888 Casino – Review of the Popular UK Operator
From their proprietary games and excellent choice of live tables to their outstanding promotions and bonuses with player-friendly wagering requirements, 888 is undoubtedly one of Britain’s favourite online casinos. Their relatively smaller game pool is offset by exclusive titles you cannot find anywhere else and some of the best welcome promotions for new players around the net. But do they live up to their reputation? Let’s review in detail.
- Exclusive Games
- Ongoing Promotions
We’ll start by giving you a detailed report on what games you can find at the site. We’ll comment on each main type of game separately, so whether it’s slots or blackjack you’re interested in, you’ll get all the important information. Then we’ll explain what types of bonuses you will be eligible for and how to claim them. We’ll also comment on the software platform, the payment options, and the customer support. There will be company info and a FAQ section to wrap it up.
Proprietary Games – A Unique Portfolio
Although 888’s game selection is not among the richest in terms of numbers, it is pretty unique. It’s not that there aren’t enough games, but rather that they are fewer than those of some other online casinos. Yet, once you enter the lobby, you won’t find it lacking. First off, there are games from various providers, including NetEnt, IGT, and Cryptologic. More importantly, 888 offers a number of exclusive titles that are developed by their daughter company Random Logic.
So Many Slots
Similarly to other online casino sites, 888’s lobby features mainly slot machines. There are over a hundred slots, which you can browse in two modes – grid and list. That comes handy because a hundred slots is quite a large batch that may seem daunting, especially at your first encounter. We’ll look at what types of slots you can play at the site in a while, but first here are three of their most popular slots.
When it comes to slot machines, you’ll have plenty of choices at this casino. There are classic three-reels and modern video slots with five reels and enchanting 3D images. For your convenience, 888 have divided the slots into five subcategories: 1-20 lines, 25+ lines, jackpot, exclusive, and new. Among those, you’ll find games by NetEnt (Gonzo’s Quest, Jack and the Beanstalk), IGT (Cleopatra), WMS (Bruce Lee) and some Random Logic titles that are exclusive for 888 and have become all time favourites – Millionaire Genie and Pirates Millions being the best examples.
An Overview of the Card, Table, and Other Games
The site has steadily been expanding its selection of table and card games, with more than 40 titles on offer. This is not the greatest of varieties, but you’ll find that those games are quite exhaustive in offering you RNG entertainment. In the card & table games category there are four subcategories, namely roulette, blackjack, poker and baccarat. There are classic variations as well as some innovative ones. It’s worth noting that on the site you can play High Limit Roulette (French, European, and American), but let’s have a look at game distribution.
Roulette Games: There are 13 games in the roulette subcategory, including some basic games like European Roulette, American Roulette, French Roulette, and Classic European Roulette. There are also some interesting innovations, such as Deal or No Deal Roulette and 3D Roulette. There’s Low Stakes Roulette, starting at only 50p. Finally, high rollers are welcomed to enjoy themselves at the three High Limit roulettes we’ve mentioned.
Blackjack Games: In the Blackjack section, on the other hand, you’ll find only 8 games, including Classic Blackjack, American Blackjack, Multihand Blackjack, and Single Deck Blackjack. However, there are some quite interesting options – Pontoon Pro and Double Exposure Blackjack – so you’ll be covered for some time. Hopefully, 888 will work on delivering even more options in this department soon.
Other Games: The operator may not have a portfolio with 500+ games, but they still offer other games for you to enjoy. There are 13 variants of poker, including video poker and casino poker titles, such as Casino Hold’em, Texas Hold’em Pro, Red Dog Progressive and Oasis Poker. There are also 2 variants of keno and baccarat, but do take note that the Keno games do not have their own subsection.
Live Games: 888 are famous for offering an award-winning live casino from the industry leader Evolution. That means that the live dealer tables are many in number, diverse in terms of variations, rules and betting limits, and come in crystal clear quality, broadcasted from the software provider’s specially-built studios. Live games include over 60 tables of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Casino Hold’em, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, and Three Card Poker.
