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Velvet Bingo Verdict
Velvet Bingo is a very pleasant looking site with a great, unusual theme. It has a standard game selection and some quirky touches, such as Velvet Prize Bingo, a blog and some personal touches on promotional materials. A useful reports section lets you see your bingo and slot logs, which should provide peace of mind for players who are suspicious of new sites. Unfortunately, there are also some glaring omissions which leave the site a bit lacking. The main strength here is character and community.
Percentage score
Design & Usability
You’re really struck by the design of Velvet Bingo when you first arrive. Though the actual layout fits a familiar template, art and font choices really make it pop. True to the name, Velvet has a big deco theme from the text to the rich red colours. The site mascot is a stylish 40s style pinup who appears throughout.
The site is easy to navigate thanks to a bank of options and dropdowns at the top, so you get functionality as well as glamour. Lots of little welcoming touches have gone into the text on the site, with messages signed by the site manager Abi.
Software & Gameplay
The Velvet Bingo site uses Cozy bingo software which is known for being robust and well tested. Though it’s pretty basic visually and stretches nastily when made full screen (on Chrome), games are clear enough. You’ll find link games with other Live Bingo Network sites.
Links to the lobby, preferences and account are easily found at the top. The lobby unfortunately just returns you to the web page. The chat window is a little small but has some useful features, such as a word filter, a tag to tell you when a chat game is being played and shortcuts for chat lingo. Rooms appear busy and friendly, with hosts making a clear attempt to include everyone.
Safety & Security
Velvet Bingo has a good set of credentials, including the UK Gambling Commission (the site is actually registered to the Isle of Man via Cozygames) and a certification from the iTech Labs that the random number generator is indeed random. Unfortunately, the site does not have a seal of approval from eCOGRA, or makes no mention of it.
Payments and user data are protected by RSA public/private key encryption and a security measure called AVS, as well as the trusted C.O.M.O.D.O Secure Digital certificate. You do need to dig a little to find this information.
Payments & Withdrawals
Velvet Bingo offers a mixture of payment methods, but could do with more electronic forms. Card users have Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Switch and Solo to choose from, but the site only offers one e-wallet in the form of Neteller. Fortunately, they will also accept PaySafeCard and Boku mobile payments, so this is a little different and may prove useful for someone.
The deposit screen is nice and simple, with quick buttons to speed things along and a clear place for picking bonuses or using promotional codes. Withdrawals aim to be processed in 3 working days which is faster than most sites.
Customer Support
Velvet Bingo do a great job of support. Clicking the Contact Us link will reveal a full selection of contact methods; email, phone and live chat. Phones and live chat are available 24/7, comparable to the top bingo sites. Advisors respond fairly quickly and are friendly.
Velvet stands out from the crowd somewhat thanks to a Help Desk setup, which is usually only seen in workplaces and more formal websites. This lets you raise a ticket and keep track of your problem, perfect if you like a clear record of your issue.
Bonuses & Promotions
Velvet Bingo has a modest but interesting set of promotions. The welcome bonus, which is offered during first deposit but not clearly explained, gives a handsome 350% on your deposit in ‘bonus bucks’. You’ll need to wager the total starting cash four times on bingo before you can withdraw. This information is found among the withdrawing terms and conditions. You can also get bonus bucks just for validating your card info.
Otherwise you’ll see varied cashback offers, referral bonuses and big cash Bingo games such as the Money Multiplier. There’s free bingo to get you going every day, split between day and evening modes.
The site’s biggest unique feature is the Prize Room on Wednesdays at 6-7pm, with weekly draws, chat host games and more. This gives the site a bit more unique flavour.
Device Compatibility
This site does not have a dedicated app on any platform, which is a shame but not unusual. Fortunately, it does have a standard mobile version for viewing on phones and tablets. The layout is basic, but easy enough to navigate. All bingo rooms and most if not all slot games seem to be present in mobile view, which is great.
The bingo rooms are pretty well presented on mobile and easy to use, but sadly missing chat.
Variety & Originality
The variety at Velvet Bingo is fairly average, especially if you’ve been to Cozy Games sites before. They have over 10 bingo rooms, ranging from 2p to £1 ticket prices. There’s a good mixture of bingo types, including 90 ball, 80 ball and 75 ball, plus the unusual 30 ball for fast-paced games. This gives the site a little something extra to look forward to.
You’ll also find free bingo tourneys, plus a pretty large selection of slot games. These vary a fair bit in quality, from the quite basic to really flashy (such as Dog’n’Roll with some brilliant art and a fun bonus round). Casino and table games are well catered for too, but bingo is definitely the focus of this site. All the rooms have classy names like ‘Big Ben’.
Loyalty & Rewards
You’d expect some pretty glamorous VIP treatment from Velvet Bingo, with the glitz and deco style, but there’s no mention of such a scheme on the main website. Loyalty points are available, with one point equalling 1p, but there’s very little else to get excited about. A shame to miss out on this feature.
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