Golden Reef Review
Microgaming download - awesome slots and video poker
By Casinomeister, Last updated Dec 1, 2023
Casinomeister's Verdict
Golden Reef Casino has a long history at Casinomeister – first listed in 2001. They have nary a complaint reflecting their business model as a trustworthy casino. However, Casino Rewards sites are now in the Grey Zone at Casinomeister. While they aren’t considered harmful, per se, we have had some issues with properties in the same group, usually surrounding bonuses and promotions. Keep reading our Golden Reef Casino review to learn more.
Solid licensing
First Impression
Golden Reef Casino, a pioneer among Microgaming powered sites, used to impress with its outstanding reputation, solid security measures, and impressive game selection. While things have taken a bit of a turn for the worse in recent years, they’re not a “bad” casino, but they sometimes engage in potentially unethical marketing tactics. However, we’ve generally had a good relationship with them here at Casinomeister, and they’re one of the world’s oldest online casinos.
Microgaming powers the entire casino so you won’t find any casino games from other software providers, bar Evolution for the live dealer games. This is a shame, as it limits the number of software providers you can access as a player – but it’s not the end of the world, especially if you’re a fan of Microgaming’s games in the first place. The Microgaming platform also means you can enjoy a great selection of award-winning slots, including titles like Immortal Romance and Game of Thrones.
In addition to slots, Golden Reef Casino offers a variety of table and card games, such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps, among others. While writing this Golden Reef Casino review, we were impressed to see they offer live dealer games, albeit from a third-party software provider, Evolution.
This Golden Reef Casino review aims to examine what one of the oldest Casino Rewards partner casinos is about. We will look at bonuses and promotions, games, customer support facilities, mobile gaming facilities, and more.
Pros
Good Microgaming casino
Strong licensing
Downloadable client is available
Good selection of video poker
Cons
Slow payouts
Known to be involved in some unethical marketing tactics
Top 5 casinos 
BONUSES AND PROMOTIONS
Golden Reef Casino, as part of the Casino Rewards group, offers a variety of bonuses – although this is the area where the online casino performs the worst, in our opinion. See our “complaints and track record” section later on for more information.
Welcome Offer
The main welcome bonus at Golden Reef Casino is a 100% match up to $100. This means that when new players make a deposit, the casino will match it dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $100. The minimum deposit to claim the welcome bonus promotion is $20, which is decent. We were also happy that this Casino Rewards site allows the bonus AND any winnings to be cashed out. This is known as a “cashable” bonus.
However, the bonus isn’t all good news. Golden Reef casinos have high wagering requirements like many Casino Rewards group casinos. You will need to wager the bonus a total of 60 times before you can withdraw any of it. However, if you’re playing from the UK, this is not the case, as the UKGC has banned these “sticky” bonuses.
The maximum you can bet while playing with bonus funds is 25% of the bonus amount. For example, if you receive a $50 bonus, the most you could bet on a single hand/round would be $12.50. This is pretty high and isn’t something we see at all Casino Rewards casinos.
No-Deposit & Free Spins Offers
As of this review, Golden Reef Casino does not offer a no-deposit bonus. This means that players must deposit to receive any bonuses or promotions. While no-deposit bonuses can be a great way to try out a casino without risking your money, they are not currently available at Golden Reef Casino.
VIP and Loyalty Programs
Golden Reef Casino is part of the Casino Rewards bonuses scheme. This means that when you earn loyalty points at Golden Reef, these points contribute towards the main Casino Rewards scheme. Like most VIP schemes, the more you play, the more points you earn. Every 100 loyalty points earned is equivalent to $1.
A unique aspect of the VIP Loyalty Program at Golden Reef Casino is that they offer monthly bonuses that add extra loyalty points to your casino balance. These bonuses allow players to earn additional points and climb the VIP ranks more quickly.
Different games contribute differently towards earning VIP points. You earn one VIP point for every $10 bet when playing slots. Table games and roulette contribute less – 0.5 VIP points for every $10 worth of chips you wager. However, video poker and Blackjack contribute just 0.1 VIP point for the same bet amount, and this is due to the lower house edge.
As part of the program, you’ll enjoy a number of perks like free bonuses, free spins, VIP support, birthday gifts, access to premium casino games, and much more. However, given what we know about the Casino Rewards Group and how players generally think about their bonuses and promotions, we recommend exercising caution if you’re considering claiming bonuses here. The terms and conditions can be quite strict, and the Golden Reef Casino bonus wagering requirements are high at 60X.
