Online slot machines are one of the most popular casino games, and with good reason. They offer straightforward, action-packed and fast-paced gaming with the potential of big rewards, and hopefully even bigger jackpots.

But, in large part thanks to their popularity, numerous online casinos have popped up, claiming to offer the biggest and best selection of online slots. That’s where we come in. We’ve done the leg work to find what we believe are the very best slot sites that are worth your time and money.

We have followed a strict criteria when compiling our list, making sure each of the online casinos excelled in multiple arenas. Things like the variety and quality of online slots were key, and we were on the look out for exciting, creative and engaging graphics with stimulating gameplay from online slot games to play for real money.

Beyond the USP features we also paid attention to any slot-related welcome offers and bonuses that were up for grabs. We made sure to read the fine print in order to assess the value of each offer. And as always with all new casinos, we made sure all of our picks were properly licensed, legitimate and offered a variety of secure payment methods as well as responsible gambling resources.

So without further ado, below are our picks for the best slots online to play today.

Best online slots site for welcome offers: Vegas Wins

Promotional perks and bonuses can make a huge impact on the enjoyment of any online casino game, but especially online slot machines.

Vegas Wins gets off to a strong start, offering 650 online slots and weekly prizes, such as free spins via their Lucky Wheel.

However, it is their welcome offer that caught our eye with new users able to claim up to £500 in bonus funds and 150 free spins when they sign up.

The sign up offer works by matching your first deposit up to 100 per cent and the next two will be matched up to 50 per cent. Spins are gradually unlocked in one tranche of 100 and two 25 spin portions.

There aren’t too many restrictions built into Vegas Wins’ sign up offer, other than the the free spins must be used on one of the most popular slots online, Starburst, and any winnings from your free spins and bonus funds will need to be wagered 30x before they can be withdrawn.

Best online slots site for free spins: Betfred

The best friend of any online slots real money player is the free spin. You’ll find plenty of free spins available for online slots, but Betfred’s generosity when it comes to free spins is tough to beat.

Betfred’s welcome bonuses mean new players can begin their adventure by claiming up to 200 free spins on some of the best UK online slots, such as Age Of The Gods and Better Wilds, just by depositing and wagering £10.

Regular users of the UK slots site can also gain up to 200 free spins each and every week through a variety of Betfred casino promotions.

Opt into the Mystery Free Spins promotion and you can claim free spins to use on a variety of online slots with Betfred hosting online slot games from more than 20 different providers.

The Free Spins Acca lets you build up free spins, giving you one for every £10 you wager on slots, while Comp Points can be earned by playing any game at Betfred’s casino, including one of the 90-plus jackpot slots they have available.

Those points can then be turned into free spins, golden chips or cash.

Best online slots site for progressive jackpots: BetMGM

BetMGM is one of the new online casinos on this list having only launched in the UK in 2023.

But in a short space of time, the US casino giants have managed to build one of the biggest libraries of slot games with a whopping 1600 to choose from.

Many of those online slots are progressive jackpot titles and the chance to land a massive payout are why many casino players use online slot machines.

Players have a chance of winning a fortune through the site’s MGM Millions feature with the mega jackpot often standing at over £20 million.

For every 10p staked on one of the MGM Millions’ titles, 9p goes towards the jackpots, of which there are four different kinds.

Before embarking on any quests to win the biggest jackpot available playing UK slots, new customers to BetMGM casino can first enjoy 100 free spins on the popular title Big Bass Splash when they deposit and wager as little as £10.

Best online slots site for Megaways: PartyCasino

Slot fanatics will know the difference between regular slot games and Megaways, but for those not in the know, we’ve got you covered. Megaways operate the same way as your classic slot, using random number generators (RNG) and memory-free software to guarantee games remain fair, fun and unpredictable.

The difference is that with a Megaways slot game, there are more symbols, more reels, more outcomes and therefore more chances of success. Some Megaways games can have over 500,000 ways to win.

PartyCasino knows this all too well and have over 130 Megaway slot titles to choose from. The online casino has a strong track record of providing some of the best UK slots and often is one of the first places you can play new slots, including the latest Megaways games.

For those new to PartyCasino, you can claim up to £100 as a deposit bonus and 50 free spins on selected games.

Best online slots site for new slots: Pub Casino

Pub Casino launched in 2023 and already has an impressive collection of over 2000 UK slot games. But they aren’t resting on their laurels and continue to update their library, adding the latest online slots.

Pub Casino has slots from all the major providers such as NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Evolution Gaming and its extensive collection means they have themes that will appeal to most bettors.

Pub Casino’s sign up offer gives new customers a 100 per cent deposit match on their first deposit, up to £100. But any winnings generated from the bonus funds will carry a 40x wagering requirement.

Best slots app: Coral

These days, there can be very little difference in playing online slots on a desktop site or casino app and for those who prefer playing slots on their mobile may find Coral the best option.

The app houses over 3,400 of the best online slots and has received scores of 4.6 out of five on Apple’s App Store and 4.4 on Google Play from other users.

Online reviews detail the excellent functionality of Coral’s app across both Apple and Android platforms, while the navigation and game speeds were also of the highest standard.

The brand may be synonymous among sports betting sites, but Coral is far more than that now, and new users can test out the firm’s capabilities as a slots site extensively thanks to their £50 welcome bonus, which is unlocked after depositing and betting £10 or more.

How we rank online slots  

To ensure we recommend the very best online UK slots for our readers, we adhered to a strict criteria when assessing the contenders. We paid close attention to the quality and value of welcome offers, ensuring they were worthwhile and delivered on their promises.

