Sky Casino Review
Website: | SkyCasino.com |
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US Players: | US Players Are NOT Accepted |
Online Since: | 2014 |
Bonus: |
Deposit £10 Receive £60
|
License: | Alderney |
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Software: | Playtech |
Location: | UK |
Banking: |
Sky Casino is a small casino with just a handful of banking options and an
abbreviated Playtech-provided gaming menu. But everything that it is provided is
first-rate. Its player base is primarily from the United Kingdom as very few
countries are allowed to use the service. Banking is free, rollovers are
comparatively low, and the 29-game “live casino” should impress devoted table
game players.
Banking Methods
The Breakdown
Overall
Setting aside the relative size of the casino is an all-around above average
service for the players that are allowed to use this website. Unfortunately,
that list is limited, though. Players from very few areas are eligible to
register and gamble on skycasino.com. The majority of clientele is from the
United Kingdom. While it’s a Playtech-only casino and we’d prefer multiple
software companies in the mix, table game players are number one, even above
slot bettors. They should appreciate the quantity and quality of the regular
table game area as well as the live dealer section that combines to offer 51
different selections.
Licensing
We didn’t come across any issues with ownership, and the licensing that’s
provided by both the Alderney Gaming Commission and the UK Gambling Commission
is some of the best in the world. The UK Gambling Commission strictly regulates
every casino it licenses to make sure players are protected.
Game Variety
Table games are apparently the focus of this casino with over 50 combined in
the regular casino and the live dealer areas. The titles in these sections cover
most of the sought-after tables. The slot games include some good jackpot
progressives, as well as a few new releases but, are limited to Playtech titles
only. While there are five video poker games on the full site, they disappear in
the mobile casino, and specialty games are nowhere to be found in any format.
Banking
We really can’t give a higher mark because the banking menu is so limited,
but it should suffice for Sky’s players as only a handful of countries are
included in the “welcome” list. PayPal and Apple Pay provide new and unique
options, and most people have a debit or credit card that’s easily accepted in
the UK due to the permissible online gambling laws.
Bonuses
A superior promotional program is always up to interpretation, but we feel
it’s necessary to give a high mark to Sky Casino in this area because of the
lower rollovers. One of the current programs mandates only a one-time wagering
requirement, and loyalty club points convert to actual cash with no playthrough
needed. There isn’t an extensive list of promotions, but there are some fun
alternatives included that show off creativity as well as provide real value.
Customer Service
There are no issues with the specific agents in the customer service
department. But, the service itself could use 24/7 access, and it would be
beneficial to let players decide how they want to contact the office. Instead,
the casino dictates the necessity of a phone call for one topic and chat for
another. Some people just shy away from calls and should have more options.
Mobile Casino
Nearly the entire casino transfers over for mobile play except for poker
games. The video poker section disappears, and the live dealer area also loses
the one poker table, as Hold ’em is not offered on smartphones or tablets. The
mobile version, though, is almost identical to the full site and is easy to use
and is only missing four of the slot titles.
Overview of Sky Casino
The Sky’s Not Limited
Sky Casino is just one of several different sites provided by Bonne Terre
Limited. Links to all of the sister sites are provided on skycasino.com. There’s
Sky Bet, Sky Vegas, Sky Poker, and Sky Bingo. Sky Bet made a name for itself in
2017 by taking a bold leap and offering its punters instant payouts. All of the
websites are fully licensed by both the UK Gambling Commission and the Alderney
Gambling Control Commission. Links to all the licensing, regulation, security,
and gambler support organizations are available in the footer of the homepage.
Very Limited Clientele
While players from the United States are strictly spelled out as being
prohibited, in this case, most others are as well. Sky Casino’s customers must
be from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man or the Channel
Islands only.
Attractive and Information-Packed
The design of the website is very appealing. You can tell that this is a
newer casino and that careful consideration was given to the design and content.
Some may even say that it’s almost overwhelming with terms and conditions and
“help” content. But, at least you have access to the information you’re seeking
regardless of the time. Customer service hours are limited so you may need to
rely on printed documents.
One Time Is Appealing
We’re referring to bonus rollovers here. While standard deposit match-type
offers come with 15 and 30 times, depending on the promotion, Sky Casino also
offers some one-off games where awards only need to be played through once.
Loyalty Club prizes are also issued as cash and not as bonus play funds that
require wagering, so these are much more beneficial to players.
