Pala Online Casino Review

Editors note: Pala Online Casino is closed, all player accounts and balances have been moved to Stardust Casino.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians who run Pala Casino Spa and Resort in California formed Pala Interactive LLC in 2013 in anticipation of joining the online gaming industry in New Jersey. After New Jersey finalized its online gambling laws, Pala Interactive acquired an online gaming license from the Division of Gaming Enforcement and opened Pala Casino the following year. Pala Interactive now operates three digital properties in New Jersey.

Pala Interactive is partnered with Borgata Casino in Atlantic City to satisfy New Jersey gaming laws which require all online casinos to partner with an established brick-and-mortar casino. Borgata satisfies the physical presence requirement while Pala Interactive manages the day-to-day operations of the actual gaming sites.

Snapshot: Pala Interactive LLC runs Pala Casino in the regulated New Jersey market. Pala Casino is licensed, legal and headquartered in the USA, which means the games are certified fair and your money is safe.

Pros:

  • Legal, licensed and safe
  • Multiple bonuses for new customers
  • Easy-to-use deposit methods

Cons:

  • Casino lobby is dated and difficult to sort

Ratings:

Overall: 4.1

  • Reputation and Licensing: 5.0
  • Game Variety: 3.5
  • Bonuses and Promotions: 4.0
  • Deposits and Withdrawals: 4.0
  • Software and Graphics: 4.0

Pala Casino has been in operation long enough to earn a reputation for being a bit on the simple side in terms of game selection, but home to high-value deposit bonuses and promotions. We’ll dig into all that soon, but the first thing to note is Pala Casino holds a valid New Jersey gaming license and is a safe place to play online if you live in New Jersey.

The casino itself has about 230 games to choose from with a heavy emphasis on slots and jackpot slots and features games from a variety of software providers. The casino lobby does feel a bit clunky at first and some of the games do look dated, but there are also quite a few high quality games from different providers.

As far as Pala Casino’s reputation for being simple but generous, that has been a bit exaggerated in my opinion. The main casino lobby and some of the individual games do feel a bit dated, but not to an extreme degree. The same goes for the bonuses: there are a lot to choose from and new promos come out often, but none of them are too over-the-top.

Pala Casino’s game selection is more than sufficient for slots players, is lacking in other game types and has an above-average lineup of promotions for new and returning customers alike. Recurring daily specials and the long-running free daily spin on the $1,000,000 Slot Machine also help to keep things fresh.

Now, the rest of our Pala Casino review will break it down to its individual components as we look at the promotional offerings, software, game selection and more.

Pala Casino Bonuses

One of Pala Casino’s often-mentioned strong points is a healthy selection of bonuses and promotions. To this end, Pala Casino still delivers. All new customers can take advantage of a no-deposit welcome package worth $40 just for signing up and then make a deposit to claim a 100% match bonus worth up to $500.

Let’s take a look at each.

Pala Casino No-Deposit Bonus

Pala Casino will give you a four-part welcome package upon successfully registering for a new account. No account or special bonus codes are necessary to claim this welcome offer; just sign up for an account and Pala will immediately credit your account with:

  • $5 Cash: A straight-up $5 bonus that you can use to play in the casino or bingo room
  • $10 in Casino Bonuses: Your account will be credited with $5 in casino bonus dollars automatically and then you are guaranteed to win at least $5 more in bonus dollars after taking a free spin in the Pala Casino $1,000,000 Slot Machine. Also note, it is possible to win up to $1 million with your free spin.
  • $10 in Poker Bonuses: You’ll also get $10 in poker tournament dollars that you can use to enter multi-table or sit-n-go tournaments at Pala Poker.
  • $15 in Bingo Bucks: Your welcome package also includes $15 in bingo bucks that can be used to purchase up to 150 tickets into bingo games at Pala Bingo.

Important terms and conditions: Your casino bonus dollars and any winnings derived from wagering your bonus dollars may only be cashed out after meeting a 20x playthrough requirement.

