A progressive web app (PWA) is a website built so it can be added to your home screen and opened in its own window, looking and feeling much like an installed app. It still comes from the web rather than the App Store or Google Play, so for a casino it changes the wrapper, not the licence, the rules or the account behind it.
A PWA is a website with extra abilities, such as a home screen icon and its own window.
It skips the App Store and Google Play, so there's no store review, age rating or privacy label.
Real-money games still need a live connection; offline features don't extend to gambling.
Our five partner casinos all offer store apps; none of their listings describes a PWA.
Short form
PWA
Installed from
The website itself, not a store
Opens
In its own window from the home screen
Store review
None
UK gambling rules
Apply in full
Progressive web app: the definition
"Progressive" refers to the idea that the site works in any browser and then adds more app-like abilities where the phone supports them. A plain web app runs in a browser tab. A PWA goes a step further: it can be added to the home screen with its own icon, launch without the address bar and keep some files on the phone so it loads faster next time.
It is still a website underneath. Nothing passes through Apple or Google, and the operator can change it at any time without a store update. The other app formats are covered in our casino app glossary.
PWA vs bookmark vs store app
People often confuse a PWA with a home screen bookmark, and both with a native app. The differences are about how it opens and who checks it, not about the games.
How a progressive web app compares
Home screen bookmark
Progressive web app
Store app
How you add it
From the browser
From the browser
From the App Store or Google Play
How it opens
In the browser
In its own window
As an app
Keeps files on the phone
Browser cache only
Some, for speed
Yes, the full app
Store review and age rating
No
No
Yes
Privacy label or data safety section
No
No
Yes
Who can publish one
Any website
Any website
Licensed legal entities, for gambling
That last row is the important one. Apple's App Review Guidelines (opens in a new tab) expect gambling apps to come from a legal entity providing the service and to be licensed and geo-restricted. A PWA avoids that store gate entirely, so checking the operator is up to you.
What a progressive web app changes for a casino player
In practice, very little beyond convenience. Your login, balance, limits and transaction history live in your account on the operator's systems. Whether you open the site in Safari, in a PWA window or in the store app, you see the same account.
It saves storage. A PWA keeps far less on the phone than a store app such as Coral's, listed at 101.6 MB on iPhone.
It doesn't need a specific iOS version set by the app's publisher, only a browser that supports the site.
It doesn't change the odds. RTP depends on the game version, so check the game's help screen.
UK rules that follow a casino PWA
The Gambling Commission licenses the operator, not the format, so every rule that applies in an app applies in a progressive web app. Under RTS 14 (opens in a new tab), slots must take at least 2.5 seconds per spin, other casino games at least 5 seconds per game cycle, and you can't play several casino games at once. Since 17 January 2025 autoplay has been banned for all online casino games, and net spend and time must show in real time.
Slot stakes are capped at £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds. Age and identity must be verified before you deposit or gamble, including for free-to-play demo games. More detail is in our UK rules for casino apps section.
Checks before adding a casino PWA to your home screen
Open the site by typing its address, not from a text, email or social post.
Find the operator's company name and licence number, usually on the site, and look them up on the Gambling Commission's public register.
Confirm the site asks you to verify your age and identity before any deposit.
Use your browser's share or menu options to add the site to your home screen.
Set a deposit limit when prompted, before your first deposit.
Remove the icon if you'd rather not have a casino shortcut on your phone; deleting it doesn't close the account.
An unlicensed casino offers no UKGC protection. If a site pushes you to install its 'app' from outside the stores, treat it with suspicion; our guide to spotting an unlicensed casino app explains why.
Do the partner casinos offer a progressive web app?
Their store listings don't describe one. What they do publish is a store app for each platform: Coral and Ladbrokes both need iOS 18.0 or later, PlayOJO needs iOS 15.0 and is 25.4 MB, and the Casumo and 10bet apps combine casino with sports. If the app won't fit your phone, the operator's mobile website is the fallback; our list of casino sites that work without an app compares them.
Partner welcome offers, whichever format you use
You can join in the store app or the browser; the account and offer are the same. For PlayOJO, use the designated offer link. These offers are 18+ and terms apply.
Coral, new players: deposit (some types excluded) and wager £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins on selected games at 10p each. You have 48 hours to accept and 7 days to use them, and winnings have no wagering. Live from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid and certain debit cards excluded.
Ladbrokes, new customers: deposit and spend £10+ on slots, then claim 50 free spins each day for 10 days (500 maximum) at 10p on selected games, before 23:59 daily. Each batch lasts 7 days, with no wagering. Prepaid, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify.
PlayOJO, new UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland): a first deposit of £10 or more brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, with cash winnings and no wagering; not combinable.
All three are slot-only. Budget for play as entertainment, because the house edge makes losses likely over time.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What is a progressive web app?
A progressive web app is a website built to behave like an installed app. You add it to your home screen from the browser, and it opens in its own window without the address bar, often keeping some files on your phone so it loads faster. It never passes through the App Store or Google Play. For a plain browser site, see our web app definition.
Is a progressive web app the same as a native app?
No. A native app is installed from the App Store or Google Play and is reviewed by the store, with an age rating and a privacy label. A PWA comes straight from the website, so none of those store checks apply. Both can connect to the same casino account. Our native app definition explains what store installation adds.
Are casino PWAs legal in the UK?
The format is legal; what matters is whether the operator holds a Gambling Commission licence. A licensed casino's website follows the same rules whatever wrapper it's opened in, including age verification, stake limits and game speed rules. An unlicensed site offers no UK protection, however polished its home screen icon looks. Our guide to how casino apps are licensed in the UK covers the details.
Can a casino PWA work offline?
Not for real-money play. A PWA can store pages and images so it opens quickly, but bets, spins and balances depend on the operator's systems, so you need a connection. If your signal drops mid-game, the operator's rules for interrupted play apply. Read what happens if you lose signal during a spin for the details.
Why would I use a PWA instead of the casino app?
Mainly to save storage or because your phone can't meet the app's minimum iOS version. Coral's iPhone app, for example, needs iOS 18.0 or later and 101.6 MB of space. A home screen shortcut to the website needs neither. You give up store checks and app features such as biometric login where the app supports it. Our casino apps on older phones guide compares the options.
How do I remove a casino PWA?
Delete its icon from the home screen the same way you'd remove any app shortcut. That removes the shortcut and usually its stored files, but it doesn't close your casino account or touch your balance. To stop gambling for a while, use the operator's time-out or self-exclusion tools, or GAMSTOP. See how to delete a casino app and how to close a casino account.
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