Playtech – Like It or Leave It
You don’t have a choice in the matter if you opt to use Sky Casino. Unlike
many of the newer sites that use multiple software providers, Sky opted for
Playtech. Unfortunately, you won’t even find the full Playtech collection, but
some popular games should catch your eye if you’re a regular slot player. You’ll
have access to several of the Age of the Gods slot progressive games as well as
Gladiator, Jackpot Giant, and more.
PayPal and Apple Pay
The list of banking options is only five entries long, but PayPal and Apple
Pay certainly juice up the variety. These are two of the more unusual payment
methods that are relatively difficult to find, and both of them are offered up
as deposit and withdrawal options with Sky Casino.
Lots of “Live” Action
Most casinos put their focus on the slot banks as that’s where they make the
most money with higher house edges and plenty of players wanting to spin the
reels. This casino has a great collection of table games, but it’s surpassed by
the live dealer section. Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Hold ’em, Hi-Lo, five
distinct parts with 29 games take care of the most desired gaming options you
can find.
Bonuses and Promotions
When it comes to bonuses on Sky Casino, there aren’t a vast number of them,
but there should still be plenty to appease bonus-seeking players who find these
types of rewards to be significant.
The rollovers vary depending on the offer, but the welcome bonus provides the
highest wagering requirements because of the structure. Brand new customers only
need to deposit £10 to get a £60 bonus, so it would make sense that the play
through is significantly higher than on a 100% match or similar.
New Player Offers
Welcome Offer – New Player Bonus: Deposit £10 to Get £60
The maximum that new punters can receive is £60 regardless of the amount of
deposit. This is not your typical percentage match. However, the rollover is 30
times, and it does include both the deposit and bonus combined.
If you take advantage of the full bonus with a minimum deposit, you’re
looking at £70 x 30 or £2,100 in wagering that needs to be accomplished. That
amount pertains to slot play only. Table and card games only contribute a fifth.
20% of wagering goes toward meeting the rollover. So, with the same £70
scenario, table and card game players are staking £10,500 before cashing out
anything.
Ongoing Promotion
More!
There are several rotating promotions including some that cross over and
incorporate other Sky websites like Sky Vegas or Sky Bet.
If you pull up the promotions section, you’ll see a countdown listed on every
limited time offer that will tell you exactly how many days are left to take
advantage of each particular reward.
Sky Casino Loyalty Club
There isn’t anything unique about the loyalty club. It offers the traditional
“betting converts to points and then points converts to cash” premise. But, the
points do actually convert to real money and not to bonus cash that requires
players to then comply with a rollover.
For every £10 in wagers, Sky’s customers will receive one loyalty point
except if they’re playing Blackjack Switch, Blackjack Surrender, or Double-up
Poker or Slots.
The points add up and players then level-up through four different stages.
Higher ranking players also receive more generous betting opportunities and
better bonuses, but everyone has access to deposit match rewards.
For entry-level players, 1000 accumulated points can be redeemed for £10 in
cash. For level four’s, only 800 points are needed to convert to £10.
Banking
While the financial options are extremely limited compared to most other
casino websites, it’s important to note that Sky Casino’s players are only from
the United Kingdom, Ireland, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, and the Channel
Islands.
So, a massive list of banking methods isn’t necessary. It’s much easier for
UK players to get betting accounts funded as gambling is legal and regulated by
the UK Gambling Commission.
Whereas sites that allow for international players, particularly US-based,
need to provide several prepaid and e-wallet possibilities as well as something
like bitcoin, Sky Casino will be able to accommodate most of its clientele with
its five options.
Deposit Options
- Visa
- Mastercard
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- Laser
Visa and Mastercard allow for credit and debit card transactions but, if a
player is using an international card, he or she may not be able to receive a
withdrawal back to the card.
Sky Casino also has a quick deposit feature using your mobile device that
should give you access to betting funds with a simple click of a button.
Withdrawal Options
- Min. Withdrawal: £10
- Max. Withdrawal: £50,000
- Turnaround Time: 2-5 Days
- Min. Withdrawal: £10
- Max. Withdrawal: £50,000
- Turnaround Time: 2-5 Days
- Min. Withdrawal: £10
- Max. Withdrawal: £50,000
- Turnaround Time: 2-5 Days
- Min. Withdrawal: £10
- Max. Withdrawal: £50,000
- Turnaround Time: 2-5 Days
While the maximum payout per 24 hours is £50,000, the monthly ceiling is
£500,000.
