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Sugar Bingo Verdict
Sugar Bingo makes a big effort when welcoming new players, from the fun theme to little touches like explaining the rules of bingo for complete newbies. The site’s text is all friendly and demonstrates that some thought went into it. The design is consistent and the game selection is above average, though the software could perhaps use a slight update. Long term members are rewarded without needing to wager astonishing amounts, adding to the site’s open, friendly feel. All the boxes are ticked here!
Percentage score
Design & Usability
This is a bingo site with a big, bold theme. Everywhere you look on Sugar Bingo, you’ll see sugary treats, candy, gingerbread men and chocolate! It may not be a great site to visit if you’re on a diet, but it looks fantastic and really stands out for taking the time to develop a memorable theme.
Getting around is pretty easy, following the standard layout of account info at the top, live help down the right-hand side and a set of links for each section. It seems a little sluggish to load, perhaps due to all the high-quality images.
Software & Gameplay
Sugar Bingo’s software uses the Dragonfish platform, which is fast and familiar to bingo veterans. Starting on the lobby you can clearly see tabs for free bingo, jackpots, slots etc. In fact, the top navigation bar is the same as the home page, so you know where to go straight away.
The bingo is quick to load and pretty easy to use, with a clear advance buy menu and account controls. The chat window is a little manic and works best with the font size reduced. Chat hosts cannot be found everywhere, but they keep chat flowing with questions and chat art.
Safety & Security
Sugar Bingo has credentials from the UK Gambling Commission and Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association. Aside from all the usual licences they also have the seal of safety and fair play from eCOGRA. Payments are protected by SSL encryption, but more details would be nice.
When it comes to safety, the site has a robust and detailed responsible gambling policy, privacy policy and fair play policy, all of which are easy to find. They make an effort to be open and reassuring, with links to gambling awareness groups.
Payments & Withdrawals
The selection of payment methods at Sugar Bingo is good. They accept Visa, Maestro and MasterCard (a mixture of debit and credit), plus they accept PayPal, EntroPay and PaySafeCard. Neteller and Skrill are conspicuous by their absence but PayPal does their job, especially in the UK.
Depositing is fairly easy, though the pop-up cashier is a little small and cluttered. Withdrawal times are a little long at 4-7 days for cards and 4-5 for Paypal, which is a let-down.
Customer Support
Sugar Bingo offers the big three contact methods; phone, email and live chat, 24/7. This includes toll free numbers and a VIP hotline. There are different emails for different situations, cutting down response time, plus a contact form if that’s quicker for you.
Contact options are found on a little Help tab, along with FAQs and a getting started guide. Help is therefore never far away and newcomers will have no problem finding it. Support staff are knowledgeable and seem to be bright and friendly, in keeping with the brand.
Bonuses & Promotions
The promotional offerings are great at Sugar Bingo, as you get a mixture of the classics (welcome bonuses, jackpot games) and some unique, themed offerings like chat parties. All promotions are decorated with the Sugar Bingo theme, from gingerbread men to ice cream cones, which look great.
The welcome bonus is massive at 600% on a £10 deposit, taking your funds up to £70. Better still, the wagering requirement is only three times, less than many competitors. You also get 10 free spins on Unicorn Bliss, however the winnings must be wagered 85x before you can withdraw anything, which is less attractive.
Terms and Conditions: New Players only. Valid until further notice. Min Dep £10. 100% Bingo bonus up to £10 + £40 worth of Bingo tix: "£2,500 Real Cash" (2 tix, wins paid in real cash) and "£50 Daily Jackpot" (30 tix, wins in bingo bonus and has Wagering Requirements [WR] of x4). Bingo bonus WR: 4x (deposit + bonus). 10 Free Spins [FS] max cap £1.5 are valid on Unicorn Bliss. FS wins paid in games bonus with WR of x85. Games Bonus wins cap: £100 + the initial bonus amount. Deposit balance can be withdrawn at any time.
Device Compatibility
Sugar Bingo pleasantly has a dedicated mobile page, which you’ll find through the Promotions menu. Here they detail their mobile platform, which is browser based and gives you access to all bingo games and over 30 of the slots. Though this is a huge step down from the full selection, it’s still more than some sites offer.
There’s no app version sadly, but this is supposedly coming soon. Bingo is well optimised for mobile and includes chat, in a nice large window. The layout is very smart and other bingo platforms could learn from it.
Variety & Originality
The bingo selection at Sugar Bingo is very good, though it takes a little working out due to the way rooms are presented, almost as if each one is a promotion by itself. Things are clearer in the lobby. There’s a selection of free bingo games, depending on your VIP level, starting with a room for unfunded players. On the other end of the scale, there are big jackpot rooms too. They have over 15 rooms with a mix of 90 ball, 75 ball, 5 line and 1 line speed bingo. The themes and artwork are really on point.
The slot selection is pretty huge, easily over 200, with a mix of original games (Dragonfish players will know them of course) and some big licenced games like South Park and Superman.
Loyalty & Rewards
Thought it’s a little hard to find, the Sugar Bingo VIP club is pretty good. VIPs enjoy higher bonuses, special promotions and even gifts. You become a first level VIP after depositing £500, which seems a little steep. Higher, more exclusive levels are restricted to invitation only.
You’ll need to be high tier to get the free luxury gifts and giveaways, but basic level has access to a VIP lounge, gift shop and birthday bonus among other perks. You also get an account manager, so this is a very accessible VIP programme and not too restricted to high rollers. Differing VIP or membership levels also have access to extra bingo rooms.