insight is to get a recommendation from people you trust. Ask the fellow bettors and you are likely to get a genuine answer whether a bookie can be trusted or not. Also, you can ask around online as there are plenty of places on the Internet where bookmakers will be rated and talked about.

This is how a reputation is built in the first place as it all depends on the feedback from customers. News travels fast through the Internet and any possible scam with a betting site will be quickly revealed as bettors like to lend a helping hand and assist fellow punters when it comes to avoiding certain places. Ultimately, no major player in the industry will risk angering its devoted customers and big names such as Bet365, Paddy Power, William Hill or BetVictor will do their best to keep their players happy and to earn rave reviews.

License and Regulation

Punters take this aspect somewhat too lightly, but a license is a great guarantee of a betting site’s safety. A betting operator with a valid gambling license issued by a recognized and respectable gaming authority is a big plus and a great guarantee that a betting site is legit.

Deposit & Withdrawal Methods

Always check to see whether a betting site boasts verified deposit and withdrawal methods. Banking is a serious business so you will need to have a bookie with your favourite money transfer method, one you can trust to do a good job with getting the money on and off your betting account.

Best 10 New Bookmakers

	£30	SIGN UP HERE
18+ New customers only. Place a £10+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0) within 14 days of sign-up. Get £30 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days on selected bets only. Free stake not returned with winnings. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
	£40	SIGN UP HERE
New customers only. Register 9–12 Apr 2026. Bet £/€5 at 2.0+ within 7 days to qualify. Get £/€10 Tote Credit + £/€10 Free Bet within 48h. First bet counts; void bets don’t. 7-day expiry. 18+. Selected customers. T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.
	10	SIGN UP HERE
100% Casino Bonus up to £100 (new players only), £10 min deposit, no max cash out, 40x wagering, £5 max bet with active bonus, eligibility restricted for suspected abuse, cashback unrestricted, Skrill & Neteller excluded, T&Cs apply. Free bet min odds 2.0; free bet value deducted from winnings.
	£10	SIGN UP HERE
18+ New Customers only. Place a £10+ bet at min odds 1/1 (2.0). Get £10 in Free Bets, valid for 7 days and must be used on acca with min 5 selections and min total odds of 2.0. Free stake not returned with winnings. Use code ACCA10 on signup. Bangers N'Cash rewards are a separate promotional scheme and must be opted into during the weekly promotional period via the BetWright Rewards Section T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org.
	£20	SIGN UP HERE
T&Cs apply. 18+ New customers only. You must place a £10+ single or multi bet. Min odds of 1/2 (1.50). Money back as £20 in free bets, 1 per account. Free bets credited by 5pm the day after your qualifying bet settles. Excludes specials, bet builders & cashed-out bets don’t count. Must use code B10G20 when creating an account.
	£10	SIGN UP HERE
*#ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New customers only. £10 in real money. Bets placed on sports at odds of 2.00 ore more to qualify. Bets must be placed 24 hours within of registration. £10 free bets must be wagered on sports. Cashback is cash without restrictions. - Full Terms Apply
	£50	SIGN UP HERE
18+ New players only. Opt-in and £20+ deposit required. Get a 100% bonus up to £50 on your first deposit. Use on sports bets at 1.75+ odds (excludes virtuals, boosts, handicap & DNB). Bonus and deposit carry 5x wagering; only bonus funds contribute. Valid 30 days. Affordability checks & T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org.
	£40	SIGN UP HERE
New customers: Deposit £10+ within 7 days and place a sports bet. Get 4 x £10 Free Bets (2 x £10 Bet Builders & 2 x £10 Sports Bet). Valid 7 days. Min odds apply. Excludes virtual sports, esports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 18+. T&Cs apply.
	£10	SIGN UP HERE
18+ \| New UK customers only. Place a £20+ bet with minimum 3 legs, min 2/1 and receive a £10 Free Bet. The Free Bet will be credited once your qualifying bet settles. Free Bet expires 7 days after being awarded. BeGambleAware.org \| T&Cs & Maximum Payouts apply.
	£20	SIGN UP HERE
New BetTom customers only, 18+. Register from 11/06/2026 and enter code WELCOME20 in My Bonuses. Place a £10+ bet at odds of 2.0+ within 24 hours of registration and receive 4 x £5 free bets (£20 total). Includes 1 Standard, 2 Bet Builder and 1 ACCA free bet. Free bets expire after 7 days. Sportsbook only. Minimum odds and wagering conditions apply. Cashed-out bets do not qualify. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.