Our Grosvenor Casino Review: The Land-based King Is Online
Grosvenor Casino will be familiar to anyone who has wandering the high streets of any major British city in the last couple of years. Since acquiring Gala Casinos in 2013, the Grosvenor brand has become synonymous with land-based casinos in this country. However, when picking our top UK casinos for this site, we’re not interested in what the operators do on land. Grosvenor Casino’s inclusion on this list is testament to its online offering.
New customers only. Min deposit £20 (exc PayPal). Max bonus £30, bonus amount non-withdrawable, playable on selected games only. 30x wagering for £30 bonus. Expires within 30 days. Max win £2,000.*T&Cs apply
This is a casino that does things a little differently from some of the other big boys in the crowded casino site space. As you can, the welcome bonus looks miniscule compared to some of its competition, but looks can be deceiving. In this Grosvenor Casino review, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this online casino operator, including the games library, jackpots, live dealer suite, promotions and software support.
Grosvenor Casino Bonuses
There’s no denying the facts: this is an industry obsessed with bonuses. As we begin to enter the realm of the £1500+ welcome packages, there’s one operator that seems to have missed the memo. Grosvenor’s casino welcome bonus of deposit £20, play with £50 feels like a vintage throwback – like those old 50s McDonald’s menus from when cheeseburgers costs 19 cents. As ever, though, the devil is in the details. This welcome bonus comes with a wagering requirement of just five for the additional £20 and a rollover of 10x for the other £10, applicable for classic slots or live casino games. This is comically low in a world where 30 – 35x is standard practice. Grosvenor is not really playing the rules here. Rather than offering a grand you’ll never cash, its waving a crisp twenty you can easily snatch.
Grosvenor also offers separate wheel spins, prize draws and many other promotions. For instance, the Inferno Blackjack promotion gives you the chance to score a win of up to £1000. Still, the objective is to reach as much consecutive wins as possible, with 15 of those granting you the £1000 bonus. Thursdays have also been made quite interesting for slot players. Once you stake £50 on any slot, you will be granted a special wheel spin with one of the prizes being a jackpot win.
Promotions and Loyalty Schemes
In a swollen market, such as this one, it’s important for operators to not only attract new customers but to retain those it already has. Grosvenor delivers nicely here, with several regular promotions for existing customers on offer. Apart from regular live and slots casino promotions, there are also other bonuses applicable for the sports-betting section of the operator. Some of the regular bonuses you will be able to encounter are related to various cashback and odds boosts. However, just like all of the other promotions, these also have terms and conditions you should look at.
The Game Selection at Grosvenor Casino
The game library here is what we’d safely describe as solid. Sure, some other operators have more, but your bases are mostly covered with Grosvenor. The jackpot slots department is particularly healthy. All of the Mega Jackpot series, including Siberian Storm, Star Lanterns and Wolf Run, are there. IGT’s hit jackpot slot Cleopatra is also available, as well as some licensed jackpot games such as Deal or No Deal and Worms: Reloaded. NetEnt’s popular music games featuring official Jimi Hendrix, Guns N’ Roses and Motorhead tracks are all featured as well.
Outside of slots we’re looking at all bases covered, without really turning any heads. There’s nothing flashy about Grosvenor’s game library. If you’re looking for a good selection of classic blackjack, roulette and tables games, you won’t be disappointed. Some of the newer, more interesting variants are also playable, such as Perfect Pairs Blackjack and Advanced Roulette, but more drastic departures form the traditional formulas are missing. A handful of video poker games complete the modest library which generally does the basic well, and leaves the rest to its competition.
Software and Download Options
Grosvenor draws on several software developers to run its online operations. For slots, Microgaming, NetEnt, IGT and Realistic all make significant contributions. That’s some line-up of talent – these providers are all considered reliable game-makers. In the live space, Evolution Live Gaming – the undisputed kings of live dealer games in Europe – are behind everything. It’s what you would expect from such a big national brand with such a wealth of casino experience to draw on.
Games can be played via the site directly through your browser. You can also download the dedicated software package if you prefer the old-school method. Grosvenor is regulated by eCOGRA, the independent gaming industry authority that makes sure every random number generator is fair and every jackpot is paid.
Grosvenor Casino Live in Focus
This is where this operator really shines. Given its ties to land-based casinos, Grosvenor is able to stream live dealer games from its own studios in the UK, with native-speaking live dealers. This is kind of unheard of in the current market which is dominated by streaming providers in Eastern Europe and Asia. Evolution Gaming still works the cogs, so you get all the games and HD quality stability you’d expect from the masters of live casino, but with the added extra of local faces calling the shots. It’s a feature that is unrivalled in the online casino industry now.
Outside of the exclusive Grosvenor live casino dealers, expect to find Evolution’s catalogue in full including games such as Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Caribbean Stud Poker and the all-new Dream Catcher game.
Grosvenor Casino App and Games
Modern online casinos must deliver a mobile service these days or they simply wouldn’t survive. As mobile internet usage overtakes desktop usage in the UK, mobile access to your favourite online casinos is becoming more and more important. This operator offers both a Grosvenor casino web-app version optimised for mobile and a dedicated downloadable Grosvenor casino app.
More than 120 of its desktop game library make the jump to the Grosvenor mobile casino, and with software available for Android, iOS and Windows, virtually everyone who owns a smartphone or tablet in the UK is covered. It’s nice that the loyalty system is integrated with its mobile platform, meaning players can pick up Play Points on the move. The app performs great with fast loading times and a slick navigation system. If you are looking to join a casino with a decent mobile version, Grosvenor is certainly a viable option.
