888 Casino Review

888 Casino is one of the mainstays in online gaming. They have been around since 1997 and have consistently updated their software to stay among the top in the field. Their current software is available both for download and in a web-based platform.

888 Casino states that it uses RSA public/private key encryption technology to ensure that all data is transmitted and stored safely and securely. Furthermore, all their transactions and personal details are stored on secure servers which are protected by advanced firewalls.

Let’s find out if one of the original gaming sites still has what it takes. No matter what, I’ll give it to you straight…there will be no rosecolored glasses here. Brutal honesty is the name of the game, so let’s see what 888 Casino has to offer!

The Breakdown

Overall

888 Casino has a great selection of high quality slots (including a personal favorite: branded slots) many of which have incredible progressive jackpots. They offer a wide variety of everchanging promotions, including some that don’t even require a deposit to activate. Their Live Casino technology is impressive and the dealers make the experience just like a real casino, right from the comfort of your own home. The lack of a live chat feature is disappointing in this day and age.

Game Variety

The slot game variety is impressive, and it was great to see many familiar games that I play regularly in real casinos. This is the first thing I look for when checking out a new site. The Table Game and Video Poker selection is lacking unfortunately. Thankfully the Live Casino makes up for some of what is missing from the Table Games section, however it would’ve been really nice to see more variety.

Banking

888 Casino has 15 deposit methods and 6 withdrawal methods. Their low minimums are appealing, however they do not list any fees associated with depositing or cashing out on their website. Their cashout times are also longer than necessary, in the technological age. Withdrawals shouldn’t take any more than a day or two to process, and some of their methods take 710 business days. Hopefully they work on decreasing their processing times in the near future.

Bonuses

888 Casino’s bonuses are easy to earn and well explained on their site. They do not make it a challenge to decipher the rules or to earn the rewards. There is even a bonus for every day of the week, so no matter when you make your next deposit, you will get a bonus. One of the best registration bonuses I have seen, which doesn’t even require a deposit to win real money.

Customer Service

The only way to reach their customer service is through a template found in the “contact us” section of the website. There is no published email address, phone number or live chat feature available. That being said, my questions were answered accurately and in a timely manner.

User Interface

I really appreciated the way this website is laid out. The gaming options are all clearly organized and easily located. They offer both a download and an instant play mode (using Flash). I really like websites that use webbased technology, instead of requiring a download. I already have enough on my computer slowing it down, the last thing I want is yet another program to download. The Live Casino web streaming is impressive and high quality. The only problem I had was not being able to easily locate the Video Poker section. It is not included on the home page with the other gaming sections.

Game Selection

888 Casino divides their Casino Games into 5 sections: Slots, Jackpots, Video Poker, Table Games and Live Casino. I like that they don’t try to subdivide their games into too many categories, because it can get confusing with too many categories. I have seen sites that have a Table Games category and a Card Games category…well what section would you find Blackjack in? It’s both a table game and a card game. Hence the confusion. I like that 888casino doesn’t try to get too complicated. It’s easy to figure out what you will find in each of these 5 categories. Let’s explore them now.

Slots

One of the greatest features of 888casino is how many slots are recognizable. Not only are there 51 slots to choose from, but a great deal of them will be familiar to you from seeing them in brick and mortar casinos. That is my number one selling feature amongst safe, reputable sites. I want a website where I can play the games at home that I love to play in casinos.

To add to the great selection and familiar games, 888casino also has a number of branded slots. This is also something I look for in gaming sites. I would much rather play a KISS game with the real Gene Simmons than a knockoff game with Jim Simmonds. What can I say, I just don’t find Jim Simmonds as charismatic as the oneandonly Gene.

If you’re looking for a site that has your favorite games, here is a full list of the slots offered on 888 Casino as of the publishing of this article. These games do tend to change frequently though, so be sure to check the site for the most uptodate offerings.

The main site features a very simplistic style with noticeable graphics and plenty of gaming details. The mobile site has some of the largest graphic cards we’ve come across, so even the newest online players will be comfortable making their selections without worry of mistakes. The casino is available through Instant Play or Download options.

