138.com welcome bonus and review

Sports betting represents just one of the numerous facets of the business model of 138.com, with casino games and poker being also available. They rely on Amaya and Ho Gaming platforms, while being powered by Chartwell software, therefore diversity is guaranteed. The company chose to set headquarters in the Isle of Man, where it is also licensed and regulated, using this as a springboard for serving European players.

Customers from United States are unfortunately excluded from all their gambling products, due to the prohibitive regulations. American sports and Las Vegas style casino games on the other hand have been included in their gaming offer, much to the delight of regular players. 138.com has established a reputation for professionalism and since setting up shop in 2012, they managed to stay out of scandals, while paying all their players in full and on time.

138.com worked hard to set up a functional online casino and invested heavily in the live division, which is now fully fledged. All the table games that can be found in the traditional area can be played against real dealers, with several versions of blackjack, baccarat, but also craps and roulette. Diversity is not a problem and the gaming experience is significantly better against these dealers, but there is one thing that misses from this otherwise idyllic picture.

If you thought that the welcome bonus for sports was puny and unattractive, then you will be surely disappointed to find out that there is no bonus for casino players. Their first deposit won’t be matched and not even free spins are awarded, to those who prefer to play slot machines. Basically, it is what you see is what you get and this happens for all the wrong reasons, as 138.com doesn’t give anything out for free.

138.com opened the poker room with the intention of improving customer retention and prevent players from signing an account with other operators. Unfortunately this is all too obvious, because the poker room is more of an afterthought and only a tiny minority of their members actually plays here. Those who do, need to focus on the few tables that benefit from decent action, or to sign up for weekly tournaments, which at least in theory benefit from better exposure.

Overall, the selection of games is pretty good and some of the best slot machines are available, including Agent Max Cash, The Italian Job, Monkey Love, Oktoberfest and Neptunes Gold. These are the five reel slot versions that have 243 winning combinations, with a handful of progressive jackpot games being also available. 138.com can provide customers with classic variants with just three reels and some of their video poker games have a zero house edge, which makes them particularly attractive.

138.com has a sufficient number of betting options and the sports betting area is comparable to the ones offered by established bookmakers. The nice selection of sports betting markets and attractive odds, with additional features is available for those who bet on football. These are not only entertaining but also potentially lucrative, so players can win in more than one way.

The welcome bonus for punters is underwhelming and the fact that the wagering requirements are very reasonable, is nothing more than a pale consolation for those who hope for a powerful start. In the casino and poker area, there are no bonuses at all, while the overall absence of a loyalty ladder and VIP program can have a negative effect in the long run.

Betting in real-time is possible on a selected number of sports, but there is no live streaming feature, so players have to rely on static facts and figures. The list of countries restricted from betting and those that don’t qualify for the welcome bonus is pretty wide and it includes players from United States.