888 Casino Bonus Offers for New and Existing Players
On top of having quite a unique game selection and a great live casino, 888 is also known for being one of the most generous gambling sites in the UK, offering great bonuses and promotions for both new and regular players. In the next few paragraphs, we’ll look at the highlights of 888’s promotion section.
No Deposit Offer
For those that wish to begin their journey into the world of online gambling a bit more slowly, there is a free to play starter option. As long as you’ve registered at the site, you’ll be eligible to get 88 free spins no deposit required. Those would give you a chance to explore the casino and get a taste of real money games.
A £100 Welcome Bonus
This respectable operator welcomes their new players with a 100% match of their first deposit of up to £100. That’s a very good offer, but it’s actually the terms that make it one of the better promotions around the net – we’ll explain it all when we discuss the wagering requirements a bit further down in this review.
Casino | Welcome Bonus | Perks for uk players | Rating | Play Here | Terms |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
888 Casino
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Get a 200% bonus up to £200 |
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Grab Your Bonus! | First-time depositors • Min deposit £10 • Claim within 48 hours • Expires in 90 days • 30X wagering • Valid on selected slots • UK and Ireland only • Full T&Cs apply. |
Now, if you’re a high roller who considers £100 not worthy of their effort, the company have a special offer for you. With the Premium Welcome Package, you’ll get a bonus for deposits 1 through 5. The percentage match will be different, but you could end with up to £1500 in bonus money, so that’s an offer you shouldn’t miss. Few casinos offer such good incentives after the first bonus.
Ongoing Promotions
Once you’ve played through your welcome bonus, promotions keep on giving you more. There are Daily Deals, which offer you a different reward every day of the week if you make a deposit. There are also game-specific and platform-specific promotions, such as the ones with live casino fans in mind. Finally, you can always find new short-term promotions that change frequently and offer different types of rewards: cashback, reload bonuses, no deposit bonuses, and more.
The Bonus Terms
A great thing about 888’s promotions, except for their number, is the convenience of their conditions. In fact, compared to other casinos, 888 have considerably more advantageous bonus terms. We’ll give you the details below, but first let us remind you that in order to claim the welcome bonus, you’ll need to make a minimum deposit of £20. Other offers might have other minimum deposit requirements, so you should check each separately.
Wagering Requirements: While other casinos put a wagering requirement of 20 times on both your deposit and bonus (in the case of a 100% offer that makes for 40 times the bonus amount), 888 require you to turn over only the bonus amount 30 times. Furthermore, the validity period for their welcome offer is 90 days, while at other casinos you’d have a much shorter time frame.
Wagering Contribution: The contribution of different games is what you’d expect, except that it is even better. If the 100% contribution of slots, scratch cards, keno, and arcade games isn’t that surprising, the 20% contribution of roulette (except Live Roulette), Caribbean Poker, Pai Gow Poker, Tree Card Poker, etc. pokers and the 10% contribution of all blackjack variations and all live dealer games is not something you’d find easily elsewhere.
More Bonus Terms: Although we have tried to give you the up-to-date info on bonuses and their terms and conditions, those do change quite often. Besides, the operator reserves their right to assign different terms to different offers. So, to be on the safe side, always check the conditions before claiming a bonus. It always pays to be informed before making a decision.
Quality In-House Software
One of the unique features of 888 is that their software platform is internally developed by the company. Most online casinos rely solely on the services of external software houses. 888’s software is certified by the testing agency eCOGRA, which vouches for the fairness and randomness of the games. The casino uses an encrypted connection to make sure that all user data is protected. The platform comes in three variations – download, instant play, and mobile – which we’re going to examine in the next paragraphs.