BANKING AND PAYMENT METHODS
Golden Reef Casino accepts multiple deposit methods, including credit cards, EWallets, prepaid cards, and direct bank transfers, ensuring players worldwide can deposit funds in a way that suits them. Below, we’ll show you the full list of payment methods. However, be aware that, like all Casino Rewards Group casinos, the actual payment methods you can use will vary depending on your country.
The deposit methods accepted by Golden Reef Casino include Entropay, ClickandBuy, Credit Card, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, Solo, Visa Electron, Switch, Neteller, Citadel Casino, EcoCard, Direct Bank Transfer, Moneybookers, Ezipay, Click2pay, Instadebit, Usemybank, Ticket Premium, Ukash, and Paysafecard.
Each deposit method has its unique advantages and is designed to cater to the diverse needs of online gamblers:
Credit and debit cards are the most widely used deposit methods due to their convenience and ease of use. Deposits are processed instantly, and the minimum deposit amount is $20. Many players like using a credit or debit card to deposit as the casino can securely save their card information, so they only need to enter the CVV when making future deposits.
EWallets are also very popular at Golden Reef Casino, including Skrill, Netent, ClickandBuy, Click2Pay, Instadebit, and Ezipay. EWallets offer a secure, convenient, and fast way to transfer money online. They allow instant deposits; like cards, they’re accessible; the minimum deposit limit is just $20. Some players prefer to use Ewallets as they also offer enhanced privacy. Unlike other payment methods, you do not need to give the online casino any of your financial information.
Prepaid cards are great options for those who prefer not to share their bank or credit card details online. Prepaid cards can be purchased from various outlets, loaded with the desired amount, and then used to deposit funds into the casino account. They offer anonymity and are a great way to manage your gambling budget.
Finally, the “other” payment methods at the casino. Like most Casino Rewards Group sites, Golden Reef Casino allows you to make deposits and withdrawals using bank transfers. However, there are high fees involved, and bank transfers can take up to 14 days to complete! As a result, they’re generally reserved for high-rollers, and those withdrawing a progressive jackpot win.
Finally, Entropay, Citadel Casino, EcoCard, and Usemybank are available if you live in a relevant country. These are all slightly different, but they’re E-Payment solutions.
All the banking methods are safeguarded by a top-of-the-range 128-bit encryption algorithm, ensuring a secure transaction environment. Most deposit methods are processed instantly, allowing players to start enjoying the casino games without delay.
Withdrawal Speed
Golden Reef Casino claims to offer smooth and secure withdrawals for its players. While winnings are paid out without any problems, Casino Rewards sites are not known for being particularly fast with withdrawals. All withdrawals have to be verified before they are released, and this verification process takes two days.
Once this time has passed, the casino will send your funds, so you’ll also need to wait for the standard bank processing times after that. This means, in total, withdrawals can take anywhere from two to twelve working days to reach your account, depending on the withdrawal method you choose.
Thankfully, the online casino offers a pretty large number of payment methods for withdrawals. The withdrawal methods offered by Golden Reef Casino include Credit Card, Debit Card, Skrill, ClickandBuy, Bank Transfer, Neteller, PayPal, ecoPayz, Cheque via Mail, and Cheque via Courier. As a general rule of thumb, you must withdraw using the payment method you used for your last deposit. However, there is an exception to this rule, and that’s when your chosen payment method doesn’t accept withdrawals.
Like all Casino Rewards sites, the following payout terms apply $/€/£4000 a week if a player wins a sum at least 5x greater than their total purchases across all Casino Rewards partner casinos. All progressive wins/payouts are exempt from this clause.
Average Based on 2 real users
Responsible gaming
It’s not just the UKGC that licenses Golden Reef; they also have a Kahnawake Gaming Commission license, which means they’re held to strict responsible gambling standards. This means all players can use several responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits, wager limits, loss limits, take a time-out, or self-exclude.
Customer support
Golden Reef Casino has a customer support team working 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, it’s important to note that it’s not an in-house team. Instead, it’s a centralised Casino Rewards team.
The easiest way of contacting the Golden Reef Casino support team is via live chat. The live chat feature provides instant support and is especially useful for urgent inquiries or issues that need immediate attention. If you need to submit documentation or prefer to use email, you can reach the customer support team at support@goldenreefcasino.com.
Golden Reef Casino also offers phone support, and they have different phone numbers for different parts of the world. For Canada, the contact number is 1 888 228 3418, while UK players can reach out at 0800 014 8108. The customer service number for Denmark is +8088 4574, and for Germany, it is 0800 724 4572.
There’s also an international number, 1 888 408 1689, for players from other regions. However, it is essential to note that the toll-free number is only available for certain countries.
