Best Online Poker Sites for UK Players in 2025
Due to the regulatory framework established by the UKGC, UK online poker gamblers are fairly protected. If the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has licensed a poker site, it has the legal right to operate, and it is safe for players.
In 2025, most mainstream poker rooms like PokerStars, GGPoker, and 888poker still run under UKGC regulations. There are lesser known poker sites such as CoinPoker or Champion Poker that do not have UK licenses and only offer crypto games.
In today’s comparison, we look at three options popular for UK players; Unibet, CoinPoker and Champion Poker.
How These Poker Rooms Operate in the UK
The UK poker websites can be broadly classified into 2 types, UKGC licensed casino sites and offshore crypto sites. For beginners who ask how to play online poker in UK, the choice is between a regulated market with consumer protections, or offshore platforms with crypto freedom.
Unibet is 100% compliant with UK law, implementing KYC across the board and offering responsible gaming tools and traditional payment methods. A regulated environment that ensures player protection and speedy dispute resolution.
In comparison, CoinPoker and Champion Poker do not hold UK licenses as they are offshore sites. They use crypto infrastructure, do not need KYC and provide instant access to the games. These sites completely avoid UK regulation. As a result, it means no local support or consumer protection. Both rooms, however, have carved out an excellent track record over the years and have their own responsive support teams, so players do not generally face problems on this front. But, it does mean total freedom for players comfortable with crypto and wanting to play poker with fewer restrictions.
Your priorities determine the choices between the two models; Structure and security versus privacy and ease of access. Is online poker legal in UK? The answer is yes — but only for licensed operators. Offshore sites still operate, yet without the same guarantees.
Poker Site Overviews for UK Players
Unibet Poker
Unibet is fully licensed in the UK and aims for recreational players. As a result, it has soft tables and a modern interface. No HUDs, no tracking software — just simplified poker. The site has anonymous tables, limited multi-tabling and regular low-stakes MTTs and SNGs.
KYC is required, but onboarding is smooth. You can quickly withdraw real money through PayPal and bank transfer. You can also deposit real money using all major cards and Trustly.
CoinPoker
An unlicensed but fully accessible crypto poker room. CoinPoker is a site that runs completely on blockchain tech and uses USDT (a cryptocurrency) as the in-game currency. The site offers a 150% deposit bonus to newly registered players up to a maximum of $2,000.
No KYC, no regional limitations, and everything is done in crypto, usually processed within an hour. Network activity is decent, but not on par with Europe's major networks and tables.
Champion Poker
Champion Poker is a low-key room that always maintains a steady pool of users. It's not crypto-only: the cashier supports Visa/Mastercard, Skrill/Neteller, bank transfer, and (in some regions) Apple Pay/Google Pay, alongside BTC and USDT; ETH/USDC and other crypto are available too. You can register quickly and create an account without KYC. However, you will need to verify your identity to withdraw. The software is somewhat basic but works well, and they run a lot of small-field MTTs and cash games on the site. The room is licensed in Curaçao, yet accessible from the UK.
Final Thoughts
When choosing between the best poker websites in 2025, for UK players it comes down to security versus freedom. Unibet represents the regulated option with full UKGC oversight, while CoinPoker and Champion Poker offer alternatives outside the UK framework. No matter your preference, there are plenty of opportunities to play poker online in a way that suits your style.
