What we recommend instead
Swag Bingo Verdict
Swag Bingo isn’t the worst bingo site, but it's hard to call it the best place to play online bingo. Yes, it offers some alluring bonuses and promotions, and the wagering requirements are OK, but the restrictions on making withdrawals combined with the lack of any exclusive offers and games mean that’s it’s likely to fall short of seasoned bingo players’ expectations.
Percentage score
Design & Usability
Although the Swag Bingo website uses the typical Cozy Games layout, the graphics are more modern and attractive than most of its Cozy cousins. Plus, there’s something about the black and yellow colours that draw you in for a closer look.
The main ad banner is small enough to not clog up too much screen space, and there’s sufficient time to take each offer in before the next ad appears. We also like that the wagering requirements and eligibility criteria are clearly displayed under each deal. Plus, there’s a lengthy and very informative introduction to the site on the bottom half of the homepage.
There are clearly marked buttons that let you register as a new player or log in to your existing account, and a simple menu system that allows you to move between the various pages such as Support, Winners, Games, and Promotions.
Software & Gameplay
If you’ve ever played at other Cozy Games brands such as Little Miss Bingo or BingoG, you’ll be familiar with the simple lobby interface and cashier system. There aren’t as many customisable options as there are at Dragonfish sites, for example, but there are the basics you might expect to see such as the ability to pre-buy tickets, take part in chat games, and enter bonus codes when making deposits.
As Swag had only been up and running for a couple of weeks when we did our review, only time will tell if the site gets a little busier.
Safety & Security
Swag Bingo is regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and the Isle of Man Gambling Commission. iTech Labs has certified the site’s Random Number Generator, which indicates fair play, and a Trustwave SSL certificate is used to encrypt all sensitive information prior to transmission.
Payments & Withdrawals
You have the option to fund your account using Solo, Switch, MasterCard, Visa, Maestro, Ukash, Skrill, Paysafecard, or Neteller.
You must deposit at least £10 per transaction which seems acceptable, although you can only request a withdrawal of £30 or above. We also dislike the fact that the maximum weekly withdrawal limit is £300 and that you can only request one withdrawal every five days.
Customer Support
Customer support is available 24/7 by live chat, online email form, and support ticket. However, we’ve deducted one star for Swag not providing telephone support.
Bonuses & Promotions
If there’s one thing you can guarantee about Cozy Games’ sites like Swag, it’s an excellent set of welcome offers. To begin with, there’s a £15 no deposit bingo bonus that’s yours as soon as you register an account and verify your debit or credit card.
Become a funded roomie, and you’ll get even more. There’s a 500% first deposit bonus when you add at least £5 to your account, which is worth up to £500. Plus, you can claim a 350% second deposit bonus and a 300% third deposit bonus, and all three offers give you additional access to daily free games. The wagering requirements are pretty reasonable – 4x bingo or 10x slots.
The remaining promotions range from weekly cashback (of up to 20%), free daily bingo tournaments, jackpot specials, refer-a-friend rewards (£10 Amazon gift vouchers), redeposit bonuses, and free game cards for liking/following the BBN (Best Bingo Network) blog, Twitter account, and Facebook account. There’s also a special promotion each month. While all of this sounds good on paper, there’s a significant drawback. All of the deals are available at other BBN/Cozy bingo sites. So, if you’re looking for a place where you can enjoy unique perks, you’re likely to be disappointed.
Device Compatibility
It’s a significant oversight that there’s no dedicated mobile page, but there is a section in the homepage introduction that mentions playing on mobile devices, although not how to go about it.
If you load up the Swag Bingo website on your mobile phone or tablet, you can create an account and still take advantage of the welcome bonuses while you’re on the move.
Variety & Originality
Swag Bingo offers five types of online bingo – 30-ball, 50-ball, 75-ball, 80-ball, and 90-ball. The games run in a wide range of rooms, each of which has its own progressive jackpot. Tickets typically cost between 1p and 10p. In addition, there are more than one hundred slots to choose from, as well as video poker, table games, keno, and scratch cards.
While some of the games are well-known (such as Avalon II, Cricket Star, and Spring Break), the majority are by Eyecon, which you’ll recognise if you’ve played at other Cozy bingo sites in the UK.
Again, there are no exclusive games, as the Cozy Games software which powers Swag Bingo offers the exact same titles to all of its network members.
Loyalty & Rewards
Swag Bingo makes use of the standard BBN loyalty programme, which lets you progress from Silver through to SVIP level. Each of the four levels requires you to collect a specific amount of loyalty points, and each £1 you spend on bingo and every £10 you spend on slots gets you one LP. You can redeem 500 or more points in return for cash or bonus funds.
There don’t appear to be any additional loyalty privileges, and the number of LPs you must collect to reach levels 1, 2, and 3 require you to spend a significant amount of money. For example, Level 2 (Gold) is unlocked at 1,001 LPs, which means you’d need to wager just over £1,000 on bingo or £10,000 on slots!