This means you must wager $20 for every $1 in bonus money or bonus winnings before withdrawing that money. Furthermore, only slots count 100% towards meeting those requirements. Play in all other games only counts 20% towards meeting the rollover, except bets placed on craps do not count at all.

Example: If you were to end up with a total of $20 in casino bonuses and winnings, you would be required to place a grand total of bets totaling $400 if you only played slots. It would take even longer to clear that bonus with table games.

100% up to $500 Deposit Bonus

After you have signed up and received your free welcome package, you can make a deposit at any time to claim a 100% bonus for up to $500 extra. No Pala casino promo code is necessary; just make a deposit and Pala Casino will automatically double it with a matching amount in pending bonus funds.

If you deposit $100, for example, Pala Casino will give you $100 for a total starting bankroll of $100. The bigger your first deposit, the larger the bonus.

Important terms and conditions: Your first deposit amount + the bonus amount are subject to a 10x play-through requirement before the original deposit, bonus or any winnings may be withdrawn without penalty. However, you may forfeit the bonus and bonus winnings at any time and still withdraw your original deposit. You have 15 days to clear the bonus.

Example: If you deposit $100, Pala Casino will give you $100 in bonus funds. You will then need to place a total sum of wagers equal of $2,000 (10 times the $100 deposit plus $100 bonus) before withdrawing.

Additional Pala Casino Promotions

Where the welcome bonuses target new players, Pala Casino’s ongoing promotions reward existing players for sticking around and playing. These additional bonuses change on a regular basis, but some examples of recent promotions include free spins with deposits, reload deposit bonuses, chances to scratch off a prize after depositing and more.

Pala Casino also has an ongoing Daily Plays offer that rewards players with a promotion each day of the week. At the time of this review, the Daily Plays consisted of:

  • Monday Multiplier: Deposit using the bonus code MULTIPLY for a 2x or 3x bonus
  • Tuesday 10: If you earn 250 status points on Tuesdays, you get 10 free spins on the Million Dollar Slot Machine for a chance to win bonuses or a $1 million grand prize
  • Spins Wednesday: Deposit $25 or more using the bonus code SPINSWED to get 25 free spins on the Million Dollar Slot
  • Mobile Thursdays: Get triple the reward points when you play on Pala Casino mobile on Thursdays
  • Friday 50: Make a deposit on a Friday with the promo code FRIDAY50 to get a 50% bonus worth up to $50
  • Slots Saturday: Earn 10x reward points on that Saturday’s featured slot machine

Daily Million Dollar Spin

From the first day you sign up for an account, you’ll get to spin the Million Dollar slot machine one time every day for free. On your first day, you get to spin it as a part of your welcome package. Beyond that, you’ll get to spin the Million Dollar slot once a day just for being a customer.

Every spin of the Million Dollar Slot gives you a chance to win varying amounts of bonus dollars or a $1,000,000 cash grand prize. Bonus dollars won from free spins are treated as regular bonuses and are subject to 20x playthrough requirements, but the million dollar grand prize is paid out with no restrictions.

Possible prizes you can win from the Million Dollar Spin promotion include bonuses of $1, $5, $25, $100, $1,000 and the $1,000,000 grand prize.

There are two qualifications you must meet to be eligible for your daily spin: you have made a $50 or more deposit within the last 30 days and you have a cash balance of at least $10 in your account.

Pala Casino Loyalty Program

Pala Casino has a loyalty rewards program that looks more complicated than it really is. As you play in real money casino games at PalaCasino.com, you earn Status Points (SPs). As you earn Status Points, you also earn Reward Points (RPs). This means you earn SPs and RPs at the same time whenever you place a bet at the casino.

SPs are used to determine your level in the loyalty program. RPs are used to buy gifts from the rewards store.

The higher your level in the loyalty program, the more RPs you earn for every SP earned. In other words, it gets easier and easier to acquire RPs as you move up through the loyalty program. This in turn makes it easier to get bigger and better goodies from the rewards store.

