Virgin Casino Review

Richard Branson has a history of taking on big challenges and getting big results. He’s challenged major label record companies, taken on flag carrying airlines, and attempted record breaking feats in hot air balloons, planes and speedboats, and everything he does he does in style. Branson is the founder of the Virgin company, which established its reputation in Britain back in 1970; he did things big, and he did them differently. Now, the Virgin label has arrived in the world on online casinos, but doe Branson deliver with his usual pizzazz? Is the product going to receive platinum status, or is Virgin a site that should not have attempted the crossover?

On first arriving at the Virgin site, we were duly impressed. The Welcome page has a layout that is bright and clear, a nice greeting for a newcomer. While there is an abundance of information appearing on the page, it doesn’t overwhelm a visitor and doesn’t seem too crowded. In fact, it was fairly easy to take note of what the Virgin site was offering, including easy navigation to spots where we could find out more. Returning customers of the casino will also find that it is a simple feat to find the login and game selection features. Particularly helpful was the fact that the casino games are broken down into subgenres, making navigation much simpler. You can select from Tables and Poker, Roulette, Blackjack, Slots, Instant Win, and Keno; there’s no easier way to navigate to your favourites! The pretensions of some sites towards a high rolling, silent crowd is rejected by the Virgin site, which goes for a more fun and inclusive feel; there is a lot less feeling of the site as a “gentleman’s club” than that put forward by rival casinos. Because of this, we imagine that the Virgin site will have great appeal for players geared towards a free environment.

As far as software, Virgin gets its games through the WagerWorks system, a well respected program where the games are all “Instant Play” which requires users to install no more than the ever present Macromedia Flash software on their computers. In a bonus that is far rarer than it should be, the Flash option also meant that Virgin supports platforms other than Windows; although a Mac test run earlier led us into some difficulties, the problems have been addressed and we were successful with the Mac under operating systems including Firefox, and Safari.

Previously the game selection pages had also been a problem for the Virgin site, but again the company appears to have addressed the issues. The site is now much more ergonomic and friendly when it comes to the newbie eager to learn more about online gambling.

With the former flaws fixed, Virgin is a playable casino for a wide range of internet gamblers of all experiences. They can play from a wide selection of games that are both free and for real money, and whilst the level of detail at the Virgin site is not quite up to standards set by the rival casinos that use downloads to run their games, the game play itself remains uncompromised. The audio and visual aspects are excellent, so users can expect to enjoy a very authentic casino feel as they play. As always there must be some kind of compromise between appearances and loading times, and Virigin works this in nicely; the time it takes to load the casino is acceptable even for those using dial up. If you’re on the hunt for a quick game, the site also includes a turbo feature allowing you to get more betting into a single session.

When it comes to promotions and incentives, Virgin certainly keeps pace with the crowd. In addition to the ever present Welcome Bonus, there are hundreds of worthwhile non-cash prizes, probably one of the advantages of having an online casino with a diverse parent company. The site also includes a Rewards Points program, and playing as a regular member can get you Virgin Atlantic Flying Miles. At the time of the review, Virgin offered just one jackpot, so if you’re into the thrill of the progressives it isn’t the site for you.

Secure money transactions and fair play are a given whenever an online casino is run by a large brick and mortar company with a solid business reputation, and Virgin’s online casino is no exception to the rule. The customer service offered takes the form of email and phone channels that are free and offered around the clock. The representatives you encounter know their stuff too. Finally, the fact that the site has low minimum bets and low minimum deposits makes it ideal for any internet casino virgin.