The same also goes for any promotions and offers currently available to existing customers with our experts looking at whether they offered good value for money.

The variety and quality of the slot games themselves are taken into account. It’s not just about the size of an online casino’s slots library, but the quality of their collection and how often its updated.

Payment methods were of peak importance. All the slot machine sites we chose offer a wide range of secure payment methods that are speedy and convenient.

Customer service was another key area for UK slot sites to perform well in. If players have a problem, they should be able to get help quickly and have a choice of contact methods.

Our most important consideration when ranking online UK slots sites is licensing and their commitment to safer gambling practices

We ensured that every one of our recommended sites has a valid licence from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). This guarantees sites are regulated according to strict government policy and protect a customer’s personal and financial information.

Finally, we explored the responsible gambling practices of each online casino. We took a look at which safer gambling tools they offered, how much information they provided on gambling addiction and whether it was easy to get help via their platform.

Payment methods for online slots UK

There tend to be plenty of options available when it comes to selecting your preferred payment method on an online slots site. Essentially you want to make sure deposits and withdrawals are speedy and legitimate and that all exchanges are utterly secure.

Debit cards: The most widely accepted payment method on casino sites is debit card. Payments made by debit card tend to be reliable and are often processed quickly, although some online casinos can take a few business days to clear withdrawals.

E-wallets: Third-party sites and e-wallets offer speedy transactions with enhanced security as the middleman aspect means you are not sharing bank details with the casinos directly. However, e-wallet payments are rarely eligible for the welcome offer and PayPal casinos can sometimes charge a transaction fee.

Bank transfers: This method is particularly useful for high rollers who are transferring large sums of money, however, it is one of the slowest methods too, even at the fastest withdrawal casinos.

By phone bill: While pay by mobile casinos may sound a little strange, this can often be the quickest and easiest payment method. All you need to do is enter the deposit amount and your mobile number and the casino will send you a text message with a verification code. The issue with this method is you can’t make withdrawals and the deposit limit tends to be low.

Tips for playing online slots

We want to make sure our readers are ahead of the curb when it comes to playing online slots so we’ve laid out our top five tips for playing online slots in the UK.

Welcome bonus: These are a great way to get a head start on your game, often boosting your bankroll with deposit matches or handing you free spins. Always read the terms and conditions on any offer with wagering requirements as it can be tricky to turn a bonus into real cash if the wagering requirements are particularly high.

Practice: It’s important when playing any online casino game to make sure you’re familiar with the process before any stakes are introduced. We recommend practising online slots, either by using free online slots or by using any free spins that might be available to you first, before staking your own money.

Budget: Slots should be fun and entertaining, so the best way to keep it that way is by having a strict and realistic budget in mind. By being disciplined you are more likely to find that online slot games remain a positive and responsible experience

RTP: Refers to the casino phrase, ‘return to player’. The higher RTP a game has the better value for money the game is likely to be over a period of time. This is a great way to decide which slots you should invest in.

Promotions: Always seek out sites and games that offer you the most value for your money. Usually, this comes in the form of regular bonuses and offers. While welcome bonuses will be provided by almost every online slot site, existing customer promotions are less wide-spread. Free spins, profit boosts and deposit bonuses are promotions we suggest you check for at an online casino before signing up.

Online slot sites promotions and offers

These are some of our favourite promotions and offers that online slot sites are likely to offer you, so keep an eye out and make sure you’re getting the best deal possible:

Welcome bonus: You can expect to receive a welcome bonus when you first sign up to a new online slots site. All sites differ on the style of bonus, but most likely customers will receive free spins and/or a deposit match. Make sure to browse all our chosen sites to see which welcome offer suits you the best.

Free spins: Possibly the most common, and one of the most valuable, promotions are free spins. Somewhat self-explanatory, this is where a site gives you a certain number of free spins, usually as a welcome or when you complete an offer, such as bet £10 on a chosen slot and receive 10 free spins.

Deposit bonus: The casino will offer to match your deposit up to a certain amount, therefore giving you more funds to play with. Often offered to new and existing customers alike, this is usually one of the highest-value promotions. That being said, wagering requirements are often attached to a deposit bonus and can limit the value of such an offer.

Loyalty programmes: Regular online slots users can sometimes find they are rewarded with bonuses and offers via online casino loyalty schemes. Think of it like your casino Nectar card, collecting points that can be spent elsewhere. Once you have accumulated enough points they can be exchanged for other bonuses, like free spins and golden chips.

Cashback: Another offer to keep an eye on is cashback, which allows you to gain back a certain percentage of your losses. They are often paid out weekly and tend to range from between 10 and 20 per cent of your deposit losses in that week.

Responsible gambling

The best way to play online slots is to play responsibly. It is down to the casinos and online slot sites to follow the strict conditions and codes of practice as enforced by the UKGC to form a safe and enjoyable environment.

But it is also on the player to have a clear and reasonable understanding of their own limits, and when they have passed them. For those struggling with addiction or reckless playing, you can reach out for support and address your issue head-on. In the UK there are countless gambling addiction charities ready and prepared to help you with counselling, support groups and practical advice on how to help you gain your control back.

The Independent’s view on the best online slots

Using the information in this article, we hope readers can now make a well-informed decision when picking out the best UK online slots sites. Looking at the safest and most responsible gaming environments, all of our recommendations come with UKGC licensing and regulation.

We’ve got our personal favourites for various categories, but ultimately, which is the best UK slots site comes down to personal perference.

Be sure to work through our checklist when examining a potentially new online casino, looking at everything from the welcome offer through to customer support and responsible gambling