Independent casinos operate on their own licence, without sharing systems or bonuses across a wider group. In this guide, we break down how standalone casinos work, how they compare to group-owned brands, and how to spot genuinely independent online casinos.
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Lots of players claim that independent casinos are so much better than the alternative, that they offer something totally unique, or that their bonuses are much better - but plenty of players don’t really understand what a standalone casino actually is. To be honest? That’s understandable!
Casino licensing can be a confusing minefield, so not knowing what an independent casino is sort of makes sense. To keep things simple:
An independent casino is a casino that runs entirely on its own, not sharing a licence with any other site.
Independent casinos have their own cashier, their own games catalogue, their own customer service, and their own bonuses. The whole thing usually feels more unique. The downside? There aren’t that many of them.
If a standalone casino runs entirely on its own licence, then what’s the alternative? In most cases, it’s a casino that sits under a wider operator group, but there are two ways this can happen.
The most common structure you’ll see is a multi-brand operator. This is where one company holds a single licence (or sometimes a small handful of licences) and runs several casino brands under it.
Often those sites may look completely different, with different logos, different colour schemes, slightly different welcome offers. But, behind the scenes they often share the same back office.
That usually means:
You’ll also sometimes see casinos referred to as white label sites. This is where a larger operator provides the licence, platform, and technical infrastructure, while a smaller brand focuses on marketing and design.
For white label casinos, often the casino looks independent, but operationally it isn’t fully standalone.
Neither structure is inherently better or worse.
Group-owned casinos can offer stability, bigger marketing budgets, and cross-brand loyalty schemes.
White label casinos tend to have a little more control over their bonuses, branding, and game selection.
Independent casinos have much more unique bonus structures, more unique interfaces, but can struggle to keep up with customer service in the early days.
Group-owned casinos certainly dominate the market, but there are plenty of good reasons to seek out an independent one!
For some players, it simply boils down to personality. Independent online casinos often feel less formulaic. They’re not built from the same template rolled out across five sister brands. So, the branding tends to be sharper, the feel is more distinct and the promotions are less ‘copy-and-paste’.
But that’s not all, new independent casinos can also afford to be a bit more creative, which can appear as:
Ultimately, the choice comes down to your preference.
If you like polished, corporate consistency and shared loyalty schemes across multiple brands, group-owned sites make sense.
If you prefer distinct branding, sharper identity, and a site that feels like it was built intentionally rather than mass-produced, independent casinos are often where you’ll find it.
One of the benefits that lots of keen players talk about is the variety of bonuses on offer at independent casinos. It tends to be more varied and is sometimes more lucrative too. However, one of the things we often forget to talk about is claiming the welcome bonus at an independent online casino. So what about it?
If you’ve ever read through the bonus terms for the welcome bonus at a group owned casino, you might have seen a clause like the following:
‘Can only claim welcome bonus three (3) times at casinos in this group.’
This means if a group has four or more casinos in it and you sign up to all of them, then at at least one of them, you won’t be able to claim the welcome bonus. At independent casinos - this isn’t a problem! You can start with Microgaming casino bonuses.
Unfortunately, it’s pretty difficult to find a list of independent casinos (outside of our recommendations at the top of this page). Some sites will show you casinos that look independent but aren’t, but there is a way you can find them yourself. Use this guide to whittle down your list to the sites that are truly standalone..
The first way to find genuinely independent casinos is to use review sites - but only the ones you trust! These sites should do all of the following steps for you, offering a list of proper standalone casinos.
If you want to find your own independent casino then the first place to look is the footer of the casino’s page. Here, you should find information about the owner and the licence.
Search the licence number online to see which brands it brings up - if it’s just one casino, then you’ve probably found an indie site.
Still not convinced? Have a look at the terms for the welcome bonus. If you notice mention of claiming at multiple sites then that’s a flag that you’ve found a casino that’s part of a group or a white label site.
The final step, to be ultra sure, is to check the cashier. If it looks exactly the same as the cashier on other sites you’ve used then this can be an indication this isn’t an independent site. If it’s got payment methods that aren’t super common, or is heavily personalised, it sounds like you’ve found a winner!
More and more new independent online casinos are popping up - and we’re really excited to see them! Here are some of the ways new indie casinos stand out from the crowd:
One of the biggest areas where independent casinos can really stand out is payments, but it’s also the area where they can fall flat. So, you’ve got to know what to look out for!
Because a standalone casino isn’t tied to a wider group’s payment systems, it often has more flexibility when choosing deposit and withdrawal methods. On the one hand, that can mean faster adoption of trends, more experimental payment models, and occasionally a cashier that feels genuinely different from the usual template.
However, sometimes it can mean slower payment methods and more manual processing. Reading the payment terms is essential if you want to find an independent casino that delivers on time, every time.
Many independent online casinos still offer the standard options you’d expect from any established online casino. At startup they can be a little slower, but once the system is up and running properly, you’ll not notice any difference. Expect:
Where many independent casinos really differentiate themselves is in crypto support. Because they’re not locked into legacy systems, independent operators are often quicker to embrace crypto casinos (and alternative digital payment methods too). That can include:
Crypto-first independent casinos can sometimes offer faster withdrawals, simplified verification processes (where licensing allows), and access to bitcoin gambling games that are tailored specifically for you.
Payment speed is where your expectations need to be realistic.
Group-owned casinos often benefit from well-established processing pipelines and large support teams. Independent casinos, particularly new independent online casinos, may need time to optimise their withdrawal workflows.
That doesn’t mean payouts are unsafe, but it does mean processing times can vary more significantly between brands.
Still deciding whether an independent casino is the right choice for you? Below we’ve compared the key points of difference in group-owned casinos and standalone ones.
Independent Casinos |
Group-Owned Casinos |
|---|---|
Unique layout and branding |
Generic layout, but sometimes unique branding |
Varied or unusual bonuses |
More generic bonuses, sometimes larger |
Operated by one company |
Operate lots of casinos under one company |
More likely to lean into trends and innovations |
Trusted track record backed by multiple brands |
Customer service can be slow on startup |
Fool proof cashier and customer service |
Not necessarily. Safety depends on licensing and regulation, not ownership structure. An independent casino holding a recognised licence and clear security policies can be just as secure as a large group-owned brand. Always check the licence details, terms, and responsible gambling tools rather than assuming size equals safety.
They can, but it’s not guaranteed. Many independent online casinos create more unusual or flexible welcome offers because they’re not tied to group-wide bonus rules. You’re also less likely to see restrictions about claiming across sister sites. That said, always read the terms carefully before claiming any bonus.
New independent casinos can be trustworthy, but they don’t have a long track record to rely on. This makes it especially important to check licensing information, payment processing times, and user feedback. A genuinely standalone casino should clearly display its ownership and licence details in the footer.
As a keen sports bettor (and reel spinner too), Claudia approaches her research with the diligence of a detective. She loves nothing more than trawling through the fineprint to find the bonuses that are actually worth claiming and warn her readers about the ones that aren't. Whether she’s demystifying casino jargon or creating straightforward content, her mission is to help readers find sportsbooks and casinos they’ll truly enjoy - rather than handing out five-star ratings left right and centre.
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