Virgin Games Review - Not Recommended
We no longer recommend betting at Virgin Games. You can see a list of alternative places to bet on our bonuses page
While Virgin may be more closely associated with the internet, trains, and selling CD’s in the 80’s and 90’s; they also opened a UK only instant play casino in 2003. This global giant have their fingers in many pies, and they don’t tend to do things by halves. Well Virgin Games is no exception, bringing you titles from big name software providers, mouth-watering jackpots, and even daily free games.
The brand is licensed from Virgin Enterprises, was established by Virgin Group (but has nothing to do with Virgin Play or Virgin Interactive) and was acquired by Gamesys in 2013. Confused? Us too. Not that it really matters – the only thing that we need to know is that this is a casino with a lot to offer its customers.
Well known for their poker tournaments, this could well be the place for you if you fancy yourself a bit of a hustler, but equally, there are slots, bingo, and instant wins galore.
Oh, and if you’re wondering how much Gamesys paid to acquire the brand, we’re afraid that remains undisclosed. Although if you want our guess – it’s a lot.
Software, Platform, Games
When Gamesys took the reins at Virgin Games they made some big changes. It was out with Microgaming and Playtech slots, and the game selection was whittled down to a well selected 150 or so titles. Obviously then, there is less to choose from these days, but on the flip side it is easier to browse the catalogue, and NetEnt, IGT, WMS, and obviously Gamesys all still tout their wares on the site, making it a case of quality over quantity. You can demo them all too which seems only fair, although you will need an account to do this.
Slots – There might not be as many of them as at other sites, but there is no fat on the bone here. Golden Goddess, Tiki Island and Spartacus Gladiator of Rome all promise a good time.
Bingo – Bingo players are well looked after. Look for some mahoosive jackpots in The Suite, The Clubhouse or The Studio.
Live Casino – With strong back up from Evolution as well as some exclusive home-grown games from their new studio, the Live Casino is an exciting place to be. Live Signature Roulette seems to be their proudest achievement so far.
Table Games – Although Roulette and Blackjack predictably make up the majority here, there are more than 30 table games in all, with some specifically for higher stakes. Keno, Hi-Lo and Baccarat also feature.
Daily Free Games – Everyone loves a freebie, and you could win up to £1000 or 50 free spins on either Doubly Bubbly, Daily Paper, or Search of the Phoenix.
Tournaments – A daily tournament schedule offers games with a wide range of buy ins, as well as featured tournaments for higher rollers. The lobby awaits.
On the face of it the interface looks crisp and sharp and like it will be a breeze to use. It’s certainly very snappy as you flick from one colourful screen to another or hit a ‘More Info’ pop up to get a little more detail (this aspect actually works a treat). The whole thing is made up of different size tiles, but the issue is the way the home page is divided. The divisions are badly signposted so it isn’t immediately clear what you are looking at, just a mass of games – my eyes were darting all over the screen for clues. The selection bar solves this problem with a well curated number of options, thankfully, although the absence of a search bar was disappointing. This really should be a standard feature if you ask us, so we asked them, and they told us they are working on it. Hmm…
In many ways it feels like an overgrown mobile site, with most options being tucked away to leave only the basics on display. This may seem a little sparse and even come across as unwelcoming, but it has the benefit of keeping the site moving quickly, and there aren’t any adverts getting in the way. It might not be very imaginative, but it looks fine and it works.
Mobile
The interface on the homepage is actually clearer on the mobile site since everything has had to be re-organised to suit a smaller screen, and it is all just as snappy and vibrant. In terms of navigation and operation it works in exactly the same was as the desktop site, only without the navigation bar – which seems like an odd choice.
Most of the games are available via mobile although you might lose a handful, but demo play is still available as is the Live Casino and Live Chat. This is great as it means that taking your gaming with you on your travels doesn’t need to diminish your experience at all. You can access pretty much all of your favourites wherever you are.
There is also an app to download if you would prefer, although it is not necessary. The app is practically identical to the mobile site and all the games are instant play, so as long as you have wifi you are good to go.
Banking
Banking options at Virgin Games are minimal but sensible, and you may be pleased to hear that the ever popular Paypal is one of them. Don’t worry if you have a win bigger than the maximums you see here as there is a system in place to deal with huge windfalls, so you won’t have to spend the next 5 years withdrawing it all in bitesize chunks. Technically, they offer unlimited max withdrawals.
They aim to process all withdrawal requests within 4-24 hours, which is impressively quick, after which the time frames are displayed in the table below:
Banking Method | Min/Max Deposit | Min/Max Withdrawal | Withdrawal Time |
---|---|---|---|
Visa Debit | £10-£20,000 | £10-£25,000 | 24-48 hours |
MasterCard/Visa Credit | £10-£20,000 | £10-£25,000 | 2-3 Working Days |
Moneybookers | £10-£5,000 | £10-£10,000 | Instant once processed |
Neteller | £10-£1,000 | £10-£5,000 | Instant once processed |
Paysafecard | £10-£750 | £10-£100,000 | Instant once processed |
Paypal | £10-£5500 | £10-£5,500 | Instant once processed |
About
Virgin as a company was famously founded by Sir Richard Branson in 1972, starting life simply as Virgin Records. Branson himself has a somewhat unscrupulous reputation despite his friendly demeanour, and he was briefly jailed in ’71 for tax evasion. Even today his business model is criticised for tax dodging.
This didn’t stop him though, and in the 1980’s the Virgin brand saw rapid growth and diversification, eventually branching out into air travel, mobile phones, banking and even space travel. Today the business has so many different incorporated groups and off shoots that it is difficult to keep track, but safe to say Branson is doing pretty well out of it. He owns his own Caribbean island and is consistently estimated to be worth around the £5 billion mark.
Virgin Games hit the internet back in the early days of 2003, so it is an old timer when it comes to online gaming. It changed hands in 2013, with Gamesys taking over the brand and giving the site a shake up, and they have been making constant improvements and additions since. The recent introduction of unlimited withdrawals and the development of their own Live Casino studio shows a company who are always moving forward and looking to build upon what is already there.
Customer Service
This is where things get a little hazy. Virgin is obviously a global corporation trusted by millions, and as such they have all of the right security checks, SSL encryption, and licenses in place. However, there are a substantial number of angry casino players stalking the internet with an axe to grind against Virgin Games. Usually we take comments from disgruntled players with a pinch of salt, but the Virgin Games page on TrustPilot, for example, is not a happy place, and virtually all negative comments have gone unanswered. The arrogance of a huge corporation relying on their fame alone perhaps? That may not be a fair assumption, but the number of complaints (400+ on one site alone) can’t be ignored.
On the plus side, there is live chat available 24/7, along with a freephone number that doesn’t close. Alternatively, you can use their contact form and they will e-mail you back usually within a few hours. Whenever we have used the live chat function it has been hassle free, quick to connect and the support staff really were top notch.
The FAQ is split into four sections making it easier to navigate: Bonuses & Promotions, Technical, Banking/My Account, and Games.
License and Contact
- Live Chat – You will have to go via Help & FAQ and then select Contact Us. Live Chat is available 24/7 and is one of the best we have come across.
- Call – Call free on 0800 083 1833 at any time.
- E-mail – Use the form on the website under the Contact Us tab. It’s in the Help & FAQ section. Or use [email protected]
- @virgingames – Twitter account posting news and offers
- Address – Gamesys (Gibraltar) Limited, Suite 2, Floor 2, Waterport Place, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA
- UK Gambling License – 38905