McBookie

Initially founded by Paul Petrie in 2006 as part of the BetVictor group, McBookie is the number one bookmaker in Scotland. Taken over again in 2009 by Dennis McEwan and Alan McLean, the web became self-sustaining but has achieved a great deal in the sports betting market. Its reputation allowed it to expand its activities across the territory and even outside the UK. Nowadays, the platform has both a sportsbook and an original online casino. A review of the bookmaker will allow us to define its true value and performance.

Operating License

To ensure its legitimacy, McBookie operates under a license issued by the Scottish Gambling Commission (SGCC) and is authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Now punters can play and place their bets with a safe and trusted bookmaker.

McBookie takes the security of its customers very seriously. The implementation of 128-bit SSL encryption prevents any disclosure of stored information. In addition, the use of random number generators helps to regulate all available casino games. The company is also obliged to respect the commitments established with IBAS, in case of any dispute with its customers.

Website and mobile application

The McBookie website naturally takes on the characteristics of a Scottish platform. The interface is user-friendly, with a well-structured layout and very easy to navigate. The main page displays all the buttons and sections related to sports betting on one side. The casino section gives players two alternatives to access all game categories, the search bar or the filter option. Regardless of the type of bet or game preferred, all features are just a click away. There is some slowness in loading the casino, but this is only a minor issue, according to customer experience.

For owners of mobile devices, McBookie has designed a native app for them that is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems. By downloading the program from the App Store or Google Play, they will have the opportunity to manage their bets and track the odds. Unfortunately, there is no dedicated mobile casino software yet. It is more convenient to use the mobile website, via the browser of a smartphone or tablet. The main advantages include a fully responsive platform and access to all the bookmaker’s services and features.

Users’ registration

A registration process at McBookie has common features with other online betting establishments. All you have to do is to join the official website and follow the instructions required by the bookmaker. The steps are very simple and go as follows :

• Click on the “Sign-up” button, located on the right side of the homepage;
• Fill in the fields on the first form with your e-mail and password;
• On the second form, fill in the rest of the fields with your personal data and additional contact details.

After completing the procedure, you will receive a confirmation e-mail from McBookie. McBookie is entitled to ask you for a copy of one of your identity documents, together with proof of address and a bank statement, in order to check the authenticity of the information.

Bonuses and promotions

The welcome bonus is only available to Scottish punters. Upon making a first deposit, McBookie will double the stake and award up to £25 on sports betting. To get it, however, they have to renew their play. Subscribers will also receive a £5 bonus to the ‘Tartan Club’ offer, for a weekly spend of £30. Punters living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland will receive a ‘Coupon Buster’. This is a limited refund of £25 if you fail on an accumulator bet and the terms and conditions apply. Given the bookmaker’s new take on the game, casino bonuses are so far rarely offered. However, a wider range is expected in the future.

Betting and gaming offer

Compared to other online sports betting platforms, McBookie is one of the most popular on the market today. As a bookmaker specialized in this field, its efforts are compensated by the existence of a well-stocked catalogue. Users can place bets on many varieties of sports such as horse racing, basketball, cricket, boxing, ice hockey, just to name a few. Speaking of football, McBookie tends to favour Scottish Premier League events. However, predictions remain open on international competitions and championships but require more research. Apart from in-play events, long term betting still remains at the heart of the offering. For live fans, a section has been specially dedicated to them. Although the majority of sports are featured, the site lacks a live streaming function, which puts it slightly behind its competitors.

McBookie’s online casino has a fairly minimalist structure. However, its selection of games is more than enough to satisfy customers. To achieve this excellent position, the site has used the best developers such as Big Time Gaming and SG Interactive. The game library includes around 250 varieties of entertainment, mostly dominated by a large collection of video slots. The most popular themes such as Bonanza Megaways, Rainbow Riches, Book of Gods, King Kong, Monopoly or Subbuteo are included. Traditional games are an integral part of the lobby. In total there are more than ten table games, including several variants of roulette, blackjack and poker. Scratch card games play an important role in the section and allow you to win bonuses on the spot. These include Wild Rush Scratch, Medusa Scratch, Foxin’ Wins Scratch and Robin Hood Scratch. According to a survey, McBookie does not currently offer a dedicated live casino section.

Payment options

McBookie offers a very limited number of options for depositing and withdrawing funds from the account. These methods are as follows :

• Visa, MasterCard, Maestro ;
• Cheque ;
• Bank transfer.

In general, the operator does not impose an upper or lower limit on withdrawals, unlike deposits, which have a minimum amount of £5. For more convenient transactions, we recommend that you use the same payment method as the original. In addition, a cashout of more than £20,000 can be split into several payments. This requires negotiation with McBookie customer service.

Support Service

In order to resolve any problems or concerns that customers may have, McBookie provides service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A dynamic and responsive team takes requests and strives to deal with them as quickly as possible. A staff member can be contacted via Twitter, email or live chat in case of an emergency. Normally, responses are received within moments or at the latest within 24 hours. In addition, the bookmaker also has an FAQ section to guide both beginners and experienced players through the process.