KYC
Golden Reef Casino, holding licenses from the strictest online gambling regulators, such as the UKGC, is legally required to carry out identification checks on players. These checks are essential for preventing underage gambling, supporting self-exclusion agreements, and complying with anti-money laundering laws.
When you need to verify your ID at Golden Reef Casino varies based on your location. For instance, players in the UK must complete this verification (known as a KYC check) before depositing and playing due to new online gambling regulations.
For players from other countries, verification is typically requested when depositing beyond a specific amount or when attempting the first withdrawal. While Golden Reef Casino may not have the fastest response time for document verification, the process should be completed within a few days if you submit the required documents in the correct format.
Website Experience and Features
Desktop and Mobile Gaming
Golden Reef Casino’s platform is powered entirely by Microgaming, which, while significant in the past, is pretty dated. The user interface is simple and user-friendly, but the software is old. You don’t have to be a computer expert to realize it runs much slower than it used to. The software can be downloaded as a desktop PC client, or you can play through your internet browser in instant play mode. The casino is available in several languages, including French, German, English, and Portuguese.
One thing to note is that the casino software requires significant computer resources to run smoothly and is only compatible with the Windows operating system. As a result, it may not be the best fit for users with limited computer storage or those using Linux or Mac operating systems.
On the mobile front, Golden Reef Casino offers an OK mobile casino experience, but, again, it’s nothing special – and it’s not up to what we’ve come to expect from online casinos in 2023.
Brand games
Providers
Golden Reef Casino offers an extensive selection of games designed to cater to different types of players and preferences. The game categories include slots, live games, casino table games, and jackpot games, each with unique offerings and features.
Whether you’re a slot enthusiast, a fan of classic table games, a live casino fanatic, or a jackpot chaser, Golden Reef Casino offers a pretty good all-around selection of games. However, you must remember that you will only find Microgaming games here. The only exception is the live dealer casino, which uses games from Evolution.
In today’s online gambling market, it’s rare to see casinos sticking to just one game developer. Players have repeatedly shown that this is not something they like that much, and most want to see as many game developers as possible on offer. Still, for those looking for a nostalgic, retro-like online gambling experience, the Microgaming experience may be sufficient.
Slots
Golden Reef Casino has an impressive selection of slot games, appealing to players who enjoy the thrill of Microgaming’s slot portfolio. Golden Reef Casino, known for its vast selection of online casino games, features an array of slot machines powered by Microgaming. This portfolio includes many of Microgaming’s older games which are increasingly hard to find online!
One of the most popular Microgaming slots at Golden Reef Casino is undoubtedly Thunderstruck II, an action-packed, Norse mythology-themed game boasting 243 ways to win. Players are taken on a thrilling journey, where they can engage with legendary characters like Thor, Odin, and Loki as they spin the reels to secure a big win. Another popular option is Immortal Romance, a dark and mysterious vampire-themed slot, which has won the hearts of many players with its engaging storyline and four-level bonus feature.
Both games are almost identical in terms of their mechanics and gameplay. However, the different themes – and slightly different math models – mean that experienced players can spot subtle differences!
However, it’s not just about the established classics; Golden Reef Casino also regularly updates its game library with the latest Microgaming releases. Recent additions include slots like Jungle Jim and the Lost Sphinx and Break da Bank Again Respin, which are already gaining traction among the casino’s players.
In addition, you’ll also find a few of Microgaming’s ancient slots, but unfortunately, these are becoming a lot less common. There is also a healthy selection of progressive jackpot games, details of which we’ll look at later.
Live Casino
Golden Reef Casino offers live games from Evolution Gaming, a well-respected provider known for high-quality, interactive live dealer games. Here, players can enjoy various live games, directly bringing the real casino experience to their screens.
Live Roulette, for example, is popular due to its immersive gameplay and multiple camera angles, giving players a 360-degree view of the action. Players can chat with the live dealer and other players in real-time, creating a sociable and authentic casino environment. Evolution has also worked hard to develop a number of Roulette spinoffs, like Lightning Roulette. To many players ‘ delight, these games offer unconventional gameplay and enhanced win potential.
Live Blackjack is another game you’ll see a lot at Evolution Casinos. Players compete against the dealer in real-time to get their hand’s value closer to 21 than the dealer’s without going over. Evolution’s live Blackjack games offer numerous side bets, and, like Roulette, they’ve also developed some more unique concepts like Lightning Blackjack.
Live Baccarat, a classic card game, also features in the live casino lineup. In this game, players bet on whether the Player’s or the Banker’s hand will win or if the game will result in a tie. A few Baccarat tables are available, although they can seat unlimited players, so it’s no major issue.
Golden Reef Casino also offers Evolution’s game show games. This includes titles like Crazy Time and Football Studio Live, both designed to offer something different from what most players have come to expect from live casino games.
