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Silver Sands Casino Review

It's rare to find a casino that caters so specifically to its South African clientele. But Silver Sandshas been owned by a South African businessman for many years. It serves a clientele largely drawn from that country and has remained true to its original demographic.

Photo: Raul654 at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Despite the fact that Silver Sands doesn't cater to US or UK players, it welcomes many other international players.

RealTime Gaming powers the entire casino, so you'll find some unique game enhancements in the slots, such as the win-win feature. There are also some progressive jackpots and many lower level prizes ($1000 - $3000). You can either play instantly or download the casino.

Plenty of bonus offers will keep the reels spinning, and payouts are approved in a span of 48 to 72 hours, with some e-wallet options to help you get your cash in handily. A free monthly bank transfer may also be an attractive option for you.

I need to draw your attention to the fact that Silver Sands has had some problems with payments in the past. Numerous player complaints have been registered. Most of the problems occurred under the previous management of Virtual Group. Since Paxson Marketing took over, we haven't seen as many negative comments. But we're still seeing some troubling signs with player withdrawals.

The odds board at a sportsbook, priced and re-priced through the day.
The odds board at a sportsbook, priced and re-priced through the day.Photo: Mark Hardie / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

This review looks at each of the casino's services objectively, based on the current offering to players. However, the standard advice still applies: If you have specific questions, especially about withdrawing money, contact customer support. They'll be able to confirm your payout schedule and eligibility based on your location and payment method.

Who Can Play at the Silver Sands Casino?

A long time ago, the Crystal Palace/Virtual Group was part of several lawsuits filed against them. In recent years, Paxson Marketing came into the picture. They took over the operations of Crystal Palace. This was a good thing because it secured licenses from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Paxson Marketing also holds licenses from other companies. Its portfolio includes Apollo Slots, Jackpot Cash and White Lotus. Another nice thing about Paxson is that they operate other gaming facilities.

This information is still unclear. The section that should spell out the restricted zones instead offers only bonus terms. There is a section that disclaims some of the normal terms, but nothing about prohibited countries and jurisdictions.

Players from the USA and UK will not be able to access the site. However, the site is primarily aimed at South African customers and handles transactions in ZAR, EUR and GBP. According to the site, there are plans to expand.

  • Afghanistan;
  • American Samoa;
  • Angola;
  • Bhutan;
  • Bulgaria;
  • Burundi;
  • China;
  • Cook Islands;
  • Cuba;
  • Denmark;
  • Estonia;
  • Guam;
  • Vatican City;
  • Hong Kong;
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • D.P.R. Korea;
  • Laos;
  • Lebanon;
  • Libya;
  • Macau;
  • Marshall Islands;
  • Mongolia;
  • Burma (Myanmar)
  • Nauru
  • Nepal,
  • Nigeria has several problems.
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Philippine Islands;
  • Puerto Rico;
  • Russia;
  • South Sudan;
  • Sudan;
  • Thailand;
  • United Kingdom;
  • U.S.A.
  • United States Minor Outlying Islands;
  • Uzbekistan;
  • U.S. Virgin Islands;
  • Zimbabwe;

Software Suppliers

If you like RealTime Gaming…you’ll like Silver Sands.

If you don’t like RealTime Gaming…not so much.

The sole software provider at Silver Sands Casino is RealTime Gaming (RTG). It provides the casino with slots, video poker, table games, and some specialty games, but no live games.

Some of the jackpot games you'll find are Caribbean Stud Poker and Aztec's Millions, along with custom features from RTG. This online casino software provider is known for what they call their "extras" - features that you won't find in every game. One of these extras is the Win-Win feature that is included in some RTG slots. If you don't win, you at least get a bonus prize.

The Good Stuff

Caters to South African players

Skrill and Neteller Bonuses

Usually you will find online casinos that do not reward players using e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller with deposit bonuses, but Silver Sands is not like those casinos. They give players who use these payment methods a special opportunity to receive a deposit match bonus. I discovered that the Skrill and Neteller bonus offers even more value than the standard welcome bonus. It grants 50 free spins and the deposit match rollover is only 15x, whereas all other offers are 30x.