The Casino
Before we get into specifics, we do want to reiterate that this is a very
small casino. It offers Playtech exclusively, and the focus is put on table game players as opposed
to slot play which is usually number one by a mile. Most games transfer over to
mobile devices, including most of the live dealer action.
Library Size: 110
Game Variety
When we look at variety, we consider both the types of gaming
and the variations within each category. This is a small casino by today’s
standards and only carries Playtech offerings. As far as the areas, there are
slots, video poker, table games, and live. There aren’t any specialty games.
Video poker just provides a small sampling, but slot games and both live and
regular tables do cover the most popular games and with some fun twists.
Casino Special Features
There aren’t any standout features within the casino
for sorting or to quickly review the possibilities but, with so few games, these
types of search functions aren’t necessary. The live casino is the stand out
star with four different gaming areas isolated within the live dealer tables.
Mobile Casino
It’s always easier to put forward a user-friendly mobile experience when the
casino hosts less gaming action. It’s more efficient to scroll through the
names, and the speed should also factor in with fewer graphics to be revealed.
Sky’s mobile casino is almost identical to the full presentation but just lacks
21 total games that include poker from video to table-based Casino Hold ’em.
Software
- Playtech
Slots
The slot area is relatively small, but the good news is that there are some
brand new games, like the Matrix, included. There are also prominent jackpot
progressives like those in the Age of the Gods series and Jackpot Giant.
- Ace Ventura Pet Detective
- Captain’s Treasure
- Cops N’ Bandits
- Desert Treasure
- Halloween Fortune II
- Hologram Wilds
- Hot Gems
- Ice Cave
- Kong
- Matrix
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- Mr. Cash Back
- Night Out
- Roaring Wilds
- Robocop
- Santa Surprise
- Sherlock Mystery
- Tennis Stars
- Tiki Paradise
- Top Gun
- Jackpot versions
- Age of the Gods series
- Beach Life
- Cat Vegas
- Everybody’s Jackpot
- Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven Jackpot
- Gladiator
- Gold Rally
- Jackpot Bells
- Jackpot Giant
- Streak Luck
Video Poker
- Aces and Faces
- Aces and Faces – 25 line
- Jacks or Better
- Jacks or Better – four line
- Joker Poker
Table Games
- Casino Hold ’em
- Cashback Blackjack
- Perfect Blackjack
- Lucky Lucky
- Baccarat
- 3D Roulette
- Spin A Win
- Pai Gow Poker
- Tequila Poker
- Hi-Lo
- Diamond Bet Roulette
- 1000 Diamond Bet Roulette
- 101 Roulette
- Blackjack Switch
- Blackjack Surrender
- Blackjack
- Multi Wheel Roulette
- Sky VIP Blackjack
- Age of the Gods Roulette
- Premium Roulette European
Live Casino
The live casino is impressive and breaks down into different categories of
gaming. Some of the tables offer some harder to find versions, so players are
treated to a right mix of favorites as well as unique live dealer opportunities.
Mobile players get to select from the majority of the live casino but, poker
players are out of luck as the Casino Hold ’em table is a full-website-only
offering.
- Sky Live Roulette
- UK Roulette
- Nefertiti Slingshot Roulette
- Speed Roulette
- Royale Blackjack
- Squeeze Baccarat
- Prestige Mini Baccarat
- Odysseus Casino Hold ’em
- Hi-Lo
- Sky VIP Blackjack
Customer Service
- Contact Email: [email protected]
- Contact Phone: +44 01423 533123
- Contact Phone: 0330 024 4777
- Skype Support: No
- Live Chat: Limited Chat Availability
Sky Casino has a very comprehensive help section with articles and FAQs that
should answer the majority of questions.
However, when it comes down to one-on-one assistance, it’s not as accessible.
While players have been very complimentary about the level of service provided
by individual agents, the hours of operation are limited.
Customer support is only available from 8am to 10pm, and live chat is not
always available even within those hours. You’re required to answer some online
questions first, so their system can then determine the best support method for
you.
Sometimes you’ll be given the opportunity to opt for a live chat but, other
times, you may be directed to call in with no other alternative available to
you.
Summary
Straight out of the gate, we acknowledge, once again, that the size of this
casino doesn’t compare to most. For players who are used to having endless
gaming choices and being able to pick and choose from a dozen or more banking
options, they may immediately be disappointed.
However, we equate it to a small, intimate restaurant that may only have five
or six entrees on the menu but each of them provides a five-star dining
experience.
