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About Independent Betting: Meet Our Team of Gambling Experts

Read up on the team behind our betting and gaming analysis for reassurance on why The Independent's recommendations can be trusted
About Independent Betting: Meet Our Team of Gambling Experts

About Us

The editorial team behind The Independent’s betting and gaming section has a huge amount of experience in the gambling industry across sportsbooks, casinos, poker and more. 

Between us, we’ve reviewed hundreds of operators and picked many winners along the way, but our primary mission is to keep you as the punter informed, helping you make a confident decision when signing up to a licensed operator.

Our experts have responsible gambling at the forefront of their thoughts, with only fully licensed operators considered for review.


Learn more about how The Independent betting team rates and reviews the best betting sites and best online casinos with rigorous editorial standards:


Meet The Team

Editor-in-Chief

Jamie Casey

Jamie Casey is a former sports journalist who has also worked for online bookmakers Sky Bet and Unibet. He specialises in sports betting editorial and leads the team behind The Independent’s betting section.

His work has appeared across several major publications in the UK and Ireland such as Sky Sports, Sporting Life, The Irish Times and The Irish Post. 

Jamie Casey 367 Rounded

Editor

Chris Rivers

Having previously worked for the Racing Post for three years, Chris Rivers is a sports betting and gaming specialist with a keen eye for rugby betting tips

By no means limited to rugby union, Chris can also be found handing out betting advice on NFL, football and boxing. His varied career in sports has also taken in spells as a broadcaster having been a football commentator and a video journalist in former roles.

Chris Rivers 367

Writers

Simon Sinclair

Having previously been a reporter for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Simon Sinclair knows a thing or two about cricket. He has also produced an abundance of content for operators such as Betway and 888sport, making him well-placed to play a leading role in our editorial output. 

Having also worked as a sports writer for Goal.com and Yahoo Sports, Simon is proficient in NFL, NBA and football betting coverage, while he also dabbles with a bit of casino advice. 

Simon Sinclair Gambling Expert

James Boyle

James Boyle is our slots expert and resident racing tipster having previously provided his services for the likes of the Racing Post and RacingFM. 

His horse racing tips can be found on The Independent throughout the Flat and National Hunt seasons and his betting advice caters to those who prefer a long shot rather than a short-priced favourite.

James Boyle Gambling Expert

Kevin Walsh

Kevin Walsh is our Commercial Writer who specialises in finding our readers the best bonuses, promo codes and welcome offers across sport, casino and poker. 

He has written for many top publications, with horse racing, football and darts being his main areas of sporting expertise. 

Kevin Walsh Gambling Expert

Contributors

Andrew Beasley

Andrew Beasley is a widely published football writer and voluntary numbers enthusiast. His love of stats provides him with a wealth of insight which can be applied to betting. He provides football betting tips for The Independent.

Andrew Beasley

Matthew Glazier

Matthew Glazier is a seasoned veteran of the online betting industry, having cut his teeth at Sporting Index before a spell at Betfair. 

He was also Head of Marketing at bet365 for several years. Matthew provides betting and gaming advice for readers of The Independent.

Greg Lea

A London-based football specialist, Greg Lea has written for multiple top publications, including The Guardian, ESPN and the Sportsman, with coverage of the Premier League, Champions League and Fifa World Cup. He contributes Premier League betting tips to The Independent.

Graham Ruthven

Graham Ruthven is a football writer and podcaster who has worked for The Guardian, New York Times, Eurosport and many others. 

He boasts an extensive knowledge of global football and has been a betting tipster for many years.

Paul Millward

Paul has been professionally involved with sports betting since joining the Racing Post in 1986. 

Although greyhound betting is his main passion, he has written thousands of articles on a wide range of sports from a betting perspective.

 

Why you can trust us

Independent

We aim to offer every online gambler a safe and fair platform through unbiased, independent reviews of the UK’s best online gambling companies.

On each review, our experts conduct in-depth first-hand experience as a genuine user by signing up for each operator, depositing and withdrawing real money.

Our editorial independence is backed by the weight of one of the world's leading online gambling affiliates, Gambling.com Group.

Gambling.com Group have won several awards in the gambling affiliate industry for sports and casino, including EGR Global’s Affiliate of the Year, SBC Europe’s Casino Affiliate of the Year and SBC North America’s Sports and Casino Affiliate of the Year.

