LeoVegas Detailed Review
LeoVegas is one of the biggest and best-known online casinos in the country – and one of the few online casino brands that doesn’t need much introduction. Originally humbly focused solely on the Nordic casino market, the site has now made itself the number one gaming destination for many British and international players alike. Aggressive marketing, a huge budget and a desire to stay at the forefront of technological developments in the casino world has led to Leo Vegas becoming known as one of the top casinos offering the best casino experience. We’ll go into much more detail in this review to find out what’s in store.
As this casino is familiar to anyone even remotely interested in online casino entertainment, it may come as a surprise to some that it first opened its doors in 2012. So there are much more experienced casino sites online, as well as much newer casinos, of course. However, through hard work and many attempts and failures, LeoVegas has managed to create an excellent balance on its site that makes it one of the most attractive online casinos in the world today.
This brand was one of the first to implement the idea of bringing all potential games under one roof. LeoVegas started working with just about every major casino game manufacturer, and as a result, it is now one of the largest online casinos. What’s more, the selection of 2,000 games continues to grow – with so many new and exciting games coming out from so many manufacturers almost every month.
Popularity increases the opportunity for investment, and Leo Vegas is one of the leading names in the industry, both in buying competitors and in merging them into its own company. One of the most notable examples is Royal Panda, which was acquired in October 2017 for £60 million, making it one of the largest deals in the industry in recent times. This was a strategic move that allowed LeoVegas to more easily capture certain highly regulated markets, such as the UK, and to expand its potential customer base into other major regions. Given that LeoVegas paid for this transaction in cash and has subsequently added a substantial amount of additional pounds to its investment bankroll, we can safely expect the casino group to grow even further in the months and years to come.
The chips that are put in the marketing should not be underestimated either. Many of our readers will have seen LeoVegas’ TV commercials and will also have noticed the company’s recent move into the world of sports betting, which we’ll tell you more about shortly. Thanks to this gambling move, the opportunities for sponsorship deals have multiplied. Currently, Leo Vegas is the official sponsor of Brentford FC and Norwich City in the English Championship, as well as the number one partner of Leicester Tigers in rugby.
LeoVegas is headquartered in Stockholm, a city that has been the source of many casino innovations, making it easy for them to keep in touch with world-class game manufacturers such as NetEnt and Yggdrasil from the start. This has been part of the reason why LeoVegas casino has quickly become an award-winning operator, the envy of many of its competitors. It is now one of the most popular gambling brands in the country and can now rightly claim to offer something for everyone. Both the positives and negatives of LeoVegas can be easily explored below – just read our comprehensive review of this popular casino site.
User-friendliness
Website design, user-friendliness and ease of use
Considering LeoVegas has been in the game for years, it’s a little surprising to see its site resemble the look and feel of any online casino. Promotions, new games and other offers circulate in a reasonably sized advertising area at the top of the main page, but after that it’s just the games themselves that take centre stage. The most popular games have been pushed to the top, as you’d expect, and at the time of writing the spotlight is on Play’n Go’s Book of Dead, NetEnt’s Starburst and Microgaming’s iconic jackpot slot Mega Moolah.
In particular, we like to layout the site so that the most popular and newest games are immediately followed by the jackpot games. They’re cleverly arranged in order of jackpot size, a small but useful detail that will help players looking for the biggest jackpots in particular to find what they’re looking for quickly.
Another thing I really like about the design of Leo Vegas is the fact that there is no separate game page. All of the more than 2,000 casino games can be found directly on the homepage, along with all the search and filtering options that players would expect from a top casino – especially with so many games on offer. Players are only taken to another page if they want to check out all the games in one category, but that’s understandable with a game selection of this size. The only downside to this aspect of casino gaming is the number of game filters available. Games can only be sorted by main category and name, rather than, for example, by game manufacturers.
Apart from this minor flaw, LeoVegas works exactly as a leading online casino should, and overall we are very happy with the interface.
Leo Vegas Promotions
With plenty of coins in the LeoVegas coffers, players can rightly expect the casino to offer a quality selection of welcome bonuses. The brand does not disappoint. There are welcome offers for casino and live casino players as well as bettors. We are mainly interested in casino bonuses, and the welcome bonus is more than excellent in that respect.
The benefits start as soon as you create an account, as all players will be rewarded with 22 free spins with no deposit required. At the time of writing, these spins are available on Starburst, BerryBurst MAX, Mega Fortune Dreams, Twin Spin and Swipe and Roll. Winnings collected on free spins are paid as bonus money, which must be wagered 35 times before a withdrawal is possible.
The main offer is divided into four welcome bonuses, which can reach up to 1 000 bonus pounds and 200 free spins. The wagering requirement is the same at 35x this time too, and it’s also worth noting that deposits made via Skrill and Neteller do not qualify for any of the welcome bonuses. This is an increasingly common rule at leading online casinos, and it’s always worth checking before depositing if you happen to use these online wallets.
