If an online gambling operator wants to be a real player in the UK market, it needs to at the very least offer a compelling casino product, and it would be good if it also has a sports betting platform. That part of the industry is very competitive, however, as the incumbent land-based companies are giants. When we saw Betway come along over 10 years ago, we had reservations about their potential longevity, but as we are reviewing the site today, we are happy to see that the company has persevered with sports, casino, and poker. Let’s have a look at the site to see what makes them a success.
Company Background
Betway was launched in 2006 by the Betway group. The company has since launched some sister sites, but those are saved for another review. We really like that the company has chosen to get licenses from both the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. This ensures that players will be playing at one of the safest sites out here, as the regulators are very hands-on with their licensees.
If you are looking to create an account at Betway, you will need to be living in a country that isn’t on the restricted list. AS the casino has licenses from two strict jurisdictions, we would have expected a long list of countries, but were pleasantly surprised to find that only about a dozen countries are banned from playing here. That includes players from the United States, as well as other places like South Africa and France. You can find a full list on their website.
The Casino Games
We’ll focus on the casino games for this first part of the review. The software being used at Betway comes from both Microgaming and Evolution Gaming. This is a very popular combination of sites, as Microgaming is an industry-leading provider and they did a development deal with Evolution who is a leader in the Live Gaming Space.
Fans of our reviews will know how much we love the Microgaming slots catalog. The company has done an excellent job of combining the internal mechanics that make the games play with great speed and the graphics that allow the company to build hundreds of titles. Some of these titles, feature cross-branded content the vendor has sourced from other entertainment brands. With hundreds of slots to choose from including a full suite of progressive jackpot games, you won’t have any trouble finding a machine you like.
The Table Games and Video Poker sections of the Betway site display a full selection of games you will recognize, along with a few variants you may not have heard of before. We love how many Blackjack options there are, and with over 20 video poker games to select from, you can chase all the Royal Flushes you want!
The Live Dealer games are also top-quality, which is what we expect from Evolution. The vendor has been focused solely on these live-streamed tables since they launched a decade ago, and they have built seven studios across Europe to house the tables and dealers.
Poker players will be very happy to see that they can use their gaming account at Betway to hit the tables! Unfortunately, the poker world was the hardest hit by changes in regulations around the world. However, as a skin on the Microgaming Poker Network, players will be able to find the cash games and tournaments that will keep you busy, even if you aren’t playing for millions of dollars.
The sportsbook is what started this company in the gaming business, and when you click on the sports
section of the website, you are greeted with a very easy-to-navigate screen. With only a couple of clicks we were able to find the bets we wanted to place, and just like that, the tickets were in our account page. While we tend to focus on casinos on this site, finding a great sportsbook is awesome especially for the casual sports gambler.
Mobile Compatibility
It’s time for some even more good news! There is a Betway App that is available on the Apple and Android app stores! Of course, it still has to be available in your country (the providers can be a bit finicky), but if you see it in your store, then we suggest you download it immediately! This will give you direct access to the sportsbook and casino right from your mobile device.
The Welcome Bonus
There are several different Welcome Bonuses at Betway, split over the different verticals. This is very smart, as it shows that the company recognizes that each product has a different betting style. We will focus on the Casino Welcome offer, which consists of bonuses on your first three deposits:
1st Deposit: Get a 100% Match Bonus Worth up to £250
2nd Deposit: Get a 25% Match Bonus Worth up to £250
3rd Deposit: Get a 50% Match Bonus Worth up to £500
The Payment Options
One look at the payment options at Betway and it is clear to see that the company is focused on the UK and European markets. Many of these providers are specifically for individual markets, but we see everything from wire transfers to credit cards to e-wallets in this list. You are not going to have any issues getting your money to and from this site.
Deposits
- AstroPay Card
- Bank Wire Transfer
- Boleto
- Citadel Direct
- ClickandBuy
- Direct Bank Transfer
- EcoPayz
- eKonto
- Entropay
- EPS
- Euteller
- EZIPay
- GiroPay
- i-Banq
- Lobanet
- Maestro
- MasterCard
- Neosurf
- Neteller
- PayPal
- Paysafe Card
- POLi
- Przelewy24
- QIWI
- Skrill
- Sofortuberwaisung
- Trustly
- Ukash
- Visa
- Visa Electron
- WebMoney
Withdrawals
- Citadel Direct
- ClickandBuy
- EcoPayz
- Entropay
- EZIPay
- iBanq
- instaDebit
- Lobanet
- Neteller
- PayPal
- QIWI, Skrill
- Visa
- Visa Debit
- Visa Electron
- Wire Transfer
The VIP Program
There is an extensive VIP Program at Betway, but what we like the best about it is that it takes into consideration all of their products. This is no easy task, so we appreciate the effort that the company has put into the program. The full details of the multi-tiered program can be found on the website, but with each level, your bonuses, cashback, and perks increase.
The Support Department
Without any betting shops for their players to walk into, Betway is limited to the standard forms of communication with its players. Should you need to contact the support team for anything, you can reach them via email, telephone or Live Chat. The company is also active in social media, with Facebook and Twitter leading the way.
Conclusion
We are very impressed with the overall package delivered by Betway. With players being able to play everything from sports to casino games and more via one centralized account makes it much easier to be
able to cross-promote their products. We love the VIP program and think it is simple enough that people will understand its value. Overall, we had a hard time finding many negatives to discuss in this review, so we can highly recommend this site to our players.
