Overview
Going live in 2002, Coral Casino is part of the mighty Gala Coral Group that owns more than 1,800 betting shops across the UK. Although this veteran platform has shown a few cracks in recent years, it’s still one of the most popular places to play for newbies and serious players. To see if these cracks are about to bring the Coral empire crashing down or whether they can be glossed over, we’ve put together a comprehensive Coral casino review that you need to read.
Pros & Cons
- Low bonus play-through requirements
- Two mobile casino apps
- Great loyalty scheme
- Can withdraw winnings at Coral shops
- Play by download or via browser
- Reports of poor customer support
- Welcome bonus is small
Welcome Bonus and Special Offers
At Coral Casino get a 500% bonus up to £50, so deposit £10 and play with £60!
Join Coral Casino, make a £10 deposit and you’ll receive £50 free. For us, the fact you only have to deposit £10 to get the maximum amount of value out of this welcome bonus is fantastic if you’re a new to online casinos. Because you don’t have to worry about multipliers and committing more than you’re comfortable with, we’d recommend this deal to anyone taking their first steps online. Additionally, the 24X playthrough requirement to clear the bonus is well below the average of x 40 demanded by other casino sites.
Naturally, if something is great for casuals, it’s typically not so great for high stakes players and that’s the case here. £50 won’t inspire the seasoned grinders among you. Of course, something is better than nothing, but the something in this instance isn’t much of an incentive to sign-up. Fortunately, in a twist on convention, you can also get a 100% match on all initial live casino buy-ins between £10 and £100. To pick up this offer, you’ll have to make a deposit and then buy-in to one of its 10 live casino games.
This added extra is great, but is it wise to force players into a certain selection of games if they want to claim it? Possibly not. For example, if you crossed over to 888casino, you’d be able to pick up a 100% welcome bonus worth up to £100 just for making an initial deposit. Of course, if you love live dealer games, this offer is fantastic. However, it’s important to note that the playthrough on this bonus is a standard 40X.
Overall, when you take the two welcome offers in unison there’s elements that are promising – we like the fact that they’re not trying to blind newcomers with huge bonuses which are often impossible to clear. There’s also the second live dealer casino which acts as a kind of re-load bonuses to the smaller initial welcome offer. High rollers and bonus hunters probably won’t find the Coral welcome bonus too interesting.
Promotions
Because Coral Casino is linked to the operator’s bingo and sports betting portals, you can pick up a variety of deals in these areas alongside the daily casino bonuses. For us, however, the comp points are the standout promo at Coral. Based on a bets-for-points dynamic, every £10 you wager will earn you points in the following ways:
- 2 points for every £10 stake on Slots, Scratchcards and Bingo
- 1 point for every £10 stake for all other casino games
- 2.5 points for every £10 stake for sports single bets
- 3 points for every £10 stake for sports multiple bets
Once you hit 100 points, you’ll be able to exchange as many as you wish for real cash. The current conversion rate is 100 comp points for £1 and you can improve your earn rate by climbing up the VIP ladder. Once you’ve made £1,000 in deposits and earned 1,500 Priority Points (based on the table above), you’ll become a Bronze VIP. As a Bronze level VIP, you’ll earn extra rewards and receive a better points-to-cash conversion ratio. From here, you can continue to climb the ladder (see below) and get more bang for your buck:
- Silver = £2,000 in deposits and 2,500 in priority points
- Gold = £4,000 in deposits and 12,500 in priority points
- Platinum = Invite Only
If you’re a high-volume player, the comp points system is a solid way to earn something extra. Is it an easy route to some free credits? Certainly not. However, you will get additional cash for placing bets that you’ll be placing anyway.
Software and Games
Coral Casino is powered by a number of different software suppliers. From Playtech and NetEnt to IGT, Coral Casino offers 300+ games including: 250+ slots, 15 blackjack games, 20 roulette games, 15 video pokers, 10 live dealer tables and a handful of baccarat and craps games. For those new to the industry, free play games give you a chance to sample everything the site has to offer without busting your bankroll. Once you’ve had your fill of the free games, you can switch over to the real money arena and ante-up from as little as £0.01 on certain slots and £0.10 on table games.