Pala Casino’s loyalty program has five levels:

  • Level 1: Earn 4 RPs for every 1 SP earned
  • Level 2: Earn 4 RPs for every 1 SP earned
  • Level 3: Earn 6 RPs for every 1 SP earned
  • Level 4: Earn 8 RPs for every 1 SP earned
  • Level 5: Earn 10 RPs for every 1 SP earned

If you make it to levels 4 and 5, you’ll get milestone bonuses of $100 at 50,000 status points and $500 at 250,000 status points.

Pala Casino also has a VIP program for high rollers with membership that is extended by invitation. If Pala Casino invites you to join the VIP program, you’ll get even more perks such as a dedicated casino host, custom rewards and promotions, faster withdrawals, birthday bonuses and more.

Pala Game Variety

Pala Casino is a slots-heavy gambling site with about 220 slots at last count, plus 8 video poker games and just a handful of table games. The table game selection is quite limited with just a couple versions of blackjack plus let it ride, craps, roulette and three card poker. Slots players should feel right at home here, but table games enthusiasts may find the casino lacking in options.

Many before me have already noted the less-than-stellar game lobby, and that description remains true today. This is not the most beautiful platform in the world. However, Pala does feature games from high quality software providers such as NetEnt and NextGen in addition to some games developed in-house. The lobby may not be the prettiest thing in the world, but individual games are solid once you get inside.

Game variety is strong in terms of slots, weak in terms of all other games. The slots collection is ample with many options, themes and stakes to choose from. The one glaring weak spot in game variety is a severe lack of table game options. Pala Casino could stand to add at least another dozen or so table games.

Pala Casino Software

Pala Casino Online is entirely no-download for desktop users. When you log in to the casino from home, the casino lobby opens in a browser window and from there you’re able to access every game from there.

For mobile users, Pala Casino Online provides mobile apps for Android and iOS. You can download the Android app straight from the Pala Casino website and download the iOS version from Apple’s App Store.

In both instances, the casino lobby looks dated, but most games look nice. Pala Interactive designed the casino platform in-house and it’s clear they don’t have quite as much experience as some of the more established software providers out there. Fortunately, Pala Casino’s actual casino games are all provided by more experienced software providers.

Individual games vary greatly in quality depending on which software company designed them. NetEnt titles such as Bloodsuckers and Starburst look great while some of the games by WMS are starting to look quite dated. Overall, most games look nice once you actually get in and start playing – it’s just the lobby that serves the games isn’t the most beautiful thing in the world.

As Pala Casino adds more games to the library, the lobby’s need for search and sort features grows. Currently, there is no easy way to search for specific games or even certain categories of games. You can view games by their main category (slots, blackjack, video poker or table games), but there are no other sort options beyond that. Hunting down a specific slot title or even a certain type of slot is a chore. It also doesn’t help that the casino lobby uses a single horizontal slider to display the entire lineup of slots.

Casino Screenshots

Pala Casino Slots

Slots are one of Pala’s stronger points with more than 220 slots on offer and more added on a regular basis. The casino features games provided by third-party software companies including the likes of NetEnt and NextGen in addition to games developed completely in-house such as Jackpot Shores with its progressive jackpot that never drops below $100,000.

Pala Casino also has slots from some lesser-known providers such as Everi, which is a Vegas-area slots manufacturer. Royal Elephant and Great Tiger are two from Everi you may recognize from the real world while Cirque du Soleil: Kooza and Quick Hit Platinum from WMS/Bally can also be found at brick-and-mortar casinos.

Progressive jackpot slots are available as well with games like Jackpot Shores topping out at over $160,000 at the time of this review. The collection also includes some casino classics such as Wheel of Fortune and Monopoly in addition to a collection of games licensed after Jimi Hendrix, Ghostbusters, Judge Dredd and other entertainment brands.

Table Games and Video Poker

Pala Casino has a total of six unique table games.  There are four different blackjack tables, but three of those are just standard blackjack offered at different stakes while the other is a form of multiplayer blackjack. In addition to blackjack, Pala Casino has a small collection of casino classics.