Video Poker

The online casino has several offerings for its customers in South Africa. Here's one: not only can you play 14 different Video Poker games, but each game has four variations, giving the player multiple options when it comes to Video Poker. There are not one, not two, but 14 Video Poker games with four different variations, offering either 1, 3, or 10 hands, or the 52 hand straight up version, the possibility that only a player would want to go for broke. I mean, sure, some South African customers use Skrill or Neteller, but, UGH, what a way to pigeonhole your reader!

The Bad Stuff

Customer Service

Start with the fact that there is no phone number. I know that a phone number isn't essential to every casino's operation, but a number certainly provides a higher level of service. From there, I have to reiterate that there have been payment problems associated with this site in the past, so I think the new management would do everything possible to go above and beyond to regain a good reputation. I would also like to mention my own experience. A lot of banking information is missing from this casino. I saw the status change from "online" to an agent's name and was still left hanging. A second message was sent which also went unanswered. Do I need to say more?

Mobile Casino

Less than half of the instant-play games - 86 out of 176 - are converted to a mobile format. I don't have a problem with the games themselves. However, the mobile casino is not a replica of the full website. It is a brand new platform and product and lacks the essential player information that should accompany any responsible gaming venue. I was able to access the games, but that was about it. No contact information, no details on promotions - unless they're so good they don't need any window dressing to sell them to potential customers.

Game Selection

RealTime Gaming (RTG) runs the entire gaming platform. This can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. I know that some loyal online slot players seek out RTG games because they like the style. But other people appreciate having a wider range of options to choose from that casinos that use multiple software providers can offer.

RTG Slots are very popular for all kinds of unique enhancements. Most people are familiar with the standard way a slot machine works: you pull the lever or push the button and the reels spin. Each slot machine has a set of symbols that are used to make combinations. RTG makes these combinations even more fun by using features. The Win-Win feature in a game like Bubble Bubble ensures that you'll walk away a winner no matter what. It's a simple addition to the game that makes it even more fun. The feature guarantee in Aztec's Treasure works the same way.

These "extras" require a wager on each payline, but they can potentially yield big rewards. The Win-Win feature guarantees that the bonus rounds will pay off handsomely. If you come out of a bonus round with a win of less than ten times your original bet, the Win Win feature will give you a small boost to your casino credits and, presumably, a shortfall in casino revenue. You are in no way less of a winner with a 2x boost and the WoW feature in effect than you would be - not as likely, I suspect - from the house's perspective.

The feature guarantee is a great help for those who like bonus rounds. It guarantees that you will play them before you reach a certain number of spins. If you have ever played a slot machine that just did not hit and had you spinning and spinning without triggering the bonus round, you know how close to the edge this can get you. The Feature Guarantee is not a good substitute for the Win-Win feature that is now only available on some of the Aristocrat slots. But it is something to keep you engaged and help you take home some extra credits.

Video Poker

Technically, the Video Poker section counts a total of 56 games, three of which are available through the mobile casino. In reality, however, there are only 14 Video Poker games, each presented in a different multi-hand variation.

  • Aces and Eights;
  • The whole of American Poker;
  • Bonus Deuces Wild;
  • Bonus Poker: This is one of the variations of poker that a casino can base its game on. Many of the same rules that govern regular poker govern the game of Total Bonus Poker;
  • Deuce's Wild;
  • Double Bonus;
  • Double Double Bonus;
  • Double Jackpot;
  • 7 Jackpot;
  • Jacks or Better;

Table Games

The relatively small casino has an innovative table games section, despite only offering 14 games (three of which are mobile). You won't find a dozen blackjack tables with different limits to scroll through. Instead, you get a few more obscure options like Three Card Rummy and Face Up 21.

Two tables also have progressive jackpots. Caribbean Hold 'em Poker and Caribbean Stud Poker each boasted a jackpot of more than $117,000 .

You may notice the absence of Craps and Roulette, but wait, they will appear for you in the Specialties section.

