What are the rules of blackjack?

While the rules can vary slightly depending on which variation you play, at its core it's a game about beating the dealer as you both strive for the best hand, worth 21.

Is it safe to play blackjack at a casino online?

You can rest assured that playing blackjack online is safe and secure at the best online casinos. These are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, making them among the best online blackjack sites in the world.

Can I play blackjack on mobile?

You can definitely play blackjack on any modern smartphone or tablet.

Best Blackjack Online Casinos in the UK 2025

Best UK Casino Sites in January 2025

How to Play Blackjack Online at UK Casinos

Blackjack has evolved over the centuries from a card game that originated in the 17th century to one of the most popular games at UK online casinos.

While today there are numerous online blackjack real money variants, at its core it’s a very simple game that involves trying to beat the dealer by getting a hand worth closer to 21 without going bust. The best hand is known as ‘blackjack’ or ‘natural’, and comprises an ace and a 10-value card. It’s an instant win in all blackjack variants.

In a blackjack online game, you set your bet amount and wait for you and the dealer to be dealt cards. You then have the following options depending on the variant you’re playing:
Hit: Add another card to your hand. You can keep hitting in online blackjack until the value of your hand exceeds 21 or you decide to stand.
Stand: Submit your hand for that round.
Split: If you’re dealt a pair of cards, you can double your bet to split it into two separate hands. This is often recommended if you’re dealt a pair of 7s or 8s.
Double down: You can double your wager to get a third and final card for your hand. This is suggested if you’re initially dealt a hand worth 10 or 11.
Insurance bet: If the dealer’s face-up card is an ace, you can place an insurance bet worth half of your original bet if you think they have blackjack.
Surrender: Some blackjack variants incorporate the surrender rule, which allows you to fold your hand and receive half of your wager back. This is a good option if you have a bad starting hand.
Side bet: Some blackjack online games allow you to wager side bets, which reward special payouts if you and/or the dealer are dealt certain cards.

Playing online blackjack for real money relies on making the right moves to beat the dealer. Unlike other table games such as roulette, you can rely on probability to help you out and make decisions based on what’s most likely to happen. Learning basic blackjack strategy is recommended if you want to play at blackjack online casinos.

Find the Best Blackjack Online Variation for You

Top Blackjack Strategy Guide Online Casino

Ensure that your 21 means the most! Find out more about online blackjack and pick up tips and tricks from our comprehensive blackjack strategy guides.

Top Guide to Card Counting Online Casino

If you have been playing a while and want to learn a few tricks, our card counting guide will be right up your alley.

With Multi-Hand blackjack, an exciting variant, you can play up to five hands at once, giving you the opportunity to win numerous hands at once.

This game pays even money on 21 and allows players to double their bet after the dealer reveals his cards. A side bet pays if the dealer busts.

The British variant Pontoon uses terms 'twist' for 'hit', 'stick' for 'stand' and 'stand' for 'double down'. Other versions offer small rule changes.

With Atlantic City blackjack, from Microgaming, the dealer always hits at 16 or less and always stands at 17. There's a 'Late Surrender' option too.

Spanish 21 allows players to double down and split numerous times and to make a “Match the Dealer” side bet. All 10s are removed from the deck.

Double Exposure is a variant where the dealer gets two up-front cards. This gives the player an edge but they have no surrender or insurance options.

Blackjack Switch is a variant that deals two hands to both sides. At the start, the player can switch the two top cards between the two dealt hands.

In Super Fun 21 the player wins if his hand shows six or more cards with a total of 21. Splits can happen four times and double downs at any point.

How We Choose the Best Online Blackjack Casinos

Our team of experts is dedicated to finding you the very best places to play online blackjack in the UK. We evaluate online blackjack casinos using various criteria in our casino reviews, including:

Great blackjack games: Naturally, any good blackjack casino needs to have the best blackjack online games. These should include numerous well-known variants, both RNG and live dealer titles, and options to suit all player budgets.
Valid licensing: We only recommend an online casino for blackjack if it’s licensed by recognised industry bodies such as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and Malta Gaming Authority (MGA).
Generous bonuses: The best sites offer chances to boost your bankroll when you’re playing online blackjack for real money with casino bonuses such as deposit matches and no deposit offers.
Convenient payment methods: Depositing and withdrawing money at the best online blackjack sites is easy, as they accept numerous popular and easy-to-use banking methods.