All the live games feature professionally trained dealers, high-definition streaming, and interactive chat features, making the live gaming experience at Golden Reef Casino well worth checking out, especially if you’re a new player looking for something different.
Table Games
Golden Reef Casino offers various table games and video poker options. Video poker lovers, Classic Blackjack fans, and everyone in between will be able to find casino table games they want to play, as there are no less than 80 available on the downloadable software client and 55 on the instant play website. These include multiple variations of popular games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and various forms of poker.
Video poker is another popular option at Golden Reef Casino, with 62 options available for download and 27 for instant play. Video poker combines elements of traditional poker and slots, offering a unique gaming experience that requires both luck and strategy. Some video poker variants include Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Aces and Faces.
Unfortunately, the only type of game you won’t find in the casino lobby is instant wins. While there’s Keno, Microgaming’s table game portfolio is a little lacking compared to other software providers. However, they excel in offering video slots, which the vast majority of players are joining for!
Progressive jackpots
Golden Reef Casino also offers games with progressive jackpots, where the potential jackpot prize increases with every bet placed on the game until it’s won. Notable progressive jackpot games include Major Millions and Mega Moolah, which have been known to pay out jackpots in the millions of dollars. These games offer the exciting possibility of massive wins from relatively small stakes, making them a popular choice for many players.
In fact, at the time of writing, Mega Moolah holds the current Guinness World record for the most significant online slot win in history. It was won a few years ago and was worth a staggering $25 million! What’s more, the lucky player who scooped the progressive jackpot was playing on the minimum bet!
While Mega Moolah and Major Millions are some of Microgaming’s most well-known progressive slots, the software provider offers many other exciting progressive jackpot games featured at Golden Reef Casino.
King Cashalot is one such game. This 5-reel, 9-payline slot is set in a medieval era, with a jovial king inviting players to his feast of fortunes. Players can land the progressive jackpot by getting five King symbols on the 9th payline while playing at the maximum bet.
Treasure Nile is another exciting option worth checking out if you want to play something different. This 5-reel, 9-payline slot takes players on an adventure into ancient Egypt, where they can strike gold by aligning five Pharaoh symbols on the 9th payline. With a huge progressive jackpot, it’s easy to see why it’s a hit among players.
Microgaming’s Fruit Fiesta is a blend of classic and modern slots. It comes in 3-reel and 5-reel versions, both featuring a progressive jackpot. The jackpot is won when players land three Fruit Fiesta symbols on the third payline in the 3-reel version or five Fruit Fiesta symbols on the 15th payline in the 5-reel version.
Finally, LotsALoot is a straightforward and enjoyable slot. With both 3-reel and 5-reel variants, landing the LotsALoot logo on the final payline triggers the progressive jackpot. Each game offers a unique theme and thrilling jackpot possibilities.
Please note: if you claim the first deposit bonus, you can’t usually use your bonus funds on progressive jackpot games. Always read the terms and conditions before playing with a bonus to know which games you can and can’t play.
About the Team and History
Golden Reef Casino has been a part of the online gambling landscape for over two decades, established in 2001. Since its inception, the casino has consistently delivered top-tier gaming experiences, gaining an impressive reputation among players worldwide. It is a part of the Casino Rewards Group, a network of 29 online casinos.
Golden Reef Casino has always had a good reputation operating under licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and the Malta Gaming Authority. Unfortunately, this took a hit a few years ago when other casinos in their group were found to be involved in shady marketing practices. However, we still consider them decent enough, but they’re not like they used to be.
Casino Facts
| Founded | 2001 |
| Accredited at Casinomeister | 2016 - 2018 |
| Jurisdictions | Kahnawake, UKGC, Malta Gaming Authority, Danish Gambling Authority |
| Casino representative | Affiliate Program Manager and CM Player Complaint Rep |
| Is this casino certified at Casinomeister | No |
| Payout time | 48 hrs |
| Reverse time | 48 hrs |
| Payout limits | $/€/£4000 a week if a player wins a sum that is at least 5x greater than the sum of their total purchases across all Casino Rewards partner casinos. All progressive wins/payouts are exempt from this clause. |
| Weekend payouts | No |
| Locks withdrawals | No |
The man with the plan here at Casinomeister. Bryan Bailey has been running Casinomeister since its launch in June of 1998. He has watched the industry grow from its primeval stage to what it is now. The Meister has attended nearly 100 conferences in the past 20 years and has either been a speaker or a panel moderator for at least 60 events. He has always been an advocate of fairness and reason and is known to like German beer, a good Scotch, and astrophotography.
bryan@casinomeister.com
