Virgin Casino [Rating 8.5/10]

When it comes to expansion of the business, it would seem as if getting into the world of online casino gaming is the perfect fit for a company like Virgin. After all, company CEO Richard Branson is well known for his propensity to throw the dice in terms of business propositions (albeit calculated ones); this is, after all, the man who flew in the face of traditional record companies to start his own, and then took to the air and created a whole new company for the traveller.

Individually, Branson likes to reach for the stars and gamble on his ability to set new records with planes, balloons, and speedboats. So, does the Virgin online casino live up to the company's reputation as a sure bet, or will you be left feeling crapped out by the experience?

Click here to play at Virgin Casino

Right off, it is nice to see that the Virgin online casino makes a bold brand statement with its welcome and sign up page. The site is birth and clear, and best of all there is a lot of information available for everyone. The info is packaged quite nicely, so that it does not overwhelm the first time visitor and makes it easy to navigate around. It was nice to see a login and game selection bit added for those returning to the site after signing up.

More points to the site for nicely categorizing its games for us; Tables and Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, Slots, Instant Win and Keno, and MegaJackpots (also known as progressives) are all represented and you can pick your favourite from a list that gets you to the action quicker than you can say U2. Some of the online casinos out there feel a little bit exclusive; they prefer the gentlemen's club feel. Virgin's site is obviously welcoming to everyone, players for fun and money will all feel at home.

Click here to play at Virgin Casino

We did not really like the Virgin site when we first reviewed it back in 2005, but it is pretty clear that they have worked to transform the site into one that anyone can work with, and that work has paid off.

The games at the Virgin casino are powered by the software from WagerWorks, which means Instant Play only. This is great for users of operating platforms other than Windows, because the Instant Play casino is built on the ubiquitous Macromedia Flash software, installed on everyone's computer whether PC or Mac. We did note that for some reason our Safari browser on the Mac would not let us sign up to play (no email space), but once we switched to Firefox this problem disappeared. This could be a problem with either Safari or the Virgin site; in the past Virgin has been very accommodating for Mac users, so if the bug is at their end we have no doubt it will be remedied quickly.

Click here to play at Virgin Casino

What the Instant Play only casino that Virgin has opted for means is that as broad a spectrum of online casino enthusiasts can play on the site as possible, enjoying the great selection of both free and real money games. Whenever an Instant Play casino is offered, the graphics and details to suffer a bit in comparison to download versions, but the Virgin casino is still attractive, and the game play and quality is still smooth and excellent, offering the player that authentic casino feel. Even on slow dial up connections, there is not a lot of down time when the games are being loaded, but the games still manage to look real and lush. If you like quick games at your casino, you will love the turbo version that the Virgin online casino offers; it means more betting in the same amount of time.

One thing that is lovely about this site is that because Virgin commands a niche in so many different marketplaces, the prizes offered as incentives at their online casino go above and beyond the typical offerings we have seen elsewhere. In addition, you can rack up V points when you play regularly, earning yourself a free trip every once in a while.

Click here to play at Virgin Casino

It was also nice to see that Virgin has bulked up its progressive jackpot offerings; there are some great MegaJackpot games; the best of the best is a multi line, multi coin, multi currency behemoth with start and reset Jackpot values awarding an incredible 1.5 million pounds!

One thing we love about Virgin is that it is one online casino that just keeps getting better and better. There are more games, bigger prizes, and more people can play hassle free than ever before. The reputation of the company is such that secure and fair play are guaranteed, there are great customer service options available 24/7, low minimum bets, and a great promotion section. All in all, the Virgin site is the perfect choice for online casino virgins and pros alike.

Click here to play at Virgin Casino