Are casino apps free to download? Yes. Apple's App Store rules say real-money gambling apps must be free, and Google Play bans selling them as paid apps. The download costs nothing, but the app is a doorway to spending: deposits, stakes and, at some brands, small fees are where the money goes.
Real-money casino apps must be free on the App Store and can't be sold as paid apps on Google Play.
Any casino app asking for a purchase price is a red flag, not a premium version.
Your real costs are stakes, which carry a house edge, plus any withdrawal fees and your phone's data and storage.
Privacy labels show what each app collects, which is part of what a free download asks of you.
Download price
£0 (required by Apple and Google)
App sizes (partners)
25.4 MB to 112.3 MB
Coral and Ladbrokes withdrawal fees
None, per help pages
Casumo withdrawal fee
£3 below £10
Credit cards
Banned for gambling since 14 April 2020
Are casino apps free to download? Yes, by store rule
Every licensed real-money casino app on the UK App Store and Google Play costs nothing to install. That isn't a marketing choice by the operators: both stores make it a condition of listing a gambling app at all.
So the question worth asking is what you pay once the app is on your phone. The answer is your deposits and stakes, plus a few smaller costs covered below. A free download from Coral, Ladbrokes or PlayOJO is still a way to spend money on entertainment, and the house edge means you should expect to lose over time.
Apple and Google rules that make casino app downloads free
Both store owners spell this out in their developer policies. Here's how the two compare.
What the app stores require of real-money casino apps
Requirement
Apple App Store
Google Play
Price to download
Must be free on the App Store (guideline 5.3.4)
Must be free to download and install, and not sold as a paid app
Store billing for gambling money
In-app purchase can't be used to buy credit or currency for real-money gaming (5.3.3)
Must not use Google Play In-app Billing
Licence
Must hold the necessary licensing where the app is used
Valid gambling licence for each country where it's distributed
Location
Must be geo-restricted to licensed locations
Must block access from areas outside the licence
Age
Gambling content rated 18+
Must prevent under-age use; "Adults Only" rating required
The download is £0, but owning and using a casino app has other costs. Some are money, some are space on your phone, and one is your data.
The costs behind a free casino app download
Cost
What the published facts say
Download
£0 on both stores
Phone storage
25.4 MB (PlayOJO) up to 112.3 MB (10bet) on the App Store
Mobile data
Higher for live dealer streams than for menus; Wi-Fi avoids using your allowance
Minimum deposit
Coral and Ladbrokes publish £5 for Google Pay and Pay by Bank; others show it in the cashier
Withdrawal fees
Coral and Ladbrokes say they charge none; Casumo charges £3 on withdrawals under £10
Stakes
Every bet carries a house edge, so expected losses grow with time and stake
Storage and data are small for most people. Stakes are the cost that matters, and they're entirely in your control. The answer on how much storage casino apps take and the casino app data usage guide cover the phone-side costs in depth.
The real price of a free casino app: stakes and the house edge
Each game has a return to player (RTP) set by its developer, and the house edge is what's left: 100% minus the RTP. The edge doesn't decide any single spin, but over many bets it's a fair guide to what play costs on average.
Expected loss = total staked × house edge. As a worked example with an illustrative 4% edge, 400 spins at 50p puts £200 through the game (400 × £0.50), and 4% of £200 is £8. At £1 a spin the same session would put £400 through and cost £16 on average. Real sessions swing well above and below that, which is exactly why they feel exciting and why losses are likely over time.
Free-to-download doesn't mean free to play. Setting a deposit limit in a casino app before your first deposit keeps the real cost where you want it, and UK operators must prompt you to do so.
How to download a casino app for free, the safe way
Getting the genuine free app is mostly about using the official store and checking who published it.
Open the App Store on iPhone or the Play Store on Android, not a web search result.
Search for the app's exact store name, such as "Coral Casino: Slots & Games".
Check the price button shows Get or Install with no price attached.
Confirm the publisher: Entain for Coral and Ladbrokes on iPhone, LC International Limited for Coral on Google Play, Skill On Net Ltd for PlayOJO.
Check the age rating is 18+ on the App Store or PEGI 18 on Google Play.
Install, then sign up and complete age and identity checks before depositing.
Free to download, but what data do casino apps collect?
A free app still asks for something: information about you. Apple's privacy labels show it, and they differ more than you might expect between brands.
Coral: lists User Content and Usage Data as used to track you, with location (coarse), contact info and financial info among the data linked to you.
Ladbrokes: shows no tracking category; financial info, contact info and identifiers are linked to you, and precise location is collected but not linked.
PlayOJO: lists only Identifiers as used to track you.
Casumo: lists Identifiers, Usage Data and Diagnostics as used to track you.
10bet: lists Usage Data as used to track you, with financial and contact info linked to you.
Some of this is unavoidable, because a licensed casino must hold your identity and payment details. The tracking categories are where apps differ. Our guide on how to read a casino app privacy label explains each heading.
Red flags: a casino app that charges to download
Because the stores require real-money gambling apps to be free, a price tag on a supposed casino app is a warning sign. So is any site offering a "pro" or "modded" version outside the official stores.
