Cardmates Gambling Portal – All About UK Poker & Casinos
Welcome to Cardmates – the friendliest gambling community in the UK!
Like-minded grinders gather on our portal. Here you can share your ups and downs and find a lot of
useful info.

Hello, mates!
We recently launched our WhatsApp channel. It’s a very convenient way to stay updated on freerolls, contests and other news on our website. And to make sure this event doesn’t go unnoticed, we’ve prepared a small giveaway for you 😉
🎁 We’re giving away 10 prizes of $15 each. Winners will be able to receive their prizes using one of the following methods: PokerStars transfer, ACR Poker transfer, CoinPoker transfer, PayPal or Skrill.
How to participate? Post your favourite meme about poker, casino or sports betting in the comments under this post.
The winners will be selected at random on 17 March. The list of lucky winners will be published in a separate post in the Cardmates.co.uk Blogs section and on our channel.
Don’t want to miss our upcoming giveaways? Join us on WhatsApp!
Good luck! 🍀
Hi everyone
ive decided after 15 years of playing NLH MTT'S recreationally that i would like to try something new to me. so i think im going to try to play PLO MTT'S. i was wondering if someone here could point me in the right direction into some free study material for pre flop ranges and maybe some good PLO streamers that i can watch and ask questions? i currently use octopi for NLH but theres nothing on there about PLO from what i have seen. Thanks for any advice given. And GL to everyone on the sunday grind
Alright, mates! Got some cracking news. Henceforth, every Friday active users of our site will be able to join CM Freerolls – exclusive private tournaments hosted on GGPoker. Freeroll guarantees vary from $150 to $600. Dead simple to gain access: start your blog on Cardmates.co.uk, rack up enough Aura points to achieve a particular status.
What’s Aura and statuses? Find all the details via the link.
Friday freeroll deets:
- Tour name – CardMates Freeroll;
- Date – every Friday at 20:00;
- Buy-in – free entry;
- Game – No-Limit Hold'em (NLH);
- Late registration – 30 mins;
- Starting stack – 125 BB;
- Format – 8-max, no re-entry/rebuys.
Please note: the tournaments pop up in the GGPoker lobby about two hours before kickoff (around 6pm). Freeroll tickets get credited on Fridays.
The higher your site status, the quicker you tap into freerolls with bigger guarantees. What to do next once you've achieved a certain status? Check details at the end of this post.
$150 CM Freeroll (Fan)
A starting freeroll for new bloggers kicking off their course on our site. Reach "Fan" status on Cardmates.co.uk to gain access.
Getting your first status is dead easy – one only needs 200 Aura points. The first 100 points land automatically as soon as the user registers on our site and completes their profile.
Just set up your blog and share the story of your gambling journey. Let's get acquainted, mates! 😉
$250 CM Freeroll (Expert)
Tournament unlocks for everyone who hits the "Expert" status. To achieve it, you'll need to spend a bit more time on the site and charge your Aura with at least 500 points.
Get active in blogs: post new stuff, comment on others. Won't take too long to become an Expert, actually.
$350 CM Freeroll (Guru)
One must collect at least 1,500 Aura points to qualify for this tourney – that’s an automatic grant of the "Guru" status. Worth it: fewer participants, fatter prizes.
Aim for longer, top-quality blog posts. The more gripping your pieces are, the more ratings from the crowd.
$450 CM Freeroll (Elite)
Next level up – exclusive Friday freerolls for "Elite" bloggers. You need to elevate your Aura meter to 5,000 points to grab this status.
By this point, you'll have enough experience to smash it on Cardmates.co.uk. Make sure to grow your following – they'll get instant notifications on every new post and contribute to your desired ratings.
$600 CM Freeroll (Legend)
This is the peak of your adventure on our site. Only those hitting the "Legend" status will qualify for the cream of the crop freeroll – 10,000+ Aura points required.
