Key takeaways
- Every app on this page belongs to an operator licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, and every store figure was read from the UK App Store and Google Play listings.
- bet365 has the largest following by far: 4.7 on iOS from 457,000 ratings and 4.6 on Google Play from 269,000 reviews, with 5M+ downloads.
- Ratings often differ between iPhone and Android. BetVictor scores 4.7 on the App Store but 3.0 on Google Play.
- Only download from the official App Store or Google Play listing, and check that the developer name matches a company on the Gambling Commission register.
- Licensed apps must prompt you to set a financial limit before your first deposit, and one GAMSTOP registration covers all of them at once.
How we rank the apps
This page compares apps, not bookmakers. For the wider picture on odds, offers and payments, start with our best UK betting sites guide. Here, three things decide which apps appear and where they sit.
- Licence first. An app only appears if the operator holds a verified licence from the UK Gambling Commission. No licence, no listing, however good the app looks.
- Store data. We opened every UK App Store and Google Play listing and recorded the star rating, the number of ratings or reviews, downloads, size and the last update date. A 4.7 from 450,000 people tells you far more than a 4.7 from 300, so the count matters as much as the stars. Where a Google Play page showed two different review counts, we used the figure in the page header.
- Store score. The list is ordered by a store score out of 5 that combines the App Store and Google Play ratings. Each rating is weighted by how many people left one, so a handful of ratings counts for little: a 5.0 from 30 people will not outrank a 4.7 from 15,000. App and usability is also one of the nine criteria in our rating method, worth 10% of each operator’s research score, which you will find on its review. Every score is labelled “Research score” because it comes from desk research.
We credit a feature only when the store listing names it, in the description or the version notes. If a listing doesn’t mention cash out, the app gets no credit for it here, even if it may well have it. That is deliberately strict.
Best betting apps by what you need
All figures below come from the UK store listings, read on the date shown at the top of this page.
Biggest and best rated overall: bet365
bet365 is the only app in our set with 5M+ downloads on Google Play. It holds 4.7 on iOS from 457,000 ratings and 4.6 on Android from 269,000 reviews. Its listings name Bet Builder+ for pre-match and in-play, live streaming, Face ID login on iPhone, and cash out with partial cash out on Android.
Strong on both stores: Sky Bet, Betway and Betfred
Many apps score well on iPhone and drop on Android. Among the sports-first apps, these three hold up on both:
- Sky Bet: 4.7 on iOS (88,000 ratings) and 4.6 on Android (59,000 reviews). The listing names Bet & Watch streaming, Build A Bet, Acca Freeze and Request A Bet.
- Betway: 4.7 on iOS (47,000 ratings) and 4.6 on Android (24,300 reviews), with live streaming, full and partial cash out and a bet builder listed.
- Betfred: 4.6 on both stores (70,000 ratings on iOS, 17,500 reviews on Android), with a multi-match bet builder and cash out listed.
Betting exchange: Betfair
The Betfair Sports Betting app puts the sportsbook and the Betfair Exchange in one app. The listing names lay betting, setting your own odds and trading in and out of positions. It scores 4.7 on iOS from 112,000 ratings and 4.4 on Android from 25,700 reviews.
Bet builders: Paddy Power and William Hill
Paddy Power lists Bet Builder+, Popular Bet Builder and a Bet Builder Tracker, rated 4.7 on iOS (267,000 ratings) and 4.3 on Android (44,500 reviews). William Hill lists a Bet Builder Hub with live leg tracking, rated 4.7 on iOS (201,000 ratings) and 4.2 on Android (33,100 reviews). New to the bet type? Read bet builders explained.
Live streaming
These listings include live streaming: bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Bet (Bet & Watch), Betway, Unibet (Unibet TV), William Hill (Betting TV) and talkSPORT BET. 888sport and BetVictor list live racing streams, Coral lists greyhound and horse racing streams, and Ladbrokes lists greyhound streams. BoyleSports and kwiff name streaming in their version notes, kwiff for selected tennis and table tennis.