Platforms – Download, Instant Play, and Mobile
A great thing about 888’s desktop software is that the two versions in which it comes, the download and the instant play one, are almost identical. It’s all about the preferences of the user – if you want to be able to access the games directly from your desktop, then, of course, the download software would be a better choice for you. If, on the other hand, you want to play directly in your browser, the instant play version is your thing. The second option is especially convenient for the players that intend to access the casino from different computers.
- Unique Games
- User-Friendly Platforms
- Awesome Bonus & Promotions
As a front-runner in the online casino gambling sector, 888 have thought not only of the users that like to play on their PCs or laptops but also of the ones that would prefer playing real money games on the go. They have a great mobile app but that’s not all – they also offer a special roulette app. Most of their games are optimised for hand-held devices and the live dealer games are also available. You’ll get a wonderful gaming experience anywhere you go, no matter if your devices support Android or iOS.
The 888 Cashier
888’s casino cashier is accessible from the main lobby and is designed in such way that every player, no matter how computer-savvy they are, can quickly and safely make transactions to and from their account. The connection with the site is private and the data transfer – secure. The accepted payment methods are pretty standard. Here’s a list of the most wide-spread ones:
- Debit cards (Visa Electron, Maestro)
- E-wallets (Skrill, PayPal, Neteller)
- Wire transfer
- Prepaid vouchers (Entropay, Paysafecard)
All these methods, except the prepaid cards, can also be used for withdrawals. Depositing via an e-wallet will credit your account in up to 10 minutes while withdrawals will take between 2 and 10 days, depending on the method. Make sure you verify your identity before your first withdrawal or your money will take longer to be processed. As part of the verification process, you may be asked to submit copies of personal documents, such as a photo ID, debit cards or proof of address.
Customer Service – Available 24/7
As a reputable site, 888 have a dedicated support centre which is at the players’ disposal 24/7. You can contact them via phone, email or live chat. We recommend the chat option because it’s the fastest and most convenient one. Whenever you wish to contact the customer representatives, just go to the home page and you’ll see the big chat box at the bottom right corner. Other than that, there’s a useful FAQ section where you can find the answers to most of your questions. Actually, no matter which method you choose, you’ll find the representatives friendly and helpful.
Company Information, Licences, and Security
888 Casino, part of the 888 Holdings Group, was founded in 1997 and since then has become one of the leading gambling operators in the world. In Great Britain, they are operated by 888 UK Limited. It is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and is, therefore, 100% legal for British players. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange. It has won many prestigious awards, including the prestigious EGR ‘Casino Operator of the Year 2013’ and Gaming Intelligence ‘Casino Operator of the Year 2015’.
The operator also supports reputable responsible gambling organisations such as GambleAware and GamCare. As far as security goes, 888 make sure that their software is spyware-, malware- and adware-free. They also use the latest encryption technology to ensure that the users’ information remains private. That is very important and players should never take safety for granted.
A Couple of Suggestions
Being hands-down the best online casino in the UK, 888 Casino doesn’t give many reasons for complaints, but we would like to suggest some improvements, nevertheless. First of all, as we’ve already mentioned, the game selection is not among the richest ones, especially if one is interested in playing RNG blackjack. Then, we’d like to see more no deposit bonus offers. If you want to try out a new operator, then read our Hyper Casino review.
FAQ
Follow those 5 steps:
- Visit 888 Casino.
- Click on ‘Free Download’.
- Click on 888’s file in the browser’s download bar.
- Follow the instructions to install the software.
- Open the casino from the start menu or from your desktop.
A respectable and very popular operator, 888 makes sure to keep players happy. One of the aspects of this online casino’s excellence is namely the wide range of games. Slots, tables games, and others – you name it, they got it. And the live casino is impeccable. All of these are supplied by various top-industry software providers.
888 accepts a wide variety of payment methods, which can be found on their site. Do note that some of them are available only in certain countries, like iDebit in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, UK, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, NZ, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden, or WebMoney for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia and Uzbekistan.