Cherry Casino has been online since the year 2000. They built an online presence following nearly four decades of providing slot machine gambling entertainment at "roulette restaurants" in their native Sweden.

Look for thousands of slots, table games, and live dealer streams at this Malta-licensed entertainment hub.

Even if you aren't familiar with the original Cherry name in online gambling, you probably know a few other names associated with Cherry AB. Betsson is one. Yggdrasil is another.

The legendary game developer was once part of Cherry AB and got ready for a spinoff when the company went private in 2019.

Depending on your location and the current offer (please see above) you might be able to double your bankroll, extend your playtimes, and have twice as many chances to cash out big.

Another familiar name is NetEnt. Founded in 1996, Net Entertainment grew from Cherryföretagen which later became known as Cherry AB.

That's all fine and well, but we are going to look at the gaming site as it exists today and try to help you determine if it might be a good place for you to play.

History buffs can read LCB's Glo Wood interview from 2014, the year after the brand completed its latest major makeover in 2013. 

Here, we'll take a look at the software and the games on tap; bonuses and promotions; banking and customer service, as well as any potential pitfalls players in your area may face and how to avoid them if they exist.

We'll wrap it all up with a final word.

Software and Games

The site is delivered over an instant play platform for mobile and desktop that includes a sportsbook. We'll focus on casino games in this review.

The live dealer games are provided by Playtech and Evolution Gaming. We'll go into the offering in detail later in this review.

The random number generator (RNG) games represent the lion's share of titles here with well over 2,000 options!

Navigation is intuitive with categories like...

• Popular
• Video Slot
• Megaways
• Drops & Wins
• Table Games
• Jackpot Games
• Search

The Search feature allows players to filter games by category, game provider, and volatility. The last filter is a huge bane for players who want to craft their gaming experience based on expectations. We'll explain...

You may choose 'video slots' as a game category and then select ELK as the provider (You can also leave either or both of those parameters blank), and then select $$$ to find medium-variance games to play.

There are five degrees of "heat" listed if heat is equal to risk and reward. These are represented by "$" symbols.

At the bottom of the scale are games with a low degree of volatility - it will take fewer spins in real life for them to reach equilibrium - to bring the real return to player percentage (RTP) as close as possible to the theoretical RTP.

This may still be millions of spins but most games with very low volatility will come into the mean in several hundreds of thousands of spins and the ride to that place is mostly even with slow swells and dips (smaller losses, smaller wins).

On the other end of the spectrum, we have highly volatile games. These are found by choosing "$$$$$". These games provide fewer wins of any consequence but those winning spins can be phenomenal.

• $ - Play for a longer time on a smaller deposit without much opportunity for a roof-shaking win
• $$$ - The best of both worlds for some players
• $$$$$ - The 'go big or stay home' games that appeal to adrenaline junkies who are okay with a short session ending in a ruined bankroll in exchange for the chance to cash out big!

For many players, the simplified game categories running horizontally provide plenty of options and game choices.

Megaways games

Megaways games are provided by several developers that have licensed the Big Time Gaming mechanic. Megaways slots can have over 100,000 "ways to win" or virtual paylines. They come in all levels of volatility but mostly from medium to high. The jackpots can be stunning, but, of course, most players will never experience one.

Providers with Megaways titles here include:

• Pragmatic Play
• Scientific Games
• Fantasma
• Blueprint
• Stakelogic
• Red Tiger
• iSoftBet

Playing a Red Tiger creation of NetEnt's Piggy Riches that uses the BGT Megaways mechanic is simply a fun dive into the new world of online gambling cooperation intended to attract and keep players with novel, unique, and potentially profitable slots.

This title is high risk ($$$$$) with up to 117,649 paylines. Trigger the free spins for progressive multipliers up to 10x. In the base game, there is an expanding win multiplier that pays up to 7x.

The RTP is only 94.72%, but the massive swings of wins and losses mean you can bet the minimum and still end up with a hefty bankroll on a lucky day. You can bet max and lose it all, quit while you are ahead, or cash in a life-changing win as well. It's gambling!

Drops & Wins

Go to this section and click on the games with the Drops & Wins logo on them to compete for prizes with no additional stake or investment. Just play your favorite games and cash, bonus funds with wagering requirements, or free spins can drop in on you at any time.