Horse racing tools
Betfred lists Racing Post Spotlight and Key Stats, Extra Places and a best odds promise on racing (BOG). 888sport lists BetFinder racing form filters and UK and Irish horse and greyhound streams, and is rated 4.5 on iOS from 19,000 ratings. William Hill adds Racing Radio on Android.
Smaller brands with strong ratings
- talkSPORT BET has the highest iOS rating in our set, 4.8 from 9,600 ratings. On Android it drops to 3.2 from 577 reviews.
- Midnite: 4.7 on iOS (15,000 ratings) and 4.5 on Android (5,150 reviews).
- Virgin Bet: 4.7 on iOS (19,000 ratings) and 4.1 on Android (7,619 reviews).
- LiveScore Bet: 4.7 on iOS (12,000 ratings) and 4.3 on Android (6,170 reviews).
Casino-led apps
MONOPOLY Casino & Sports is a casino-led app that also includes sports betting, and it holds up on both stores: 4.7 on iOS from 17,000 ratings and 4.6 on Android from 9,840 reviews. Grosvenor is left out of this list because its app is casino only: neither listing mentions sports betting. Casumo’s Android app is also casino only, while its iPhone app includes a sportsbook. If casino is what you want, see our UK online casinos guide.
What to check before you download
- 1
Check the licence
Find the operator's company name and licence number, often in the store description, then look it up with the BettingSeeker licence checker. 888sport's listing names 888 UK Limited, account 39028.
- 2
Use the official store only
Apple and Google only allow real-money gambling apps from licensed operators, and the app must be free. A download link outside the App Store or Google Play skips those checks.
- 3
Check the developer name
It is often a group company rather than the brand. bet365 is published by Hillside Technology Limited and Midnite by Dribble Media Limited. Apple expects gambling apps to come from the legal entity that provides the service.
- 4
Turn on Face ID or Touch ID
Where the app offers it, biometric login stops anyone who picks up your phone from opening your account. bet365 and Sky Bet name it in their iPhone listings.
- 5
Set a deposit limit when prompted
Licensed operators must prompt you to set a financial limit before your first deposit. Pick an amount you can afford to lose.
Use our licence checker to confirm any operator. For the wider checklist, including odds, payments and support, see how to choose a betting site.
App or mobile website?
You don’t need the app to bet on your phone. A bookmaker’s mobile website uses the same account, so you can switch between the two.
An app makes sense if you bet often, want biometric login, follow bets through notifications or widgets (bet365 lists Bet Track on the Dynamic Island and widgets), or deposit with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
The mobile site makes sense if your phone is short on storage or running an older system. On iOS, sizes run from 19.7 MB for kwiff to 328.1 MB for Unibet, and the Ladbrokes, Coral and NetBet apps need iOS 18.0 or later. A browser also suits an account you only use now and then.
Features such as cash out and bet builders are a bookmaker’s own tools rather than app extras, but the store listing is where an operator spells out what its app does, which is why we use it.
UK rules that apply to betting apps
An app is just another way into your account, so the same Gambling Commission rules apply as on the website. Under-18s can’t gamble with licensed betting and casino operators; inviting or permitting them to is an offence. These are the rules that shape what you see when you open an app:
| Rule | What it means for you | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Age check first | Your age must be verified before you deposit, play free-to-play versions of games or bet | LCCP social responsibility code 3.2.11 |
| Limit prompt | You must be asked to set a financial limit before your first deposit | Gambling Commission rule, in force since 31 October 2025 |
| Apple App Store | Real-money gambling apps must be licensed where they are used, geo-restricted to those places and free | App Store Review Guideline 5.3 |
| Google Play | A licence for each country, a block on under-age use, an Adults Only rating, and a responsible gambling statement in the listing, with local problem gambling help contacts inside the app | Google Play real-money gambling policy |
For the full set of UK rules, including the credit card ban, GAMSTOP and bonus limits, see our best UK betting sites guide.