  • Baccarat
  • Blackjack;
  • Blackjack and Perfect Pairs;
  • Caribbean Hold 'em Poker;
  • Caribbean Stud Poker;
  • European Blackjack is played with two decks of playing cards. In this game, the dealer does not hit a soft 17, which means that the house has a slightly lower edge. If you play the game well, your edge can be slightly lower. Some casinos allow you to split aces and give you an extra card for each ace. These variations make the game a little more favorable to you
  • Face Up 21:
  • * Concurrency: The Bellman-Ford algorithm, which may require O(VE) operations to compute single-source shortest paths for a graph with V vertices and E edges
  • 1. Create an array for the distance from the source vertex to each of the other vertices
  • Pontoons:
  • Suit 'Em Up Blackjack
  • Super 21;
  • Tri Card Poker
  • Three Card Rummy;

Slots

The attraction of the RTG slot games and their unique features has already been mentioned.

Another advantage of their games, however, is this: Silver Sands Slots relegates only three progressive jackpot games to their own section and many more, albeit with smaller payouts, to the rest of the site. You'll find many of the supposedly paying slot games with posted prizes in the range of $2,000 or more.

I counted 98 slot games in the instant-play casino, with 67 of them available on smartphones and tablets.

Even though Aztec's Millions is the only game that makes millionaires, the other two still yield quite respectable jackpots of $710K+ and $251K+ respectively.

  • Aztec's Millions;
  • Mesasaur
  • Inca Ghost;
  • 6 is a Lucky Number;
  • Elf vs. Orc (3D);
  • Earning money is the first step to financial stability and independence. To earn money, you either have to have a job or own a business. Better yet, have a job and own a business. Government forms such as W-2 and 1099 help keep track of which people are earning what amounts of money. The business activities of these people create the jobs that allow even more people to make money. For many people, money comes from following orders at work. They have bosses. They may have the fear of losing their jobs hanging over them. Money comes to these people because they submit to authority. For a few lucky people, money comes when they are told to do something very hard and very creative, and then they do it. For these people, money comes because they follow their dreams
  • 6. You may not reproduce the above material in any form without the express written permission of Austin Peay State University. Content generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not considered valid for approval unless through a direct quote and is not considered original in any form
  • The Bopper Big;
  • Aladdin's Desires;
  • Lucha Libre;
  • Aztec Treasure;
  • The Empire of Caesar;
  • Cash Bandits
  • Soccer;
  • Ghost Ship
  • Naughty or Nice
  • Megasaur
  • Megaquarium;
  • PAwesome Pals:
  • The Elven Wars;
  • Loch Ness Loot;
  • Haute Couture..
  • Sweet Sixteen;
  • Rudolph's Revenge
  • Penguin Strength!
  • Rain Dance;

Specialty Games

The special games section is a bit odd as it only contains a single scratch card and a keno game. But having one is better than having none, right?

  • American Roulette is one of the most popular casino games, although it is considered to have one of the lowest player edges, which is in the casino's favor. The typical player edge is around 5.26 percent. This means that in the long run, the house wins approximately 5.26 percent of all bets placed on the roulette wheel. The object of the game is to predict where the ball will land after it is spun around the wheel. The ball can land in any one of 38 pockets, numbered from 1 to 36, plus 0 and 00. The pockets are arranged around the wheel in a seemingly random order
  • Craps: A game of chance played with dice, often found in casinos. Craps can also refer to a dice, such as the one used in the game, or to a person who plays the game well. The game is played with two dice, which the player rolls. The outcome of the spin determines the outcome of the game, with a number of direct and indirect bets possible;
  • European Roulette;
  • Keno
  • Tree Treasure;

Promotions

Silver Sands promotions are broken down into three types: Welcome Bonus, New (or special) Promotions, and ongoing offers.

Before I go into the details of the promotions, I would like to let you know that you cannot access any promotional information on the mobile site. I loaded the mobile site on my iPad, and while I was able to access the various games, the promotions pages were completely devoid of content.

The deposit match has a relatively standard 30 times play through on the combined amount of deposit plus bonus cash. It is also a sticky bonus, meaning that it cannot be cashed out. If you receive $20 in bonus play money, that $20 will be deducted from your net winnings as long as you've met the play-through requirements. It won't be included in your withdrawal. So it's a decent bonus for the player who likes to cash out.

