When the online casino industry first kicked off, many casinos ran schemes for VIP (Very Important Person) players. These schemes were usually reserved for people who frequently gambled at the mobile casino and provided them with a slew of benefits. While the majority of mobile casinos have done away with these schemes or have replaced them with loyalty programmes, there are still some VIP casinos available that do run these schemes. Our guide to VIP casinos will explain everything you need to know about these schemes and loyalty programmes, as well as which mobile casinos run them.
I want to become a VIP todayA VIP casino is a mobile casino that offers a VIP programme – schemes that are provided by mobile casinos to their returning customers and top spenders. These VIP schemes, which you can usually only enter by an invitation from the casino’s VIP team, offer a slew of benefits that aren’t available to ordinary players, including UK casino bonuses, faster payout times, and so much more.
As we’ve mentioned, VIP programmes were incredibly popular at mobile casinos in the United Kingdom. However, rules introduced by the Gambling Commission – the organisation responsible for regulating all forms of gambling in the UK – in September 2020 required gambling operators and mobile casinos to change how they made customers VIPs, including requiring them to establish that high spending is affordable and sustainable for the customer.
Since the changes, many mobile casinos have since dropped their VIP programmes. Some casinos have replaced them with loyalty schemes, while other brands have removed any type of long-term reward scheme entirely.
First of all, reward programmes differ from VIP schemes because they usually lack the risk of playing high-stakes games. Rather, loyalty schemes usually include some sort of point system with multiple levels that offer various rewards, like those associated with VIP schemes.
Through these reward programmes, customers who place real-money bets are credited with points, which are collected over a time period, usually monthly. The points earned usually vary depending on the game played, but all points contribute towards some sort of progress bar, which, when completely filled, will transfer the customer to the next level of the scheme. Players looking to reach higher levels will need to bet more frequently, and customers will usually also be required to maintain their current level to retain benefits between months.
There are other loyalty programmes that work similarly to the above, but rather than having tiered levels with varying benefits, the aggregated points can be exchanged for prizes like casino promotions, depending on the casino.
Reward programmes are similar to VIP schemes, but rather than requiring customers to reach an unknowable threshold, they allow customers to decide how far along the reward programme they want to be while offering complete transparency.
Joining a VIP casino is easy, as all you need to do is find a mobile casino still running a VIP scheme and register with it. Once you’ve done that and have verified your account via the KYC and Source Of Funds checks, you’ll be ready to join the VIP scheme.
The most straightforward way for you to join a VIP scheme run by a mobile casino is by depositing and playing frequently. Usually, most casinos will invite you into their VIP scheme once you’ve met their requirements. Large, frequent bets are usually more effective in increasing your chances of meeting the casino’s requirements, but there may also be a time requirement for you to meet too.
Regardless, you’ll immediately have access to all of the benefits associated with VIP players once you’ve been invited to join the scheme, although these vary between casinos. What’s more, receiving an invite to a mobile casino’s VIP scheme means you’re usually also accepted into the scheme run by sister brands of that casino, allowing you to enjoy VIP benefits but at a different casino.
Before you try to join a casino’s VIP scheme, if available, we suggest you refrain from depositing large sums of money. Instead, spend some time with the mobile casino to ensure that it meets all of your needs, pays out winnings at an acceptable rate, and is fair to you.
How you join a loyalty programme will vary depending on the mobile casino, but most will immediately add you to the lowest tier of its programme. Some mobile casinos like SpinRider even offer loyalty points as part of their welcome bonus, giving you a kick-start. You’ll accrue points naturally as you play and depending on your frequency, you may find yourself naturally levelling up within the programme.
Again, we suggest you refrain from immediately depositing and playing with large sums of money to increase your loyalty level and instead take your time with the casino and enjoy the entertainment it offers.
There are numerous benefits to becoming a VIP customer at a mobile casino that runs these schemes. These benefits affect all aspects of a mobile casino, and they can include:
The benefits offered as part of a VIP scheme will vary depending on the mobile casino. You can usually find out what rewards you can expect by visiting the mobile casino’s dedicated VIP page.
Becoming a VIP is arguably the highest status you can attain in the world of online mobile gambling. While many online casinos reward loyal players, the reality is not all VIP programmes are ideal for you. To help you find the perfect VIP casino, our dedicated team of reviewers has put together a list of the best mobile VIP casinos and sites with rewards programmes:
All of the mobile casinos we suggested above are licensed by the Gambling Commission and are safe to play at, but if they do not interest you or meet your needs, you can check our list of mobile casino UK reviews, many of which may offer VIP schemes or loyalty programmes.
VIP schemes are great as they reward you for your long-term commitment to a mobile casino and provide you with a slew of benefits to enjoy. All of this can make playing at your chosen mobile casino much more fun if you’re invited to join the scheme.
We believe that loyalty programmes are the better reward scheme for mobile casino players, as they’re less restrictive, more common than VIP schemes, and provide customers with more control over whether or not they want to participate in the programme and how much they want to participate.
What you prefer will be up to you, but it’s important to remember that while VIP schemes and loyalty programmes are great, there’s much more to an ideal casino than its loyalty or VIP scheme – make sure that the casino is first and foremost safe and that it offers you entertainment, everything else is a benefit, including any VIP or loyalty scheme.
The best online casinos for VIP players will be those that are licensed by your corresponding regulatory body, are safe to play at, offer a diverse selection of games, and run either a VIP scheme or loyalty programme. Our guide has information on more of this.
At the time of writing, there are no Bitcoin VIP casinos available in the United Kingdom. Any you do find will likely not be licensed, so we suggest you avoid playing there.
Our guide to VIP casinos provides you with a list of mobile casinos that run VIP schemes and loyalty programmes, take a look and read our in-depth reviews of each casino for more information.
How you join a VIP scheme will vary between mobile casinos. Most casinos will have a series of requirements that you’ll need to meet and once you’ve met them, they will invite you to join the VIP scheme.