Hopa Casino

Longevity is a very attractive quality, and this is especially true of online casinos. That’s because it’s usually a clear indication of solvency and trustworthiness. Obviously this isn’t a promise by any means, and the world of online casinos tends to get shady at the best of times.

Hopa Casino has been around since 2005 and it’s licensed and registered by both the (very respectable) Malta Gaming Authority and the United Kingdom Gaming Commission. A promising start to be sure. But my job is to get into the nitty gritty, so in this review we’ll find out whether or not the theory of longevity holds any water at Hopa Casino.

Hopa Casino – The Highlights

• Multi-tiered VIP and loyalty program
• Wide variety of games available, particularly slots
• Accepts Canadian players and CAD

New players can get started at Hopa Casino with a 100% cash match bonus up to $200 plus 20 Free Spins. There’s also a further 80 Free Spins up for grabs that will get spread over the second and third deposits.

That’s all well and good, but us seasoned online casino visitors are well aware that 99% of welcome bonuses come with more than one string attached. In this case the fine print stipulates that the 100% welcome bonus is capped at a maximum limit of C$200, while the minimum qualifying deposit is C$10.

On top of this, players will only get their hands on the cash if they wager the bonus money by at least 35 x within 21 days. Failing to do so will void the bonus entirely.

The three deposit welcome offer comes with a total of 100 Free Spins:

• 20 on the first deposit
• 40 on the second deposit (on Day 2 and only valid for 24 hours, to be wagered at 35x)
• 40 on the third deposit (on Day 3 and only valid for 24 hours, to be wagered at 35x)

So really if you take a closer look at the feasibility of actually benefitting from the welcome bonus in its entirety, it does appear a little tough. Players who log in and make use of the entertainment frequently have a real shot, however, more leisurely players will probably struggle to meet the terms.

Hopa Casino promotes its exclusive club on the top navigation bar, urging players to find out more about how being a loyal member can be ultra rewarding. I took the bait and had a look around. I’ve scarcely seen a loyalty program with so many tiers as Hopa’s. I’ll list a few of the benefits for each tier but you can access the full specs on Hopa’s site. Players can hope to rise through the following ranks:

As I said, I only listed a few of the benefits, so consider the above just the highlights. Overall they paint a pretty impressive picture, but watch out for those wagering requirements and be sure to read all the small print!

Let’s start with a few things I didn’t like before jumping into the usual stuff about variety and developers. First up, navigating through Hopa’s site in search of your favorite game can be a little frustrating. There isn’t the best filtration system in place, so you might find yourself scrolling and clicking about a little longer than you’d like. Despite the site’s strong focus on slots, some really popular names are noticeably absent. Also, while certainly on offer, the video poker and table game offering is not Hopa Casino’s strong suit.

Slots are readily available on the site and I feel comfortable saying that they’re the strongest offering by far, running at a total of over 400. The game providers are almost as vast as the titles, with entertainment from Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, ELK Studios, Play ’N Go, Realistic Games, Neogames, Amaya, Blueprint Gaming, Next Gen Gaming.

Casino games are a definite second class citizen in the world of Hopa, but the selection is still decent enough to keep players reasonably entertained. Visitors can choose between a few versions of blackjack, roulette and baccarat, plus a couple of video poker games. Those who are interested will also find a handful of scratch cards and keno games on offer.

Bringing up the rear is Hopa’s live casino. It offers multiple versions of Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat for players seeking a little human interaction.

This is always the make or break section for me, because after all, making a profit is the name of the game. I did my usual due diligence by scouring the web for player reviews and I came up with quite a few worrying reports. Several players complained in forums about the casino’s unwillingness to pay out, especially when concerning winnings made using bonus cash. This is a pet peeve for me because I abhor casinos who dangle a carrot only to never deliver the goods. I would advise players to have a closer look at the latest reports before going ahead.

In terms of banking, the online casino offers access across nine different currencies, including Canadian Dollars, so there is no issue there. Money can be deposited and withdrawn using multiple compatible methods including Visa, MasterCard, Paysafecard, ecoPayz and a couple others.

The minimum deposit sits at C$10, which is great for small time players who won’t have to commit to larger sums. Withdrawal limits sit at a maximum of C$10,000 which should satisfy even the highest of high rollers. The timing or withdrawals can take a while to be internally processed, but I suspect this will work on a case by case basis.

Despite having a phone option, many players report this being long drawn and overly automated, being left in a queue for ages, often getting moved down instead of up. Email was also reported as being quite slow, often without any reply. The online casino responded to players by urging them to contact support through Live Chat instead, but this isn’t available 24 hours (it closes overnight at GMT time), making the situation potentially untenable for Canadians outside of European timezones.

Despite the many positive aspects, I’m afraid in this case the cons outweigh the pros. Everything looks great on paper (bar the rather strict welcome bonus terms and conditions), but I can’t ignore the fairly robust amount of player complaints. In fact, this baffles me somewhat due the amount of time Hopa’s been active.

We have to consider the possibility that the complaints stem primarily from disgruntled players leaving false reviews, but in reality I can’t think of very many good reasons to take that chance, especially when there are so many alternatives out there.