What we recommend instead
Smile Bingo Verdict
Although Smile Bingo may offer enough to please those who are brand-new to online bingo, for anyone else, the lack of exclusive offers and games, small number of bingo rooms, and lack of chat are likely to prove hard to overcome.
Percentage score
Design & Usability
It’s hard not to crack a smile when you first arrive at the site where the brand’s mascot, a cheery bumble bee, waves at you from the top of the screen. There’s even a smile draw beneath the large “Join Us” button, and the rest of the site is bursting with colourful nature-themed graphics filled with cute bees and insects.
The main menu contains just four tabs – Home, Bingo, Slots, and Promotions – which makes it easy to identify the areas which you’re most interested in. But, we feel it would be helpful to add a link to the “Contact Us” page to the menu and not just leave it lurking in the footer right at the bottom of the site.
As is the case with many Jumpman bingo sites, you can’t access the lobby to view the available games without creating an account.
Software & Gameplay
Jumpman Gaming’s Wheel of Slots software comes with various pros and cons. In its favour, the website and games lobby are fast-loading and simple to navigate, and there’s a chat function that you can use to converse with other members while playing in the bingo rooms. Plus, you can also purchase cards for bingo games in advance. But, on the flipside, there don’t appear to be any chat hosts and, therefore, no chat games and a distinct lack of general conversation, plus the limited number of rooms become even more limiting due to their opening hours.
Safety & Security
The UK Gambling Commission licences and regulates Smile Bingo, and fairness, safety, and security are ensured by the use of SSL encryption and a random number generator. More information on these subjects can be found in the FAQs.
Payments & Withdrawals
Despite being a brand-new site at the time of writing this review, Smile Bingo only accepts credit and debit cards, which is disappointing. Also, withdrawals take an average of three to five working days, and you cannot submit a withdrawal request until you’ve met the welcome bonus wagering requirements (40x). The minimum withdrawal amount also seems overly high at £30.
Customer Support
Smile Bingo lacks telephone support, but allows you to get in touch via WhatsApp, live chat, and email. What we find frustrating is that the live chat and WhatsApp customer service channels are only monitored from Monday to Friday between 9.30 AM and 6 PM, and considering many players can only get online in the evenings and at weekends, we don’t feel that this is good enough.
Bonuses & Promotions
The welcome bonus is rather unusual as, unlike most online bingo sites that give you a bonus worth 100%, 200%, etc. on your first qualifying deposit, it is awarded when you spin the Wheel of Slots. For starters, you must make an initial deposit of at least £10, after which you can spin the wheel. Although the Promotions page states that you are guaranteed to win bingo cards or up to 500 free spins to use on Temple of Isis, Shaman’s Dream or Fluffy Favourites, the terms and conditions don’t mention what the minimum amount of cards or free spins are. The bonus offer also comes with high wagering requirements of 40x, and the maximum amount of bonus winnings that you can convert to real cash is £500.
Funded roomies can play free bingo for two hours a day, and there’s a weekly All or Nothing jackpot game that offers a £50 prize. The other promotions include the quarterly Fortune Fountain £500 community jackpot game which costs 50p per ticket to play, the monthly Balance Booster jackpot game, and Slot of the Week.
Device Compatibility
As there’s no Mobile bingo page or any mention of playing on tablets or smartphones in the FAQs, you might be left wondering if your mobile device is compatible. What Smile Bingo fails to tell you is that you can indeed play on-the-go – just not via an iOS, Windows, or Android app. Visit Smile Bingo in your mobile web browser and sign-up or log-in and you’ll be able to play both bingo games and slots on the move.
Variety & Originality
There are only three standard bingo rooms to choose from – the Snug, Free Bingo, and Cash Cabin. On top of these, there are four jackpot rooms – All or Nothing (every Saturday at 8 PM), Balance Booster (on the 15th of the month at 8 PM), Fortune Fountain (every three months), and Daily 50 (every day at 8 PM). There are also just under 200 slots to play (but no scratch cards or casino games) including Lucky Blossom, Shaman’s Dream, Fluffy Favourites, Clover Tales, and Burlesque Queen.
Loyalty & Rewards
There doesn’t appear to be any sort of traditional VIP or loyalty scheme, but you can unlock the Wheel of Slots each time you make a deposit. You can also earn a spin on the wheel by completing quests to fill your quest barometer.
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