Safer gambling on your phone
A phone puts betting in your pocket at all hours, so set your controls before you need them.
- Tools inside the app. Some listings name them: bet365’s Android listing names time-outs, deposit limits, reality checks and self-exclusion, and William Hill’s names deposit limits, session reminders, Time Out and self-exclusion. Our guide to responsible gambling tools explains each one.
- GAMSTOP. One free registration covers the websites and apps of every online operator licensed in Great Britain, as long as you register with the details you use for your accounts; the tools guide has the details.
- Blocking software and your bank. Both can block gambling on your phone; the same guide compares the options.
Betting is a paid form of entertainment, not a way to make money. If betting stops being fun, the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day. Our responsible gambling page lists more support.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best betting app in the UK?
It depends on what you bet on, but bet365 has the strongest store record in our set. When we checked it held 4.7 on the App Store from 457,000 ratings and 4.6 on Google Play from 269,000 reviews, and it is the only app here with 5M+ Google Play downloads. Among the sports-first apps, Sky Bet, Betway and Betfred also score 4.6 or higher on both stores, and the casino-led MONOPOLY Casino & Sports scores 4.7 on iOS and 4.6 on Android.
Are betting apps safe and legal in the UK?
Yes, if the operator holds a Gambling Commission licence. Apple only allows real-money gambling apps that are licensed and geo-restricted to where they are used, and Google Play requires a licence for each country and an Adults Only rating. Check the operator's name and licence number on the Gambling Commission public register before you deposit.
Are betting apps free to download?
Yes. Apple's App Store rules say real-money gambling apps must be free, and Google Play bars paid gambling apps. Apple also forbids buying gambling credit through in-app purchase, so deposits go through the bookmaker's own payment options.
Can I watch live sport in a betting app?
Many UK app listings include live streaming, among them bet365, Betfair, Paddy Power, Sky Bet (Bet & Watch), Betway, Unibet (Unibet TV), William Hill (Betting TV) and talkSPORT BET. 888sport and BetVictor list live racing streams, Coral lists greyhound and horse racing streams, and Ladbrokes lists greyhound streams. BoyleSports and kwiff mention streaming in their version notes.
Which betting app is best for horse racing?
Look for racing tools in the listing. Betfred names Racing Post Spotlight and Key Stats, Extra Places and a best odds promise on racing (BOG), while 888sport names BetFinder racing form filters and UK and Irish horse and greyhound streams. William Hill's Android app adds Racing Radio.
Are betting apps rated better on iPhone or Android?
On iPhone, in most cases. Of the 23 apps we checked, 20 had a higher App Store rating than Google Play rating, Betfred scored 4.6 on both, and only Casumo and NetBet rated higher on Android. The gap can be large: BetVictor is 4.7 on iOS and 3.0 on Google Play, and talkSPORT BET is 4.8 and 3.2.
Can I use a credit card in a betting app?
No. Gambling with a credit card has been banned in Great Britain since 14 April 2020, and the ban also covers credit cards used through an e-wallet. App listings name debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay instead, depending on the app.
What should I check before downloading a betting app?
Download only from the official App Store or Google Play listing, and check that the developer is the licensed operator or its group company, such as Hillside Technology Limited for bet365. Confirm the licence with our licence checker or on the Gambling Commission register, turn on Face ID or Touch ID if offered, and set a deposit limit when the app prompts you.
References
- UK Gambling Commission: public register of businesses
- legislation.gov.uk: Gambling Act 2005 explanatory notes, children and young persons
- UK Gambling Commission: LCCP SR code 3.2.11, remote age verification
- UK Gambling Commission: gambling on credit cards to be banned from April 2020
- UK Gambling Commission: using e-wallets to bet online
About the author
Daniel WardFounder and Editor
Daniel Ward founded BettingSeeker and is responsible for everything published on it. He has spent his career in SEO and content for online betting and casino comparison sites, and today leads SEO for a portfolio of gambling comparison sites across several countries.
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