Casino Mate Review
Old-school casino with a good gaming offer but questionable license
Casinomeister's Verdict
We didn’t leave any stones unturned during our Casino Mate review. Casino Mate is one of many online casinos with a strong gaming offer from top software providers that attract all players. Its welcome deposit bonus is elaborate, and it gives it great leverage over other online casinos thanks to its wager-free spins.
However, we couldn’t confirm that the casino is licensed in the first place, which raises concern over its game fairness and safety.
First Impression
Upon entering Casino Mate, we couldn’t figure out whether the casino was a scam. The website is pretty outdated, with old-school fonts and dull green-coloured background. The hyphen in the URL of casino-mate.com was not helping either and instilled a further sense of distrust.
That feeling was further exacerbated when we couldn’t find absolutely any information on the online casino gambling license. We couldn’t even find anything about the casino’s ownership or its affiliation. Red flags and alarms are everywhere.
However, after digging a bit deeper under the surface, Casinomeister-style, we figured out the casino was owned by Vegas Partner Lounge, a group behind multiple online casinos such as Golden Riviera and Maple Casino. The casino is operated by Jacked Affiliates, a group behind House of Jack casino, a sister casino to Casino Mate.
Further relief and a breath of hope came from the welcome bonus banner, indicating a lucrative deal with seemingly fair conditions.
The game selection was another plus, especially seeing the industry’s top dogs behind the Casino Mate game lobby.
The following Casino Mate review gives a full rundown of all casino aspects, from available games to deposit bonus deals, payments, mobile version of the site, support, and many other essential details that can help you draw out all the right conclusions about this gambling site before registering.
We review another Vegas Partner Lounge Casino, House of Jack, HERE.
Pros
-
Some nice games
Cons
-
Week licensing jurisdiction
BONUSES AND PROMOTIONS
A casino review wouldn’t be complete without a full overview of Casino Mate bonuses and promotions. Let’s see how Casino Mate fairs in this regard.
Exclusive offers
Welcome Bonus
Casino Mate’s welcome bonus offer consists of multiple deposit match offers and a score of zero-wager free spins on top online slots. Namely, Casino Mate promotes a welcome package worth with Casino Mate promo codes and bonuses up to $1,400 and 80 wager-free spins on the first four deposits you make. Here’s the entire bonus scheme:
- 1st deposit — 100% match bonus up to $200 + 20 free spins
- 2nd deposit — 50% match bonus up to $300 + 20 free spins
- 3rd deposit — 50% match bonus up to $400 + 20 free spins
- 4th deposit — 50% match bonus up to $500 + 20 free spins
To claim the first deposit bonus and all of the other bonus match deals, you need to make a minimum deposit of $20. The deposit bonuses are instantly credited after you make a qualifying deposit, so you can start exploring the freebies instantly.
On the other hand, to turn the welcome bonuses and winnings generated from the bonus amount into real withdrawable cash, you need to complete a specific wagering requirement, and here you will hit a snag just like we did. Going through the deposit bonus terms and conditions of use, we encountered conflicting information. It says promotional bonuses have 40x playthrough requirements, but another section says that requirement is set at 50x and 100 bets. Luckily, the customer support was able to clear the situation, so we can safely say the requirement is 40x, and you need to clear it in 30 days before the casino bonuses expire.
The free spins you get from the first deposit, and all other deposit bonuses, for that matter, are credited on the slot game Second Strike. The free spins are wager-free, which means that the winnings coming from the spins can be claimed as real money right away without clearing the playthrough requirements.
No-Deposit & Free Spins Offers
Unfortunately, Casino Mate does not offer any no deposit welcome bonuses at the moment. The free spin deals are related to 1st deposit bonus and other match bonuses from the sign up promotion. Also, you won’t find any other available promotions on the platform at the moment.
VIP and Loyalty Programs
Casino Mate has a proprietary VIP program dubbed Club Mate. This VIP program is an invitation only-based program, meaning your entry depends on your gambling habits. The more you play and visit the casino, the more deposits and withdrawals you make, the faster you will get invited to join the cool kids and enjoy multiple benefits.
