McBookie Review (2026): Our UK Tests & Player Ratings
McBookie was founded in 2009, and it has been trying to expand its online presence since. In 2026, it took the latest step to doing so, moving away from its partnership with Playbook Gaming by switching to Altenar.
In this review, we tested McBookie hands-on with real deposits, bets & withdrawals. This also includes real player ratings, bonuses, odds, apps, payments & safety.
Pros
- Accepts £1 deposits
- Fast withdrawals (8 minutes in our test)
- Decent market coverage
Cons
- No promotions
- Limited casino area
- Basic interface
McBookie
| Rating | 3.1 |
|---|
Google Play
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- Editorial3.00
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- New Betting Site (Launched 18/08/2025!)
- Withdrawal Time: 7 Hours (Our Test)
- Fantastic Promotions on Offer
- Editorial2.00
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- Great Range of Payment Methods
- Solid Sportsbook
- Editorial4.00
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- App Store4.40 (3.1k reviews)
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- Score3.35
- £1 Minimum Deposit Amount
- Good Betting Margins: 6.05%
- Good Betting App
McBookie Overall Score
| Sportsbook | 3 |
|---|---|
| Casino | 1 |
| Customer Support | 2 |
| Payment | 3 |
| Licensing Safety | 4 |
| Design and Usability | 3 |
| Overall | 3 |
With its recent rework, many would hope that McBookie can show signs of becoming a more popular bookmaker. However, even if improvements have been promised by the bookie, there is definitely a lot of work needed.
Some positives can be taken from the £1 minimum deposit amount, the number of sports offered and the markets available on each, not to mention the strong betting margins of around 6% on average. Basics that definitely deserve praise.
Saying that, though, the lack of any promotions, the scarcity of other payment methods and not so competitive casino make it difficult to fully enjoy the experience. At least when you compare it with some of the bigger sites out there.
Key Information About McBookie
| 🏦 Betting Margins (Average) | 5.98% |
|---|---|
| 👷 Bet Builder | ✅ |
| 📱 Mobile App | ✅ |
| 📞 24/7 Customer Support | ❌ |
| 💰 Minimum Deposit | £1 |
| ⏱️ Fastest Withdrawal Method | Visa Debit Card (8 minutes in our test) |
About McBookie
McBookie is a Scottish bookmaker which aims to put Scottish sport and custom at the forefront of its activities. Since 2009, it has had an online presence, but it is certainly not one of the most popular options in the UK.
Formerly, the brand worked with the platform provider Playbook Gaming, opening it up to several sister sites. However, with a lack of progress, McBookie decided to part ways with the company and instead switched to Altenar, which also gives it a range of sister sites.
In this review, we take a look at everything you need to know about the site and whether the move was worthwhile. By the end, you should be able to make an informed decision about whether to sign up on the site or not.
Is McBookie Legit and Safe?
🔒 McBookie's UKGC License: 66551
McBookie is operated by Playquarry Limited, which also operates one other site, and both are licensed under the same account number (66551) with the UK Gambling Commission. The owner, meanwhile, is McBookie Ltd even though we suspect the companies have close ties.
Anyway, bookmakers cannot legally operate in the UK without a license, so we can be assured that this site is safe and legit. Especially since the UKGC regularly checks sites for wrongdoing.
📊 McBookie's Trustpilot Rating: 1/5
The Trustpilot score for bookmakers is often poor, and McBookie is unable to escape this, with a rating of 1.5. In fact, 79% of its reviews have been 1-star, which is terrible.
The caveat is that there have not been any reviews since the change to Altenar. So, maybe things can be improved moving forward.
💰 Has McBookie Been Fined by the UKGC?
As should be the case for every bookmaker, at least in an ideal world, McBookie or Playquarry has never had any warnings or fines for breaking UKGC regulations.
McBookie Promotions
Whilst there is a 'Promotions' page on the site, there are actually no options currently available. This is really surprising, admittedly, especially given the recent rebranding.