Pragmatic Play provides these games to operators as a promotional tool. As of the time of this review, the second campaign is approaching time to wind down with over 2,500,000 in prizes awarded. The next campaign could be even bigger!

Note: Drops & Wins may be considered bonus tools or deposit incentives in some jurisdictions. If you are offered the games, you should be okay to play them.

Jackpot games

This section of the site is densely populated with great progressive jackpot games.

Microgaming seems to be releasing more of this type of game than it did in the recent past. That could be due to the Microgaming Studio Partners program.

The Mega Moolah franchise has exploded with newer titles, and you know what that means! Since these games all share a common pooled jackpot - more titles mean more players, and that means bigger jackpots that fall more often.

Atlantean Treasures, Absolootly Mad, Fortunium Gold, and Juicy Joker are all titles of the Mega Moolah games with a current jackpot of over 4,m.

Wowpot and other progressive games keep the selection fresh.

Yggdrasil, Playtech, NetEnt, Hacksaw, and Play'n GO all offer big-money progressive games here.

Progressive jackpots should never be chased, but you can't win the big prizes if you don't take the big risks now and then. Play responsibly and one of these jackpots could fall into your lap.

It's also interesting to note that some of these games have RTPs as high or higher than many 'standard' slots so be sure to shop well, and you can play the big games just like a random choice.

Table Games

Most of the titles in this section are animated RNG games, but some of them are from the live suite.

Look for single-deck blackjack from Microgaming, Roulette x5 from their partner studio, Golden Rocks, Wall Street Baccarat from Oryx, 3 Hand Hold'em from Play'n GO and Gamevy's Solitaire among many other titles. Low rollers will enjoy their 10p Roulette.

The digitally animated RNG games can be played for fun, except for the Evolution First Person titles. You'll have to be logged in to play those.

Evolution First Person RNG

If you want a game that's totally under your control so you can practice a strategy or simply like to take your time between hands or spins, Evolution's First Person games may be for you.

These are high-quality 3D animated RNG games with one difference.

If you decide you want to play the live version of the same game, simply click, "GO LIVE" to be transported to the same game with a live dealer.

First Person Craps is a good example of these games. You can get accustomed to a robotic arm shooting the dice for you and bet on most of the bets you will see in a floor game. However, there is also an easy mode for beginners. Choose this option to have most of the more complicated bets removed from the table leaving only those an absolute novice can enjoy. The option also exists on the live version.

Look for First Person (RNG) versions of:

• Dragon Tiger
• Football Studio
• Craps
• Mega Ball 100x
• Baccarat

Live dealer games

There's a nice selection of live dealer games here. Playtech and Evolution head up the category. You'll need to be logged in a have a funded account to access and play these games.

Some of the common features of live dealer streaming games can include live chat - with dealers or players, or both; a real-time stream of live play that you bet on; bet behind features for games with only a few seats at the table; unlimited betting for other games, and the ability to control your environment. Some of those parameters include:

• Lighting
• Camera angles and/or zooms
• Screen size
• Access to statistics
• Auto bets for more complicated wagers
• Control of bandwidth so you can play HD or even on a slow connection

The core games include baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and gameshows. Additional games to look for are several poker variants, hybrid games like Gonzo's Treasure Quest from NetEnt/Evolution, and the Age of Gods series from Playtech.

Gonzo's Treasure Quest and Playtech's Buffalo Blitz are sorts of community slots games.

God of Storms is the eighth game in the Gods series of slots and is also offered as a community game.

The game is streamed from a live studio. The host or hostess leads the game and provides banter. The result is a game show-type experience for multiple players at a time.

Look and listen for stunning visuals, wind and other sound effects, and full community chat.

To play you simply choose how many spins you want to participate in and how much per bet. New spins occur automatically every few seconds. Look for bonus spins to pop in when configured for your area.

While the gaming suites are modules attached to the main platform, all activity is channeled with 128-bit secure socket layer encryption technology. That means nobody else can see what you are doing or affect the bets or outcomes.

Bonuses and Promotions

Your location may affect the welcome bonus you are offered, as well as future deposit incentives if any. Some offers are restricted.