Sometimes it’s better to keep things smaller and do everything well rather
than spread the service out and try to keep up with the quality.
What impressed us the most was the promotions that are being offered. Other
casinos are promoting welcome offers of 100% or 200% up to £100 or so. But, Sky
Casino’s welcome offer is a flat £60 with just a £10 deposit needed.
While the rollover for that one particular offer does come in at 30 times on
the bonus and deposit combined, the value is still there. Even if you lose the
entire £70, you’re only down £10 and probably got to play for a while.
The one-off promotions were also unique and what we liked was the way that
prizes are distributed. If you’ve been on other casinos or read some of our
other reviews, you’re probably aware that even when players are rewarded for
contests or tournaments, they still typically have to comply with a wagering
requirement.
In the case of the Accumulator promotion, there’s only a one-time playthrough
requirement on winnings. And, loyalty points are converted into real cash: not
to promotional money. We don’t get to praise rollovers very often, so
we’re happy to take the opportunity to recognize a casino that uses them more
appropriately.
When it comes to banking on Sky Casino, it is an odd set-up. PayPal and Apple
Pay are two of the more obscure financial methods. But, they should be welcome
additions to players who prefer them and have a hard time finding a site that
allows for them. PayPal also offers payouts within 24 hours, so that’s another
bonus.
If this were a typical international-serving casino, we’d be reviewing the
banking information much differently. But, since there are so few countries
allowed to use these services, and most players are from the UK, debit cards,
credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay is sufficient. And, the Laser debit option
for Irish players is also beneficial.
Regardless of the method selected, we would think that a £50,000 daily
withdrawal should also suffice. But, we also know that high rollers can be given
special accommodations on a case by case basis. So, it doesn’t matter if you’re
a recreational player or you want to lay down some high stakes; you should be
all set with cash out limits.
We’ve established that the gaming options are relatively limited and are
Playtech-exclusives. The best feature of the casino, though, is the live dealer
area. We’re so used to saying that a casino is geared toward slot players but,
in this case, table game players rank number one.
With 22 regular tables and 29 live dealer options, you’ll most likely be able
to sit down at some of your favorites whether you’re on your PC or laptop or
you’re playing on the go.
If you do gravitate to slots, you may not find everything you’re looking for,
but you can select from over 50 games including more than a dozen of the biggest
paying progressive jackpots. And, you too can play in mobile format or the full
site version without too much of a difference.
Surprisingly, Sky Casino’s customer service department has not received many
negative reviews from many of its customers. We know that the agents are
helpful, but the department is not readily accessible.
It’s only open 8 am to 10 pm and, unlike most sites where you can decide how
you want to get in touch, Sky Casino limits your options based on the specific
assistance needed. So, you may not be able to chat with a live agent. You may,
instead, be required to place a phone call.
All in all, Sky Casino gets complimentary reviews by its loyal players and
has several sister sites that provide alternative gaming like poker and sports
betting. The licensing couldn’t be better, and the players should be receiving
their payouts even faster shortly, compliments of the new “quick deposit”
feature that’s being introduced.
Verdict
If you live in the UK or immediate surrounding areas and don’t mind a smaller
casino that exclusively features Playtech gaming, then we encourage you to give
Sky Casino a try. It may be more intimate, but it still has a lot to offer,
especially to players that enjoy unique bonus programs. The focus is on table
games, including live dealer options, but slot players can select from some of
Playtech’s newest releases as well as over a dozen progressive jackpot versions.
While we prefer to see a bit more quantity in the gaming, we still feel that
this site will prove itself worthy when you look at the full picture.
FAQ
Does this site accept US players?
Not only does Sky Casino not accept players from the United States, but most
other regions are excluded as well. The only people eligible to join are
residents of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man or the
Channel Islands.
If I accept one of the bonuses that Sky Casino offers, can I play any game
with it?
No. It’s not uncommon for some games to contribute differently to bonus
rollover play. In this case, slot games will allow you to work off that
requirement much faster as every bet comes in at 100%. Table or card games and
video poker contribute 20%.
If this is a Playtech Casino, why am I not able to locate my favorite game?
While the games are provided by Playtech, Sky Casino does not host the full
collection. We noticed that the DC Superhero Jackpot games were missing and,
with only 54 slots on the main site, there will be other exclusions as well.
This review was made by: gambling-giant.org Rating: 4 out of 5