It is a massive loss to not offer customers anything for continued loyalty, and following on from the lack of a sign-up bonus, it does not reflect well here at all.
If promotions are a big thing for you, you will have to look elsewhere, like our page for the best active promotions in the UK.
McBookie Deposit Methods
McBookie has certainly got its flaws, and the cashier can probably be seen as an extension of this. At least based on our most recent testing, only card payments are accepted, which is extremely frustrating.
With that said, McBookie is slightly redeemed by the fact that it allows £1 deposits, which is rare. We have collected everything you need to know about deposits at McBookie below:
| Payment Method | Min Deposit | Max Deposit | Deposit Fee | Processing Time | Triggers Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Visa | £1 | £5,000 | No fee | Instant | |
 Mastercard | £1 | £5,000 | No fee | Instant |
How to Deposit at McBookie
Depositing funds into a McBookie account is very easy, but we have put together a step-by-step guide if you need some assistance:
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Go to the Deposit Cashier
After logging in, tap the three lines shown in the top left to enter the account menu area. Then, tap 'User Menu' and finally 'Deposit'.
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Complete Pre-Deposit Tasks
Before you can actually stake, you must confirm the information, as shown below, and also set up some deposit limits. This was made to be a bit of a task, but we did eventually get them set up.
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Select the Deposit Method
Following this, you will need to tap the option to 'Deposit via Web', and then enter how much you would like to deposit into your account. As mentioned earlier, this can be as little as £1, which is really nice.
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Enter the Payment Details
Finally, enter the payment details for your card, and complete the deposit.
McBookie Withdrawal Methods
The same flaws carry over to the withdrawal section of McBookie, with only debit cards accepted. However, praise must be given due to the continuation of the £1 minimum.
Additionally, we received our money quickly in our test, with the money arriving just eight minutes later. That is up there with some of our fastest tests. Below, we have collected everything you need to know about the withdrawal methods at McBookie:
| Payment Method | Min Withdrawal | Max Withdrawal | Withdrawal Fee | Withdrawal Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | £1 | £5,000 | No fee | 8 minutes in our test |
| Mastercard | £1 | £5,000 | No fee | 2-5 working days |
How to Withdraw from McBookie
If you are unfamiliar with the withdrawal process at McBookie, you can follow our step-by-step guide below:
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Go to the Withdrawal Cashier
Like when depositing money, you will once again need to head to the 'User Menu' section. So, tap the three lines once again and then head to the 'Withdraw' area.
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Enter the Withdrawal Amount
Following this, enter the amount that you would like to withdraw, with the £1 minimum remaining in place.
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Request the Withdrawal
Finally, tap the 'Withdraw' option shown at the bottom of the page, which will take you to a confirmation screen.
We were not left waiting too long for our money. In fact, we actually were paid within 10 minutes of the request being submitted, which is admirable. There is a lot to like about the payments.
How to Verify an Account at McBookie
To operate in the UK, the UKGC requires a strict verification process known as KYC to be enforced. Whilst it sounds daunting, it is simply so that bookmakers know customers, ensuring they are who they say they are, as well as them being old enough to bet.
This process normally happens automatically, but there are occasions where it can fail. So, you will need to provide one or more of the following:
- Proof of ID: National Driving License, National ID or Passport (picture page).
- Proof of Address: Utility bill or bank statement not older than 3 months, showing the 4 corners/edges.
McBookie Sportsbook Review
Sport is the focus for McBookie, and that is immediately clear once you open up the site or the app. At the top, you will find relevant fixtures - more specifically the ones with odds boosts offered - and in-play options. Pretty standard, in other words.
With almost 40 different sports available, you will not struggle to pick something to place a bet on. From football to horse racing, badminton to water polo, there is so much available. Additionally, with margins of just under 6%, there is plenty of value available for customers.
For those looking to punt on football, the range of different leagues is quite positive. Elite European games are backable, whilst you can also find less popular options too. Scottish football such as odds for the Premiership are highlighted (for obvious reasons), so that might appeal to some.