What are the Different Blackjack Online Variations?

There are many different types of blackjack online game you can play at UK casinos. The most common include the following:

European blackjack: This is widely considered to be the standard variant for online blackjack, whereby the dealer is initially dealt one card and stands on a soft 17, and getting blackjack pays out 3:2. You can also double down after splitting in European blackjack.
American blackjack: In this version, the dealer initially gets two cards, of which one is face up, and they can check whether they have blackjack if it’s an ace.
Atlantic City blackjack: This variant allows you to surrender and get half your bet back if you don’t think you can beat the dealer with your hand. As a result, it has a higher RTP than some other online blackjack variants.
Blackjack Switch: This involves playing with two hands rather than one, with the option to switch the second card from both hands to improve your odds of winning.
Multi-hand blackjack: Some blackjack online games let you play with several hands at once. This gives you more chances to beat the dealer, but also requires you to wager more money in each round.
Live blackjack: Blackjack online casinos also have live blackjack games, that let you play against human dealers streamed in real time from purpose-built studios. Live blackjack games can involve hundreds of players at once, who can communicate with each other during gameplay via live chat features.

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Play Blackjack Online for Free

Many online blackjack casinos have free games, whereby you can play blackjack titles without having to bet real money wagers. Playing free online blackjack can be very beneficial if you’re a novice player, as it enables you try out different blackjack games and practise your skills and strategy with no financial risk.

It also offers the chance to simply play blackjack online for fun. No matter why you may choose to play free online blackjack, there are plenty of blackjack online casinos that have demo and free play versions of popular blackjack games, such as Fun Casino, meaning you can enjoy all the thrills without having to worry about losing money.

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Blackjack Online at Mobile Casinos

If you’re a fan of gambling on the move, the good news is you can play blackjack online for real money anytime, anyplace thanks to mobile casinos. Top UK mobile casinos are home to online blackjack games, which utilise HTML5 technology to run smoothly and quickly on smartphones, plus occasional exclusive bonuses for blackjack players.

The best part is that playing mobile blackjack is straightforward. Simply head to your casino’s mobile site on your smartphone internet browser or download its casino app from your mobile app store if it has one for iPhone or Android.

Conclusion: Play Blackjack Online at the Best UK Casinos

If you want to play blackjack online for real money at the best online blackjack sites, you’re certainly not short of options. That’s why we've highlighted the top-rated blackjack casinos for UK players according to our expert team, as well as the numerous different online blackjack variants and formats available.

To leave you in no doubt, we can guarantee that all our recommended blackjack casinos are 100% reliable, safe and secure, while offering a wide variety of blackjack online games, generous bonuses, fantastic mobile platforms, and more. Overall, there’s plenty of reasons why it’s easy to enjoy blackjack online!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the rules of online blackjack?

While the specific rules of a blackjack online game can vary depending on the variant, the basic objective is to beat the dealer by getting a higher-valued hand without exceeding 21.

Is it safe to play blackjack online at UK casinos?

Yes, provided you do so at our recommended blackjack online casinos. All our top-rated casinos are licensed by the UKGC to ensure they provide a safe platform for players that protects your money and data.

Can I play online blackjack for real money on mobile?

Yes, many of the best UK mobile casinos have online blackjack games, which use HTML5 technology to work smoothly and quickly across all iPhone and Android smartphones.

What's the difference between regular and live dealer blackjack online?

In regular online casino blackjack games, you play against the computer and random number generator (RNG) software determines game outcomes. Live blackjack games are hosted by real human dealers from purpose-built studios, which stream the gameplay to you in real time.

What are the best online blackjack casinos in the UK?

You can look through our top-rated blackjack casinos for UK players right here on this page. Our expert team recommend these sites as they have the best online blackjack games, along with generous bonuses, great mobile compatibility and player security.

Can I play blackjack online for free?

Of course! Most of our recommended blackjack casinos offer demo and free play versions of blackjack games, so you can practise and develop your skills without any financial risk.

Can I count cards playing blackjack online?

Unfortunately, most online blackjack games use either RNG technology or card shuffling devices after every round, meaning you can’t gain any meaningful advantage from trying to count cards. Instead, we suggest learning basic blackjack strategy, so you’re aware of the most favourable option in every situation according to probability.