• Rise of the Pharoahs
• Jacks Pot
• Irish Riches
• Santa’s Super Slot
• Millionaire Genie
• Gods of Gold
• Starburst
• Treasure Fair
• Pirates Millions
• The Big Lebowski
• Under Construction
• Twin Spin
• A Nightmare on Elm Street
• The Glorious 50s
• Oktoberfest Spins
• Saved by the Bells
• Once Upon a Dime
• Giants Gold
• Zeus
• Ultimate Universe
• Ultimate Grill Thrills
• Leprechauns Luck
• Diamonds Delight
• Steampunk Nation
• Dawn of the Dinosaurs
• Ghost in the Shell
• Fairest of them All
• Adventures in Orbit
• Gonzos Quest
• Ruby Slippers
• Jack and the Beanstalk
• Raging Rhino
• KISS
• Snack Time
• Jack Hammer
• Reel Rush
• Casino Reels
• Wild Gambler
• Ramasses Riches
• Rainbow Riches
• Freaky Fruit
• City Life
• Victorious
• Party Pigs
• Zuma
• South Park
• Top Spin Snooker
• Fruit Shop
• Doctor Love
• Clash of the Titans
• Spartacus

Jackpots

Of the 51 slot games listed above, 10 of them are jackpot games. The jackpots range from $45,806.91 to $4,145,982.22 as of the publishing of this review. The 10 jackpot games are:

• Diamonds Delight ($45,806.91)
• Rise of the Pharaohs ($4,145,982.22)
• Jacks Pot ($92,279.83)
• Millionaire Genie ($4,145,982.22)
• Treasure Fair ($450,687.38)
• Irish Riches ($4,145,982.22)
• Pirates Millions ($4,145,982.22)
• Gods of Gold ($450,687.38)
• Santa’s Super Slot ($4,145,982.22)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street ($45,815.57)

Video Poker

At first, I didn’t think 888casino offered video poker. It’s not included in the tabs across the top of the screen along with the other categories. I was very surprised that it wasn’t offered, so I asked their customer support via “Contact Us”. I received a prompt response directing me to click the “Casino Games” button on the top left of the home page. This opened a separate menu with 5 categories: Slots, Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat and Video Poker. The Slots, Roulette and Blackjack tabs took me to the same games as their individual tabs on the home page, but Baccarat and Video Poker are nowhere to be found on the home page. As strange as this is, at least they are offered…you just have to do a little extra searching.

With only 4 video poker games to choose from, 888 Casino falls short on their video poker selection. I would like to see at least 10 video poker games, most notably Double Double Bonus and Triple Double Bonus. Neither of these games are available on 888 Casino. Considering the website says that video poker is one of the most popular games in the casino industry, I’m disappointed to see there aren’t more options available. The 4 video poker games available are:

• All American Double Up
• Jacks or Better
• Joker Wild Double Up
• Deuces Wild Double Up

Table Games

888 Casino fittingly has 8 different table games to choose from. I was hoping to see more selection in their table games, especially considering the selection they have to offer in their slot games. Notably missing from this section are games like Caribbean Stud, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker, Let It Ride, and so on. They seem to stick to just the classic table games, which does limit the selection fairly substantially. However, as these are the most popular table games in casinos, it does make sense that most players would be interested in these games.

The 8 table games available are:

• European Roulette
• Multihand Blackjack
• American Roulette
• American Blackjack
• 3D Roulette
• Classic Blackjack
• Low Stakes Roulette
• French Roulette

You’ll notice that these 8 games are actually just variations of 2 games, Roulette and Blackjack. Not only are there none of the less common table games, but there isn’t even a craps table available. To say I was disappointed in their table games selection would be an understatement.