Yeah, only select and most active bloggers will pull it off. But nothing's impossible – become a true Cardmates.co.uk legend and grab the sweetest perks! 👑
How to join private freerolls
Once you secure your first status on Cardmates.co.uk, you’ll need to register your GGPoker nickname on our site. Click your profile pic and select "Status" to hit a special form that registers usernames. Do it once, and you're always on the Friday tournament lists.
Note: You'll get a notification as soon as you unlock a new status on our website.
Registration for the special GGPoker freerolls is automatic. Find Friday tournaments in the poker room’s lobby using filters: Tourney – Private. Reg opens about two hours before kickoff.
Crucial point! We pass the list of players to GGPoker every Monday. Miss the new status deadline? You'll be able to join the fatter game next week – keep this in mind.
Your epic journey on Cardmates.co.uk is about to kick off! Best of luck, mates!
Additional info:
- Each time you achieve a new status, you’ll be automatically added to the matching freeroll list. This means you won't be able to play multiple tourneys at once, only the one that mirrors your status.
- Any Friday freeroll requires at least 6 players to be run. Once we record eight participants with a specific status, the corresponding event will appear in the GGPoker lobby.
- To rack up Aura points faster and climb statuses, check the table in this article. It’s simple: earn points when other users rate your blog posts and comment on them. Extra points drop as you leave reviews on poker sites/online casinos, or when new bloggers start following you, etc.
Cheers!
Hey everyone .
I'm a new user on here. So have just been having a read through some posts some bringing very familiar feelings back from my past casino sessions.
I'm not exactly a massive gambler. Poker immensely, 100% addicted. But trying to explain to people who don't play that to me I don't see that as gambling....it's a skilled game. Many aspects, strategy and I can spend £10 on a tourney and play 6 hours having fun.......or £60 in an hour at the local pub and have nothing but a head ache 🤣🤣🤣.......people who don't play don't get It.
Slots however..........are my nemesis. Again I'm not a massive gambler when it comes to slots. But I am terrible at getting a bad beat in poker , maybe dropping out just before the money. (Thats my worst moment) Because instantly I'll switch to slots.....and RAGE SPIN.
Usually using winnings I won on my previous tournament. And ultimately ending the night with what I started with or less. But occasionally you hit a lucky first spin and tops your bankroll back up so I feel a immense sense of wellbeing and can sleep happy 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I do have one major bug bear with slots, it seems every casino does it. Which is games being set at MAX BET.
Even knowing this it's caught me out on a few occasions. Or worse I've lowered the bet and clicked BACK instead of OK which has kept spins at max bet anyway.
I have a very love/hate relationship with this situation. On a quick 10 min work break and thinking .....Ive got a tenner in my account I'll have a few spins....to find out crap ....I've Span twice and I've lost my money and still have 9 mins and 30 seconds of my break left...........uggggghhh
However it gives me a massive fond memory of an accidental max spin on the classic book of the dead.
First spin
Instant bonus and
3 more time's hitting bonus within bonus
Kept getting 3 or 4 symbols and twice all five symbols
Watching you winnings going up into the thousands still gives me goosebumps.
The immediate.......OMFG once I span on max by mistake I instantly changing to THANKYOU GOD OF SLOTS.
Ahhhhhhh makes it all ok in the end 😁
Regardless slots being set at MAX BET I personally think is a little crappy of these sites.
Set them low allowing players to raise the bet would be a much more player friendly way of doing this. Obviously never spend what you can't afford. But for the casual player I feel it's easy to get caught by accident.
Maybe this is just me.
Hello again Cardmates, just wanted to say thanks for the invite to the GGfreeroll and enjoyed being at the tables with some of you. The short time that I stayed in that is! 🤪💙
So this week, I’ve had another week to forget about at the tables, no Ft, 2x min cashes and basically some tilting poker😤🤬🤯
Although this morning I managed to get 10 ko’s in the $1PKO sitting 2nd and feeling good
Then All-in with AQo 2x callers ChipLeader BB and the button , OH NO! 😩
CLBB 66 button 77 here we go
so I LOST they both got a set! and to top it off I BUBBLED!