Some of the perks you can expect from the VIP program are exclusive bonuses, faster withdrawals, larger withdrawal limits, the services of a dedicated casino host, and many other gifts and incentives.
Cashback
Bonus Terms
Sign up process
Banking & Payment Methods
The range of payment methods in Casino Mate is not mind-boggling, plus it depends on the country you are playing from. For example, Canadian players can rely on Neteller. You can also pick among bank transfers, online banking, and prepaid voucher options. The full list of banking options is as follows:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Neteller
- Instadebit
- ecoPayz
- Bank Transfer
- Neosurf
- Interac
The minimum deposit is set at $10, and the payment incurs no fees, regardless of the chosen method. All deposits are processed instantly.
Casino Mate Withdrawal Speed
The list of withdrawal methods is a bit shorter and includes Neteller, bank transfer, Instadebit, and ecoPayz e-wallet. Depending on the payment processor you have chosen, you can expect to receive your winnings within two to three banking days at the earliest because of the 24-hour pending period for all transactions. Note that the casino won’t process your request on the weekend, only on business days.
The casino won’t impose any fees on the payouts unless you fail to wager your deposit amount at least once. Otherwise, a 10% fee will be deducted from the amount. Also, intermediary banks may impose certain fees as well.
Withdrawal methods can’t process cashouts less than $50, which is a very high withdrawal limit that can’t be easily reached. The maximum withdrawal is set at $10,000 weekly.
Note that before you can make a cashout request, you need to verify your account and comply with all the KYC and anti-money laundering rules imposed by Casino Mate.
Responsible Gaming
Casino Mate endorses responsible and safe gaming practices. It has an elaborate responsible gaming policy in place that ensures players understand the dangers of excessive gambling and keep their gambling habits in check.
There are several responsible gambling tools, such as the gaming limit tool, where you can set the limits on your deposit. Also, if you feel like you could use a break from gambling, you can opt for the cool-off period of up to 90 days or exclude yourself from gambling altogether.
Customer Support
You can contact Casino Mate’s customer support team in more than one way. The agents are at your disposal 24/7 via live chat service, email at CMSupport@casino-mate.com, or phone line: 1800 006 285.
We tested the live chat service and were pleased to see the agent connected to the chat in under a minute and was willing to help. It didn’t take the agent much to answer our query so that we can give Casino Mate a thumbs up.
The FAQ section is also a good option as it is detailed and has answers to many questions about accounts, payments, etc.
KYC
Even though the casino does not seem to be certified by Malta Gaming Authority or any other notable gambling jurisdiction, there are some rules and regulations the casino seems to follow, especially in the KYC area. Before you can request a withdrawal, you need to verify your playing account by providing a copy of your ID or passport. Also, you will need to submit a utility bill not older than three months to verify your address and other such personal information to help the casino ascertain you are who you say you are.
Website Experience and Features
Desktop and Mobile Gaming
Modern website design is certainly not Casino Mate’s strong suit. As we have mentioned earlier, it is completely outdated in terms of graphics and aesthetics. Plain green background and a rather unimaginative and small font are not at all eye-pleasing.
Still, right on the homepage, in its upper left corner, you can find all the necessary casino sections, such as banking, customer support, promotions, and the VIP program.
The Casino Mate games are categorized according to their type and features, available on the left-hand side, so you don’t have to wander much looking for your favorite game.
As far as the mobile casino version is concerned, Casino Mate has a good instant play-based web version for all Android and iOS users. There isn’t a native mobile app, which is a pity, but the web browser mobile casino version picks up the slack. Although it mimics the desktop version almost to a fault, it does not have the same number of real money games since not all have been optimized for mobile play. You can access all casino bonuses and other features via smartphones and tablets without glitches.
Unique Features
The platform does not boast many special features, but still, some are mention-worthy in this Casino Mate reviews. Let’s check them out.
- Wager-free spins — Apart from the deposit bonus, the signup offer includes 80 wager-free spins that let you keep the winnings as real cash, not as bonus money like it’s usually the case with the majority of online casino.