In terms of how you access Coral Casino’s games, the interface is packed with features to help make the search process easier. For starters, you’ll notice that certain game boxes have a mobile icon in the top right-hand corner. This is a handy little way to know if the game can be accessed via the Coral Casino mobile site and app. Next to this icon is a star that allows you to save the game to your account page. As you become more familiar with the site, you’ll build up a collection of games you enjoy the most. The “favourite” option allows you to collate these on your account page, so you can access them with ease at a later date. In fact, when you combine this with the “recently played” tab, you can spend less time searching and more time playing at Coral.
The final feature worth noting when you join Coral is the downloadable platform. Compatible with all Windows devices, the layout is almost identical to the website, but it did offer one feature we loved: notifications. When you first download the software, you have the option to enable desktop notifications. Put simply, when a new bonus, game or feature is made available, the software will send a notification to your desktop. This is a great way to stay in touch with all the latest news without having to constantly monitor the site for updates.
Mobile Casino
Something Coral Casino does slightly differently to the masses when it comes to mobile gaming is two apps: Coral Vegas and Coral Live. Each app currently has a five-star rating inside the Apple Store, while the former has a four-star rating on Google Play (Coral Live isn’t available for Android devices). Like most major casino apps, Coral’s mobile software will push notifications to your device on demand. However, something this software does better than most is show you how to use it.
Once you install the apps, you’ll be able to swipe your way through a guided tour and get a quick insight into how everything works and, more importantly, how you can access the 200+ games. This is something that other operators often neglect at the expense of newbies. In this regard, Coral Casino is perfect for those that have limited experience in the industry.
Another nice touch is the fact that Coral’s live games are allowed to shine in their own app. Yes, you can play live games via the Vegas app, but the dedicated app offers a more immersive experience. From the glitzy opening video to there is a live stream inside the lobby, this app really taps into the interactive nature of Coral’s 10 live casino games.
Deposit and Withdrawal
When it comes to payment options, Coral Casino is right in line with industry standards. Debit and credit card options are offered alongside eWallet solutions such as Neteller, Skrill and PayPal. For something a little different, Paysafecard and a Coral Prepaid Card allow you to make a deposit without linking it to your bank account.
One area where Coral Casino does standout is withdrawals. For debit card withdrawals, you’ll typically wait a standard 2-5 days, while eWallets take around 48 hours. However, if you want your money sooner, you can choose Coral Connect. Assuming you’ve previously verified your identity, you can walk into one of Coral’s 1,800+ betting shops and physically collect some winnings. This is the most instant form of gratification possible and certainly a selling point for Coral Casino.
Security & Trustworthiness
The Gala Coral Group is one of the largest gaming operators in Europe, which should offer an initial level of trust and respect. From this, Coral Casino has been live since 2002 and, today, it’s not only protected by SSL encryption, but it’s fully licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). In simple terms, the UKGC ensures that your funds are ring-fenced and protected. Additionally, every licensed UK online casino must prove that its games are 100% random and fair.
Beyond these regulatory credentials, Coral Casino does receive praise from players when it comes to its games and bonuses. However, when you scroll through some of the gambling message boards out there, the customer service team does come in for some criticism. According to one user, the live chat system is “awful” thanks to slow response times and agents that don’t seem to care about the issues raised.
Similarly, when it comes to withdrawals, a handful of players have pointed out that processing times after often longer than the stated 24 hours. Of course, these may be complex individual cases, but it’s a potential issue you should be aware of. Although poor customer service doesn’t tarnish Coral’s reputation for providing a safe and secure place to play, it does suggest you may not receive the best service if you ever require some assistance.
Customer Support
The support service at Coral Casino has come in for some criticism. Naturally, you may not ever have a problem with the service or you may not ever need to contact a member of the team. However, if you do need a helping hand, Coral offers a 24/7 helpline via the following methods:
- Email on-site
- Live Chat
- Freephone: 0800 44 00 11
- Twitter: @Coral
- Facebook: @Coral
Conclusion
In reality, there are some holes in Coral Casino’s game. The welcome bonus is a little on the small side for serious players, while issue with the customer support team could impact your overall experience. However, in terms of betting options and ongoing promotions, Coral does stand strong. In addition to 300+ games, you can use a universal wallet to place bets on bingo and sports without switching sites. Indeed, when you combine this is a comp points system that allows you to turn all bets into cash, there’s certainly some value when you consider the total package Coral Casino has to offer.
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