Neither Gambling.com Group nor any gambling operator determines if we cover, feature or review an operator in our betting guides.

Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above any outside influence.

All articles published on the Independent betting section are reviewed by industry experts and diligently sub-edited by The Independent editorial team.

Industry experts

Our team of expert reviewers consists of experienced gamblers who know precisely what to look for.

By signing up as a new user, each review is evaluated from a real user’s perspective.

Each one of our reviewers has multiple years of experience as either a respected journalist or product expert on the topic.

Take Jamie, Kevin and James who have each been working in the gambling industry for well over 10 years with some of the top-tier gambling-related broadcasters and operators.

You can be confident that all our our reviews speak to both you as a user, but are also peer-reviewed and fact-checked by our gambling experts for accuracy.

Strict editorial review policy

  1. One of our betting experts will conduct their own original research by signing up to either the betting site or casino as a new user using a new real account.
  2. Our expert staff members will then vigorously rate the site or app through our rigorous testing criteria that focus on important decision-making factors.
  3. Our experienced writers will then write up the review, comparing and contrasting the results as well as detailing the benefits and drawbacks of each operator.
  4. Our chief editor, Jamie Casey, will then thoroughly edit to ensure a fair and unbiased review.
  5. Karl Matchett, Assistant Sports Editor for The Independent, will then sub-edit each review before it gets published. 

Security

Before even considering recommending a casino or betting site, we will confirm that the product is available to the UK public and the operator is licenced by the The UK Gambling Commission.

Privacy

At The Independent, we take your privacy seriously, which is why we adhere to a strict privacy policy and cookie policy

Similarly, when it comes to any bonus offers that gambling operators may run, there are a number of terms and conditions we abide by.

Affiliate Disclosure

We pride ourselves in the precision and honesty of our content to our readers.

We do not accept funds from betting or casino sites to be featured in our reviews.

All reviews are independently tested, reviewed and featured and adhere to our editorial code of conduct.

For operators featured in our reviews or betting tips, we use affiliate links to their websites, generally as a bonus or new user offer. 

If you click on those links and sign up for the offer, we may receive compensation.

Independent Betting does not offer any gambling services itself and generates revenue by sending new depositing customers to regulated UK gambling sites.

The revenue we make helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Our promise to you

  • We do not take payment for casino or betting reviews. 
  • We select operators for review based on what we believe our readers want to know.
  • We'll tell you what we think and will give our view, not what advertisers want you to hear.
  • Our expert reviewers are gamblers and will give you their honest, unbiased opinion.
  • If a casino or betting site at any point, even after publishing, doesn't meet our high standards, we will remove them from our operator lists as well as remove them from our guides.
  • For every casino review, we will sign up as new users in real life, depositing, placing bets and withdrawing real money.
  • If you think we're not living up to our promise, please email the managing editor ([email protected]), and we'll endeavour to correct it.

Get in touch

If you have any comments or complaints and want to get in touch, please do so by emailing us at: [email protected].  

You can also email [email protected] who can further assist you.

The Independent is a digital-first publication. However, please find our address below if you would like to write to us.

Address:

Independent Digital News and Media Limited

The Independent

Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square

London EC2A 1AH

United Kingdom

Want to advertise with us? Read more about advertising opportunities.

 

 