Live Casino

The Live Casino is where 888 Casino picks up the slack left in the Table Games category. While this section also only has 8 games available (this site does love the number 8!), there is actually much more variety in this section compared to the Table Games. Within each of these games they have a large selection of tables for every game, which means you’ll always find the table that suits your needs…and if you get unlucky at one table, you can pick up your chips and go to the table next door, just like in a real casino! The 8 games offered in the Live Casino are:

• Live Baccarat
• Live Blackjack
• Live Caribbean Stud Poker
• Live Roulette
• Live Three Card Poker
• Live Casino Hold’em
• Live Ultimate Texas Hold’em

The 888 Casino Live Elite Lounge (offering exclusive Roulette and Blackjack tables with higher limits)>

According to the website, the Live Casino features an everexpanding choice of the alltime favorite table games and the most professional live dealers you will ever meet. This is a lofty promise, but my impression of the dealers I played with is that they live up to this promise. The dealers greet you by username when you join the table, and they answer questions from the chat box in real time. It is just like playing in a real casino, except you’re in the comfort of your own home! This is definitely a great feature that I enjoyed.

Promotions

When it comes to promotions, 888 Casino does it right. Not only are they easy to find using the “Promotions” tab across the top of every screen, but they have a huge variety of promotions for new and existing players. This ensures everyone will be able to find a promotion or two (or five!) that fit their requirements. And who doesn’t love free money?!

Welcome Bonus Offer

888 Casino has a welcome bonus offer where they will match your first deposit 100% up to $200. So if you deposit $100, you will have $200 in your account to play with. That’s the best thing about this bonus is that 888casino doesn’t make you earn the bonus in small increments over time. You get the entire amount in your cashier immediately…talk about a warm welcome!

Premium Welcome Package

Within the first week, you can earn up to $1500 in bonuses if you make 5 deposits in the first week. The first deposit bonus is described above. If you make 4 more deposits in the first week, they have 4 more promo codes for the premium welcome package:

• Promo code Welcome2 will earn you a 30% bonus on your second deposit up to $350.
• Promo code Welcome3 will earn you a 30% bonus on your third deposit up to $350.
• Promo code Welcome4 will earn you a 30% bonus on your fourth deposit up to $350.
• Promo code Welcome5 will earn you a 30% bonus on your fifth deposit up to $350.

Registration Bonus

When you register at 888 Casino, you get a free spin on their bonus wheel. Every single spin is a winner. The minimum prize is $15 and the jackpot is $888. And the best part is, you spin and win without even making a deposit! What a great way to start your play at 888 Casino – playing with their money!

Sunday Promotion

Every day of the week has a special promotion on 888 Casino. On Sundays, 100 players will win Free Play prizes. 1st prize is $500 in free play, 2nd to 10th place wins $50 in free play, and 11th to 100th wins $20 in free play. Simply make a deposit on a Sunday using promo code fun888 and as soon as you make your first wager, you’re entered in the raffle to win!

Monday Promotion

Simply make a deposit on a Monday using promo code JPMon and wager it x3 on the top 5 jackpot video slots (Nightmare on Elm Street, Millionaire Genie, Jungle Goals, Casino Reels or Ultimate Universe) for a 30% bonus in Free Play (up to $150).

Tuesday Promotion

Earn a 30% bonus to $150 in Free Play every Tuesday by making a deposit using promo code TableTues and wagering x5 at any of the 3 top classic casino tables (European Roulette, Multihand Blackjack or Casino Reels).

Wednesday Promotion

Deposit on Wednesdays using promo code WinWed and earn cash back. Play any game on Wednesday after depositing and if you don’t win, 888 Casino will refund you 20% back (up to $20).

Thursday Promotion

Thursday is travel day on 888 Casino. Make a deposit on Thursdays using promo code TravelThurs and get a 20% bonus up to $100 in Free Play. Simply wager x3 on the top 2 destination games (Cafe de Paris or Viva L’Italia) after depositing to earn your bonus.

Friday Promotion

Make a deposit on Friday, wager it x3, and earn bonus Free Play using promo code FreakyFri. Deposit $20-$49 and get $8 in Free Play. Deposit $50-$119 and get $25 in Free Play. Deposit more than $120 and get $60 in Free Play.

Saturday Promotion

Deposit every Saturday with promo code SNL20 and wager x3 to earn a 20% bonus (up to $100). Play any Live Casino game or other game after depositing to earn your bonus.

