Sky Casino Review

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

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.

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.

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.

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