Steeped in mid-20th century nostalgia yet still very relevant, The Pools delivers an impressive variety of slots, table games, live casino titles and more.
Those on the hunt for no wagering and low wagering bonuses won’t be disappointed either, with some irresistible free spins up for grabs!
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For a century, we’ve been making winners.
The Pools (formerly The Football Pools) is something of a legend in the British gambling industry, having gone through various iterations and incarnations over the past century. The Pools is perhaps best known for being “the original millionaire maker” and for the glitzy, ritzy reputation that it enjoyed in the mid-20th century.
Once a humble, small-scale operation offering punters the opportunity to win big for a small buy-in, The Pools is now a fully-fledged and all-encompassing casino, complete with slots, live casino games, lotto, a sportsbook and, of course, football pools.
The Pools as seen today only came into being in 2018, but since then has sourced a fine collection of slots and other games, earning its place among the younger casino companies which dominate the industry.
One of the many things to like about The Pools is how it treats its players. The terms are all fair and well-considered, often involving no wagering requirements, very reasonable banking limits, and even cashback on your weekend losses.
Personally, I appreciate heritage brands like The Pools. Their longevity and reputation goes a long way towards winning me over. And, in their own words they sum it up perfectly: “Our history means you can be safe in the knowledge that we know what we’re doing and that we do it well.”
The Pools was launched in Liverpool, and is still based there. As an independent British casino, rather than one operated from abroad, The Pools’ website and layout feels unique.
Landing on the site for the first time, it’s impossible not to notice the large, scrolling banner which filled most of my screen. This is essentially the shop window, laying out the wares and giving players an indication of what to expect, especially in the way of bonuses.
The website got an overhaul in 2023, at the same time as The Pools’ app was launched, and, whilst the former is in great shape, the latter has faced issues and has been taken offline for the time being. This was confirmed by customer support, who stressed that the mobile browser version of the site works just fine, and it absolutely does.
There’s no shortage of developers providing for The Pools. The 600+ slots come from some of the industry’s top studios, including Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Reel Time Gaming, Blueprint and more.
There are more than 600 slots altogether, drawn from a range of high-end developers and forming the lion’s share of The Pools’ game library.
Whilst The Pools may not boast as many titles as some of the more specialist slot sites, its strategy of offering a high-quality selection containing something for everyone is highly effective.
The Home tab within the casino section is the best place to start. I found this contained several helpful categories, which might have warranted separate tabs of their own. Here you’ll find new games, Megaways and Drops & Wins, etc.
The dedicated Jackpots tab is home to 32 jackpot titles, and the current value of each is displayed clearly, which makes things easy for players who are holding out for huge wins. Included here are a few WowPot games, which recently broke the record for the largest single online jackpot payout when one lucky player won more than €38 million!
In addition to regular slots, The Pools’ casino area is home to a specific Slingo section containing more than 50 games.
The Table Games tab contains 150 or so games, but these overlap with the Live Dealer section. In terms of video RNG-based table games, The Pools really impresses, with a good deal more to offer than some industry-leading casinos. If this is your thing, look no further.
In total, there are 15 live dealer games available, with all the basics covered. Live casino fans will find the offerings here mostly familiar, spanning blackjack, roulette, sic bo, baccarat and poker, as well as Monopoly, Deal or No Deal, and some live lotto games.
Beyond slots, table games and live games, The Pools offers dedicated Sports, Arcade, Football Pools and Lotto sections. Because of this site’s legacy, these seem worthy of a shoutout.
The sportsbook is comprehensive yet, compared to some others, easy to look at. The interface has been kept clean, with handy tabs for in-play games, seasonal events, special sports promos and more.
The ambiguously named Arcade section contains a small number of unique mini games, scratchcards and exclusives. Even for committed slots fans, it’s worth taking a look – something might catch your eye.
In terms of Lotto games, The Pools goes above and beyond. I found some very tempting offers of games with prizes such as “£1 million every year for a decade”. There are 4 lotto games to choose from and they run frequently.
Last but not least, the Football Pools is running just as it always has, except that its online now, and there are several additional variations too.
All in all, there’s a bit of almost everything on The Pools’ site. The only thing you won’t find is bingo, but this omission isn’t likely to turn many players off considering the quality of what is on offer.
Promotions are likely to be the first thing you see when you arrive on The Pools’ site. This is a casino which takes pride in what it offers to players, and so it should!
We’re all about no wagering bonuses here, and The Pools really delivers. Welcome bonuses vary, but newcomers can expect a large helping of free spins with a decent overall value and fair T&Cs.
And these are just the casino bonuses. If you’re the sort of player who likes to venture into sports betting and football pools then you’ll find a variety of other promos waiting for you too.
In addition to other deals, loyal players at The Pools enjoy regular tournaments with wager-free spin prizes. There’s also a cashback-like deal which runs on weekends, giving you 10% of your losses back in bonuses with just 1x wagering, up to £50.
The Pools accepts Visa, Mastercard and PayPal. Whilst this doesn’t afford players much choice, it’s likely to be enough for most people. Personally, PayPal or Visa suits me just fine.
Withdrawals aren’t especially snappy, taking 2-5 working days just to process, then another few days before they actually hit your account. This is a bit sluggish by modern standards.
The good news is that there are no fees and that the limits are very fair. Unlike some casinos, The Pools allows players to make deposits of as little as £5, and the £10 minimum withdrawal isn’t at all bad either.
As a British company based in England, The Pools is only required to be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, so you can be sure that it’s all above board. That is if the 100-year legacy of The Pools wasn’t enough to reassure you!
Reg no. 48272
The first point of call, if you have a query, should be the FAQ section of a casino. In this case, it comes under the ‘Help’ section. I found this to be smartly formatted, with clear categories and detailed answers.
If you find you need some customer service support, the best option is the live chat – available 8:30am-10pm Monday to Saturday, and 12pm-10pm on Sundays. For less pressing matters, players have other options including phone or email.
Whilst exploring The Pools’ site for this review, I contacted customer service via live chat twice. Both times it took just seconds to get a response, and it appears that I was put in touch with the same agent both times. This may be coincidence, or it may indicate that The Pools’ customer service team is a small and dedicated one.