Payments and Customer Services
In terms of payment methods, all the big-hitters are covered at Grosvenor. Visa, MasterCard and Maestro remain the most popular for both withdrawals and deposits in the UK, and this operator won’t let you down if you’re looking to pay with plastic. Virtual wallets are on the rise, and if you’re one of the many getting on board, this casino accepts Neteller and Skrill. The pre-paid Paysafecard is also an available option. It’s important to check fees and transfer times before committing to a payment method. You can see a summary in the table below.
| Payment Methods | Availability | Deposit Limit (Min/Max) | Withdrawal Limit* | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Icon | £5 – no limit | Unlimited | Free | |
| Mastercard | £5 – no limit | Unlimited | Free | |
| Mobile | – | – | – | |
| Skrill | £5 – no limit | Unlimited | Free | |
| Paysafecard | £5 – no limit | – | Free | |
| Neteller | £5 – no limit | Unlimited | Free | |
| Instant Banking | – | – | – | |
| Entropay | – | – | – | |
| Bank transfer | – | – | – | |
| Entropay | – | – | – | |
| Bitcoin | – | – | – |
*Limits may be applied by the payment processor.
For support, in the event that something goes wrong with your account, Grosvenor is contactable via phone or email, although we find the live chat feature the quickest and most convenient method. Due it’s land-based presence, Grosvenor also comes with the unique option of face-to-face support by visiting one of its sites in your local town or city.
Behind the Company
Grosvenor Casinos is now owned by The Rank Group. Rank claims to have more than 1.7 million customers around the country and employs around 6,000 people. The group has made a habit of acquiring struggling chains and bringing them under the Grosvenor banner. Gala was purchased in 2013, and a partnership with Redtooth, the world’s largest live pub poker tournament group, was struck in 2014. The company also bought the Ricoh Arena complex in Coventry in 2009 for a sum of £650,000.
| Company Information – Crosvenor Casino | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO: | Henry Birch | Phone: | 0800 083 1990 | Encryption: | SSL encryption |
| Head Office: | Maidenhead, UK | Email: | support@grosvenorcasinos | RTP Analysis: | VeriSign |
| Parent Company: | The Rank Group | Live Chat: | Yes | Anti Money Laundering Measures: | Netverify |
| Awards: | Casino Operator of the Year, International Gaming Awards 2013 | Contact Form: | Not available | Security: | 3D secure passwords |
The Land-Based Grosvenor Casino
Grosvenor operates 56 land-based casinos throughout the UK. Such a heavy presence on the high street allows the operator to offer unique promotions, discounts and presence of live dealers that simply can’t be matched by online-only casinos in this market. As a result, its online operations are somewhat unique, and these close ties to brick and mortar casinos are its biggest strength. The land-based sites are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, which also looks after the many bookies and betting shops on the British high street. The bricks and mortar venues also allow Grosvenor to offer face-to-face customer support. Simply pop into your local branch to get help with your online account. That’s pretty cool.
Grosvenor and Rank were awarded Casino Operator of the Year at the 2013 International Gambling Awards. Rank also scooped up the Socially Responsible Operator of the Year Land-Based award in both 2014 and 2015.
Top Tips for Grosvenor
When diving into the play at Grosvenor online there are a couple of things that you should be looking out for. First of all, if you’re not already, it might be worth bobbing down to your local land-based site and signing up for a membership. Аlternatively, the £50 welcome offer is excellent for those of you preferring the comfort of your home and keeping your gambling activities online. With such a low wagering requirement, it’s your best chance of getting something for free in this market.
Players can access games on the go with both native and web apps and use the app’s club finder for land-based Grosvenor casino visits. it’s a great way to take your games on-the-go, and the land-based casino finder is a feature uniqie to Grosvenor.
All standard payment methods are accepted at Grosvenor, but it would be great to see Bitcoin or mobile payments introduced in the future, or a closer intergration with the company’s many land-based venues for making online deposits.
Roulette players are limited to the most popular variations here. Expect classic European or Advanced Roulette for those looking for an extra challenge. There’s no messing around with fancy new modern variants, this is back-to-basics stuff.
It’s also worth taking a look at the exclusive UK dealers available through the Grosvenor live casino suite. Live streamed casino games are undoubtedly the future of this industry, and it’s no surprise that operators are now investing heavily in this area. With Grosvenor’s Live Dealer Host adding extra spice to the live games every single day, we found ourselves going back for more and more.
A Roundup of Grosvenor’s Highs and Lows
This is an online casino that really breaks the mould. In a bold, defiant move, Grosvenor has decided to break all the rules of what is typically accepted as normal practice in this market. It’s land-based legacy has clearly influenced the online product, and the integration is seamless making it a perfect choice for players who want to dip their toes into both areas. Its Grosvenor casino bonuses are decidedly different, scrapping the monster four figures sums for modest amounts with tiny wagering requirement. Quite frankly, whilst conducting this Grosvenor Casino review, we found it to be a breath of fresh air on the UK casino scene.
Even if you’re not familiar with Grosvenor’s walk-in casinos, you’re bound to love their online platform. Experience one of the only UK-based live suites in one of the most secure online casinos to-date.
New customers only. Min deposit £20 (exc PayPal). Max bonus £30, bonus amount non-withdrawable, playable on selected games only. 30x wagering for £30 bonus. Expires within 30 days. Max win £2,000.*T&Cs apply