The X Factor Games Casino Review

The X Factor Games Casino Overview

This recently released X Factor Games casino online is another cleanly laid out site from the team that brought us Pocket Fruity and the design follows similar lines.

The site is loosely based on the popular TV series X Factor, and we use the term loosely in its strictest sense as apart from the logo and the odd graphic here or there is very little that really links the two entertainment products together. No matter, this just means that X Factor Games might need to work a little harder to gain the acceptance of it some potential users and for us, it did just enough to hold our interest, though it was far from being an unmissable experience.

The X Factor Games Casino comes under the Bear Group who is based in Guernsey and who are themselves under Gaming Realms and operate a number of online casinos. If you have visited one of their sister sites you will immediately spot the connection as the look and layout of them all are quite similar. What sets them apart is their theme and X Factor Games is one of the products that are licensed by ITV and works alongside the X Factor slots and scratch cards you may have seen online that have been released over the years.

Like its televisual name sake plenty of people will sign up in the hopes of having their dreams come true, and there are games here with big potential payouts so if that is your dream then yes, it is technically possible with X Factor Games.

While the site is not going to win any originality awards any time soon we found it to be a pleasant and satisfying experience overall with a good selection of gaming varieties from slots, to Casino, to Live Casino games. Yes, its layout is not new but sometimes the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ maxim applies and it is comfortingly easy to navigate and have a bit of fun on this site.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• There is a nice range of games and many of them are of a high standard.
• Despite the fact that look may be familiar, it is easy to navigate and find what you are looking for.
• Fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission for the security of the British public.
• Having live gaming options at your fingertips is always nice to have.

Cons

• The look and design are unoriginal, little to no wow factor.
• Those that are not X-Factor fans may be put off by the theme.
• Customer service could be expanded for 24 hours a day contact.

Is The X Factor Games Casino Safe?

As usual, we used three strict criteria to assess whether X Factor Games is safe to use for British gamers looking for a new online casino to give a whirl. Key among these are the legal requirements to run a casino in the UK, then there is the fairness factor – no one wants to play a site that feels rigged. Finally, we took a look at general security measures that have been put in place to protect the data that users submit to the site.

Regulation

British gamers can rest easy with the knowledge that their jurisdiction is covered by the UK Gambling Commission, famously strict, which license and regulate X Factor Games. The site is additionally covered by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, thrown in for good measure.

Fairness

We felt like the games at X Factor were fair and there are a couple of objective measures we used to make this assessment. The first was the fact that the site comes under the Bear Group a legitimate operation in the gaming world for a while now, and which has licensed products with ITV.

ITV being a well-established pillar of UK TV for decades makes it seem unlikely that they would add their name to anything dodgy. The site is fully licensed and regulated as mentioned before which adds another layer of legitimacy to the operation.

And finally, games on the site have been certified as fair by eCOGRA, the non-profit organisation who audits games to check their fairness. For example, Evolution Gaming, the provider of the live games, has been certified by eCOGRA and is one of the few in the live gaming business to have this distinction.

Security

Security is something that X Factor reassuringly takes seriously which all good websites should. With the transfer of personal data, payment details especially, users need to know that they aren’t going to end up on the dark web being used against them. So, it should reassure users that X Factor uses 128 Bit SSL encryption technology to ensure that user information is stored safely out of the hands of any potentially malicious third parties. This measure is provided by top developers and it is hard to justify using any site that does not offer it.

Welcome Bonus for New Customers

For some reason, when we clicked on the Promotions section of the site we were greeted with a gruff looking character with a ten-gallon hat and armed with a rather large pistol and sheriff’s badge. We’ve seen our fair share of X Factor shows on telly and never come across this mysterious chap before – clearly a game character. No matter, he is our gateway to the promotions so fair enough. At the time of review, there were several decent promotions on offer for new customers and old.

For brand new customers there is a lack of no deposit bonus which is a shame but not a deal breaker as the welcome bonus is enough to get fired up over. This is a first-time deposit bonus where X Factor Games will match a new customer’s first deposit 100% with a few of the key terms listed here:

• The offer is strictly for first-time users only.
• The maximum amount that will be matched is £50.
• The minimum deposit required is £10.
• Once a valid card has been added there are 30 days to take up the offer.
• There is a wagering requirement of 50x on slots and Slingo.
• Bonus cash must be used within 7 days or it will vanish.