First of the Month Promotion

Log in on the first day of the month for your chance to win one of 26 lucky prizes. 26 players that log in on the first of every month will split $888 in Free Play. 2 players will win $188 each, 4 players will win $88 each, and 20 players will win $8 each. And the best part: no deposit is required! Anyone with an account is eligible to win this bonus simply by logging in to your account.

21st of the Month Promotion

Make a deposit on the 21st of every month using code Blackjack20 and you can win up to $300 in Free Play in Multihand Blackjack. Simply wager your deposit x10 and get up to 20% (up to $300).

Lucky 8 Promotion

At 888 Casino, 8 is an especially lucky number. And they like to reward it when it hits on the roulette wheel with a bonus $8. All you have to do is play at the Live Casino Roulette table in the 888 Private Room between 8pm and 9pm (GMT) every day. If you place an $8 bet and the winning number is 8, you win a bonus $8 every time

VIP Style Promotion

You can win your share of $1200 in bonuses every day, just for playing Live Blackjack. 888 Casino shuffles 12 mixed bonus cards into their 888VIP table decks each day. There are 4 $150 bonus cards, 4 $100 bonus cards, and 4 $50 bonus cards. Simply take a seat at the Live Casino 888VIP table daily between 1pm and 1am (GMT). If you are dealt a bonus card, you instantly win the amount on that card!

888xtra Bonus

888 Casino offers players a chance to win a share of $750 in daily bonuses. They shuffle 12 mixed bonus cards into their 888Xtra table decks each day. There are 3 $100 bonus cards, 3 $75 bonus cards, 3 $50 bonus cards, and 3 $25 bonus cards. Simply take a seat at the Live Casino 888Xtra table in the 888 Private Room every day between 1pm and 1am (GMT). If you are dealt a bonus card, you instantly win the amount on that card!

Comp Points

Earn comp points for every $10 wagered, then redeem those comp points for cash. Every 100 points is worth $1.

Deposits and Withdrawal Options

888 Casino has a large variety of deposit and withdrawal options. They vary the deposit limits depending on the specific player. The deposit minimums are listed below, but each player will have their own deposit maximum based on play. There are so many options to choose from, I’m sure everyone will be able to find their deposit/withdrawal option of choice.

Deposit Options

• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• Diners Club
• Skrill
• Neteller
• PayPal
• EntroPay
• Maestro Debit
• Nordea
• Instadebits

There are no fees listed on their website for deposits or withdrawals, which is a bit of a disappointment. It’s always reassuring to know just what you’re getting into before committing to a site. So be sure to ask their customer support for any fees associated with deposits or withdrawals prior to making any real money deposits.

Withdrawal Options

Withdrawals are processed by 888 Casino within 3 business days (if you are a VIP Gold member, they cut this down to 1 business day). You may cancel your withdrawal request at any time while it is “pending”. Once your withdrawal request has been changed to “processed”, you can no longer cancel it. Processed time below is the combination of “pending” time and “processed” time. Withdrawals are not processed on weekends, and all time frames listed below are calculated in business days (MondayFriday).

Customer Service

The only method for contacting 888casino is via their “contact us” page, where you can submit a question via a template and wait for a response. It would have been really nice to see an actual email address, a phone number, or my personal favorite, a live chat feature. It is frustrating to have a problem and be required to fill out a template instead of speaking to someone on the phone or live chatting with someone right away. In a 24/7 world, we have expectations of immediate response times. Though this may be unrealistic at times, the live chat feature is very common these days and much more satisfying than a “contact us” template. That being said, I only had to wait a few hours to get a response from their customer service representatives, and all my questions were actually answered. So that’s a positive in my book.

Summary

Overall, I would recommend 888 Casino. I thoroughly enjoyed their wide variety of slot games, and the welcome addition of many progressive jackpots just sweetened the deal even more. Their software is fast and reliable, with no download requirement (though it is available, should you be so inclined). Their impressive selection of everchanging promotions makes for an appealing site, because who doesn’t like to get more for their money? I know I do.

As for improvements, I would have liked to see more variety in table games and video poker, a live chat feature, as well as more timely withdrawals. All in all, I think all players will find something they love about 888 Casino.