New players can get two no deposit bonuses here – one for the regular casino and one for the live casino. So, for the basic casino, it’s a free spins offer, which we’ve outlined below. If you prefer to play live casino games, you might want to claim your free offer there. In this case, you’ll get £10 in your account as soon as you sign up.
Once you’ve spent your £10 free money, you can move on to enjoy a first deposit bonus of 100% up to £250 on the live casino side. This bonus money can be used on any of the casino’s live games, and differs from the regular casino bonus mainly in that the wagering requirement is twice as high at 70x. This is an understandable change, as table games usually have a much higher variance than slot games, and the higher wagering requirement doesn’t mean that players don’t have a realistic chance of withdrawing bonus money and winnings to their bank accounts.
Although we will only focus on LeoVegas betting in passing in this review, it is probably worth mentioning the site’s betting bonus for new players. Players can claim two benefits from this casino, the first of which is a 100% deposit bonus up to £50. The minimum deposit is £10, and first deposits made via Skrill and Neteller are not eligible for the bonus this time either. The wagering requirement is much lower in betting than in casino games, where the bonus must be wagered five times at a minimum multiplier of 1.80 before withdrawal. Another welcome bonus for betting is a free bet of £10, which can be claimed by placing a bet of at least the same value with a minimum odds of 2.00. Once the original bet has been settled, Leo Vegas will add a free bet of £10 to your account.
Variable casino promotions are usually created for players on a personal basis rather than having a fixed schedule, but there is one regular benefit players can always count on. The LeoVegas VIP experience is ever-present, and one’s progress through the VIP levels can be tracked through a meter that is filled with each wager. All players are eligible for the VIP prize draw, and the higher levels you climb, the better benefits you unlock. Among the rewards at this casino are a dedicated account manager, personal cashier service, exclusive offers and regular bonus benefits that grow at the same rate as your activity increases.
Live Casinos
To offer so many standard casino games without a live casino as an additional feature would be almost sacrilegious. Fortunately, as we mentioned in the welcome bonuses section, LeoVegas’ live casino is in full swing 24/7. Players will always find something interesting to play and do here, no matter what the time of day.
Even the basic casino game selection exudes a desire to provide players with every imaginable casino game, and the same continues on the live casino side, where unparalleled freedom of choice is realized through the use of no less than four different live manufacturers. We’ve never seen anything quite like it, but Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Wirex and Extreme Live Gaming work in perfect harmony here, combining to give LeoVegas casino the largest live games selection on the net.
If the Leo Vegas brand is your thing, you’ll be happy to know that there are quite a few exclusive tables at the live casino. They’re all tables exclusively offered to LeoVegas players by Evolution Gaming, and are adorned with the casino’s logo. If, on the other hand, branding is a dud for you, and you’re more interested in the number of games available, you’ll have a great time at this live casino too. There are plenty of blackjack and roulette variants on offer, a huge selection of table poker, as well as many other games you may not have come across at other live casinos before.
Our experience of the LeoVegas live casino is very similar to the rest of the casino’s gaming offering – we think it’s the best online gaming experience, made even better by the welcome bonus. We believe this section will attract many players to Leo Vegas who are looking for the most authentic and best casino experience on the web, always quickly available regardless of device. Clearly, most of the games in the live casino work equally well on both PC and mobile, and the mobile casino offers every top game imaginable.
Betting
Although not all players know it, LeoVegas has always aimed to be the best mobile casino in the world. When everything started going so incredibly well, the decision was clearly made by the casino’s management not to limit the site to the original goal. LeoVegas casino quickly took over as one of the best online casinos as well. Betting was originally not offered at all, but a partnership agreement with Kambi in 2016 changed everything.
Kambi specialises in providing betting services for online casinos, which have already gained popularity specifically in the casino games sector. The partnership with the companies seems to have been an excellent fit for both, as a multi-year extension agreement was announced towards the end of 2017, under which Kambi will continue as LeoVegas’ betting provider for many years to come.
As for the betting page itself, it is exactly what players would expect if they have tried similar services at other online casinos. What’s particularly attractive about Kambi for casino brands is that they can build the look, feel and user experience of the service to match their own brand, while Kambi automatically handles event listings, odds and other wagering tasks. This means that LeoVegas’ odds are not unique, and players can in most cases find better odds elsewhere with little effort. Still, the betting section here pretty much rises to the level of specialist betting sites, covering most sports and bet types. As an added bonus, the betting experience is enhanced by the fact that pounds wagered on betting at LeoVegas are rewarded with the same VIP points as in casino games.
