Top American Betting Sites for UK Players
Whilst UK players have numerous types of bookies not on Gamstop to choose from, each with their own distinct perks, many of the best American betting sites around, fit the bill as well. The main reasons boil down to instant playability, due to fewer identity checks, enhanced privacy and a wider range of sports betting markets compared to UKGC operators.
Popular Sports Available at USA Betting Sites Not on Gamstop
American betting sites have a rich and truly global sports offering, which enables Brits to quickly switch between the Premier League and the thrill of the NFL and NBA. Of course, some choices are better represented and more popular than others, such as football, rugby, tennis and horse racing:
🏅Football
Offshore US platforms open to UK players offer at least 2,000+ daily football events from prominent competitions like the World Cup and UEFA Champions League. For important matches, you’re looking at hundreds of betting options, including correct score, total fouls, most shots on target etc.
🏅Rugby
Since it’s such a celebrated sport in that part of the world, rugby also receives plenty of attention, particularly when it comes to the Six Nations Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The latter is known for gathering significant UK interest in recent years.
🏅Tennis
Brits can explore at least 100+ daily tennis events if they play on overseas sites, plus use unique prop bets, in addition to other beloved options like total games, match result and game handicap. Most grand slam tournaments are usually available, namely US Open and Wimbledon, alongside ATP and WTA.
🏅Horse Racing
US bookies not only feature horse races from their home country, but also from Asia, the Middle East, Australia and, of course, the UK. A live stream is frequently supplied if you’re logged in, and the core betting options are usually winner, place 1-2-3 and exact place.
Pros of USA Betting Sites
Still figuring out whether American online betting sites are the ideal option for you? Below, we’ll shed some light on their essential perks, especially in terms of payments, since credit cards and cryptocurrency are accepted, their promotional edge over local counterparts, with their amazing offering of bonuses and promotions, the fast and efficient registration processes and the great number of sites available.
✅Credit Cards Accepted
UKGC-licensed hubs have stopped allowing credit cards for gambling transactions since 2020. Offshore options, on the other hand, typically accept those issued by VISA, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. You can also expect high limits of up to $2,500 per deposit.
✅Easy and Fast Registration
US bookies have a super easy account set-up process, which only involves sharing a few personal details like full name, e-mail address, phone number and date of birth. Others make it even easier by letting you play anonymously through an app, only requiring a basic username before you can enter the lobby.
✅Cryptos Often Available
The vast majority of American betting sites offer crypto support and integrate numerous options like BTC, USDC, ETH and LTC. However, what makes them even more impressive is the lack of maximum transaction limits. If they exist, they’re still super high (e.g. $1,000,000).
✅Plenty of Bonuses and Promotions
Because they’re subjected to different regulations, US bookies usually display much bigger bonuses that UK players can also tap into, from registration packages to referral programs, weekly rebates, free bets, Combo Boost etc.
✅Multiple Choices of Sites
It’s a numbers game, too, and there’s no doubt that there are significantly more US-leaning bookmakers than local UKGC sites. If you also factor in their flexible KYC, payment variety and even the presence of exclusive content, your next choice becomes a no-brainer.
Cons of USA Betting Sites
Before you dive into the action of USA betting sites, you should also be aware that your international experience can come with a few pitfalls. These mainly refer to the lack of local currency support, the rather high withdrawal limits, the limited amount of no-deposit bonuses and potentially having a harder time resolving problems compared to a UKGC platform, but more on that below:
❌Withdrawal Limits
Whilst US bookmakers licensed in Panama, Curaçao or Anjouan have pretty high withdrawal limits, if you go for an independent site, you may have unpleasant surprises here. Some only allow you to cash out $500 per transaction, which is very restrictive.
❌Possible Lack of GBP
Because these hubs are open to the entire world, the UK is a secondary focus, meaning that they may not support GBP. This can translate into additional costs for Brits, including currency exchange, or the need to set up different accounts in USD or EUR.
❌Difficulty with Problem Resolution
With UKGC sites, it’s possible to escalate any unresolved issue you’ve had with a licensed brand and have the regulator look into it directly. However, not all international regulatory bodies allow that, so if you’ve had problems with a US bookie, your only option will be to tackle it with customer support or their internal complaints department.
