Gala Casino Review - 9.2/10

Gala is a fairly well-known name on the gambling scene, and thanks to its background in bingo (where it boasts 5 million registered players), it’s one of a few sites that can genuinely be called a household name. Well-respected for its casinos which have actually been around in traditional brick and mortar form since 2000, Gala’s online presence cements its place near the top of the UK gambling industry.

Software

Gala Casino uses tried and tested software from the Playtech armoury, meaning great visuals and efficient gameplay can be expected. Customers are given the option of instant play or downloading a dedicated casino platform. The downloadable software gives players access to more than 400 varied games, though the instant option also offers a wide range.

Downloading the software takes only a couple of minutes and system usage is fairly minimal, needing less than 60MB file space initially and using about 180MB of RAM at any given time, however this quickly increases the more games you choose to play as each one requires additional downloads. You can play for fun and without registration on more or less all of the games, whether playing instantly or downloading the product. A starting balance of a ‘pretend’ £2,000 lets you imagine how you might fare if the game was being played for real cash.

Graphics and general usability/user experience

The presentation of both the instant play pages and the downloaded platform are bold and consistently user-friendly, with just the right amount of Vegas glamour in the traditional games. Pages are full of options and different games, but they never seem cluttered or over-complicated. The flash player plug-in is responsive, with most pages and pop-ups appearing with no lag at all. The requirement of having to download each game before you play it might jar with players that want to quickly get stuck into a few games during a work break, but it’s a small price to pay for a smaller stake in your system space.

Game variety and game types

On Gala Casino you’ll find a very good variety of games, as well as various different versions of more classic titles; blackjack, for example, has 10 different versions whilst Marvel fans can find three different Iron Man slots to choose from. Focus on game types is quite evenly spread, with as much space given to novelty slots as card games.

There are live dealer games too, though these are only available to those who sign up for an account. There’s even a ‘3D roulette’ created by Playtech which offers different views of the table with realistic wheel motion and ball physics. Minimum and maximum bets vary slightly across games and game types, but Gala Casino does well to accommodate both the player spending a casual fiver and the veteran going in with a few hundred.

Loyalty Programs and promotions

Gala Casino’s offers for players new and frequent are good. New registrations can get a sizeable welcome bonus depending on how much is deposited, and for returning players there are cashback offers on particular days for particular games. A four-tiered loyalty program is available; bronze, silver, gold and platinum – each with their own bonuses, which are explained in full on the dedicated page. They range from higher betting and deposit limits to special ‘VIP’ bonuses and better comp conversion rates, with each of them improving the higher the loyalty package you attain through dedicated playing.

Support and Security

The security is industry-standard, with ‘Verified by Visa’ and ‘Mastercard Securecode’ just part of the measures Gala Casino has in place. Vast, comprehensive help pages are in place for those still finding their way round the site and getting used to the considerable array of games on offer, so those playing for the first time can enjoy the site as much as those with a few dozen jackpots under their belts.