Tropica Casino Review

In most aspects, Tropica Casino is similar to many of the other sites we’ve reviewed that run on Rival Gaming software. You’ll find the same wide selection of games, ranging from slots to table games and video poker, along with a flexible software system that can be accessed from mobile devices as well as computers. There are plenty of promotions, a fun tropical island theme, and plenty of banking options, which is always a plus for a US-facing casino.

But in recent years, Tropica has developed something of a reputation in the online gambling community, and not in a good way. The games appear to be fair and the owners may be reputable, but the way in which the site has communicated with players has sometimes been criticized. Depending on how important customer service is to you, that could be a deal breaker, especially with so many other similar operations out there to choose from.

Rival-Powered Slots

One thing that you know you can count on when playing at a Rival casino is the excellent variety of well-designed, professionally-created slots. Each of these games was crafted with care: you won’t find any hastily slapped-together titles with cookie-cutter graphics. Instead, these games are visually entertaining and interesting to play.

One of the biggest benefits to playing with Rival is gaining access to the i-Slots line of machines. These games combine traditional slots play with additional storytelling features to create a truly unique experience. By continuing to play these games, you’ll unlock additional scenes from stories that are based on soap operas, crime mysteries, or other tales. It’s an interesting concept that Rival has continued to improve on as they've developed more slots in this line.

In short, you should be able to find something that appeals to you here, no matter what type of machines you prefer. The following are a few of the games you’ll see featured at Tropica Casino:

• Costume Party
• Firestorm 7
• Red White & Bleu
• Diamond Dazzle
• Whale O’ Winnings
• Lost Secret of Atlantis
• Coins of Olympus
• Mystic Wolf
• Major Moolah
• Strike Gold

Plenty of Casino Choices

If you’re interested in a lot more than just slot machines, you’ll be happy to know that Tropica Casino also includes a robust selection of other games you’d typically find in a casino. In particular, they have a very strong selection of table games, covering all of the world’s most popular card and dice offerings. Each game uses standard rules that should be familiar to players who are well-acquainted with these games, while using bright, clear graphics that make them approachable for newcomers as well. The table game collection includes:

• Blackjack
• Baccarat
• Craps
• American Roulette
• European Roulette
• Casino War
• Three Card Poker
• Ride ‘em Poker (Let It Ride)
• Red Dog
• Pai Gow Poker

Video poker is handled in a similar manner. There isn’t a huge quantity of machines to choose from, but you’ll find all of the most popular versions of the game are covered, meaning that most players should be satisfied here (unless you’re looking for something out of the ordinary). The following video poker machines are offered:

• Deuces Wild
• Deuces and Joker
• Joker Poker
• Double Joker
• Jacks or Better
• Tens or Better
• Aces and Faces

Rounding out the casino are a number of specialty games. Keno and bingo options are well-represented here, as are scratch cards, with several different options for instant win games being presented.

Promotional Offers

Tropica offers new players a variety of bonus offers, including some free chips that you can claim just for opening a new account. While this $25 promotion probably won’t be enough to pay for your entire casino career, it’s a nice way to start giving the site a try before you spend any of your own money. If you want to clear this bonus, you’ll have to complete a 60x wagering requirement (equivalent to $1,500 in bets), and several games are not eligible to be played, including progressive slots, craps, roulette, and baccarat (and, surprisingly, keno, usually a staple of approved games during promotional periods). You’ll also be limited to a maximum withdrawal of $100 on this offer, and the bonus itself is not cashable.

When it comes time to put money in your account, you can take a 200% matching bonus worth up to $500 on your first deposit. The rules for this bonus are similar, except that there is a 25x playthrough requirement on the combined deposit and bonus amount. This is followed up by a straight 100% match on your second deposit, which comes with a 20x wagering requirement; finally, your third deposit is eligible for a 400% match worth as much as $1,000. This final offer comes with a 35x requirement before you can make any withdrawals.

You’ll want to keep a close eye on the terms and conditions if you chose to take these bonuses. There are some unusual quirks that vary between the promotions, in particular a clause that asks you to make wagers evenly across 10 games in order to meet the requirements. It’s not entirely clear how evenly the bets must be spread, though the terms and conditions page does make a point that at least 10 games must be played to clear a bonus.

Deposits and Withdrawals

As with many Rival casinos, Tropica has a fairly solid selection of deposit options available to their players. These range from the typical credit card methods to e-wallets and prepaid options as well. Possibilities for putting money into your account include:

• Visa
• MasterCard
• Neteller
• Skrill
• UseMyFunds
• EcoPayz
• UPayCard
• PaySafeCard

Withdrawals are also handled through many of the same methods, as well as a couple options used only for cash outs. The best news here has to do with the speed of withdrawals: reportedly, processing times are very quick, and most payments are made in under a week (with e-wallet withdrawals sometimes taking as little as a day to hit your account). The options for claiming your winnings include:

• Neteller
• Skrill
• UKash
• Wire Transfer

Software Platforms

We’re big fans of sites that give players plenty of choices, and when it comes to software options, Tropica definitely delivers. There are three separate ways for you to join in on the fun, each of which is designed to serve players with different needs. The first of these is a downloadable client that you can install right on your computer, allowing you to access all of the games here from your desktop. This can be a very convenient option if you’ll be playing a lot from the same machine; however, it is designed specifically for Windows users.

A more flexible option is the instant play platform. This version of the casino is located right at TropicaCasino.com, and can be accessed using any popular and updated web browser. Anyone can use this version, no matter what kind of operating system they run; just point your browser to the site, log into your account, and you’re ready to go.

Finally, there is also a well-developed mobile option here. If you want to play on your smartphone or tablet, you’ll follow a process very similar to that for the instant play software. Just point your mobile browser to the site, and you’ll be able to enter a special mobile-optimized version that is mainly designed for Chrome (on Android) or Safari (on iOS devices), but may also work in other Internet browsers as well. A selection of more than 35 games is available, making this the perfect way to get some gambling in while you’re on the go.

Customer Service Draws Complaints

It would be impossible to review Tropica without delving into one of the more popular topics of discussion when it comes to this site: the way that customer service personnel have been accused of treating players who are engaged in disputes with the company or who have questions about casino policy. Search around the Internet, and you’ll find more than a few forum posts with complaints about interactions with officials from the site that players claim were unprofessional at best and abusive and threatening at worst.

While some of these complaints can only be described as allegations, some of what has occurred between players and Tropica’s staff has made its way into the public eye from time to time. In at least one infamous incident, a former player posted what they said was an email they received from the site, one filled with insults, accusations, and threats to “ruin them” financially. Surprisingly, the site responded on the public forum; even more surprisingly, they largely continued to use the tone and tactics from the email that sparked the complaint.

Mostly Good, But is that Enough?

Obviously, incidents like the one we described above have given Tropica a poor reputation among many online gamblers. Some of that might be unfair: in most aspects, this is a perfectly fine online casino. The games are great, the banking system seems to work well, and even the promotions are pretty good – though the terms and conditions are more than a bit wonky at times.

So the only real problems appear to be related to the way the site handles disputes. Ultimately, this is a problem that most players will never notice, as only a minority will run into the kind of problem that would lead to that sort of confrontation.

But that doesn’t meant that this isn’t a serious issue. In particular, it’s important to realize that there are many sites that offer the same games as this one, and just as good an overall experience, without the worrisome complaints about customer service. With that in mind, we’d recommend other Rival-powered casinos over this one, as there as simply better options out there with better reputations in the industry.