Just like many other online casinos offering this type of betting product, most players at LeoVegas only use betting occasionally – it’s easy to switch to it if you get bored of the core of the site’s gaming experience, namely casino and slots. The single account and payment environment are nice touches that make Leo Vegas a great option for certain types of players, and betting on this site is a great addition to an already impressive gaming experience.
LeoVegas’s casino software
The quality and quantity of LeoVegas’ games can best be summed up by saying that there are not many top casinos on the net that even come close. Just name your favourite game manufacturer, and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to play all the online games they’ve created easily by signing up to this online casino.
Of the slots manufacturers, NetEnt and Microgaming are almost unanimously considered to be the biggest, with both also having a strong presence at LeoVegas. Neither really lacks for anything, with all the branded slots and jackpot games available. Only some of Microgaming’s oldest slots have been left out, as they now only run on old-fashioned, downloadable casino software.
The rest of the partners involved make up quite a list, including all the most prominent manufacturers in the industry. Among the rising stars are Yggdrasil, Play’n Go and Quickspin, who are joined by manufacturers with a lot of fame in the land-based casinos, such as WMS, IGT and Bally. However, this is just a snapshot of LeoVegas’ entire game portfolio. As we have already mentioned a couple of times, there are over 2,000 different casino games on offer, and the number is growing all the time. LeoVegas doesn’t disappoint in any respect, and you’re always in the right place to pick your favourite game, try out the hottest new additions to the industry and test the latest innovations. Whether it’s slots, table games, video poker or scratch cards, here’s one of the most impressive gaming experiences we’ve seen online.
Cash desk
Deposit and withdrawal methods at Leo Vegas
While LeoVegas has put a lot of effort into volume, both in online and live casino games, it has decided to take a more low-key approach to payment services. While there are many potentially casino-friendly payment methods available online, only a handful of them have achieved significant popularity – and it’s these players’ favourites that are also available at LeoVegas. The main deposit methods used at this online casino are Visa and MasterCard, Trustly, paysafecard, PayPal, as well as Skrill and Neteller, the latter of which are the ones to watch out for if you’re planning on claiming bonus offers. This is a small but, to our taste, perfectly balanced range of payment services, well suited to an international operator like LeoVegas. The casino offers plenty of good options for players of all nationalities, but without going overboard.
When a casino opts for this kind of “quality before quantity” approach, it is nice to see that most of the payment services it offers are suitable not only for deposits, but also for withdrawals. This means that very few players have to withdraw money by bank transfer, which is often slower than all other withdrawal methods. This is also very important for LeoVegas’ image, as the casino prides itself on its fast processing times, which means that no withdrawal request is left waiting for more than 24 hours. Withdrawals are particularly fast using online wallets, as players can expect to receive their money within a few hours if the withdrawal service used is PayPal, Skrill or Neteller. Card withdrawals are also as smooth as expected, so the overall processing of withdrawals is second to none.
LeoVegas has a general monthly withdrawal limit of £20 000, but this is always negotiable. It also increases or disappears completely as the player progresses through the casino’s VIP levels.
Licence
Legal status and licensing
A casino cannot achieve as impressive a reputation as LeoVegas if it is not thoroughly trustworthy and secure, but this still does not mean that the big casinos are letting the big ones get away with anything less in terms of licensing requirements. Leo Vegas, which has become very popular in Europe, is easy to check and gives a good picture of how this continent-wide casino operates. It is regulated by no less than four different regulatory bodies, and while not all of them may be very relevant to the player, their involvement does add to the integrity of the casino. Players will certainly appreciate the fact that LeoVegas operates under the supervision of so many different organisations.
The most important licence LeoVegas has – if importance is measured by the number of customers playing under it – is the licence issued by the Malta Gaming Authority, now and in the future. This is the most prestigious gaming authority in Europe and a big reason why so many online casinos operate from the island of Malta. This licence is in itself a guarantee of quality, and should reassure players of the integrity of the casino’s internal processes and policies. MGA-licensed casinos will always offer players peace of mind, and LeoVegas casino is no exception to this rule.
The UK has moved up the LeoVegas rankings in recent years. It is now one of the casino’s main markets, where, of course, a licence from the UK Gambling Commission is required to operate. Looking at the licence, you’ll see that the brand has been penalised in the past for failing in terms of advertising and responsible gambling. However, the issue was resolved amicably and LeoVegas continues to operate under one of the world’s most important and respected gambling authorities in the UK.
Let’s now turn to the Danish Gaming Authority, which oversees online casinos in Denmark. There are not many licences of this kind and they are not relevant as such for players from other countries. In our opinion, however, even this licence demonstrates Leo Vegas’ willingness to meet the strict requirements of the various licences. It shows that players can enjoy this brand without a care in the world.