- Vast gaming choice — With over 3,000 games on offer, Casino Mate belongs to the group of more prolific gambling platforms for Canadians.
- Multiple progressive jackpot games — You will find several jackpot slots, such as Mega Moolah, Major Millions, and others, in the casino lobby.
Brand games
Providers
The list of software providers that power the gaming catalogue of Casino Mate is really commendable. It includes multiple A-listers, such as Microgaming, Playson, iSoftBet, Play’n GO, and many others. You’ll easily find over 3,000 different slots, table games, video poker, and live dealer games to choose from. Casino Mate has prepared a good selection of virtual sports and bingo games for those players looking for niche-specific games.
Related: Nyspins Casino offers a wide range of popular casino games.
Slots
Slots are Casino Mate’s lifeline. They make up around 90% of the entire selection of games, so you can have a blast playing various classic 3-reelers and more modern video slots with several bonus features. Their themes vary from historical to sci-fi and sports. Some of the most popular games you can find in the lobby are:
- Sakura Fortune
- Buffalo Power
- Wolf Saga
- Majestic Megaways
- Sherlock of London
- Jurassic Park Remastered
There is also a very good choice of slots with the Megaways mechanics with multiple paylines, such as Fu Fortunes Megaways, Aztec Gold Megaways, Queen of Wonderland Megaways, and the branded slots such as The Expendables Megaways.
Live Dealer Games
Live casino games in Casino Mate are provided courtesy of Evolution and Vivo Gaming, notable providers in the industry with tons of successful titles under their belts. The live casino section in Casino Mate is quite good compared to its rivals. There are close to 150 different games, making this online casino a dominant force in the area.
There are special games such as lightning roulette, speed roulette, immersive roulette, French roulette, and many others for roulette lovers.
Blackjack aficionados stand to be spoilt for choice, thanks to dozens of versions of the game they can access, starting with Blackjack Classic, Blackjack Platinum VIP, Blackjack Fortune, and more.
If you crave some table poker action, you can give casino hold’em, triple card poker, Caribbean stud poker, extreme Texas hold’em, and other such enticing poker games that improve the live game selection drastically.
The icing on the live casino cake in Casino Mate are games based on game shows, like Monopoly Live, Crazy Time, Dream Catcher, Side Bet City, and other peculiar versions.
Video Poker and Other Table Games
Video Poker has its tab in Casino Mate’s lobby, which speaks highly of its diversity and popularity among Canadian players. There are dozens of video poker versions based on paytable structure like Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, Joker Poker, Bonus Poker, and similar options.
If you want to spice things up a bit and get a breather from those Deuces Wild Poker, slots, and blackjack, Casino Mate offers you Casino War, Pai Gow, Money Wheel, Pontoon, Andar Bahar, Teen Patti Rapid, and other unusual table games you can’t find in all online casinos in the market.
Progressive Jackpots
Out of all real-money casino games, slots with progressive jackpots bring the biggest win potential, and Casino Mate’s selection of progressives has not failed to impress. Microgaming’s slots from the Mega Moolah and Wow Pot series, together with Tunzamunni, Major Millions, and Treasure Nile, offer life-changing jackpots that can be worth millions.
About the Team and History
Casino Mate was established in 2003 by Vegas Partner Lounge casino company. The company started operating in 2001 and is charge of many other successful casinos, such as Maple Casino, Crazy Vegas, and others.
Complaints and Track Record
For this reason, we treat Casino Mate as a so-called grey zone casino. There is no visible gambling licensing information available, and users have voiced their concerns in our forum.
Their main issues were related to the casino refusing to pay and not having enough withdrawal options. However, there haven’t been any complaints for a couple of years, so it seems Casino Mate has got back on track.
Casino Facts
| Founded | 2003 |
| Accredited | October 2003 until July 2017 |
| Casino representative | Affiliate Manager |
| Affiliate program | JackedAffiliates |
| Is this casino certified at Casinomeister | No |
| Payout Time | 48 hrs |
| Reverse Time | 48 hrs |
| Payout Limits | AUD/$/CAD/€ 10000 per week |
| 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
