Winward Casino originally launched in 1998 or 1999 on the former Parlay Entertainment software for download clients. It was one of the first online gaming sites for US players. The site eventually became hybrid with TopGame software powering the instant play version while maintaining Parlay for the download version.

No longer accepting players from the US, ownership and top management is unknown. However, several other sites use the same white label template including their "About Us" pages, endorsements, etc.
7Spins, 7Reels, Casino Moons, Thebes, and Slots Village are among the former TopGame powered sites with multiple similarities.

We've gone down the rabbit hole many times to suss out the owners and operators and reading the other reviews mentioned will give others more information in that regard. What we're most concerned with now is:

1) History
2) Current practices
3) Whether it is safe to play here

History

There are simply too many incidences of misunderstandings, strange term enforcement, slow pay, no pay, and other bad practices from the far past to go over. Suffice to say, any operation can change.

You might ask...
Have they changed?

Current practices

While new and emerging venues may be given the benefit of the doubt with the occasional brigand move - as long as they realize they were wrong, correct the transgression, and commit to fly straight - a 20-year-old brand name with a dubious past should not be given the same leeway.

Unfortunately, we find condemnation for withholding winnings from an "advantage player" by using an unwritten term, with the last update as recently as August 2018, in Casinomeister's rogue pit. This does not bode well for players who may ever use a bonus.

One of the most bizarre things about the denial of winnings is that the player bet low until bonus was cleared, and then increased bets - so-called "parasite betting".

Safe to play?

Whether or not it is a safe place to play may be up to interpretation. All other complaints found in the last couple of years seem to have been resolved. The incident mentioned above may have been a one-off mistake, but we don't find an amicable solution posted anywhere.

The terms and conditions have been vastly improved.

• Cashback has no wagering requirement nor maximum withdrawal.
• There are no wagering requirements on straight deposits.
• Players don't need to make three deposits before withdrawal is honored.
• Most games are available in demo mode.

Software and Games

The site is accessible for instant play using any browser. Players on a desktop, tablet, and smartphones using any operating system can visit the site and play any of the games.

The Winward site is the template for, or a cookie cutter of, all other Revenue Giants marketed casino operations. What you find at one, including terms and conditions, you will find at all.

The lobby is well organized and features several game categories including Slots, Classic Slot, Live, Tables, Video Poker, and Bingo. 

Once you enter some categories you can also filter and sort further by choosing Provider, A-Z, New Games, etc. Not all categories return highly filtered results.

The bingo suite

...is powered by Vivo Gaming or Parlay Gaming and not available for demo or free play. It's unclear if games are provided by Parlay as branded rooms such as Desperate Housewives and Game of Thrones are included in the offering.

Of the 15 room options, only 5 were available when we checked. The other 10 were marked "Upcoming".

Following is a partial list of game providers for all games including Bingo and live dealers:

• Microgaming - The undisputed Godfather of internet gaming. Includes Quickfire partners like Rabcat and NextGen
• BetSoft - Originators of full suite 3D slots and virtual tables
• Pragmatic Play - Purchased TopGame assets then spun them off to Octopus Gaming. Now a highly respected provider with UKGC and other licenses
• Habanero - Innovator with growing catalog of next-generation slots
• Vivo Gaming - Platform, aggregator, and live table provider
• Visionary iGaming - Costa Rican live dealer games est. 2008
• Octopus Gaming - Currently providing former TopGame content

Video poker players will find over 100 variants and hand counts!

• Positives: JoB machines are all 9/6 - some load in HTML5
• Drawbacks: Can't sort by provider, some games are in Flash

Table Games 

...offered include over 50 titles ranging from Vegas Single Deck Blackjack Gold - and the 4-deck Vegas Strip Blackjack Gold with more liberal rules powered by Microgaming to High Limit Baccarat and everything in between. With this many titles, you're sure to find the version of roulette you are most comfortable with. And, yes, the legendary Microgaming Craps is available!

• Positives: Wide selection of games and rule sets
• Drawbacks: Unable to sort by provider, some games are still in Flash

Classic Slots

...don't always get the attention they deserve. Most people either gravitate toward them or not. If you are an aficionado or willing to explore some games with twists you may not find in the more popular video bonus slots - give this section a try.

Just because a slot is in the "classic" section doesn't mean the game is a 3-reel, one-armed bandit.2by2 Gaming's Wolfheart is found in this suite. It's an 8x6 reel, fixed sixty pay line game with up to 100 free spins. It's oddly configured, but that just means you've found a slot created by a very innovative company!

