Virgin Games vs Virgin Bet Casino: Which Is Better?

Virgin Games and Virgin Bet Casino share one of the most recognisable names in UK gambling, but they aren't the same casino. They are operated by different companies, have separate UK Gambling Commission licences and require separate player accounts.

The biggest difference is what each site has been built to do. Virgin Games is a dedicated online casino, with its focus on slots, live casino, table games, Slingo and bingo. Virgin Bet combines casino with a full sportsbook, making it a very different proposition for players who also bet on football, horse racing and other sports.

For players interested purely in casino, we prefer Virgin Games. Its dedicated casino format, extensive slots catalogue, exclusive games and wider choice of casino products give it the edge. Virgin Bet Casino becomes much more attractive for someone who wants betting and casino within a single account.

Virgin Games vs Virgin Bet Casino at a Glance

Virgin Games is currently operated by Gamesys Operations Limited, part of Bally's Interactive, while Virgin Bet is separately operated by Virgin Bet Limited. The Gambling Commission currently lists Virgin Bet's remote casino and betting licences as active.

Are Virgin Games and Virgin Bet the Same Company?

No.

This is probably the most important difference between Virgin Games and Virgin Bet, and the branding makes the confusion understandable.

Virgin Bet's own help centre confirms that the two are operated by different companies. They simply both use the Virgin brand under their respective arrangements.

That means registering with Virgin Games doesn't give you a Virgin Bet account. Your balance doesn't transfer between them and each operator has its own promotions, account management and gambling controls.

They should therefore be compared in much the same way as two completely different UK casino brands.

Which Has More Casino Games?

Virgin Games

This is where Virgin Games starts to establish an advantage.

Casino is its entire business rather than one section of a sportsbook.

Virgin Games advertises more than 1,000 titles across its site, spanning online slots, casino games, live dealer games, Slingo and bingo. Its casino catalogue includes content from major suppliers such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play and Playtech.

There are also Virgin Games exclusives. For example, the operator has offered its own versions of games including Big Bass Splash and Gates of Olympus.

The overall experience consequently feels much more like browsing a standalone online casino.

Virgin Bet Casino

Virgin Bet Casino is substantial in its own right, but casino forms part of a wider gambling platform.

That's not necessarily a disadvantage.

A Virgin Bet customer can place a football or racing bet and then move directly into the casino without maintaining an account with another operator. For players who regularly use both products, that convenience could matter more than having the larger dedicated casino environment.

For someone opening an account specifically to play slots, however, Virgin Games makes the stronger case.

Which Is Better for Slots?

Virgin Games has the advantage for dedicated slot players.

It's not simply about counting games.

Virgin Games puts considerably more emphasis on slot discovery, different game categories and exclusive versions of established titles. Slots aren't competing with Premier League odds, horse racing cards and sports promotions for space.

Its current slots section includes everything from traditional games such as Fishin' Frenzy through to newer releases and exclusive Virgin variations.

Virgin Bet still provides a proper slots casino, so someone who already has a Virgin Bet account isn't exactly short of choice.

But judged purely as a slots site, we'd choose Virgin Games.

Which Has the Better Live Casino?

This comparison is considerably closer.

Virgin Games has a dedicated live casino offering blackjack, roulette, baccarat and other live table games. Evolution titles include Lightning Blackjack and specialist branded tables, while its wider live casino includes games such as Craps Live.

Virgin Games also supports multi table play on selected games, allowing players to have as many as four tables running within the same browser window.

Virgin Bet also has a sizeable live casino operation, so we wouldn't choose between the two simply because one offers live dealers and the other doesn't.

Both do.

For the overall casino environment, Virgin Games still has the advantage. For someone who wants to move between live casino and sports betting, Virgin Bet becomes the more convenient proposition.

What About Bingo and Slingo?

Here's another area where the distinction between the two brands becomes clearer.

Virgin Games isn't simply a slots and live casino site. Slingo and online bingo form part of its wider gaming proposition. Its own casino information specifically highlights slots, live casino, Slingo and bingo among the products available.