  1. New customers only. Register (excl. 13/04/24) with WELCOME50. First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get Free Bets: £20 In-Play, £20 Acca & 50 x £0.20 (£10) Extra Spins on Fishin’ Frenzy within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
  2. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. T&C Apply. Play Responsibly. Full Terms Apply. - Full Terms Apply
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  4. New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
  5. New customers online only. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min stake on racing pools (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place) placed within 7 days of registration. Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sportsbook Bet and 50 Extra Spins on selected game within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the bet-slip. 18+.  Full T&Cs apply. http://gambleaware.org.
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  7. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Plus Best Odds On All Premier League Matches(fixed odds Match Odds, pre-match v top 5 bookies on Oddschecker)
  8. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New Customers only. Must have a minimum of 3 bets of £10 or more on separate events at odds of evens (2.0) or bigger on first day. First day losses equals all settled stakes less all returns. T&C's apply.
  9. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New Customers Only. Max one £20 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1(2.00) or greater. Paid as Bonus Token with Min 4/5(180) Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible.BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs Apply
  10. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. Min £10 deposit and bet on odds 1/1 or greater required. deposits via Paypal, Neteller, Pasafe, Skrill or Skrill 1-Tap will not be eligible for any free bet offer. Extra bet and bonus spins issued within 24 hours of quailfying bet being settled. Extra bet valid for 14 days, stake not returned. Bonus spins valid for 24 hours, selected games only.
  11. 18+ begambleaware.org, T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. Skrill/Neteller deposits excl. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play. Max. extra winnings £100.
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  13. 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10  on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit card / Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
  14. If your account has Sportsbook losses at the end of your first day's betting, QuinnBet will refund 50% of your losses as a Free Bet up to £35 (min 3 bets) Plus 10 Free online casino spins at QuinnCasino. Even if your account is up, you're guaranteed a £5 Free Bet Plus 10 Extra Spins provided you place at least 1 bet of £10 or greater at the minimum odds. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org | Gamble Responsibly
  15. Place a qualifying £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. A first free £10 fixed odds bet will be credited upon settlement of the qualifying bet. The second free £10 fixed odds bets will be added to your account on the following day. Free bets must be claimed within 28 days of opening. Free bet stake not included in any winnings. Ts&Cs Apply. 18+ begambleaware.org
  16. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. New players only. Min £20 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1x wagering the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion £200. Valid for 7 days from issue. Withdrawal request voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill & Neteller deposits.
  17. This promotion is valid for new UK Fafa customers aged 18 years and over who have yet to avail of a FafaSports Welcome Offer and register after the start date. Start from 00:01 on 15/02/2023. A "Qualifying Bet" is a first settled real money single or multiple bet of £10.00 or more placed at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater.You will then be credited with a £5 Free Bet +£5 Casino Bonus 24 hours after your Qualifying Bet has been settled. T&C's apply.
  18. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. new customers only. Min. deposit of £10. Qualifying real money bet of £10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer awarded immediately but could be issued the next working day in exceptional circumstances such as technical fault. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.
  19. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration Required. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply. - Full Terms Apply
  20. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. T&Cs Apply.
  21. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 17.10.2022. 3x £10 free bets. Free bets expire after 30 days. New customers signing up through mobile or tablet device only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #ad
  22. This promotion is for new customers only. Customers must be 18+. Customers must residents of the UK/IE. Sign Up using the promo code b25g10fb and make a minimum deposit of £25. Place a minimum £25 bet on any selection with minimum odds of evens (2.0) and receive a £10 free bet upon bet settlement. Only customers signing up through a recognized affiliate partner will be eligible for this promotion.T&C's apply
  23. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New customers only. Available once per household. Max. FreeBet amount: £10 Minimum Deposit and wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is: £10 Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the free bet. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of £10 or more. Offer only applies to players who are residents of United Kingdom and Ireland.
  24. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New Players only. Max. Free Bet Token amount: £15.Minimum Deposit: £15. Minimum wagering on Sport to activate the Free Bet Token: £15
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  26. New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+
  27. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. GambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction . new player only, 1st deposit, min deposit £15, Max £10 Free Bet valid for 14 days, Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller, Skrill and Payapl not eligible. T&C apply.
  28. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. New customers. Max £10. 200% Odds Boost Token. Keep it fun - set your deposit limit. T&Cs apply.
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  31. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible.
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  34. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £10 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs Apply
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  38. #ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Begambleaware.org. new player only, 1st deposit, min deposit £15, Max £10 Free Bet valid for 14 days, Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller, Skrill and Payapl not eligible. T&C apply.
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  40. Terms: 18+ New customers only. Opt in, and bet £10 on football markets (odds 2.00+). No cash out. Get 6x£5 football free bets at specified odds for set markets, which expire after 7 days. Offer valid from 12:00 UK Time on 25/08/2023. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
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Jamie Casey for independent.co.uk

Updated by

Jamie Casey

Last Updated: 3rd May 2024, 04:17 PM

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This content was created in association with Gambling.com Group. We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews of the UK's best online gambling companies. The Independent editorial team fact-checks and diligently sub-edits each article published in Independent Betting. Read more about our partnership with the world's leading online gambling affiliate and our review process.
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Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
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Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.