Roulette, Craps, Baccarat, Pontoon, War, Sic Bo, Blackjack and Video Poker are not considered games that will offset your rollover.

Welcome Bonus

  • Deposit One: 100% up to $400;
  • Deposit Two: 75% up to a maximum of $300;
  • Deposit Three: 50% up to $300;

New Promotions

This is obviously to encourage Skrill and Neteller users, and I think it's better than the original welcome bonus. The rollover on this bonus is only 15x on the deposit/bonus combo, as opposed to the 30x that used to apply. Free spins winnings are then subject to a 30x wagering requirement before being cashed out.

Facebook and a No Deposit Bonus

You can receive a $10 no deposit bonus by sharing the Silver Sands Casino Facebook page. Free money bonuses come with a 60x wagering requirement. You can withdraw one or two times the amount of your bonus.

Ongoing Promotions – Consistent Weekly Offers

  • Wednesdays – Crazy Wednesday – new coupons are issued weekly with different reload bonus offers.
  • Super Slots Tournaments – limited information is available, so you’ll have to check your player’s account area to see what’s available to you as far as tournament opportunities.
  • Weekly Promotions – different customized opportunities are sent to players via email.

Banking

silversandscasino.com has a setup that's really not that different from other online casinos when it comes to banking. They offer a standard list of payment methods, and most of them are free. PayPal and Moneybookers (Skrill to you and me) are also available, along with ten other payment options.

There is nothing posted regarding minimums and other related matters. I have contacted customer support for assistance in filling in the blanks and they have not responded.

Deposit Methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • EcoPayz
  • Bank Wire

Withdrawal Methods

  • Visa Credit (only)
  • Skrill
  • Bank Transfer
  • Bank Wire

VIP Program

I didn’t find a VIP or a traditional loyalty program available for players.

Customer Service

In one word —  nonresponsive.

No one responded. I noticed the status change from "online" to an agent's name, but they never answered my original question. To make sure they weren't just busy, I sent a few more messages.

The other way to reach (or not) Silver Sands is by email at their support address

Would I Play at the Silver Sands Casino?

To begin with the appearance, it is a dated and cluttered site. It's so full of promotional material that it doesn't feel like a warm, welcoming casino.

The site does not skimp on providing links to its licenses or information about its independent testing for fair play, and I appreciate that transparency quite a bit. I think it also gives a sort of push past some of the earlier not-so-great things about the site by letting potential new players know that there are a whole bunch of other agencies monitoring the online casino and casino mobile operations.

In the banking world, the turnaround time of 48 to 72 hours is long, but not the worst I've seen. These days everyone is looking for 24 hours or less, but there are still some sites that take their own sweet time and it can take weeks before customers see their money. So I can't really knock Silver Sands for their internal processing time.

What I'm less excited about is the lack of banking information. Not only are the terms and conditions brief and lacking in most respects, including the financial services provisions, but the banking section is also lacking. There are no minimums or much of anything other than descriptions of Neteller, Skrill and the other payment methods.

I'm going to go from there to customer service because I connected with the department to ask for the banking information and I didn't get an answer. This was via live chat. It was a bummer because I was already in a state of limited understanding and was hoping to get some definitive answers that would move me in the direction of clarity. This is what customer service is supposed to help with, and this is what I needed help with.

The casino itself is a RealTime Gaming product, so experienced players will know what that entails. There are some well known titles such as Aztec's Millions, Rudolph's Revenge and Megaquarium. There are also the special features you'll only find on RTG slots.

At the moment the casino is not that big. But it is enough. Nearly 200 games in a seemingly endless number of categories covered the area. The only thing we noticed missing was a live casino.

Disappointed as they may be, mobile players are left with few options. Of the 86 instant-play games available, only three are tables, making for a lackluster selection. If you're a mobile player and want to take advantage of all the site has to offer, your best bet is to log in using a computer or laptop. The first thing you'll notice is that there's a lot more information available. No matter what device you're using, most of the content is not available in mobile format.

I know that dedicated RTG players will appreciate the accommodations made for them at silversandscasino.com. What I would like to say, however, is that you should clear up any potential confusion about how to do your banking there before you commit to playing and betting.

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