Betfred Casino Review

The name Betfred is one that more often comes to mind when you are thinking of bookmaking rather than online casinos. However in 2005 the very well known UK Company expanded its operation and opened the virtual doors of their Betfred online casino. Since the company waited until 2004 to make any try at the online market, faithful customers were both surprised and pleased that this new option came so quickly. Betfred has been around for a long time, since 1967 to be exact. In that time they have gone from one real world store and two brothers to 2 online sites, 550 stores, and some 2,000 employees. With all they have going for them they are not about to throw it all away by offering second rate security. Betfred has a strong commitment to excellence in this area that allows their customers complete peace of mind, each and every time they play.

While most online casinos tend to go with one of a select few big name software’s to offer their games, Betfair has chosen a different route. They have decided use the Playtech gaming software instead. This may seem like an odd choice but it does come with some very marked benefits. First players can choose from either downloading or non-downloading options. Also having these choices loosen the binds on system requirements, meaning that Mac users can take part in the fun. With either choice players will find superior game quality and delivery. Now admittedly the downloading version is the more deluxe package of the two, but you must be a Windows user to take advantage of this option. If you are able to install Playtech onto your own computer you will find much richer overall game play and more options available on the casino floor. There are even live dealer options for several of the games that make you feel as though you are right in the middle of the action. One improvement we would like to see would be the addition of more Casino Poker options. Right now you choices are rather limited to only one, Caribbean Stud.

We can always seem to find something to fuss about during these reviews, but Betfair made it very easy on us. There ended up being several glaring errors that are simply inexcusable for a company of this level. First the design of the casino just felt cheap. Fred is a great guy and it was nice to meet him on the home page, but all in all we thought that he would run a tighter ship. When we were looking for simple straightforward navigation, we were met instead with a very confusing mix that we found hard to decipher. It was almost impossible to understand what the entire casino had to offer and what were ads for other places. We really became frustrated when the “Play Now,’ button led us not to the games we were seeking, but to a 404 Error, Page Not Found. As this is the link to the games, that can be a bit of a problem. Yes, there are other ways to get there, but new players may not know that. Even though Betfred has 16 separate options for players to chose their preferred currency it won’t do them any good as there is no way to set it so that the site is viewable in your choice. And last, but certainly not least, when we looked into the Game Rules we found no mention of two of Betfreds games. How are you supposed to play a game if no one will tell you how?

Now with all the rain we just had to dump on our own parade it is very nice to have some good news to deliver. Betfred likes to call themselves “The Bonus King,” and we were able to find some evidence to support this claim. First there is one promotion offered to all players that is usually reserved for only the luckiest VIPs. Players will receive reimbursement of up to 10% on all losses totaling over $50 in a months time. If you find another casino touting this same perk, make sure you let us know. Secondly, Fred himself likes to stop in everyday and drop unexpected little gifts into players’ accounts. As you never know when or where he is going to pop up, much less what he will bring with him, this really adds an element of fun to the whole experience.

With all the problems we ran into; don’t be surprised if you find yourself seeking the guidance of customer support. Betfred prides themselves on this particular area and we are sure that it is well used. In our experience we tried both the e-mail and phone choices and found both to be top rate. It is also very nice that either option is available round the clock as problems have a way of not taking form until outside normal business hours.

The issue of Betfred is a bit of a difficult pickle for us to sort out. The things that they do well they do very very well, but when they are bad they are horrid. There are simply too many sloppy areas for us to just overlook. The site has real potential and for a seasoned player might be a very good choice. But we cannot recommend that a new player start here, they would just be too frustrated. When Betfred take the time to bring everything up to par they will be one of the greats. Until that day comes they are merely middle of the pack.