That gives Virgin Games more variety for someone who likes moving between different forms of casino and gaming entertainment rather than sticking exclusively to slots.

Virgin Bet is much more conventionally structured around sportsbook and casino.

Which Has the Better Casino App?

Virgin Games has dedicated iOS and Android casino apps and states that every game available through its website is also accessible through the app.

That's an important distinction for casino first players.

Rather than opening an app where casino is one product among several, the entire Virgin Games mobile experience revolves around gaming.

Virgin Bet takes the opposite approach. Having betting and casino together means customers don't need separate apps or accounts when switching between the two products.

So there isn't necessarily one universally better approach.

Casino only player: Virgin Games makes more sense.

Casino plus sports bettor: Virgin Bet is likely to be more convenient.

Virgin Games Casino Promotions vs Virgin Bet Casino Promotions

The two sites also run completely separate promotions.

Virgin Games currently advertises a welcome promotion of 100 free spins after depositing and wagering £10 on slots, subject to its qualifying terms. The spins are 10p each and the current promotion specifies Game of Thrones as the qualifying free spins game.

Existing Virgin Games customers can also access promotions through The Vault, its dedicated rewards and offers area.

Virgin Bet runs its own promotions independently.

This is worth remembering when comparing the two sites because an offer advertised by Virgin Games won't automatically be available through Virgin Bet Casino simply because both carry the Virgin name.

Promotions change regularly, so we'd always compare the current offers rather than choosing a casino purely on an advertised headline bonus.

Are Virgin Games and Virgin Bet Safe?

Both are licensed to provide gambling products in Great Britain, but once again they operate separately.

Virgin Games states that Gamesys Operations Limited operates the site under UK Gambling Commission account number 38905.

Virgin Bet Limited operates under UK Gambling Commission account number 54310, which currently includes active remote casino, real event betting and virtual event betting permissions.

The separate licences are another demonstration that Virgin Games and Virgin Bet shouldn't be treated as two sections of the same gambling company.

Why Are There Two Virgin Casinos?

The answer is essentially licensing of the Virgin brand.

Virgin Games has a much longer history as an online gaming brand and is now operated by Gamesys Operations Limited as part of Bally's Interactive. Virgin Games itself says Gamesys has operated the brand since 2013.

Virgin Bet arrived later as a sports betting brand and operates separately.

This has produced the unusual situation where UK players can encounter two different online casinos carrying Virgin branding without those casinos actually being operated by the same gambling company.

Virgin Games Advantages

Virgin Games makes the stronger proposition for the dedicated casino player because casino gaming sits at the heart of the entire site.

The extensive slots catalogue is complemented by live casino, traditional table games, Slingo and bingo, while dedicated casino promotions and exclusive versions of established games give players more reasons to explore beyond a relatively conventional slots lobby.

Its dedicated mobile casino app is another advantage for someone who has no interest in sports betting.

Virgin Bet Casino Advantages

Virgin Bet's biggest strength is something Virgin Games simply can't offer: sports betting and casino from the same account.

That's particularly useful for customers whose gambling isn't confined to casino.

Rather than maintaining one bookmaker account for football or racing and another account for slots, Virgin Bet brings those products together.

The casino is therefore better viewed as part of a broader gambling platform rather than a direct attempt to replicate Virgin Games.

Virgin Games vs Virgin Bet: Which Should You Choose?

There is a fairly clear dividing line between the two.

For casino players, our preference is Virgin Games.

It has been designed as a casino rather than a sportsbook with an additional casino section. The combination of more than 1,000 advertised games across the site, slots, exclusive titles, live casino, Slingo and bingo gives it greater depth as an overall gaming destination.

Virgin Bet is the more practical alternative for someone who also bets on sport.

Having casino and sportsbook products within the same account means a customer can move from betting on a football match or horse race into slots or live casino without using another operator.

So despite the almost identical Virgin branding, the decision isn't really Virgin versus Virgin.

It's a choice between a dedicated casino and a betting and casino platform.

And that's the fundamental difference between Virgin Games and Virgin Bet Casino.