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I Played at Chumba Casino – My Thoughts and Experience

My Chumba Casino Experience - MGJ
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I finally played at Chumba.


I then promised I would try Chumba Casino, a popular sweepstakes casino, and compare it to my social casino experience. I finally did it! This post is all about when I played at Chumba Casino online and will be laid out similarly to the post I wrote for Black Diamond Casino.

You might want to get a beverage, this is a long one!

Chumba Casino Review

What is Chumba Casino?

Chumba Casino - Screenshot of Homepage - MGJ
Chumba Casino – Screenshot of Homepage

Screenshot of Chumba Casino How To Play - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino How To Play

Players must bet 18+ to join.

Chumba Casino Games

Chumba Casino has over 150 casino-style games, including exclusive jackpots. Examples of available games include:

  • Slots (140+) – Dead of Alive, Starburst, The Godfather, Shark Frenzy
  • Jackpots (27)Stampede Fury 2, Kraken’s Bounty, Goblin Grand, etc.
  • Bingo (3) – 75-Ball Bingo, 90-Ball Bingo, Bingo Blast
  • Slingo (8) – Slingo XXXtreme, Slingo Super Spin, Red Hot Slingo, etc.
  • Instant Win (9) – Diamond Deal, Epic Gems, 7up!, etc.
  • Table Games (6) – Blackjack, Casino Solitaire, Jacks or Better video poker, etc.
  • Scratchcards (11) – Chumba Coins, Golden Ace, Diamonds Scratch, etc.

One neat thing you might notice from some of the games listed above is that there are Chumba Casino game options that include titles from big-name industry providers. Among these providers include (but are not limited to) Playtech, Red Tiger Gaming, NetEnt, and Slingo.

Screenshot of Chumba Casino Slots - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino Slots

You will need to create an account to be able to play the games at Chumba Casino. It’s not possible to demo the games. That said, creating an account is fast, easy, and free (I’ll include details about it later on when I share my personal experience).

Chumba Casino Coins

When you play at Chumba Casino, you have access to two types of coins**:

Gold Coins (GC)

  • GC has no real money value and cannot be withdrawn as cash or used to redeem any money prizes.
  • GC allows you to play the games and are part of Chumba’s social casino experience.
  • GC can be collected for free:
    • When you register an account
    • Through daily bonuses
    • Competitions
    • By winning in games via standard play
    • As a top up when coins are running low (e.g., you don’t have enough coins to make a spin and your total GC is under 12,500 or you login and you total GC is under 12,5000)
  • GC can be purchased. Coins are available in various packages (e.g., on the low end, you can buy GC 200,000 for $0.50, o the high end you can purchase GC 120,000,000 for $200.00).

Screenshot of Chumba Casino Buy Coins - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino Buy Coins

Sweeps Coins (SC)

  • SC can be used to enter sweepstakes promotions.
  • SC can be redeemed for real prizes with monetary value, such as cash, gift cards, or brand merchandise.
  • SC cannot be won through regular GC gameplay.
  • SC can be won through sweepstakes promotions (e.g., competitions, tournaments, etc.)
  • SC can be collected for free through:
    • The welcome offer
    • Daily bonus
    • Mail-in requests
    • Winning games in Promotional Play (sweepstakes promotions like competitions and tournaments)
    • The purchase of Gold Coins
  • SC cannot be purchased.

Screenshot of Free Play Options at Chumba Casino - MGJ
Screenshot of Free Play Options at Chumba Casino

Chumba Casino Promotions

Chumba Casino offers different promotions that are a similar idea to online casino bonuses, including:

  • A welcome offer – Free GC 2,000,000 + SC 2 on sign-up. Additionally, new players are offered the benefit of a one-time purchase of GC 10,000,000 for $10, which also comes with free SC 30.

  • A daily bonus – Every day, you can claim a bonus. This bonus includes free GC and SC.

  • Various events and contests – Other promotions offered on a regular basis include social media contests (usually via the official Chumba Casino Facebook page), on-site tournaments, sweepstakes and other exclusive events (e.g., merch giveaway, email campaigns, etc.).

Chumba Casino VIP

Chumba Casino has no VIP or loyalty program, but players can enjoy extra perks from time to time Among these include receiving exclusive Chumba Casino promo codes, seasonal offers, and contest invitations. The more you play, the more likely you are to receive notifications and invitations.

Chumba Casino Payments and Prize Redemption

There are multiple, secure payment options supported at Chumba Casino for those who wish to purchase Gold Coins and/or redeem sweepstakes prizes. Types of Chumba Casino payments available include:

Depending on from where you’re playing, there may be more or fewer payment options available.  

