Casino Site Expert Review: Grosvenor Casino

History

Grosvenor is the online casino of the land-based Grosvenor casinos in the UK. They are part of the Rank Group, a leading European gaming business. In the UK they own, along with Grosvenor casinos, the well-known Mecca Bingo halls as well as the Blue Square betting business which is the sponsor of the Football Conference, the top tier of non-league football in England. The Rank Group is listed on the London Stock Exchange and generates hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue annually, so you can be sure that you are dealing with a well-established and reputable business if you choose to play at Grosvenor casinos!

Casino Website

The website can best be described as well laid out and very functional. It doesn’t offer that alluring and glitzy feel of some other casino sites, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. It is very clear, with the casino itself, other games, live casino, mobile, poker and promotions all featuring on a prominent tab that stretches across the top of the page. When you click on a tab the games available will show in the main body of the page below, with a list of the most popular games as well as your own most recently played games also appearing. This makes the games very easy to find, and they also have a search facility just to make sure you can find what you want quickly. Your personal account and links to the help section are in the top right corner of the screen. All-in-all the website is a little plain but it is very easy to navigate and find what you need quickly. You will find that this approach is actually quite common among the bigger and more reputable operators – they rely on their reputation and expertise as their main selling points so offer a simple, no-nonsense style on their websites.

Software

The casino uses Playtech software, possibly the biggest and most reliable software producer in the industry. It is available in both download and instant-play Flash versions. However, they also have games from other software producers available, mainly IGT. These are easily accessed from the tabs at the top of the screen, and include many more slots, live casino, table games and poker. The casino itself has about a hundred games but the other sections have hundreds more so overall the game selection is very large, and the sections are so well integrated you barely realise that they are separate.

Live Casino

There is a good live casino section, featuring Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat. The live casino page features a sample of their dealers with some brief personal information. There are many versions of each game available with many more dealers to choose from once you actually choose which game you wish to play. The audio and graphics are high-quality and it is possible to chat to the dealers themselves. If you don’t like the fact that sometimes the play with live dealers can be a bit slow then don’t worry! – Grosvenor has some great fast live dealer tables where it promises that the speed is as fast as playing in any land-based casino.

Customer Support

Customer services, as you’d expect from a large multi-national company are very good, with 24/7 chat, UK freephone and email available, as well as a comprehensive FAQ section. One slight drawback is that if their chat operators are busy then they simply direct you to phone them, whereas other operators will give you an estimated time to wait and allow you to make your own mind up as to whether you will or not.

Payment Methods

Deposit methods are very limited in comparison with other sites, with only debit and credit cards, Neteller, Moneybookers and Ukash accepted. This might be a limitation for some customers, but the methods available are the most popular ones so it shouldn’t be a problem for most customers. Withdrawal methods are debit and credit cards, Neteller, Moneybookers and cheque. One useful feature available though is that you can easily set deposit limits from the account page, and these can’t be changed for seven days, so you know you won’t be tempted to play with more than you can afford!

Safety and Security

Grosvenor state that they use encryption software to ensure the safety of personal and financial information. Their privacy policy is clearly stated on the website. Their promises are backed up by their being one of the biggest and most reputable companies in the gambling industry, but it would be better if they actually provided some details of the mechanisms they use to protect your personal information.

Licence

The casino is licensed in Alderney, part of the Channel Islands, and is governed by the laws of that jurisdiction. It is regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

Reliability & Fairness

Grosvenor state that their games are regularly tested by third party testing experts but do not state on the website who these experts are. Instead, they primarily rely on the stringent controls of the Alderney regulators as proof of their fairness and reliability. And indeed, the Alderney authorities do seem to demand some of the highest standards in the industry – each game on the website must be approved by the Alderney Gambling Commission, who also insist on strict standards relating to randomness for the issue of gambling licenses.

Social Engagement

Grosvenor’s parent company and sister companies have an excellent reputation for engaging with the communities in which they do business. Notable particularly is the Blue Square sponsorship of the Football Conference in England. Grosvenor itself also makes a point of giving something back to the community by supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care, which for some time has been their featured charity and is linked to from their homepage. In 2010 they helped raise £288,000 to help care for terminally ill cancer patients.

Mobile / Tablets

There is quite a good mobile casino available that works on all major mobile and tablet platforms, including Apple, Android and Blackberry. Games include all that you’d expect, from Roulette and Blackjack to 3-card Poker and a choice of many slots. To play you simple need to visit their website on your mobile browser or scan the QR code that is on the website. The link to the mobile casino information is from a link on their main games tab at the top of the casino homepage.

Free Demo Play

Most games offer you the choice of demo-play or real money play when you initially select the game. This applies in both the casino and the games sections, and allows a very easy way to sample new games and improve your skills before betting with your own money.

Promotions and bonuses

Grosvenor offers a very simple sign-up bonus of £20. It might not seem like much but it’s very easy to actually achieve, with wagering requirements of just 5x the bonus. They also offer a range of other promotions including special bonuses on certain games, like £50 cashback on their X Factor Jackpot, and a chance to get tickets to the X Factor live final. They also give other promotions in certain days, and a chance to win an iPad.

Loyalty Scheme

There is a monthly loyalty bonus, with points earned every time you play, the amount of points earned varying depending on which game you play. At the end of each month your points are added up and put straight into your account which you can then use to play any game you like.

VIP Scheme

The casino offers a VIP scheme but in comparison to other sites it’s a little unclear how it works. There are great offers to be had, including lots of opportunities to go to live sporting events with their sister companies, such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Champions League Final. Unlike other casinos though, it’s not based on accumulation of comp points; instead you need to email them if you wish to become a VIP member. It makes it even more exclusive than other sites, but it would be better if they were clear on what the requirements were.

Pros

• Well-known and reputable UK gaming company – you know you can trust them!
• Good variety of games form different software providers
• A reassuringly simple £20 sign-up bonus – you know you’ll get it!

Cons

• Banking options quite limited
• Website a bit bland
• Live chat not always available

Screenshots