Expert review by Matthew West
Betfair was established back in 2000 primarily as a UK sports betting site. As technology progressed, Betfair evolved. Now the site boasts hundreds of casino games of various types and genres and a whole medley of exciting bonuses to go alongside them. These cater to different parts of the site so, no matter what your interest is, there is something for you. The interface is eminently user-friendly, and if you get stuck at any point, there’s a stellar support team on hand ready to jump in and help.
Betfair has licenses from both the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. These two jurisdictions are the strictest in the business so players can rest easy knowing they are in safe hands. The site is also fully secure thanks to an SSL encryption that is present on all pages preventing any third parties from getting their hands on private player data. The site is also externally audited to ensure everything is fair as well as having a number of responsible gaming links for players to make use of.
Every good online casino will offer a series of bonuses, and Betfair is no exception. Like its competitors, it strives to entice in new players and, more importantly, keep them playing at their site. To that end, there is a range of different bonus options that include the all-important welcome bonus alongside continuous rewards, match deposit bonuses and bonus spins. There’s also a VIP programme that can be hugely rewarding in the long run – if you plan on staying and playing long term, that is.
The most important bonus is the welcome bonus, and here this comes in the form of a match deposit bonus. For brand new players signing up to Betfair, they are entitled to a 100% match on their first deposit up to the value of £100. This means that players are able to hit the website with double their bankroll from the get-go. This bonus is subject to a 45x wagering requirement, and it should also be noted that anyone depositing with an eWallet will not be eligible to claim this reward.
Other rewards and bonuses continue alongside this welcome bonus. There are usually bonus spins on offer, often around 25 spins when players make a deposit of £5. These are usually attached to a specific game and cannot be played on any other slot. There’s also a specific live casino bonus that follows much the same format as the standard casino welcome bonus. However, this one has a wagering requirement of 50x and will expire 7 days after it has been accepted.
As you might expect with a casino of this calibre, there is also a VIP programme in place. Becoming a member will see you inundated with a whole range of member specials that can include limited-time games, slot specials or simply random cash rewards. The VIP club itself is aimed at the high rollers and has a seriously huge competition points system. Rewards here include giveaways, events and personal account managers to name but a few. However, you have to be a little more elite to find your way in.
With so much going for it, it’s hardly surprising that Betfair has one of the most comprehensive game collections around. Slots make up the bulk of these games and come from industry giants NetEnt and Playtech. There are classic games, multi-reel video slots and even massive jackpot progressives for you to get your teeth into. The range of themes is seemingly never-ending, so whether you like a cartoon theme, Halloween or something movie or even TV orientated, this site has you completely covered.
Elsewhere in the casino game collection, there are still huge amounts to choose from. The virtual table game collection includes a number of roulette, blackjack and baccarat variants all enabling you to choose your bet levels. There are nearly 20 video poker games on offer, which makes this one of the best selections out there and all of these are fully compatible on any device! For those that like something a little softer in nature, there is an epic bingo section available as well.
The live casino game selection on Betfair is found in an austere and suitably classy section of the site. There are a large number of games on offer including roulette, blackjack, baccarat and even sic bo. Blackjack, in particular, has a whole range of variations available and these encompass a wide range of betting levels so that even the most budget-conscious player can have a good time. All of the live games are streamed in HD and enable players to converse directly with the dealer and the other players creating a fully immersive environment.
Betfair takes being accessible to mobile devices to an entirely new level. For starters, the website is mobile optimised and fully scalable, fitting any device and screen. However, the extra step comes in the form of their mobile apps. They don’t just have one; they have many! Each of the mobile apps is dedicated to a specific part of the casino. Do you want to play bingo? Get the bingo app. How about the general casino? Get the slot game app. Live casino? Yes, there’s an app for that too!
Betfair has a plethora of payment options available to players. These include Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Paypal, Paysafecard and Skrill. Whilst deposits are instantaneous, the withdrawal times do vary across the payment method used, although the actual processing is also instantly completed. However, unless you’re using a cheque or bank transfers, processing takes no longer than 5 days. There are some fees attached to a few payment methods so you will have to check these out to make sure your preferred method isn’t one of them so that you don’t get caught unawares.
Betfair has a whole range of different options that you can use to get in touch. There’s the usual live chat operating around the clock alongside an email and a telephone, although the latter isn’t open as often. To add to the mix though, Betfair also has the option of contacting them via their various social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter, which can make things even easier, especially for those who are using a mobile device. We should point out that all the contact options work via mobile apps too.
At the end of the day, Betfair has been around this long for one good reason – it caters to what players want. The design is simple and uncluttered; navigation is easy using the simple menu bar and everything is right where it should be. There’s a great collection of games and sports betting options, which are enhanced by the bonuses offered, although we might prefer a slightly lower wagering requirement. That being said, this site offers everything casino and sports fans could want, all in one convenient package.
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