❌Very Few No Deposit Bonuses
It’s not customary for US bookies to hand out no deposit rewards, as opposed to UKGC sites that will sometimes offer free spins or extra credit to try out the site. Another disadvantage is that the minimum deposit to qualify for bonuses can also be slightly higher abroad (e.g. $25).
USA vs UKGC Betting Sites
It’s time for the real showdown – in the next lines, we’ll put both options to the test to help you understand how they fare in terms of licensing, overall offer and betting options.
➡️USA Bookies
- Multiple licences – these sites may be approved by a host of offshore licensing authorities, including the government of Anjouan, Costa Rica or Panama, whilst UK platforms are solely approved by the UKGC
- Credit cards and Cryptocurrency Available – both of these payment methods are prevalent on US bookies, which can’t be said about UK counterparts due to differences in regulations and local policies
- Live Betting Available – in-play wagering is almost a default characteristic, since the overwhelming majority of US sites offers it for traditional sports, e-sports and racing. In addition, live streams and match animations are present
- No UKGC Restrictions – Brits no longer have to worry about Gamstop or UKGC restrictions on the Bonus Buy, Quickspin and Autoplay features at slots, because none of them are enforced internationally
➡️UKGC Bookies
- UKGC licence – The UK Gambling Commission is the sole regulatory body overseeing the UK market, meaning that residents can only choose from these brands, all of which are mandated to work with Gamstop, too.
- Debit Cards, PayPal, Pay by Phone – UKGC sites feature some payment methods that US-leaning ones rarely have, such as VISA/Mastercard debit cards, PayPal and different mobile payments systems (e.g. Apple Pay, Google Pay)
- Live Betting Offered – whilst some UKGC-approved platforms also allow live betting, there’s usually a bigger focus on local leagues, events and teams, and an inferior or inexistent coverage of certain global competitions
- Gamstop Restrictions – Once you’re a Gamstop member, if you keep your play session tied to the UK only, you can’t choose from any other local brand. You’ll be automatically flagged and not allowed to join, because all UKGC sites are signed up to Gamstop
How We Review the Best USA Betting Sites For UK Players
If you’d like to learn more about our vetting process of the top US bookies open to UK players, we’ll walk you through the key things we verify on your behalf. Our team pays close attention to the eligibility of British players, the number of markets and odds offered, the security and licensing and the variety of available payment methods. More information on these key factors can be found below.
⚡UK Players’ Eligibility
We manually check that UK players can join these USA betting sites, either directly, by selecting their country at registration, or through a VPN connection. If the latter applies, we confirm the bookie has a VPN-friendly stance by going through the T&Cs.
⚡Number of Markets & Odds
US bookies have a comprehensive range of betting markets as is, but we also zero in on the presence of specific ones that might hold interest for UK bettors as well, like moneyline, parlays, prop bets, over/under totals. For certain events and markets, US sites also offer more favourable odds so they can be conducive to better payouts.
⚡License
Even if they’re not approved by the UKGC, our recommended US bookmakers still hold operating licenses from other known regulators like Antigua & Barbuda, Costa Rica or Anjouan. Our team makes sure their license is in good standing as well.
⚡Variety of Banking Methods
At the very least, the US bookies suggested by us accept credit cards, bank wire transfer and various cryptocurrencies for payments, though other methods may also be supported on a case-by-case basis.
No, UK punters can’t register at all USA betting sites. If a bookie has the UK listed as a restricted jurisdiction, British players will not be accepted at the site.
Yes. There is no law that prohibits UK players from exploring international options outside of the UKGC’s reach, and that also applies to USA sites.
Yes, if your chosen bookmaker is licensed by a reliable regulator, has safe payment methods implemented and clear terms & conditions, you should have no security concerns when betting.
Yes, since some USA betting sites have GBP as one of the accepted currencies. Keep in mind though, that you’re much more likely to find EUR, USD or CAD, instead.
UK players will find a number of different payment methods available, with the most prevalent ones being credit cards, wire transfer and cryptocurrency.
Absolutely. There are usually many types of sports-specific bonuses advertised, such as free bets, deposit matches, cashback, 50% Combo Boosts etc.