This huge collection of licences is complemented by a licence for the Italian market, the Amministrazione Autonoma Dei Monopoli Di Stato, or AAMS, which is an important licence for Italian players, as the country’s licensing requirements are stricter than usual and players do not usually play in casinos other than those licensed by AAMS. Thanks to this licence, LeoVegas is one of the few online casinos that can operate in compliance with all legal requirements in Italy.
Customer service
LeoVegas customer service is one of the best in the industry. It is open around the clock and always ready to help via live chat, email and phone. The usability is top notch, as the chat button is always present at the bottom of the site, whether the player is making a deposit, browsing the latest promotions or playing a game. Quick and easy access to customer service is always a great thing, and we have nothing but good things to say about the people who handle player issues at LeoVegas. You don’t always need them, because LeoVegas casino is one of those casinos where things don’t go wrong very often – so the reputation is right, at least in that respect. However, if problems do arise, the casino will sort them out in no time.
We were pleased to see that Leo Vegas’ customer service is also heavily featured on online forums and portals. It is encouraging to see once again that the casino team is always on hand to help, whether a player’s comment is positive or negative. Admittedly, the most common response was to direct them to LeoVegas’ other customer service channels, but that’s understandable – you simply can’t start sharing all the information in public forums. However, visibility again enhances brand credibility and ensures that LeoVegas will continue to be seen as an impressive online casino experience that leaves nothing to be desired.
Reputation online, praise and complaints
One of the most reliable ways to ensure the reliability of any online casino is to look at the feedback it receives in public forums. We first set sail for a casino port called Casinomeister, which we hoped would lay a strong foundation for the brand’s online reputation. Good news was on the cards. LeoVegas is an approved casino by Casinomeister, which means it has passed a rigorous process that rivals the requirements of prestigious gaming licenses. Both Casinomeister’s own reviewers and the site’s players gave the casino a high rating – at the time of writing it has a Player Rating of 8.7 and a CM Rating of 8.9, making it one of the leading online casinos in terms of numbers. The only negative point mentioned in the review was the lack of video poker games, which is a shame in itself, but not vital for the majority of players who enjoy Leo Vegas’ great slots and live casino the most.
While doing our research, we also experienced one major surprise – LeoVegas’ average performance on AskGamblers, where its score at the time of writing is 6.22. This is a rather low score compared to our expectations and does not reflect our own experience of the brand. We set out to investigate further what could be the reason for this. Casino reviews here were largely positive, especially recently, and players had no major complaints other than the lack of promotions. It’s an understandable concern – without a promotional schedule, this area could easily disappoint, especially for players who haven’t progressed very far up the VIP ladder. Everyone makes their own judgement, of course, but for the right kind of player this casino certainly has potential.
The complaints found on AskGamblers often give more detail as to why a casino’s score is so low, but the news is good here too: 70/76 of the complaints have been resolved successfully. As we already mentioned when we wrote about customer service, the casino representatives are also remarkably active outside the casino. The biggest problems seemed to arise with newly registered players who had already had an irregular account with LeoVegas. One account per customer is a rule that is strictly enforced at all casinos and it is never a good idea to circumvent it.
Fortunately, this rating, which we felt was too low, was counterbalanced by a high rating from LatestCasinoBonuses, where LeoVegas casino is rated 4.5/5 out of 278 votes, which puts the casino in a respectable 19th place out of 1,500 casinos on the site.We think this is a much fairer assessment of Leo Vegas as an online casino, although even on this site players complain mostly about the same issues, namely the lack of bonuses and promotions at the lower VIP levels. Otherwise, the reviews are downright praiseworthy, especially in terms of the game selection and usability, with many players citing LeoVegas as one of the best – if not the best – online casinos they have tried.
Summary
LeoVegas casino is widely regarded as one of the best online casinos in Europe right now, and from our own experience we can easily see why. The casino is at the top of its game selection, and the live casino in particular is bigger here than probably anywhere else. The quality of the payment services has clearly been carefully considered, and the casino has chosen to make available to its customers a carefully selected range of the most popular deposit and withdrawal methods, rather than setting out to offer something for everyone. The result is one of the fastest payment services at online casinos, and the withdrawal limits here are among the fairest in the industry.
It’s true that promotions and bonus lovers will have to work hard to raise VIP levels to bring LeoVegas up to the same level as some of its competitors. In the same breath, it’s worth mentioning that you can play practically every casino game imaginable here, so there’s no need to go anywhere else for your favourite games. If you’re looking for a long-term online casino partner with a real purpose, this brand could well be worth your attention, even if the best rewards are a little further down the line.
LeoVegas Sport, the betting section of the site, is not, in our opinion, much of an attraction for players who are not interested in casino games at all. Instead, it serves as an excellent additional service for those who bet only occasionally and consider the online casino to be their main gaming destination. All the awards the brand has won speak for themselves, and it’s one of the best online casinos in our opinion too – which is why we recommend all our readers to try LeoVegas at least once.