Look for Microgaming favorites like Break Da Bank and Legacy alongside 888 Dragons from Pragmatic Play and true classic slots with a single bet line and no free spins or bonus rounds, as well as a few progressive jackpot games.

Video Bonus Slots

This is the section the onsite filtering facility seems built for - we found over 600 slots from a variety of great providers. Genesis weighs in with Lucky Rabbits Loot - Habanero offers killer slots like Arcane Elements and London Hunter.. the list goes on and on.

Unfortunately, the only progressive jackpot video slots that jumped out at us (had jackpot ticker displays) were from Betsoft and three from Octopus Gaming; Diablo 13 JP, Reel Gangster JP, and Black Diamond JP. These three games were created in the TopGame labs long ago and have been reassigned as assets more than once since creation and earlier controversies. CasinoListings tracked a few of the games for about 6 years and never recorded a jackpot win, so caveat emptor, as they say. Betsoft has had some issues historically with actually coughing up a progressive jackpot, but that story is for another time and place.

Overall, the video slot selection is really great with more than enough variety for practically any player.

Bonuses and Promotions

Just to clear the air and save our readers any potential grief, there are some bonus terms and conditions that have tripped up a few players who would have preferred to go home with a kiss after a "first date" with Winward Casino. In order to cash out from free spins, they must be the first you have used and you must make a deposit for verification purposes. Pretty simple, but the fodder of a lot of present-day complaints!

Also please keep in mind that game weighting is different for deposit bonuses and free chip/free spins winnings - even for slots. Why bother telling players that the wagering requirements are 20x or 25x and then make them look deep into the terms to find out each dollar only counts as twenty-five cents? Just say 80x or 100x wagering and call it good.

Some players might not want to bother taking a free chip if they haven't deposited within the last five days of requesting a withdrawal of winnings from it. All bonuses expire after 7 days.

The last common troublemaker is very minor - unless it happens to you - and regards opting out of bonuses after accepting the Welcome Bonus. If you don't opt out before you deposit, even if you never touch a button or spin a reel, you will be locked into the wagering requirements for that deposit. Customer service will turn your bonus offers on or off at your direction - but you must contact them prior to depositing.

The rest is all good!

• Bonuses are cashable - funds in your bonus balance automatically transfer to your cash balance as WR are met
• Generous Welcome Package! Please see above or after you click to Visit Casino
• Lucrative tournaments/races
• Huge Bitcoin bonuses
• Generous cashback with no wagering and no max cashout
• Daily/weekly offers
• Bingo bonuses

Banking and Customer Service

Banking options may depend on your location. From our North American desk, we see credit and debit card deposits may incur fees, but eWallet and Bitcoin deposits are free. All are instant.

Withdrawal options from our location include bank wire, paper check, and e-check. If in doubt, please contact customer service. It could be that BTC withdrawals become available after a successful digital currency deposit.

Count on five days for document approval. We always suggest getting that out of the way before depositing much. Withdrawals remain pending for 72 hours and payouts are processed in 3-5 days according to the website.

Withdrawal minimums are rather high for our area, but check the banking tab yourself, as the site uses geolocation software and should present payment methods relevant to your situation.

Pitfalls

We covered the history and current practices above. I've been keeping an eye on the site off and on for about two years now and was surprised to see that management still hasn't made it right with the player mentioned before after more than a year and a half. Perhaps it's a "blood-feud" or personality thing - because we don't see the old dodgy behaviors repeated elsewhere for, literally, years.

• Slow payouts (72 hours pending)
• Checkered past
• High minimum withdrawal limit ($100 eCheck, $300 paper check, $500 bank wire)
• Recent deposit needed to withdraw free winnings

The Final Word

Winward has been around since the late 20th Century. It's unlikely that the current owners are the founders, but management and marketing could be the same (going by "About Us"). The terms and conditions have improved tremendously from just a few years ago, but in early 2017 the brand got a bad mark on a major industry forum. The good news is that we don't find many other semi-current complaints filed.

The game selection is vast and mostly of good quality. The bonuses are generous and ongoing. One incentive is particularly attractive to players that prefer not to play with a bonus or the encumbrances of rules surrounding them. The cashback scheme is generous, there are no wagering requirements, and there is no cap on how much you can win.