Full T&Cs are available on the site.

Free Spins, No Deposit, and Other Promotions

At the time of reviewing the site, we’d been told that there were 27 no deposit free spins that were rewarded to new customers simply for logging their details. We can confirm that at the moment this is not the case and apart from the welcome bonus mentioned above there are no other offers specifically aimed at new customers.

Of course, these things change constantly so be sure to check when signing up if this offer has been reinstated. That being said there are a number of other freebies and promos aimed at new-ish customers and for anyone else who use the services of X Factor Games.

Free Spins on Offer

For newbies, the next best deal they should be looking out for is the second deposit bonus. With this, they will receive a bunch of free spins, 20 in fact, which they are able to use at selected slots at the site. The list of approved slots is:

1. Gonzo’s Quest;
2. Starburst;
3. Twin Spin;
4. Finn and the Swirly Spin.

This offer is available for new customers who make a second deposit within 7 days of making their first with a minimum deposit of £10 required to redeem it. Any winnings from the free spins are returned to the player in the form of bonus cash, rather than real cash, which will expire after 7 days. There are wagering requirements with the offer so it will pay to check the full terms at the site for more details.

One keynote that our burley sheriff friend is promoting is the IGT Megajackpot which for those of you looking for a potentially life-changing payout and the chance to tell your boss that you won’t be coming back into work for a while. To get involved in this hefty jackpot you will need to play slots Siberian Storm, Cleopatra, or Golden Goddess for a chance to win a tidy fortune.

If you are the social media type, and who isn’t these days, then there is a link here to the X Factor Facebook page where they are offering lucking punters the chance to win Free Spins, Bonus Cash, Real Cash, and vouchers. Or you could just say hello, we’re sure they will appreciate any feedback there.

All told there is a nice haul of offers here to keep new players interested for a while, even without the inclusion of a no deposit bonus. Just make sure you are aware of all of the terms of each offer so that you avoid missing out on anything.

VIP Program

Regular users at X Factor Games Casino have the chance to join ‘Britain’s best VIP club’ as they modestly call it. To be fair it looks like a good club to be a part of with plenty of giveaways though like most VIP programs it does not divulge how regular a customer you need to be to become a part of.

If a player reaches a certain spend level they will automatically be enrolled in the entry-level VIP program and receive an alert to let them know they have done so. To make it to the higher level and achieve Platinum VIP status the spend will obviously be higher and membership is conducted on an invitation basis only.

Once in the club, members are eligible for perks like Real or Bonus Cashback, Exclusive Promotions, and Withdrawal Priority. Platinum members also get a birthday present, no mention of what that might be, access to VIP events, and an account manager.

Site Design and Navigation

If you have ever been to any of the X Factor sister sites you will know what to expect as the layout is near identical. And to be honest that is not a bad thing at all. The design is sleek, simple and easy to navigate. The layout basically consists of Sign Up or Login link at the top right above a sliding promotions carousel. Beneath this are quick link games divided into categories like Top Trending, Slots, Casino and so on.

At the bottom of the page are the links to more official sites and information like Gam Stop, LSE, Gaming Realms, and contact the company.

The left-hand side of the page is where it gets interesting and is where you will probably be doing most of the site navigation from. This is a no-frills, easy to read list of links to the various sections of the site and the quickest way to move around from games to account to financial transactions.

You’ve got things here like Slingo, Slots, Live Casino, and Instant Win. As well as game links are the account details and the deposit link in big bold orange button so as not to be missed. As well as this, are the serious topics – Responsible Gaming which we will look at soon, contact options, terms, and privacy information.

Clicking on the game links brings up the whole list which can be sorted alphabetically or you can use the search bar if you are not in the mood for scrolling – this is particularly handy in the slots section as there are literally hundreds of games to choose from.

Overall this is a well-designed site with an emphasis on a clean simple layout which is easy to navigate.

X Factor Games & Software

The design is all well and good but how are the games? After a thorough test, we can happily say that the selection is as varied as it is good. Yes, there are some older slots on here that may not have withstood the test of time that well, but sometimes playing a retro game has a charm of its own.

