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Sun Casino Verdict
The Sun Casino is a site that will be much appreciated by Playtech fans, but this also acts as a disadvantage for players wanting a more varied choice of software suppliers. We do like that you can make use of four different portals (including Vegas and Sports Betting) with your Sun Casino account, but feel that the archaic payment methods (N.B., credit and debit card only) really need to be addressed.
Percentage score
Design & Usability
The Sun newspaper’s famous red-and-white colour scheme is used through the website, helping to give it a strong brand image. Along the top of the homepage, there’s a menu that lets you move between the different sites in the brand’s portfolio: Bets, Vegas, and Casino Live, and underneath it, there’s a dropdown menu that enables you to access your account, the Promotions page, and the help centre.
The scrolling advertising banner also sits near the top to show you the welcome bonus and latest casino promotions while underneath it, there’s the games lobby which is conveniently divided into sections for the various game types. There are also two buttons at the top-right that allow you to Join or Login.
Software & Gameplay
The Sun Casino operates on Playtech software, which gives you a huge choice of the developer’s top games. It’s an instant-play casino that looks smart and offers easy navigation, and you can search for specific games as well as view them by category. Sadly, there are no site-exclusive games which is surprising given that another of The Sun’s online casinos – The Sun Play – which runs on Nektan software offers a number of exclusive slots and skill games.
Safety & Security
The Sun Casino is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and the Office of Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland.
The site uses random number generators to produce fair and random outcomes for all bets, and all sensitive data is encrypted before being transmitted.
Payments & Withdrawals
For some unknown reason, The Sun Casino (as well as its sister sites) only accepts Visa and MasterCard at present. We feel that this will be very off-putting for players who prefer the convenience and security of e-wallet systems or pre-paid cards, as well as for those hoping to pay by phone. On the plus side, you can enter promo codes in the cashier when depositing.
Withdrawal requests are processed with 24 hours, and should reach your account within three to five business days.
Customer Support
Live chat and email support are always available 24/7, but the telephone line is only operated between 7 AM and 11 PM from Monday to Sunday. There is also an online help centre, which covers all of The Sun’s online portfolio, but as there’s a separate tab for Casino players, it’s relatively easy to navigate your way around.
Bonuses & Promotions
The welcome bundle aims to “roll out the red carpet” for new arrivals by matching your first deposit of £10 or more with a 100% casino bonus of up to £100, and awarding you twenty five free spins plus a £5 live casino bonus. The casino bonus must be wagered forty times before any winnings can be withdrawn while the live casino bonus needs to be wagered ten times. Your free spins can only be used on a choice of four Playtech slots: Age of the Gods, Age of the Gods: Goddess of Wisdom, Age of the Gods: King of Olympus, and Age of the Gods: Furious Four.
There are usually at least two monthly special offers. As an example, a recent promotion gave players the opportunity to earn a Live Blackjack bonus. Play live blackjack games with a bet of £1 or more on Wednesdays, and if you get blackjack twice in a row, you’re awarded a £50 cash bonus.
While they’re by no means unappealing, it seems as though the promotions at The Sun Casino are rather biased towards card and table games. So, if you’re hoping to find some slots-focused offers, you’re better off heading to The Sun Vegas website.
Device Compatibility
The only reference to mobile compatibility seems to be in the Help Centre where there’s mention of an app for The Sun Bets. Although The Sun Bets is the name of the sports betting portal (which you can access via the main menu of the website), it needs to be made clearer that The Sun Bets iOS app also gives you access to the Vegas, Casino, and Casino Live portals. If you don’t own an iOS device, you can still play by visiting The Sun Casino in your mobile web browser.
Variety & Originality
The only downside to The Sun Casino is that it only stocks Playtech titles, which is obviously excellent news if you’re a die-hard Playtech fan, but not so good if you’re partial to NetEnt, Microgaming, or IGT slots and casino games.
However, the variety is great, with new games being added on a regular basis, and there are tons of progressive jackpot slots to choose from, including Batman and The Joker Jewels, Beach Life, Everybody’s Jackpot, Green Lantern, Age of the Gods: Goddess of Wisdom, Leprechaun’s Luck, and Monty Python’s Spamalot. There are an equally impressive amount of non-progressive Playtech slots too such as Samba Brazil, Hot Gems, Cat Queen, Great Blue, and White King.
In addition, there are six live dealer games which host Roulette, Blackjack, French Roulette, Unlimited Blackjack, Casino Hold’em, and Baccarat. The non-live table games give you even more variety with titles like 3D Roulette, Age of the Gods Roulette, Pinball Roulette, Blackjack Surrender, Caribbean Stud Poker, and Jacks or Better
Loyalty & Rewards
There does not appear to be any form of loyalty scheme, but if you search the Help Centre for information about VIPs, there’s a brief mention of an invitation-only VIP Club which “gives you the chance to benefit from a range of exclusive online and offline offers while enjoying your favourite games and promotions”. It’s not clear whether this is just for The Sun Bets customers or if it also applies to The Sun Casino members.