On a game-to-game basis, things are also quite solid with more than 150 markets available on these elite fixtures. As a result, if you want to place a bet builder, doing so is simple and easy.
When it comes to horse racing, McBookie certainly gets a few things right. The site has fixtures available from the UK, Ireland and international racecourses, which is a big tick.
Additionally, the markets are pretty strong, with place markets actually available (tends to be somewhat of a rarity). However, extra places are seemingly not offered, whilst streaming is only available for a few meetings. The bigger picture means it cannot compete with the best horse racing bookies.
McBookie Casino Review
McBookie, as you would expect from a modern-day bookmaker, offers a casino area but it is considerably weaker than other options on the market. Indeed, this is noticeable from the off.
The lack of any promotions hurts here, just like it does on the sportsbook front, and it makes it all a bit unfamiliar. Most players, including ourselves, are used to seeing a banner with the latest offers or popular games, but there is nothing of that.
Then, the games are not sectioned at all. Instead, it is just a list of 'popular' slots. What makes things even more unappealing is the lack of any recognisable options.
'Boldplay', 'SpinOro' and '3Oaks' are the only casino providers listed, meaning there are notable omissions in the form of 'Pragmatic Play', 'NetEnt', 'HackSaw Gaming' and many more.
Furthermore, there is no 'Live Casino' area, which only hurts the casino section of McBookie further. All in all, you will struggle to find many worse options than this one, as harsh as that may seem.
McBookie Mobile App
As of February 2026, there is no Android app, meaning only those with an iOS device can benefit from using the McBookie app. But, is it really a benefit?
Well, customers think not, with only three ratings of the app on the App Store and each of them giving the Scot bookmaker one star. A rather torrid position to be in, indeed.
Loading into the app takes longer than necessary, but to its credit, navigation in-app is pretty speedy. Saying that, the interface feels quite harsh to look at and there are no real benefits to downloading the app compared to using the website.
It certainly has a lot to learn from the best betting apps in the UK; that much is certain.
McBookie Responsible Gambling
Bookmakers must understand their roles in protecting customers from dangerous gambling habits. So, the UKGC requires responsible gambling sections to feature on websites, and it is no different on the Thistle bookmaker. At McBookie, then, the following tools are available to help prevent gambling addiction:
- Deposit, stake and loss limits (daily, weekly, monthly)
- Reality check
- Time-out
- Self-exclusion
- And more
The first two options are most commonly enforced from the get-go, but more extreme measures can be taken, too. In fact, they are encouraged to be taken, if needed.
McBookie Customer Support
Customer support is vital to any company, let alone a betting brand, where customers are more important than most businesses. Ensuring that there is a help space for them, then, is essential.
Unfortunately, McBookie falls short here. The FAQ area is a long-winded text area, without having the ability to search for questions. Past the FAQ area, the only other method of communication offered is email.
Queries are aimed to be responded to within 24 hours, but the lack of a live chat is a bit annoying. There is certainly more that could be done here.
Below, we have collected everything you need to know about the customer support:
| Chat | No |
|---|---|
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | - |
Opening hours
| N/A | N/A |
|---|
How to Get Started at McBookie
If you are looking to sign up on McBookie, you can follow our step-by-step guide on how to do so below:
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Head Over to McBookie and Tap on ‘Register'
You can also use our link at the top of this page, or the banner at the top, which will bring you straight to the welcome offer and the registration form.
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Enter Your Account Information
In the first step, you will be asked to provide an email and a password for your account. As well, this is where you need to confirm your currency and country.
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Enter Your Personal Details
Following this, McBookie asks you to insert your personal information for the account. So, provide your name, birthday, address and phone number. Then, tap next.
-
Create Your Account
The final page asks whether you would like exclusive offers, and whether you are over 18 and agree to the Terms and Conditions. Then, tap Register.
It is worth noting that we had to provide further information to McBookie about our account, which is a rarity. However, our account was given the green light less than 30 minutes later.
User Reviews
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