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Mainstage Bingo Verdict
Mainstage Bingo is a curious bingo site in that it only has a handful of rooms, but it also has a very good slot selection. This is perhaps because the Imperium brand is quite slots-focused. Still, this is a good site if you like a bit of everything. The software pales in comparison to some found at new bingo sites, but the hosting is good and chat parties are excellent, with something on all the time. This could be a headline act for some players.
Percentage score
Design & Usability
You’ll see a bold and cheerful site at Mainstage Bingo, using huge bingo balls of various colours for the background image. There’s also a sparkly blue light in the graphics that suggests being on stage. This site puts bingo in the spotlight, with a friendly design that also uses photography in a few places. The site could be more distinctive, but it is very well presented.
The design is built around the typical top navigation and login area, which is very easy to use. Registration takes just a few moments. On the home page, you have a main graphic panel with offers on, then latest jackpots below. All this site’s pages are packed with information and welcoming images, plus you have a quick chat link. A very good, accessible design.
Software & Gameplay
The bingo lobby is simply a page listing the games; you can’t go wrong there. The bingo rooms load fast, but they appear in quite a small window can’t be enlarged. This is frustrating, but overall, the rooms look good and work just fine. You have a photo background for each room.
Chat appears on the left-hand side and while it could be bigger, it is easy to follow. There are not many controls, so for example, you can’t see at a glance how many are chatting. Fortunately, we found the site to be busy and hosted, so you should have a fun time in chat. The casino games here are listed in a simple table, with categories. They load in a pop-up window with no special controls, but they do load fast.
Safety & Security
Mainstage Bingo is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, with details viewable on the site footer. The site also has a responsible gaming section with controls to let you cool off or limit your account if needed.
Security on site is provided by the well-known GeoTrust brand, which offers automatic encryption for your connection.
Payments & Withdrawals
Mainstage Bingo has a simple deposit system, though it may confuse you at first that you have to enter your amount before your method. Withdrawals are over in a matter of clicks, though the minimum is a very high £30 and it appears to take at least 4 working days on average.
The site accepts payments by MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, SEPA bank transfer, Skrill, Boku, PaySafeCard and Neteller. This is a very good selection and covers various categories, with just PayPal missing.
Customer Support
The help button on the main navigation bar includes a dropdown which will take you to sub-sections. The help area offers an explainer page for bingo, a few FAQs (but sadly not a full FAQ section) and contact methods.
You can reach Mainstage Bingo by email and live chat, but not by phone. This is negated somewhat by the fact that chat support is available 24/7. You should find the team quick and helpful.
Bonuses & Promotions
Mainstage Bingo puts the spotlight on a massive 500% welcome bonus, up to £100. This means that a simple £20 bonus will give you £120 to play with. Furthermore, there’s a £15 bonus before depositing, to let you check the site out a bit. However, all bonuses are subject to a very high 35x wagering requirement. With a slots site or bonus, this wouldn’t be too bad, but requiring players to wager a bingo bonus 35x is pretty ridiculous.
The site also offers a 200% bonus on all your regular bonuses, plus special days with higher rewards, so there’s really no shortage of bonuses. You’ll also see promotions tailored to the different bingo rooms, such as regular chat parties with special games. There are over 15 regular promotions, with many letting you get interactive by sending in pictures or talking with hosts, so the level of creativity here is excellent. For example, there’s a Pet of the Week competition for the best furry friends.
Device Compatibility
Mainstage Bingo does not have any apps, but you can reach the site on mobile devices through the browser. The site has a mobile counterpart which will load in its place and provide a view more suitable to small screens.
The mobile site is smooth and easy to use, with a simple scrolling system for finding slots. There’s a menu which uses a series of icons to help you get around with just taps. The bingo rooms look completely different in mobile view (some may even prefer it) and you have access to chat.
Variety & Originality
There are only three bingo rooms at Mainstage Bingo, which is a lot less than the competition. You have Studio 1 which is open 24/7 and hosted 9am to 12am, offering 90 ball bingo. Barbados is hosted 12pm to 4pm for afternoon fun, also 90 ball. Then you have a 75-ball room hosted 6pm to 12pm. The ticket prices vary for each room. The site lacks a free bingo room or special jackpot rooms, though you can find some jackpots in the schedules.
The slots selection is extensive, offering titles from well-known brands like NetEnt and Nyx, so this is far from an afterthought. There are over 25 jackpot games and even several table games, which is good as many bingo sites don’t give much space to casino games.
Loyalty & Rewards
Mainstage Bingo does not have a formal VIP club. The site does offer loyalty points, which you earn as you play and can later redeem for cash. 200 points are worth £1. You earn 1 point per £10 wagered on bingo. Finally, there is a friend referral bonus.