The full list includes:

  • Blackjack ($10 – $1,000 bets)
  • Micro Stakes Blackjack ($0.50 – $100 bets)
  • Small Stakes Blackjack ($1 to $500 bets)
  • Multiplayer Blackjack
  • Let It Ride
  • Craps
  • European Roulette
  • Three Card Poker

For video poker, Pala Casino has a total of eight variants on offer:

  • Jacks or Better
  • Triple Play Draw Poker Multi-Hand
  • Deuces Wild
  • Five Play Draw Poker Multi-Hand
  • Deuces & Jokers Wild
  • Game King Bonus Poker
  • Game King Double Bonus Poker
  • Game King Double Double Bonus Poker

Pala Deposit Methods

Pala Online accepts a variety of deposit options including credit card, online banking and more. Players have reported high success rates depositing at Pala Online due to their wide range of deposit types. Here’s a brief overview of each deposit method:

Credit and Debit Card Deposits

Visa and MasterCard: Pala Online accepts Visa and MasterCard and does not charge fees for depositing.

If you have any problems depositing with a credit card, you can call Pala customer support for assistance or try a different deposit method.

In many cases, problems depositing with Visa or MasterCard are a result of the issuing bank’s policies regarding online gambling. In that case, the fastest workaround is to use a different deposit method.

Pala PrePaid Card: Pala PrePaid is a prepaid debit card that you can load with funds online via credit card, debit card or ACH bank transfer. You can sign up for a PrePaid card online and begin using it immediately that same day.

A physical card will also be mailed out and you’ll be able to use it anywhere Discover is accepted as well as to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Bank Transfers

  • Instant ACH: Instant ACH is one of Pala Casino’s preferred deposit methods because it is fast and reliable. If you’re having issues deposit with a credit card, instant ACH is an effective alternative. All you need is a bank account.
  • Online Banking: Online banking allows you to use your bank’s online bill pay feature to send funds to your Pala Online account. When you choose this method, you’ll be taken to a secure page on your bank’s website where you will log in using your existing online banking information. From there, you can authorize a payment to Pala to fund your account.

E-Wallet Deposits

  • PayPal: You can use your existing PayPal account or sign up for one free to fund your Pala account online. For those unfamiliar with PayPal, it’s basically an electronic wallet that you can use to store funds online, receive payments and make payments. PayPal is based in the United States and has been processing secure transactions for years.

Cash Deposits

Do you have some cash burning a hole in your wallet? Just need some fresh air? Whatever the case, you can use physical cash deposits to fund your account even if your don’t have a bank account.

  • PayNearMe: PayNearMe works by sending you a payment code that you can then take to the nearest 7-Eleven or Family Dollar. Give the cashier your code and some cash and the funds will be added to your account instantly.
  • Borgata Cashier: If you’re in the Atlantic City area, you can stop by the Borgata any time to fund your Pala account with physical cash. Just bring your ID, account information and money.

Will Pala Online Expand to Additional States?

If Pala Online has any plans to enter additional states, it has done excellent work keeping those plans under wraps. PalaCasino.com has not made a whole lot of noise in the New Jersey market these days and still hasn’t launched mobile sports betting despite most of the competition doing so.

These factors all point to a sluggish operation that would be hard-pressed to enter other states in competition against other companies that have been moving quickly to form partnerships and acquire gaming licenses.

On the other hand, the fact that the Pala Band of Mission Indians entered the NJ online gaming market all the way from California shows the tribe is not afraid to tackle new markets.

Pala Casino would have to move quickly to enter West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois or any of the other states that have moved to authorize online sports betting and gambling if they wish to continue expanding, though.

Other big-name operators such as FOX Bet, DraftKings and FanDuel are quickly forming exclusive partnerships with many of the country’s land-based casino operators to gain market access across the US. The longer PalaCasino.com waits to make a move, the more difficult it will be do enter new markets and establish any sort of recognizable brand name outside of NJ amidst all the competition from other major operators.