Opened in May 2015, the Thunderbolt Casino is owned by Springbok Group, a company that also operates Springbok Casino. It was originally launched by Audeo N.V., but acquired by the abovementioned group. It is licensed by the Government of Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles and is focused on South African players.

The casino had a makeover earlier this year, with a new website design featuring a clean and attractive design. Besides the design, it also has new features like Hot and Cold Games, new promotions, a filtering tool, and much more. Also, they introduced a new mascot, Thando the Chameleon.

When you visit the casino, the first thing you notice is the vivid color scheme, with clear text and easy-to-find navigation bars. This type of graphic most players like to see – nothing too extravagant, but with a keen eye for design and the influence it can have on gameplay.

At the top of the homepage you’ll find several tabs, including Banking, Games, Promotions, The Casino, Thunderblog, and Help, alongside with ‘Sign Up’ and ‘Log In’ buttons. You will be greeted by the pink elephant holding a part of the slot machine that advertises the welcome deal.

Let’s plunge into this amazing casino to find out a bit more!

Software and Games

The casino games for this operator are provided solely by RealTime Gaming. RTG has been in business for over twenty years and continues to push its development staff to provide game enhancements as well as new titles to their Reel Series slots games. The company collaborates extensively with its licensees in many different locations to guarantee that all software features are fully exploited.

There are 300+ games from RTG, depending on how you choose to play them (instant play, download, or mobile). This is not so much in comparison to other casinos that often use the combo of software providers. We find it funny to claim to be the best South African casino when all you are using is RTG.

So, what do we have here?

The game lobby contains all sorts of different games, but not all of them are available for instant play – some of them you need to download. Here are some slots:

• Aztec’s Treasure
• Goblins: Gluttony of Gems
• Santa’s Reel Wheel
• Coyote Cash
• Mermaid Royale
• Lucky Tiger
• Kung Fu Rooster
• Achilles

Popular table games available are:

• 21 Blackjack
• Caribbean Hold’em Poker
• Let ‘Em Ride
• Tri Card Poker

Under the video poker tab, you’ll find 1, 3, 10, and 52 Hand Poker, and under the specialty drop-down menu, there are Table Games, Keno & Bingo, Scratch Cards, Board Games, and Shooting.

Bonuses and Promotions

The casino offers the welcome deal, which is a very nice feature for those who love slots – these are split into 4 pieces and are slots-only bonuses. So, this is great for slot lovers, but not so great for table games fans. All the promotions are in South African Rand (R), so ensure you have a currency converter at hand.

The promotions section is full of small offers that are ongoing, so it is fantastic for players who wish to play one day and are seeking extra motivation to make a deposit. Second, the promos are simple to grasp, which means that players can concentrate on going to the tables and playing!

For players who play table games, there is weekly cashback promotion to boost your bankroll after a tough week at the table.

When a casino put social media in play as Thunderbolt Casino does, you get Facebook extra spins on Fridays. You only need to like their page and you’ll then find out which game has this fantastic offer. Nice touch, isn’t it?

There are also Midweek Spins available to all members every Wednesday, and the amount of extra spins you get depends on how much you deposit.

A loyalty program is available to all loyal gamers at the casino. What is more, every time dedicated customers play real money games, they receive comp points. Players gain one comp point for every R10 wagered. The monetary value of 100 comp points is R1, which the player can redeem.

Some promotions, such as the Game of the Month promotion and others, allow you to earn double comp points with an R10 wager on that specific game. The casino notifies players through e-mail about double comp points and other loyalty program-related promotions, and it also announces it on Facebook.

Happy hour is one of the promotions available only to loyal members on Friday nights between 8 PM and 9 PM South African time. The condition is that you make a deposit during that time and you can get extra spins and a bonus.

Banking and Customer Support

Banking methods are aimed at South African players, however, they offer several of the industry’s most popular payment methods, including credit and debit cards, e-wallets, SiD, and many more. Bitcoin is accepted, which surprised us the most. Just bear in mind that payment methods depend on your location.

Keep also in mind that making a withdrawal requires you to provide a large number of documents to the casino. To make your life easier, we recommend that you simply make that file on your computer so it’s in your hand when you need it!

Under the ‘Help’ button, you’ll find customer support. It is available 24/7, with friendly agents ready to make your customer experience even better. Live chat is available in the bottom right corner of the page, with the greeting message ‘You need help? Ask us!’ and then you can type your message in the chat box.

If you prefer speaking with someone on the phone, you can also call the company’s toll-free line (for South Africa). Email is also available, and they say they will get back to you ASAP. For quick support for more general questions, there is a FAQ page.

Pitfalls

• No live dealer games
• Weekly cash-out limit
• The only fiat currency available is South African Rand
• Only one software provider
• Deposit and bonus rollovers are a bit steep

The Final Word

If the nice selection of mobile games, lots of offers, generous starting package, and plenty of non-slot games sound nice to you, then go for Thunderbolt!

Still, take into account weekly withdrawal limits, lack of live dealer games, steep rollovers, and lack of information about the casino company.

What did we conclude after this review? As we haven’t seen any red flags during the visit, we think it is worth taking a look at. Don’t forget to read the Terms and Conditions carefully and, of course, have fun!