Prize redemption

Screenshot of Chumba Casino Verification Screen - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino Verification Screen
  • Click on the “REDEEM” button in the main menu
  • Choose how you want to redeem your prize (e.g., cash or gift card) via your payment option
  • Fill in the requested details and confirm prize redemption

Although I never personally redeemed a Chumba Casino prize, according to Chumba, it can take up to 10 days to receive it. Based on what I’ve read from different Chumba Casino payout reviews from players, this appears accurate. Prizes seem to be awarded in a timely manner as long as there are no delays due to issue with payment processes or ID verification.

Chumba Casino Support & Security

Customer support

Chumba Casino offers support through email. There is no live chat option. Responses via emails are typically quick, with the customer service team typically answering within 48 hours. There is also an FAQ available.

Security & Responsible Gaming

Chumba Casino is licensed by the MGA and has various seals of approval. This includes auditing seals from iTech Labs and Gaming Associates. There are also responsible gaming seals from the Responsible Gambling Foundation and Gaming Addicts Anonymous. Moroever, players have access to responsible gaming tools that allow them to set limits, enter a cooling off period, and can self-exclude.

In terms of the security measures Chumba has in place, it employs 256-bit SSL encryption. This protects the transferring and storage of personal and financial data. The site also has two-factor authentication available and offers payment methods from trusted providers. Additionally, its ID verification protocols help to protect against fraud.

Best platform for Chumba Casino

Chumba Casino is available on desktop and mobile for instant play. There is also a dedicated mobile casino app for iOS and Android called Chumba Lite.

Chumba Lite App - Screenshot from Google Play Store
Chumba Lite App – Screenshot from Google Play Store

As for Chumba Lite, which is available in the App Store and Play Store, it is strictly a social casino with only Gold Coins available. I did not personally try this app.

What other players think of it

That said, the Chumba Lite mobile app has a much lower rating in the Play Store (2.9 stars from 4.86K reviews) and the App Store (1 star from 2 ratings – clearly not popular there😬). Most users are not impressed with their experiences, with many complaining about customer support and technical issues.

My Thoughts on my Chumba Casino Experience

When I first visited the Chumba Casino site, I was genuinely surprised at how much it looked like a real online casino in terms of its design and layout. Right from the start, it was an entirely different experience to Zynga’s social casino, which gives off more of a free-to-play mobile games vibe.

Signing up

I began the sign-up process by clicking on the “Sign Up” button on the homepage. This took me to a new page where I had the option to sign up with Facebook or sign up with email (first and last name, email address, create and confirm password). I chose the email option.

screenshot of Chumba Casino Sign Up Page - MGJ
screenshot of Chumba Casino Sign Up Page

After this point, I received an email confirmation and was then required to enter in my mobile number to help verify my identity. Once that was complete, I logged into the main lobby and received the free GC 2,000,000 + SC 2 welcome offer. Immediately after that, a buy coins offer popped up advertising the new player “Special Discount” offer of GC 10,000,000 + Free SC30 for $10.00.  

Immediate Ad from Chumba to spendScreenshot of Chumba Casino New Player Buy Coins Offer - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino New Player Buy Coins Offer

While some players may see this immediate buy coins offer an awesome benefit they can get. I just found it dirty. Seriously, I hadn’t even tried a game for free before they threw an ad at me to buy coins. I didn’t purchase it.

Playing the games.

I am truly impressed with the number of games and game variety Chumba Casino has. That said, I didn’t play them all. I only played the ones that interested me the most. They included:


Starburst Slot

Screenshot of NetEnt's Starburst from Chumba Casino - MGJ
Screenshot of NetEnt’s Starburst from Chumba Casino

Brian Christopher’s Pop’n Pays More Slot

Screenshot of Brian Christopher's Pop'n Pays More Slot from Chumba Casino - MGJ
Screenshot of Brian Christopher’s Pop’n Pays More Slot from Chumba Casino

This is a 1024-ways to win slot with the Pop’n Pays feature and 3jackpots (Minor, Major, Mega). The lowest bet is 37,500 per spin and the highest is 19,200,000 per spin. Like Starburst, I stuck to the lowest bet.

The graphics and sound effects of this slot are nothing special, but the expanding reels help to make gameplay more interesting, at least. I played a few rounds, with my biggest win being GC 312,500.         

Bingo

I was so excited when I saw that Chumba Casino had bingo. Aside from one video bingo game experience, I’ve never played online bingo before, and I thought this would be a great way to try it.

After I clicked on the “Bingo” button, I was promted to create a chat name.

Screenshot of Chumba Casino Bingo Chat Name - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino Bingo Chat Name

Screenshot of Chumba Casino Bingo Games - MGJ
Screenshot of Chumba Casino Bingo Rooms

Next, I was taken to the lobby, where all the bingo rooms are.  I chose the Paws and Stripes 75 Ball Bingo Room for no other reason than I love dogs. 😆🐶 I purchased 2 tickets to start and was excited about how it would play out.

