The Pools casino review

If rewards are what you're after, The Pools Casino delivers. New sign-ups get 100 free spins with no wagering requirements, and the 4:45 Club loyalty programme doesn't hold back on lining up exclusive offers. Stick with my Pools Casino review as I break it all down.

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Key information

What is The Pools casino all about?

The Pools first made its name in the UK through the classic football pools (read The Pools bookmaker review for more info). The latest revamp, though, has added a full-fledged casino to the platform. You’ll now see slots, jackpots, table games, and live dealer tables all in the mix. New players can claim 100 wager-free spins. After that, there’s a pretty unique loyalty setup too, built around monthly subscriptions that unlock extra rewards.

Bonuses

Pools Casino has one of the better welcome bonuses if you want something without all the heavy terms. I only had to put £20 through on the slots and straightaway got 100 free spins on Big Bass Splash, each worth 10p. Anything you pull from those lands straight into the real money balance with no wagering requirements hanging over it.

The only thing to keep in mind is that you must do all that within the first week of registration. Also, PayPal, virtual cards, and/or pre-paid debit card deposits do not qualify. 

➡️ Prefer using e-wallets? Have a look at the bonuses on offer at these PayPal casinos. 

After the welcome bit, I was picking up loads of cashback deals and free spins bonuses here and there. Most of them were time-limited. Quite often, The Pools would single out a slot and hand out a fixed set of spins once you had staked £10+ on it.

The Mega Spins is another good one. Anyone who’s placed at least one cash bet in the past week gets in for free. You’ve got five goes to rack up points, with prizes topping out at 50 free spins, and from those you can hit wins of up to £1,000.

Available games

Jackpots take centre stage at The Pools casino. More specifically, the site features both local and network progressives with more than 87 titles available. Among these are player favourites such as Immortal Romance Mega Moolah, Book of Goddess Mega Moolah, Wheel of Wishes, and Queen of Alexandria WowPot. 

When you look at the slots library overall, The Pools carries everything from traditional favourites through to the latest releases. One that stood out to me recently was Squid Game: Gganbu, which builds on the Netflix hit with familiar characters and survival-style bonus rounds. I also really enjoyed Monopoly Travel World Tour, particularly for its globe-trotting concept. 

I'm also a fan of Megaways slots for their variable reel setup, and here I had 73 titles to choose from. I kept gravitating towards Megaways Jack, Chilli Heat Megaways, Majestic Fury Megaways, and Beetlejuice Megaways.

The Pools casino also holds its own among the best UK online casinos when it comes to table games and live dealers. There's a broad spread of classics in both RNG and live formats, along with plenty of modern variations featuring side bets and multipliers. On top of that, specialty picks like scratch cards, Plinko, crash games, Slingo, video bingo, and mines are very well covered.

User experience and interface

The Pools casino puts extra effort into user-friendly features, starting with how clearly the games are categorised. For instance, within the jackpots tab, titles are split into sections such as Lotsaloot Must Win Jackpots, Mega Moolah, WowPot!, and KING Millions. This way, you can head straight to the type of jackpot you want without scrolling through the entire collection. The same applies to slots. Instead of browsing the full library at once, you can take advantage of separate sections like 10p or less, Drops & Wins, or Megaways to find exactly what suits you.

➡️ TIP: The search function is highly responsive and starts showing results after typing in just two characters.

One other feature that adds to its ease of use is the display of the game provider's name when hovering over any thumbnail. As for the menu, I highly rate the burger icon approach they went with. One click and you get access to everything from Betting Rules to Promotions and Rewards. At the same time, they all remain out of view when not in use.

Mobile and app compatibility

The Pools casino is browser-based - yes, even on mobile and tablets! There's no app download required, which is great as you don’t have to waste any storage space or think about updates. 

Performance holds up really well, the way you’d expect from modern mobile casinos. I never experienced any lag, even when playing graphic-heavy slots or live dealer tables. Plus, the layout is fully optimised for smaller screens. You’ll see the menus placed for easy thumb access and game tiles enlarged in a two-column format.

