Casino Mate → 500+ Online Pokies & 80 Free Spins

Casino Mate's Short Introduction

Casino Mate is an online casino that sounds like a welcoming place and our job is to prove whether it can be considered that way. Doing so, we won’t hesitate to underline any negative aspects about the casinos we review whilst we show our enthusiasm too if there is reason to. Casino Mate falls somewhere in between as there were a few things we were very happy with while there were others that we didn’t enjoy at all. Welcome to our in-depth review on Casino Mate.

Casino Mate Desktop Preview

Casino Mate Games Preview

Company Informations

1. Established: 2011
2. Licensed by: Unlicensed
3. Page: https://twitter.com/casinomate
4. Contact: [email protected] 

KiwiGambler’s Casino Mate review

Launched in 2011, Casino Mate is one of the few online casinos that caters to Australians. They’ve also not forgotten about New Zealand, which is why Kiwis can sign up and play on this website too. Although not licenced, this gambling site is available for New Zealanders. Kiwis that wish to go ahead and join the site can do so playing in NZD and it doesn’t matter if you’re using a desktop computer or want to visit their mobile casino — there are definitely some things to enjoy. As you've perhaps already seen in our overview there are more cons than pros so we weren’t completely pleased with what we saw on this website. In our full Casino Mate NZ review we’ll explain why.

Bonuses at Casino Mate

Casino Mate is a real mate when it comes to how it deals with their bonuses as you’ll have a welcome package of US$ 1400 + 80 Zero Wager free spins waiting for you. We have to say that we hate it when a casino displays their numbers in US Dollars, but we don’t mind at all if the bonus money is awarded in US dollars instead of NZD.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. 1st Deposit: 100% up to US$ 200 + 20 No Wager free spins.
2. 2nd Deposit: 50% up to US$ 300 + 20 No Wager free spins.
3. 3rd Deposit: 50% up to US$ 400 + 20 No Wager free spins.
4. 4th Deposit: 50% up to US$ 500 + 20 No Wager free spins.

Do note that the maximum payout of this casino bonus is US$ 5000, so this is something you will need to bear into account before you deposit your funds. Make sure to check which games are included as the bonus is primarily meant for the pokie minded. Other categories contribute very little to the wagering requirements. We did like that these playthrough requirements are set at 0x for online pokies which are as good as it can get.

Registration Process

Go for the red “Sign Up” and about a minute after that you’ll be good to go. There are a few details that need to be filled in in the registration form, but this shouldn’t be too difficult for most people. Make sure to set a username, password, and it’s time to enjoy the fun. In order to enjoy faster payouts we recommend you to also comply with the KYC tab.

How Fast are Payouts at Casino Mate?

Casino Mate includes a rather small list of banking methods and we believe this to be one of the weaker spots of this online casino. Common credit cards like Mastercard and Visa are available, while the same is true for a few e-wallets like Neosurf, Neteller, and EcoPayz. What we bumped into during our real money casino sessions was that withdrawing wins can turn out to be a lot more complicated than we hoped for.

The minimum deposit is NZ$ 10 for most payment options, while withdrawals are capped at a very pleasant US$ 30,000. Please note that the minimum withdrawal amount with a fee starts at US$ 100 which is too high if you ask us. In case of lower withdrawals, you will be charged a fee of US$ 35 which the casino states that it is out of its control. Yet, the only withdrawal method offered on the casino’s banking page is a bank wire transfer. Now, go figure.

KYC and AML

Casino Mate follows international KYC and AML standards which basically means that you will need to verify your identity before you make your first withdrawal. This can be done in your account as there is a special tab that is meant for players that want to verify their id. Once your id is confirmed you’ll be able to enjoy faster payouts, but don’t expect any instant withdrawals as you're limited to bank wire transfers in all cases.

Casino Mate Online Pokies and Providers

Casino Mate’s lobby is a bit difficult to access, but is filled with 750 different types of games powered by a rather small selection of online pokie providers such as Wazdan Gaming, Pragmatic Play, and Playson, which are some well-known gaming studios we enjoy very much. On the left of your screen you’ll see which categories are available including Video Slots, Table Games, and Jackpot. If you want to filter on providers you can do so while the same holds for the alphabetical order if that’s what you prefer. The lobby looks decent on both our laptop screen and mobile device which we find particularly important as indicated in our guide on how to play at online casinos with smartphones.

Live Casino

Casino Mate has a very large live dealer casino which is something we did actually enjoy at this casino. Offered by Evolution, VIVO Gaming, and Swintt, there are more than 140 live casino titles to play by Kiwis. These include both live table games and game shows making sure that all sorts of players will feel comfortable. We have a strong preference for operators that include more brands than only Evolution and Pragmatic Play Live and we’re glad that Casino Mate did. Here’s what to expect:

Casino Mate Loyalty Programs

Casino Mate is one of the many casinos that works with loyalty points which you’ll earn as you spin on your favourite pokies. The idea is to level up and to collect bonuses, free spins, cash prizes, and other perks. The top of your screen shows which level you’re at. It also shows what is needed to make the next step, so make sure you get the most out of it.

Casino Mate Customer Support

We were very pleased to find out that they offer phone support. There are still many online casinos that don’t do this and although it’s an online world it is very comforting to know you can call someone for help or assistance. We emailed them twice and both times got their response in under an hour, which is very fast. Contacting the support agents by live chat gave us pretty much instant replies on different occasions so we’ve got little to complain here either. They also answered our questions and concerns very clearly, so no follow up was needed. Their customer agents definitely get two thumbs up from our review team.

Casino Mate Responsible Gambling

We didn’t like what we say when it comes to this matter, at all. Yes, Casino Mate features a Responsible Gaming page, but it doesn’t put too much effort into easing this process. Instead of giving players the options to set limits in their online account, they are required to contact the customer support desk. The Responsible Gaming page also states that people can self-exclude themselves, but warns about the consequences as this can only be done for a minimum of 6 months. This is not the way to promote responsible gaming.

Conclusion

We have mixed feelings about this casino as we always enjoy casinos that turn their attention to Oceania, but we do need them to meet our minimum quality standards. Casino Mate doesn’t. Not only are they not licenced, they completely fail when it comes to promoting or at least facilitating responsible gaming, while the casino lobby lacks options too. On the other hand, we enjoyed very much what we saw in their live dealer casino and their customer support agents did a very good job in helping us out with our questions. Banking is yet another problem at this casino as you’re tied to a bank wire transfer which is both slow and expensive. All together, we do see that this casino has some potential, but it’ll need to obtain a licence first before we can really recommend it. Doing so will probably also take care of all the other drawbacks (banking, withdrawal policy, website speed) too. Only then will we be able to call this casino our mate as well.

Get in Touch

1. Page: https://twitter.com/casinomate
2. Contact: [email protected]