MetroPlay’s Pala Casino review is up next in the search for New Jersey’s best online casino. We’re looking for casinos that offer the best mix of deposit bonuses, easy sign-ups and deposits, and interesting and exciting games. The winning casino will rank well on key specs, but also will need to offer a clean, intuitive experience for players.
So, whether you’re looking for a betting outlet to pass the time while you’re riding the bus to work, or simply prefer your couch to Atlantic City, MetroPlay will help you find the right fit.
Remember, no single casino will fit everyone’s needs, so explore for yourself. Just as you might bounce along the Atlantic City boardwalk looking for that hot table, join a few and see which one you like best. Read our Pala Casino review and decide if it makes the cut.
Read on for MetroPlay’s Pala Casino review.
About Pala Casino
You’ve probably never heard of Pala Casino Resort and Spa — that’s because it’s based near San Diego, California, on the Pala Indian Reservation. When New Jersey legalized online gambling in 2013, Pala wanted in on the market, but by law had to partner with a local brick-and-mortar casino in New Jersey. They found their partner in the Borgata and are one of five online casinos operating under the Borgata license. They do however, use their own proprietary gaming software, Pala Interactive, which means you’ll find a different mix of games here then on other Borgata-operated sites.
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Pala Casino review: The experience
I was eager to try out the online casino of a brand I hadn’t heard of before, but admittedly, I wasn’t blown away by the other casinos that operate under the Borgata license. Pala Casino does have a main page with a different look and feel compared to other Borgata operated sites. The games are listed in a vertical format and easy to search. The most exciting feature of the site is their exclusive $1,000,000 Daily Free Spin Slot Machine. Both after your initial registration and when you log in each day, you have the chance to win $1 million on their promotional slot. During our Pala Casino review, I found some of the fastest load times for games I’ve experienced yet and the games open in a separate window from the main page — a nice feature except that you can’t open more than one game at a time. Overall, the site did have a few more features than other partner sites but their selection of games was very limited, only offering a few types of popular table games and no live dealer games. Pala Casino also offers an online poker room, but that is accessed through a different page.
How to sign up
Although Pala is partnered with other casinos, you do need a separate account to play on their site. Like most other online casino sites, they request your personal info and you have to create a username and verify your location before you can start playing.
Banking: Deposits and withdrawals
• VIP Preferred — Bank transfer. Instant deposit; $10 minimum; available for withdrawal,
• PayPal — eWallet. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• Visa/MasterCard — Deposit funds using your debit or credit card. Instant deposit; not available for withdrawal.
• Neteller — eWallet. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• PayNearMe — Deposit funds into your online account at a local 7-Eleven or Family Dollar store. 24-hour maximum limit $500; 30-day maximum limit $10,000; not available for withdrawal.
• Pala Play+ Card — Personalized credit card. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• Cash at casino cage — Pick up your winnings or deposit funds at the cashier at the Borgata in Atlantic City.
If you use a method to deposit funds not available for withdrawal, your only option is to have a check mailed to you, which takes five to seven business days.
Insider Tip: I was shocked and concerned that when I logged into the site, Pala Casino already had my banking information. It made depositing funds very easy, but I didn’t know how they had that information. I contacted customer support and they informed me that with VIP Preferred, your information syncs with other casinos that use the same platform. So be warned that if you give your banking info to one site, multiple others will have it!
Pala Casino review: Promotions and rewards
The Pala Casino site offers a two-part welcome package for new players. The first is $25 in bonus money — $20 in casino bonus dollars and a guaranteed $5 win on their $1,000,000 slot machine. There is a 20X minimum wagering requirement on both bonuses before you can withdraw money won, unless you are lucky enough to win the $1,000,000 grand prize.
The second part is a first deposit match of 100 percent up to $500 and no promo code is required. Beware: If you enter a code, intentionally or by clicking on a different promo link, that code takes precedence over the first deposit match. In my case, I clicked on the Tuesday10 link prior to reading the fine print. Instead of getting a first deposit match, I received 10 free spins on the slot machine. I contacted customer support but they wouldn’t change the promo code.
First depositor monthly drawing — If you make a first deposit of $25 or more, you’re entered to win 50 bonus spins on the million-dollar slot machine. Five winners are selected at random. Any money won from the spins is subject to a 20X minimum wagering requirement before you can withdraw winnings.
Daily plays — Every day of the week, Pala Casino offers a different promotion.
• Monday Spins Reload — Deposit $25 or more and get 25 free spins.
• Tuesday10 — Deposit $15 or more and get 10 free spins.
• Spins Wednesday — Deposit $25 or more and get 25 free spins.
• Double Thursday — Deposit $25 or more and get 10 free spins and $5 in bonus money.
• Friday50 — Get a 50 percent match up to $50.
• Slots Saturday — Earn 10X rewards points on featured slots.
• Pala currently does not have a Sunday promotion, but the site notes one will be announced soon.
Daily spin for $1,000,000 — After the initial bonus spin you receive in registration, each day players log on to the site, they receive a free spin and a chance to win $1 to $1 million on Pala’s exclusive slot machine. To be eligible, players must have deposited at least $50 in their account in the last 30 days and have at least a balance of $10 in their account.
Rewards program — Every real money wager you make on the site will earn you both status and reward points. Status points increase your loyalty level and reward points can be redeemed for cash in the points store.
Types of games
One downside discovered during our Pala Casino review is that this online gambling site does not offer live dealer games and has only a small selection of table games.
Blackjack: Four types are offered. Standard rules with no side bets. One with multihand option. Table minimum 50 cents-$10; maximum $10-$1,000.
Three Card Poker: Table minimum $1; maximum $20 (very low for this type of table game).
Craps: One of six online casinos to offer the dice game. Table minimum $1; maximum $100.
Let It Ride: Table minimum $1; maximum $75 (also very low for this type of game, most other casinos have a table max of $200 for this game).
Roulette: Only one type is offered, European pro. The game is played with only one “0” so the odds are better than traditional American roulette. Table minimum $1; maximum $100.
Video poker: Eight types are offered.
1. Jacks or Better
2. Triple Play Draw Poker
3. Deuces Wild
4. Five Play Draw Poker
5. Deuces and Jokers Wild
6. Bonus Poker
7. Double Bonus Poker
8. Double Double Bonus Poker
Slots: More than 200 titles are offered but only one progressive jackpot — Jackpot Shores. The game is featured on the main page and had a jackpot over $180,000.
90 Ball Bingo: Games are offered every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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Pala Casino review summary
For players wanting to try out a different site, Pala may offer the experience you want. Their free daily spin slot machine is a nice incentive, but with only one progressive jackpot, Pala doesn’t have many chances for players hoping to hit it big. For an out-of-state casino, it’s an OK site, but there are others that offer a better mix of games.