💡 Do you prefer the feel of an app? Save the site as a shortcut directly onto your home screen. It saves you the effort of typing the URL every time.

VIP programmes and loyalty rewards 

The Pools calls its loyalty programme the 4:45 Club, and anyone on a monthly subscription for Classic Pools, Goal Rush, or Lucky Clover (from £10 to £20) gets in. In return, you get access to weekly rewards like a £1 free bet and 10 free spins, free-to-play games, exclusive promotions, random reward drops, and prize draws.  

Pros & cons of The Pools casino

Diving deeper into The Pools casino

The Pools belongs to The Football Pools Limited, a UK-registered company based out of Liverpool. What follows is a closer look at everything from regulation to banking methods and site security, along with The Pools' approach to responsible play.

Licensing

The Pools is an online casino regulated by the UK Gambling Commission in Great Britain under account number 48272. That licence means the site has to meet strict rules on safety and fair play, and sign-ups are only open to players aged 18 or over.

Payment methods

The Pools keeps things fairly tight on the banking side, only taking Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal for both deposits and withdrawals. Personally, I never found it restrictive, because I’m using my debit card for everything else anyway. That said, if you’re the type who likes a wider spread of casino payment methods - say Skrill, Neteller, Pay by Phone, or even a traditional bank transfer - then you’re better off giving somewhere like 10Bet a look.

At The Pools, you can deposit or cash out from just a fiver, which is lower than what you find elsewhere. I never saw any fees added either.

Software providers

I found some of the most reputable software providers at The Pools, including Blueprint, Pragmatic Play, Inspired, Light & Wonder, and Games Global. Another popular one is Hacksaw Gaming, known for its famous 'Le' series with titles like Le King, Le Viking, Le Bandit, and Le Pharaoh. 

Pragmatic Play Live powers the entire live dealer section, which in one sense is good news because you know every table’s going to be produced to a really high standard. On the flip side, you don’t get any of the popular Lightning games or the big game-show style titles like Marble Race, Cash or Crash, or Crazy Time that Evolution brings.

➡️ If your choice leans toward Evolution or Playtech live dealers, have a look at Videoslots Casino.

Security and fairness

Every page on The Pools website is protected with TLS encryption, and there are strict AML checks in place. You’ll only find games from established software providers, each of which goes through independent lab testing to guarantee fair play. 

It’s also very clear that the player experience is positive. The casino holds a strong 4.1 out of 5 on Trustpilot from around 1,000 reviews, with many users sharing the same confidence I've had in the platform ever since I started playing here a few years back. 

Responsible gambling measures

The Pools casino provides a full set of responsible gambling tools, including deposit and spend limits that can be set daily, weekly, or monthly. Reality check timers are also available to track playing sessions. Plus, you can take a short break with Time Out options or choose the longer Self-Exclusion facility, which closes accounts for at least six months.

Alongside these tools, The Pools enforces strict age verification and offers advice for parents on blocking software to prevent underage play. Their customer support team is trained to handle problem gambling issues and can provide guidance whenever required. Otherwise, one could seek help through independent organisations like GamCare, BeGambleAware, and Gambling Therapy.

FIRST rating: 4.3/5 stars

Payment methods

FAQs

Is The Pools casino legit?

Yes, The Pools casino is completely legit. The UK Gambling Commission licenses The Football Pools Limited to operate The Pools casino under account number 48272. Also, the site works with trusted providers like Blueprint, Pragmatic Play, and Games Global, and its games follow strict rules on fairness and player protection.

How can I contact customer support at The Pools casino?

You can contact customer support at The Pools casino through live chat on the website or by emailing support@thepools.com. The team is online Monday to Saturday from 08:30 to 22:00 and on Sundays from 12:00 to 22:00. While general inquiries cannot be handled by phone, you can call 0800 500 000 if you need to reactivate an account after self-exclusion.

How do I reset my password at The Pools casino?

To reset your password at The Pools casino, go to the login page and select 'Reset Password' below the login button. Enter your email and click 'Submit.' They’ll send over an email with instructions that you’ll need to use within 30 minutes.