Trusted Bookmakers – Who Can You Trust To Gamble With?

Knowing you are dealing with a trusted bookmaker is one of the most important aspects of gambling online. There are some key things to look out for to determine if a bookmaker can be trusted or not.

In 2014 the UK Gambling Commission passed a law through parliament that determines a strict code a practice and how players and punters should be treated online. The UK Gambling Commission has one of the strictest codes of practice and if you are dealing with a bookmaker that holds a UK license then you can be confident that they are a trustworthy bookmaker.

The UK Gambling Commission also states how the bookmaker should deal with problem gambling and what measures they must put in place to protect those that have identified themselves as being a problem gambler.

Some of the measures include self-exclusion, this where you can exclude yourself from all marketing material from an online bookmaker plus prevent yourself from being able to gamble why the self-exclusion is in place.

Another key safety feature of trusted bookmakers is allowing to set deposit limits on your account so that you cannot exceed these limits.

Another key aspect of a trusted bookmaker is third part arbitration, the job of the arbitrators is to ensure that if you have an issue with a particular bookmaker then you can raise your issue with them and they will act as a middle man to resolve the dispute. The two main organisations that act as arbitrators are IBAS & eCOGRA.

Best Trusted Bookmakers

We’ve listed below what we believe to be the most trusted bookmakers, who they are licensed with, where their headquarters and held and what 3rd party arbitrator they are affiliated to.

  • 888sport – established in 1997 with their head offices located in Gibraltar 888sport are one of the oldest and most trusted bookmakers. They hold a UK license and eCOGRA accredited. Take a look at the 888 Sport Offers.
  • 32Red – 32red has its HQ in Gibraltar and was established in 2002. They also hold a UK license and therefore are a trusted bookmaker. Checkout the 32red offers.
  • Bet365 – they are probably the best know and most trusted bookmaker and one of the few betting companies to base their headquarters out of the UK. Their HQ is located in Stoke and was established in 2000. They are IBAS accredited as well as holding a UK Gambling License.
  • BetBull – are based out of Malta, UK Licensed and also IBAS accredited. The site is still relatively new after being established in 2017.
  • Betfair – have their head offices in London and as well as being UK Licensed they are also IBAS accredited. Check out the Betfair free bet offers.
  • Betfred – have been established since 1967 and one of the oldest bookmakers around. They are based in Warrington UK, hold a UKGC license and are IBAS accredited. Checkout out these Betfred Offers.
  • Betsafe (Betsson) – is one of the oldest bookmakers around having established themselves back in 1963 and are based out of Sweden. They are a UKGC license holder and are IBAS affiliated. Check out the betsafe promotions if you’d like more information.
  • BetVictor – was established in 1946 and is based out of Gibraltar and holds a UKGC licensed. They are also affiliated with IBAS. Find out more about BetVictor.
  • Betway – are based in Malta and are a well trusted and respected betting site. They were established in 2006 and hold UK Gambling certification as well as eCOGRA certification & IBAS.  Check out Betway betting offers.
  • Black Type – are based in London and have a UKGC License as well as being affiliated with IBAS. They are relatively new having only established in 2016 but why not check out the Black Type promotions.
  • Bwin – was established in 1997 and have become one of the biggest bookmakers in the UK. They are based from Gibralter and hold a UKGC License as well as an eCOGRA certification. Claim a Bwin free bet today.
  • Coral – are as well know on the high street as they are online. Established in 1926 and they hold a UKGC license as well as IBAS certification. They are based in Nottingham in the UK. You can claim a Coral free bet by signing up for an account.
  • Dafabet – are based in the Philipines and started in 2004. They hold IBAS certification as well as a UK Gambling Commission license.
  • Genting Bet – are based in Malaysia and established themselves back in 1965. Currently holding a UK license as well as IBAS certification, they are a well respected and trusted bookmaker. You can claim a Genting Bet free bet today.
  • Jetbull – are licenced by the Malta Gaming Authority which although may not be as well respected as the UKGC it’s still a leading betting licensing company. The site was established in 2015, you can learn more about the Jetbull bonuses that they offer.
  • Ladbrokes – widely known and well respected due to their high street shops in the UK, Ladbrokes are one of the oldest betting companies in the world having been established way back in 1886. They also hold an IBAS certification. Ladbrokes also offer a free bet promotion for new customers.
  • LeoVegas – started in 2011 and is based in Malta and licensed under the UK Gambling Commission. You can view the Leo Vegas promotions to see what offers you can get by signing up for an account with them.
  • LV Bet – another trusted betting site that started in 2016 based from Malta. They hold a UK license and have some great sign up offers and promotions.
  • Mr Green – another sports betting company that is based out of Malta. Established in 2007 Mr Green has been around long enough to build up a decent reputation during that time. They also hold the well respected UKGC license. Find out more Mr Green Sportsbook promotions.
  • PaddyPower – started up in 1988 and are based out of Ireland. A UKGC license holder as well as being IBAS accredited. Paddy Power ticks all the boxes to make them a secure and trusted bookmaker. Claim a great Paddy Power welcome bonus today.
  • PokerStars – since starting up in 2001 they have become one of the leading Poker sites in the world. They are based from the Isle of Man and hold a UKGC license, see what PokerStars bonuses are available.
  • RaceBets – are an online bookmaker based out of Malta with a UKGC license. Established in 2009 they are an established and trusted online bookmaker. See the current bonuses and offers for April 2024.
  • Royal Panda – are another Malta based bookmaker that has a license with the MGA and was established in 2014. Check out these Royal Panda bonuses.
  • Sporting Index – established in 1992 the London based bookmaker holds an IBAS certification as well as a UKGC License. Why not check out the Sporting Index free bet promotions to see what offers they have.
  • Sportingbet – are a UK based bookmaker that was established in 1997. They hold a UK Gambling License as well as an IBAS certification. They also have a very generous signup bonus if you open an account today.
  • SpreadEx – established in 1999 are based out of St Albans in the UK. They currently hold a UK license for gambling, check out their offers and promotions.
  • Unibet – is a Malta based bookmaker that holds a UK Gambling License as well as an eCOGRA certification. They were established back in 1997 so have a long history in providing sport betting services. Find out more about the current Unibet offers and promotions.
  • VBET – based out of Malta they hold IBAS certification as well as a UKGC License. The site was established in 2014 so has been around a good number of years and in that time built a solid reputation as a trustworthy bookmaker. You can take a look at the VBET free bet promotions for April 2024.

Bookmakers Licensing

One of the best ways to check whether a bookmaker is trusted is by the license that they hold. The UK Gambling Commission is widely regarded as the most respected and strictest gambling authority so if a betting site holds a UK license you can open an account with them safe in the knowledge that they have met the highest standards in the industry in order to get a license.

The betting site will display a link to their license in the footer.

Problem Gambling Support

Problem gambling is a serious matter and as part of holding a gambling license, the betting company must have processes and procedures in place to deal with problem gamblers. One of the ways you can tell if a website is trusted is by the

About Joe Kizlauskas

Joe is a seasoned iGaming copywriter and speaker who has been in the business since 2015. He's written more words on all elements of Casinos, Slots, Bingo & Sports Betting than he likes to remember, and he's contributed material to a number of well-known brands. Joe may be seen playing 5 a side, at the gym or playing games on his Playstation when he is not writing.