Now I do not mind this beat, I am at peace with this exit from the tournament. I made a profit had some good hands, enjoyed playing the game and got beat by reasonable hands.
It is when you go Ai with AA and get called by 73o and he hits a straight I go full tilt 🤬
You start to imagine the guy sitting at his desk developing the RNG and poking him in the eyes with a heated 4” nail and watch him scream 😱🤣🤣🤣
I’m in a good place with my poker for the weekend now, that’s the main thing
Lets Go Cardmates! ♥️♠️♦️♣️🃏🥳💙💙

UK Gambling Portal
Stay ahead of the trends in the UK gambling industry with Cardmates. Here you can bump into the daily coverage of online poker and casino news, read expert reviews and crucial regulatory information. Learn to play different games, discover interesting strategies and get familiar with responsible play principles.
Oh, and never miss the latest promotions from top-rated poker rooms and casino sites. With every scroll or click, you’ll be hearing right from the source – years of experience under our belt accompany you here.
What You Can Find on Cardmates
We are a large and friendly community of casino and poker fans from around the globe. Therefore, on our website, there is plenty of information for everyone in one place. Cardmates is home to:
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Reviews of Gambling Sites
Our team regularly adds and updates expert reviews of leading poker and casino platforms to play online. We provide comprehensive poker sites rating and a UKGC-licensed online casinos list so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Each platform is analysed and ranked based on adopted security measures, available games and bonuses, software quality, banking, payout speed, customer support, etc. Cardmates personally test every brand, its site and services.
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Massive Education Database
On our website, one can independently complete all stages of learning poker from scratch (starting with basics like rules, combinations and odds and ending with tracking software). There is also a wealth of resources on professional poker strategies for various card games, such as Texas Hold'em, Omaha, Stud, Lawball, Mixed, etc.
We've also set you up with the ultimate casino guides to help you master the basics of gambling games. Learn how to play online slots , roulette, keno, craps, blackjack, baccarat and more. Our articles reveal specifics of each game, its winning odds and strategies, possible side bets and tips from Cardmates. All educational content is presented in a simple and straightforward way.
How We Rate and Review Gambling Sites
In short, our collective goal is to deliver expert and unbiased reviews that punters can rely on. For your ultimate experience, our team of professionals heedfully analyse each gambling site mentioned on Cardmates. We assign each brand that we review a rating out of five stars. The overall score is related to the following factors:
Software & Games
Our reviewers personally download gaming clients to understand their quality and convenience. Game diversity counts as well.
Security
Before we recommend any site, we check its licensing, as well as the level of user data and money protection.
Bonuses & Offers
While bonuses are always nice, our aces also make sure that the T&Cs around are adequate and fair.
Cashout Speed
All players want their prize money ASAP, so payout tempo is among the crucial points we always check. Across all types of gaming platforms.
Customer Care
We test how quickly customer support agents resolve issues and through what contact channels.
Player Reviews
Here we look at other players’ experiences with a certain site, either positive or negative.
We also apprise things like sign-up process, payment solutions, limits and mobile experience. Actually, the exact criteria differ between poker rooms and remote casinos. Therefore, we suggest you visit our How We Rate page for relevant details.
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Who We Are and Why You Can Trust Us
Cardmates is an information portal about legal poker games that has expanded its competence to include remote casinos. Each team member is a passionate enthusiast and an expert in various aspects of online gambling. We’re a match made in heaven thousands of years ago to fulfil an important mission – become a global meeting place for everyone who loves gambling. And, if this is our karmic debt, then we work off it with sky-high pleasure. Seriously though, we’ve been in business since 2012. Our staff have spent thousands of hours at online tables and reels to gain experience, which allows us to create top-quality informative content. Thanks t o the professional approach to work, Cardmates built up a reputation as a reliable and trusted gamblin g portal, where there is no place for lies and deceit.