A purchase price on the store listing for a real-money casino app.
A download link from a site that isn't the operator or an official store.
No company name you can match on the Gambling Commission's public register.
Any payment page that accepts a credit card for gambling, which UK-licensed operators can't do.
Unlicensed sites give you none of the UK protections, from GAMSTOP to complaints routes. Our answer on whether casino apps are safe to download covers how to spot a genuine listing.
Free casino app downloads on Android and APK files
On Android, the UK partner apps are listed on Google Play, which runs Google Play Protect safety checks on apps before you download them. Play Protect also checks your device for potentially harmful apps from other sources.
Since Android 8.0, installing from outside Play needs you to approve the specific app doing the install, such as a browser. That's a deliberate hurdle. Read is it safe to install a casino APK before going that route, because Play listings are the simpler, checked option for the partner apps.
UK rules once your free casino app is installed
Installing an app doesn't let you play straight away. The operator must verify your age and identity before you deposit or gamble, and that includes free-to-play demo versions of gambling games.
Payments must come from a debit card or another non-credit method, since gambling on credit cards has been banned since 14 April 2020. Slots are limited to £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds. The UK rules hub explains each one with dates.
Free-to-download casino apps with a welcome offer
All three apps below cost nothing to install. Their welcome offers, though, each need a real deposit and £10 of play, so read them as a bonus on spending you'd choose to do anyway. Over-18s only; terms apply.
Coral – bet £10 on slots, get 100 spins: for new players from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Deposit (certain methods excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots; the 100 spins are 10p each on selected games, must be accepted within 48 hours and expire after 7 days, and their winnings have no wagering. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
Ladbrokes – play £10 on slots, get up to 500 spins: new customers who deposit and spend £10 or more on slots receive 50 spins a day for 10 days at 10p each on selected games. Claim by 23:59 each day, use within 7 days, no wagering. Deposits by prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill or Moneybookers are excluded.
PlayOJO – 80 spins, no wagering: new UK customers (not Northern Ireland) who make a first deposit of £10 or more get 80 spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, with winnings paid in cash. Not combinable with other offers; designated offer link only.
In face value terms that's £10, up to £50 and £8 of spins. Coral and Ladbrokes are run by the same company, so holding new accounts at both may not be possible.
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
Do you have to pay to download the Coral or Ladbrokes casino app?
No. Both apps are free on the App Store and Google Play, as store rules require for real-money gambling apps. On iPhone they're listed as Coral Casino: Slots & Games and Ladbrokes Casino Games & Slots, both published under Entain. You only spend money when you choose to deposit. Our Ladbrokes Casino Android app page shows the Google Play listing details.
Why are casino apps free when they're run by big companies?
Because the app stores require it, and because the operator earns from play, not from the download. Apple says real-money gaming apps must be free on the App Store, and Google says they must be free to download and can't use Play's in-app billing. The casino's income comes from the house edge on bets placed. Our answer on whether casino apps have in-app purchases explains the billing side.
Are there hidden costs in free casino apps?
There are costs, though most are published. Your stakes carry a house edge, so expected losses rise with time and bet size. Some brands charge withdrawal fees: Casumo, for example, charges £3 on withdrawals under £10, while Coral and Ladbrokes say they charge none. Live streams also use more mobile data. See the Casumo app withdrawals page for that fee in context.
Is a paid casino app better than a free one?
No, and a paid real-money casino app should make you suspicious. Apple requires these apps to be free on the App Store, and Google bans selling them as paid apps, so a price tag suggests the app isn't a licensed real-money casino at all. Stick to free listings from operators you can find on the Gambling Commission's register. Our casino app reviews list the licensed operators behind each app.
Can I play casino games for free after downloading the app?
Sometimes, but not with real-money prizes in the usual way. Many apps have demo modes or free-to-play games, and UK rules say you must be age-verified before using them. Some apps, such as Coral's, list free-to-play games with real-money prizes. Anything you stake from your balance is real money. See can I play slots for free on a casino app for the options.
How much mobile data does a free casino app use?
It varies with what you play. Browsing menus and spinning slots uses relatively little, while live dealer tables and game shows stream video and use far more. The app download itself is between 25.4 MB and 112.3 MB for our partner apps. Using Wi-Fi for live games is the simplest way to protect your allowance. Our casino app data usage guide covers it in detail.
Do I need a credit card to download a casino app?
No. Downloading a free app doesn't need any payment, though your app store account may have a payment method on file for other purchases. When you deposit with the casino, you can't use a credit card, because UK rules have banned gambling on credit cards since 14 April 2020. Use a debit card or another permitted method. Our credit card ban page explains the rule.
Where can I find more answers like this?
Our casino app questions hub collects direct answers on downloading, paying, storage, safety and the UK rules. Each one sticks to what app listings, operator help pages and the Gambling Commission publish, and links on to the relevant app review or guide. If you're comparing brands, our best casino app lists rank the partner apps for different needs, from iPhone to no-wagering offers.
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