The good news is that the bonus for your country should be displayed above as well as when you visit the site.

Bonus matches, additional spins, game selection, and even wagering requirements can vary widely here. With that, we will be restricted to examining bonus rules for fairness and value.

One basic offer for illustrative purposes:

• 100% match
• 40x bonus wagering
• Bonus cashable
• All funds are encumbered by T&C until wagering completed
• €5 max bet or €0.5 per line on slots
• Unlimited cash out from added spins and deposit bonuses
• New players (first deposit) only

The terms and conditions are always time-stamped when they are updated, so be sure to check back from time to time. You will also be notified of any significant changes and will need to acknowledge them to maintain your account. At the bottom of the list, you'll find notes regarding any recent changes or additions to the terms.

All terms are fair and free of predatory conditions. We don't find many complaints over the years and none of them we examined seemed to be the fault of the operators.

A representative has been available for players on LCB's Direct Casino Support facility since early 2016 and has not received a single inquiry or complaint about Cherry or any of the sister sites EuroSlots, EuroLotto, SpilleAutomater, SveaCasino, or SuomiAutomaatti.

The site enjoys an enviable reputation among all known advocacy sites, players, and marketing partners.

Banking and Customer Service

Of course, Visa and Mastercard are accepted here. Neteller, Skrill, and Paysafecard depositors are not eligible for the welcome bonus.

Look for several eWallet alternatives such as MuchBetter, iWallet, and ecoPayz.

Players in Japan and elsewhere tend to use the Venus Point (VegaWallet) system for its ease and convenience in certain markets.

There are as many ways to bring your winnings home as there are to deposit. There are no withdrawal limits for players in Europe. However, the mode of withdrawal could affect that. Bank wires may be the best method for some larger withdrawals. Your location may determine which methods are offered.

Once you register an account, simply navigate to your account and open the cashier by selecting "deposit" or "withdrawal" to see the options available in your area.

The pending period is usually around 24 hours but verified accounts are often paid faster. Sometimes it can take a day or two. This is one of the most common grumbles about Cherry, they don't always pay within hours, but they DO always pay.

Once processed, the amount of time it takes for your withdrawal to reach you is controlled by the method - bank transfers and credit/debit card withdrawals can take up to 5 business days.

Weekend cashouts are allowed and processing occurs daily. The minimum deposit and withdrawal thresholds are the same at 20eur.

Customer care

The Live Chat option is probably your best bet for a quick turnaround time on any questions. However, most issues can be sorted by players themselves if they don't mind consulting the comprehensive FAQ page.

Chat operators are well-trained, knowledgeable, personable, and highly professional. If they can't answer a question right away, they are empowered to escalate it when needed or revert to email for a response after investigating the issue.

Pitfalls

There's not much to look out for here. Cherry has been on the scene for long enough to know how to attract and retain customers. The most common complaint is a general lack of speed in cashouts - they are rarely immediate.

• Relatively long payout times (up to 72 hours pending)
• Few choices in welcome bonuses (usually 1 per region)
• VIP Club by invitation only
• €0.5 max bet per line with bonus (or €5 per spin)
• No early cashout (bonus and deposit are co-mingled)

The Final Word

Cherry Casino is one of the monoliths of online gaming. While the parent company has gone through a few changes, the company culture has remained the same since the mid 20th Century.

Whether you like to low roll on roulette or stake your claim to a high-limit live gaming table, there are games for everyone. It's nice that players can filter games not only by type and by the provider, but by volatility as well.

While the volatility filter does not apply to every single game in the library in our experience, it is still a useful tool. The low maximum bet per line when playing with a bonus (€0.5) tends to cancel out the filter's value somewhat when playing with bonus funds but it remains a valuable tool for the savvy player.

Simple sorting of game types such as Megaways and Drops & Wins is a handy feature and cross-referencing the titles along with the volatility index could prove profitable for adventurous players - especially those who eschew bonus schemes that encumber their own funds from the very first spin.

Whether the daily cashout limit is €10,000 or unlimited matters much less here than it would at many other sites because valid players are always paid here with no funny business.

Regular players are fiercely loyal to the brand and we see from the lack of troubles throughout the years up until today that the operation is stable, well-funded, even-keeled, and well-respected.