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New Casinos 2018

We are constantly updating our list of casinos with the newest online casinos in the UK. There are always new casinos emerging online and we scour the web to find them, so you don’t have to. 2018 is set to be an excellent year for UK online casinos with the industry rapidly growing; make sure you check in to Top Online UK Casinos to stay up to date with all of the new online casinos in 2018.

Mobile Phone Casinos

With the recent emergence of online mobile casinos, we have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of people gambling on-the-go. We have hand-picked a list of casinos with exceptional mobile platforms for you to enjoy the excitement of online casinos whether you’re in the comfort of your own home or out and about on your mobile phone; at Top Online UK Casinos we cater for all of your gambling needs. Most of our UK Casinos offer apps compatible with any Tablet or Mobile device, be it iOS or Android, so you can enjoy seamless gameplay from anywhere in the UK.

Real Money Casinos

Casino games are not quite the same without real money casinos, that’s why we only display the best casinos where you can stake and win real money. Whether you want to play roulette, blackjack or slots, you will be guaranteed the chance to win real money without list of UK Casinos.

History of Slots

Slot machines can be traced back to counter-top units of the late 19th century. Known as ‘trade stimulators’ these basic contraptions usually sat next to a cash register and dispensed fruit-flavoured confectionery (hence the cherry and melon symbols still used today).

The most famous of these trade simulators was the Guessing Bank, in which a coin was inserted, causing a dial to spin which then landed on a random number. A player that guessed the correct number before inserting the coin won a prize. Similar systems were devised by Chicago and New York Based companies in the 1890s. But instead of digits, the reels displayed playing cards.

The first slot machine that could offer automatic payouts was called the 3 for 1. Invented by John Lighton, it comprised a relatively simple mechanism featuring two coin channels. One led to the machine’s cash box, the other was fitted with a lever. When this lever was tripped, another two coins were released. Although fairly primitive, the 3 for 1 paved the way for automated payouts and a series of famous slot machines called the Bell variants.

The Bell Variants

The Card Bell and Liberty Bell were the first slot machines to offer automated payments. Invented by Charles Fey, the machines featured three reels instead of five. This reduction helped reduce the endless winning combinations making it easier for the machines to read a win. The Liberty Bell was also the first machine to include fruit symbols instead of playing cards or digits.

The popularity of the Liberty Bell led to mass imitations which continued well into the 1960s. However in 1963, the first electromechanical slot machine was introduced by Bally Entertainment. Known as the Money Honey, the machine featured a bottomless hopper which allowed for larger pay-outs as well as buttons instead of a lever. It became massively popular and led to the release of more sophisticated versions.

70s Electronica

By 1970, slot machines became fully electronic as manufacturers started to use solid-state circuitry. These eventually incorporated microprocessors to control internal mechanisms. But it was the introduction of a small computer called the random number generator which eventually did away with mechanically-triggered reels.

The RNG

Using pre-programmed formulas, the RNG offered a more sophisticated, dependable method for ensuring accurate RTPs. It also enabled manufacturers to include video screens and other interfaces to display reels.

The Fortune Coin Video Slot was the first to use these new features. It comprises a 19-inch video screen and made full use of RNGs and logic boards to control all of its internal functions. After a series of modifications it was eventually approved by the Nevada State Gaming Commission. Thus, the video slot era had begun which takes us right up to the present day.

Online Slot Game Variants

Gradual improvements in computer processing power and internet technologies have led to a huge proliferation of online casino slots. In the early years of online UK casinos, games had to be downloaded for play. Now, gamers can play online slots within their web browsers. There are generally four types of online slot games.

  • Classic Slots – based on the classic three-reel configuration with minimal pay-lines
  • Video Slots – feature-laden games with at least five reels, extra symbols, up to 100 pay-lines and extra bonus games
  • Progressive Slots – linked online slots offering large, pooled prizes taken from a shared pot of player prizes
  • Mobile Slots – slot games specifically developed for use on smart-phone/mobile devices, often featuring simplified game-play

Slot Machine/Online Slot Terminology

3-Reel/5-Reel – number of reels in a slot game

Auto-Spin – a function which enables player to spin game reels automatically

Bet – amount of cash wagered on a spin

Bonus Round – additional game which sometimes offers instant cash wins.

Branded Slots – famous TV/Movie tie-ins used for slot games.

Cascading Reels – feature in which winning reel combinations are replaced with symbols above

Classic – online slots based on traditional mechanical slot machines

Drops – a feature in which symbols fall into place on the game reels

Feature – the biggest bonus round offered by a slot game

Free-to-Play – slot games which can be played without staking money

Free Spins – free games that are activated by a bonus round

Fruit Machine – UK term for land-based slot machines

Gamble – featured which allows players to double their winnings on a single spin

Jackpot – biggest possible pay-out

Maximum Bet – biggest possible stake

Multi-Line – game featuring more than one pay-line

Nudge – bonus feature which allows players to move reels up or down

One-Armed Bandit – classic slot machine where the reels are spun by a side-lever

Online Slot – web-based slot game

Payline – a line of symbols that pay out a prize

Payout – money awarded by a slot for landing a winning combination

Pay Table – list of game payouts and rules

Penny Slots – small stake slot games

RNG – program which controls reel spins

Reels – vertical columns decorated with symbols

RTP – return to player, usually displayed in percentages

Scatter – symbol which pays out in combinations wherever it lands

Skill Bonus – bonus game requiring ‘skill’

Spin – moves the slot reels during a game

Stacked Symbols – identical symbols one on top of the other which usually covers the entire reel

Stacked Wilds – wild symbols one on top of the other

Symbols – icons which decorate slot reels

Wild – symbol that substitutes others to create winning combinations

Wild Multiplier – additional wild bonus

Slots Guide

Despite a dramatic rise in the amount of online casino games on offer, Slots has remained an integral part of the industry. Unlike the original arcade ‘fruit machines’, online slots come in a limitless variety of forms, from classic and TV themed games, to interactive I-slots and progressive jackpots. At Top Online UK Casinos we provide you with a number of bonuses, including free spins, so you can play to your heart’s content. With an incredible selection of slots on each of our advertised sites, you’re guaranteed to discover one you’ll love. Below, we’ve provided some brief slots descriptions. You can also learn more about the history of online casino slots and their mechanical counterparts.

3-Reel Slots

Based on the classic arcade fruit machines, 3-reel slots are the simplest of the long list of slot games. They consist of 3 rows and 3 columns (or reels), with the only payline running across the central row. If the payline matches a combination from the paytable, the result is a very happy customer. These simple slots are easy to understand and often a relaxing step back from the more complicated games offered.

I-Slots

I-Slots are a relatively new addition to the world of slots. This interactive version allows the player to create a storyline, or adventure, in which they can advance through the game and various bonus rounds with a sense of purpose. This exciting twist to a previously straightforward game will ensure that even the most demanding player is kept thoroughly entertained.

Video Slots

Also know as 5-reel slots, these are a more complicated version of the original 3-reel slot machines. With 5 Columns (reels) and a variety of different paylines, there are a greater number of winning combinations, improving the chances of victory as well as the overall experience. However, sensible bankroll management is necessary as the value of one turn can cost considerably more than the chosen stake.