Gibson Casino Review

We rarely see a casino that really throws itself into a theme, let alone one that is truly appropriate for the gambling industry. But that’s just the case at Gibson Casino, a site that uses a very strong “Wild West” theme to evoke a feeling of heading back to the old days of gambling that existed in the 1800s on the American frontier. 

In some ways, that choice in theme is a bit ironic: you actually can’t play here if you’re from the United States or Canada, though players from most other nations are more than welcome to join in. Still, the website has a fun and immersive feel, and that atmosphere is backed up with a host of excellent deposit bonuses, a solid selection of games, and everything else one needs to enjoy their Internet gambling experience.

Rival Software Powers Casino

The games at Gibson all come from the portfolio of Rival Gaming Software. While Rival is not one of the largest names in the world of online gambling, they certainly have a strong collection of titles, and have developed a reputation as an innovative group that offers plenty of variety for players to choose from.

Let’s start by taking a look at the slots you’ll have to choose from. As with any good software package, you’ll have a wide range of three-reel and five-reel slots. Rival’s games do tend to use bright, vibrant colors, so these games never feel dull or static. The gameplay is also varied enough to keep things interesting, and no two machines feel like exact clones of each other.

Rival is perhaps best known for their i-Slots, a collection of machines that incorporate a variety of storytelling and skill-based elements in order to keep players interested in the action. For instance, you might find out more about the plot of an ongoing soap opera every time you hit a certain combination of symbols, or you may have to play a mini-golf game in order to partially determine the size of your prize in a special feature. You don’t see much of this throughout the industry, so it’s a nice touch that really makes these machines stand out from the pack.

When you add up all of these different types of games – plus a collection of progressive jackpot slots – you can more than a few games that are well worth checking out. The following are just a few of the titles that we think are particularly worthy of praise:

• As the Reels Turn

• Hole in Won

• Reel Crime

• A Switch in Time

• Major Moolah

• 1,000,000 Reels B.C.

• Star Jewels

• Cirque du Slots

• Coins of Olympus

• Heroes’ Realm

Going Beyond Slots

The games at Gibson don’t end with slot machines, though. There is also a full complement of table games, video poker machines, and other options for players to browse, just as they would at a live resort. 

When it comes to table games, most of the classics are covered, along with a handful of others that you may have played at a brick-and-mortar casino before. Each of the games is well-presented and simple to play, with large betting areas and easy-to-access rules. Table games include:

• Blackjack

• Craps

• American Roulette

• European Roulette

• Baccarat

• Pai Gow Poker

• Let It Ride

• Red Dog

• Casino War

The video poker machines are also well-designed, though you may not find quite the variety you’re hoping for here, especially if you like playing more unusual games. Still, there are seven different versions of the game on tap, including:

• Aces & Faces

• Deuces & Joker

• Deuces Wild

• Double Joker

• Jacks or Better

• Joker Poker

• Tens or Better

Finally, there is a section of the casino devoted to specialty games, which roughly translates to “things that don’t fit anywhere else.” As usually, this is where you’ll find keno, bingo, and scratch card games. There is one unusual offering here as well: an instant win game based on the popular puzzle Sudoku, which is worth checking out if you enjoy solving the number puzzles in your free time.

Promotions Cover First Four Deposits

If you’re uncertain about whether you want to play here, you can first take advantage of a free, no deposit bonus offer that will be credited to you the moment you sign up for an account. This $25 bonus can be used however you like, with the exception of some table games and progressive jackpot machines. As with most free offers, it also comes with some rather strict terms: the bonus itself is not cashable, you can only withdraw up to $100 in winnings made off of the promotion, and you’ll need to finish a 60x wagering requirement in order to claim your money.

If you decide that you want to make a deposit, Gibson has you covered with bonuses that give you more money to play with on each of your first four transactions. On your first deposit, you’ll earn a 400% matching reward worth as much as $2,000 (or 2,000 in the currency of your choice, such as pounds, euros, or AUD). This offer has a 35x wagering requirement on the total amount (deposit plus bonus), and comes with a somewhat disappointing maximum withdrawal of 5x that same amount.

This bonus and the three that follow all share some similarities: none of the bonuses themselves are cashable, and baccarat, craps, Red Dog, roulette, sic bo, Double Up and progressive slots are all prohibited during the time when you are clearing the promotions. However, each one differs in terms of the specifics: the match, the maximum bonus, the playthrough requirement, and the maximum cash out. Here’s a look at how each of the later three promotions breaks down:

• 2nd Deposit: 200% up to $500, 20x wagering requirement, 6x maximum withdrawal

• 3rd Deposit: 100% up to $500, 25x betting requirement, no maximum cash out

• 4th Deposit: 500% up to $1,000, 35x playthrough, 3x maximum withdrawal

Wide Range of Banking Options

Nothing else about an online gambling site matters much unless you can safely get your money in and out of your account. Thankfully, Gibson provides a wide range of methods on both ends of the banking process, making it easy to move money with whatever tools you have at your disposal.

When it comes to deposits, you’ll find that a number of great credit cards, e-wallets, and prepaid products are supported. The menu of payment options includes the following:

• Visa

• MasterCard

• Neteller

• Skrill

• UseMyFunds

• EcoPayz

• Ukash

• PaySafeCard

When it comes time to cash out your winnings, you’ll be able to take advantage of some of the same options, though really only one type of method is available: e-wallets. On the bright side, the processing times are rather quick, and you can expect to have the money in your wallet solution of choice within a matter of days, rather than weeks. The following options are available when you withdraw money:

• Neteller

• Skrill

• EcoPayz

Software Options

There are three different ways to enjoy Gibson Casino. First, you can download a standalone client that you can install on your computer, though it should be noted that this software is designed for Windows users. We suspect that this will be the least popular option, though, as there is also an instant play version of the software that can be played right in your web browser. In order to use this version, which works with any operating system, just point your browser over to the GibsonCasino.com website, then log into your account to gain instant access to all of their games.

This site is also one of the growing number that support mobile play. Both Apple and Android devices are supported, and the site notes that other products may also be able to run the site without any real issues. More than 25 different games are supported through the mobile version of the casino, including a number of slots, roulette, blackjack, and scratch cards.

Strong, but Flawed

Overall, we can give high markets to Gibson Casino. While it is underutilized throughout the industry, the Rival software is one of our favorites, and it provides everything players need to have a great time. There are even games that have interesting elements, such as the skill-based bonus rounds, that we wish more developers would implement into their own creations. We also like the fact that this site has a 24/7 customer support team that is available via both live chat and email, meaning you’re never far away from getting help when you need it.

The one major flaw we found is in the promotional structure on the site. Not only are there maximum cash outs for most of the bonuses you can take here, but they tend to be relatively low, limiting how much value you can extract from each promotion. That’s something that is becoming unfortunately common throughout the industry, but it doesn’t mean that we have to like it.

However, if you’re not someone who spends their time hunting for the best bonuses, then those issues may not concern you. In that case, it comes down to how you feel about the games presented by Rival. If you enjoy them as much as we do, then this is a strong site that is definitely worthy of consideration by both casual and serious casino fans.