Most Popular Casino Games in the UK

According to the Gambling Commission, the governmental body that regulates commercial gambling in Great Britain, the most popular casino games in the UK would be blackjack, dice, punto banco, roulette and three card poker.  Let's take a look at these games and how they are played.

Blackjack -  If you've done any kind of gambling before, you probably have played blackjack.  The goal is to get 21 or closer to 21 than the dealer.  The players are all dealt 2 cards facedown.  Usually the dealer deals himself one card face up but it is not against the rules to have them deal his first 2 cards at the start so it's up to the club.  If they do deal a second card at the outset, the second card will be facedown.  Players look at their cards and decide whether to take another card or to stand on what they have.  There are side bets and special things that can be  done such as "doubling" or the "splitting of pairs".

Dice - In America, this game is known as "craps" and it is a table game where  the shooter rolls a pair of dice down the table.  Players bet on the outcome of the roll as well as a series of rolls of the dice.  There are a number of betting possibilities with dice including line bets, single roll bets, multi-roll bets and player bets.  One thing that adds to the excitement of dice is that players not shooting may bet, as well as the shooter.

Punto banco - This is the name for one of the three most popular baccarat versions.  Baccarat is a very old game played with cards and is a popular casino game all over the world.  The punto banco variation is strictly a game of chance, so it is not generally hard to learn since no strategy is involved.  Baccarat is normally played in a separate area or room at the casino and is known as a high roller game.  Unlike most casino games, the dealing of the "shoe" is done by alternating players at the direction of the croupier.  There is also the mini/midi version of the game where the croupier would act as the dealer throughout the game.

Roulette - The black and red roulette wheel is well-known the world over and has always been one of the most popular casino games.  The wheel may have 37 or 38 numbered compartments, alternating red and black colors, depending on whether the version you are playing has just a zero or a double zero, as well.  A ball is spun around the wheel and bets are placed on where you think the ball will end up.  Bets can be on specific numbers, colors, odd/even  or low/high.

Three card poker - This newer gambling game was allowed in UK casinos in 2002 and it's popularity has soared.  A large part of the growing popularity is that it's an extremely easy game to learn since there are only 3 cards dealt and there are no draws.  Bets are the Ante, Play and Pair Plus wagers.

Check out the rankings for the most popular online casinos in the UK.