Along with older games is a nice selection of newer ones from top tier software providers. NetEnt is there which is always reassuring to see, as is Microgaming, IGT, Megaways, Realistic Games, and WMS.

Sprinkled about are four X-Factor games which helps reinforce the theme, these are Slingo X Factor, X Factor Multiplier, X Factor Bonus, and X Factor 7×7. One thing we liked about the site was that there are characters from games sprinkled about the site, which is a minor detail perhaps but a nice touch all the same.

Slots

As with you’d expect from a Bear Group product slots are still the name of the game. The X Factor Games casino does not disappoint in this department with hundreds of games to keep slot fans busy. As mentioned before there is a mix of favourites – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire from Megaways, Book of Oz and Spinal Tap, as well as newer titles.

The main page lists the slots that are currently trending which when we visited the site had titles like Cleopatra, Andy Capp and Starburst. The line-up, in general, is good and with the welcome inclusion of Megajackpot games, there are some generous potential payouts for lucky punters.

Live Gaming

Sometimes you just want the human touch and it was great to see that the live casino experience is available at the X Factor Games site. There are around a dozen live gaming rooms for fans of roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker.

The software is powered by Evolution Gaming who leads the way in live gaming entertainment with their clear crisp presentation. A word should be said about the dealers as the ones we came across were both professional and helpful.

As mentioned before, Evolution Gaming is eCOGRA certified which means that you are getting a legit, live gaming experience right at home.

X Factor Games Casino Banking

The X Factor Games casino keeps banking simple too. When making a deposit we were confronted with two options – pay by card or pay by mobile.

The lack of payment methods may come as a surprise to some players used to a long list of bank transfer, PayPal, and e-Wallet options at other sites. It is not a huge issue, most people use a card but it wouldn’t hurt to expand the service and include more methods.

Mobile pay is available for most of the big carriers in the UK so if that is your preferred way to pay you will be well served here.

Customer Support

Our experience with customer support was positive and quick to answer some questions we had. On the whole, agents are helpful, professional, and clearly well trained.

One thing that might not be so reassuring for some late night gamers is that the customer support department is open from 9 am until 11 pm with no one on to man the graveyard shift. No doubt the majority of customers will be fine with this but others that like to stay up late might have issues if anything goes wrong in the wee small hours. This is a minor thing for most but something to bear in mind.

There are three ways of reaching out to customer support; these are email, phone, and live chat. We personally prefer live chat as is faster and a convenient way to keep doing things online while conversing through a chat box. If you need a resolution to something in a hurry this is your best bet for contacting X Factor Games online casino.

Contact by telephone is another option, their number is 01597 800022, which is a Welsh number by the looks of the dialling code which assumes that you will connect with a British agent if you call them.

Lastly, customers can contact X Factor Games by email on [email protected]. There is no mention of reply time so it is safe to assume that this will take the longest time to respond to any queries when compared to the first to contact methods.

Responsible Gaming

There is a wealth of information and helpful links when it comes to responsible gaming making it clear that X Factor Games takes this aspect of gaming seriously. If you feel that you or someone you know may have issues in this regard they provide links to helpful organisations and questionnaires to gauge the level. Along with providing info, they also support their customers through a range of tools that can be employed to control activity levels.

Helpful tools include reality checks alerts which can be programmed to pop up every 30 minutes to 3 hours to remind players how long they have been logged in. Cool down periods from 24 hours to 4 weeks are there to take a break from gaming. Deposit limits for up to 30 days at a time and the ability to self-exclude is from six months and onwards.

This is an area that X Factor performs well in and is an important aspect of keeping gaming fun. If it is no longer fun then what is the point? Remember to set a realistic bankroll and stick to it.

Final Verdict

At the end of the day, we could not think of any major reason why you would not want to have a crack at X Factor Games. Unless you have a deep set loathing of the X Factor TV brand there is nothing here to put off any new or experienced gamers.

Yes, the design is simple and has a generic feel to it, but it is just so easy to navigate and use that it would be redundant to alter that and add a layer of complexity too.

The promotions for new users are generous enough to give them a try and there is enough variety in the games to keep punters engaged. It’s only the lack of banking of options that let the side down slightly. Other than that, this is another solid gaming platform from the Bear Group.