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Responsible Gambling
Cardmates want to be sure you enjoy gambling as a form of entertainment and don’t wager with money you can’t afford to lose. Whatever of our suggested poker rooms or casinos you play at, you must do it responsibly and sensibly, at all times. Legit gambling sites from our list prepare multiple tools to help punters in this regard. For example, daily to monthly deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion schemes. If you notice any signs of compulsive gambling behaviour, feel free to seek out help and support. There are dedicated charities and agencies like Gamble Aware or GamCare – you can be moved to their websites directly from our footer. Plus, every country has certain regulations towards online gambling to help players control their habits. The United Kingdom, for instance, has the strictest watchdog – UKGC – which obliges all casinos and poker rooms to join the Gamstop list. This free service restricts the internet gambling activities of everyone who requests it. Visit our Responsible Gambling page to learn more.
FAQ
💡 What is Cardmates?
Cardmates is a premier destination for online gambling information. Our expert bees know the industry better than anyone else in this universe. You can find the latest news, hottest bonuses, educational articles and strategy tips on our website. Also, don’t forget to check out our ratings of the best poker and casino operators with licences and top security measures.
⚖️ Are online casinos and poker sites legal in the UK?
Totally! Every gambling operator that wants to serve UK players must be licensed by the local watchdog. That is, the Gambling Commission of Great Britain, which is known as the strictest regulator on this planet.
🔍 Why is it worth running a blog on Cardmates?
Blog section on Cardmates is a perfect place to share your gaming experience, as well as broaden it by learning from other community members. There, one can get a piece of advice or support from fellow players. Finally, it’s the main source of earning points and boosting Aura level for better rewards and extra benefits.
👀 Where to read the latest online gambling news?
There are many dedicated sites on the web. Just in case, Cardmates has been publishing online gambling news and more for over 10 years, every day. We exactly know what information will be interesting to remote gamblers, so navigate around our site. Maybe, we are your dream portal.
When all else fails, I switch apps :) Just took a break from 888 and GG and moved to ACR for now. Seems to be working better.
No matter how you think about it, it's a game! Everyone has their own privileges, their own hopes or aspirations! But even 1% has its own value at some point! The main thing is not to panic, but to hope for the best - always!
If something like this happens, even in bubble mode, I try to wait it out and there were times when I even threw out a couple of AAs!
I have all the same standards)
This is funny (and annoying) because it's true:
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Hey man good luck on your switch to plo, I like a good plo game but i don't think i got what it takes to play it all the time but it is fun for a change of scene, I've not done any studying for plo but the one guy i like to watch who knows the game inside out is JNandez I'm sure there is plenty of his stuff on YouTube, not sure how often he streams but he did used to stream quite often! Good luck on your journey!
Honestly, I’d recommend sticking with NLH, especially if you’ve already spent 15 years playing it. That’s a lot of experience and intuition you’ve built up, and it’s a big edge to throw away. PLO is fun, but the variance is much higher and edges between players are usually smaller, especially in tournaments. In NLH you’ll often have clearer spots where you’re well ahead, while in PLO even strong hands can run very close. If anything, I’d suggest adding a bit of PLO just for fun on the side, but keeping NLH as your main game where your experience actually gives you a real advantage.
I’d just stay patient and wait for a decent hand. Against someone shoving with rubbish like that you’re usually well ahead. If they get lucky, that’s just poker - in the long run those players are giving their chips away
I have actually been playing PLO recently. Never really strayed from NLH.
I do not have any information regarding streamers or anything however. If you use coral or Ladbrokes (these differ slightly on casino but they are actually the same company)
They have a few PLO freerolls everyday. It's only for tickets to more tournaments but the practice for free is worthwhile. I have learnt loads by just doing.
If you have both coral and Ladbrokes you can only enter any tournament one time only on one site. I didn't realise they were owened by the same company and the tournament entries on each site enter the same game.
Free is good practice. I'm sure other sites do PLO freerolls but I just know these ones do specifically.
Hi . Firstly thank you. I appreciate that. I've already enjoyed reading a lot on here. It's nice to find a place to talk about things poker related. (My Mrs does not get It 🤣🤣🤣)
I'll add my name etc as you have said.