Screenshot of Paws and Stripes 75 Ball Bingo in play on Chumba Casino - MGJ
Screenshot of Paws and Stripes 75 Ball Bingo on Chumba Casino

Jacks or Better Video Poker

Screenshot of Jacks or Better Video Poker at Chumba Casino - MGJ
Screenshot of Jacks or Better Video Poker at Chumba Casino

I love playing video poker at land-based casinos, so I had to give this a try. Play starts at GC 10K and climbs to GC100K.

There isn’t really much for me to tell you about this game other than it’s your typical video poker game, right down to the graphics and sound effects.  I played several hands, with my best win being three-of-a-kind (3 Jacks) GC 300,000.

This was the game I enjoyed playing the most at Chumba Casino.


How I got Gold Coins

Just like in the case of my Black Diamond Casino experience, I wasn’t interested in buying virtual coins.

All the Gold Coins I played with at Chumba I obtained for free, either by winning them in a standard game or by claiming the Daily Bonus which is free GC 200,000 + 1 SC (which you can get once a day, and I think is a decent perk).  

To get coins – whether its to buy them or get some for free via the daily bonus or top up – you simply click the “Get Coins” button. This is located at the top of the page and in the main menu.

As for Sweeps Coins, I didn’t use them to take part in any Promotional Play. The main reason is that I would need to provide payment info and go through the ID verification process to do so.

Would I play at Chumba Casino again?

Probably not. I admit it does offer an excellent range of casino-style games (waaaay better than Black Diamond Casino), and I was impressed that many of the games are those that you can find at real online casinos. I also think it was a fun way to try out bingo for the first time, as it’s not easy to find free options that simulate an online bingo experience.

Still, despite having some fun, I’m just not interested in the whole “free-to-play” virtual coins thing. These coins run out far too quickly and the continual encouragement to buy more to continue playing just puts a bad taste in my mouth.  

My opinion after experiencing both a social and sweepstakes casinos

Social Casinos Vs Sweepstakes Casinos - MGJ

Overall, I’m not a fan of social and sweepstakes casinos. Before I share my opinion in greater detail as to why that is, I do want to say that I totally get that for some players, social and sweepstakes casinos are a lot of fun. I also get that some players prefer these establishments to traditional casinos for various reasons. I also know that for some players, these casinos are their only online casino-like gaming options, due to internet gambling restrictions in their jurisdiction. For the record, if you like these casinos, that’s awesome. 😎 They’re just not for me.

Do I have a preference between the two?

While neither are my cup of tea, if I had to choose, I’d pick a social casino over a sweepstakes casino. I don’t like the way sweepstakes casinos operate. The sweepstakes casino model gives me an overall shady/sneaky vibe**, like it’s a real casino masquerading as a social casino so it won’t be subject to the same strict regulations as regular online casinos.

Yes, sweepstakes casinos are free to join, free to play, and you can’t directly purchase sweeps coins. However, they’re designed so that you quickly blast through your coins and you’re heavily incentivized to buy virtual coins via promotional offers. These offers often include the bonus of more sweepstakes coins. Since it’s these coins that give players a chance to redeem a real money prize, for some, the desire to play more and buy more is increased.

I feel that the microtransactions of social and sweepstakes casinos – especially sweepstakes casinos, which give you the option of participating in promotions where winners can redeem a real prize (money or something else) – blur the line between playing casino-simulated games and traditional gambling.

Simulated or not, gambling is gambling is gambling…

Ultimately, the way I see it is that no matter if you use real money or something else to play games of chance – simulated or real – you’re gambling.

While I don’t think that social and sweepstakes casinos are bad or more dangerous than traditional real-money casinos. I do think that if you choose to play at casinos using these free-to-play gambling-simulated models, you need to be cautious, just as you would playing at a real money site.

Are you a Chumba fan?

My experience at Chumba Casino and general opinion on sweepstakes casinos aside, what about you?

Do you like to play at Chumba Casino or other sweepstakes casinos? If no, why not? If yes, what are your favourite games and have you redeemed prizes?

Until next time, good luck and have fun.

Mia 👩‍💻

*I am not affiliated with Chumba Casino or VGW.

**Depending on your jurisdiction you might be excluded from Chumba Casino’s sweepstakes promotions. For instance, in the US state of Idaho, players are only permitted to enjoy Chumba Casino as a social casino, with only Gold Coins available to them.          

***My personal shady/sneaky vibe feelings toward sweepstakes casinos aside, I want to make it clear that Chumba Casino, specifically, appears to operate in an entirely responsible and appropriate manner. Many players have sung the praises of this establishment and nothing about my experience or research indicates that this is an unsafe place to play. Me not wanting to play there is solely because of my preferences. It has nothing to do with the validity of the operation.

****All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only.

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