No Hidden Fees with the Most Popular Payment Option in Canada
Throughout our “From the Players for the Players” test reports, we’ve mainly investigated deposits and withdrawals via Bitcoin, PayPal, Skrill, or credit/debit cards. As we have testers from all over the world, we do our best to introduce players to some not so frequently used banking methods in online casinos and the ways they work.
That’s why West Casino turned out to be a great choice, as it supports Interac, a payment option available exclusively to Canadians. Our tester from this corner of the world, already a registered member, made a deposit using this method, played some games, had a massive win, and withdrew CAD 3190 via Interac.
Before we introduce you to every single step of our tester’s journey, take a look at the milestone moments of the investigation:
- Tester: Coolife
- Registration date: January 21, 2021
- Deposit made on April 16, 2022, CAD 237 via Interac
- KYC documents sent on April 13, 2022
- Withdrawal requested on April 16, 2022, CAD 3190 via Interac
- Withdrawal received on April 22, 2022, CAD 3190 via Interac
As seen from the highlights, it took the operator a couple of days to process the tester’s request. What was the reason for that- issues with KYC or something else? Keep reading to discover more details on the West Casino test report!
West Casino Overview
Licensed by Malta, West Casino is a non-US-friendly online casino that operates under West Affiliates and offers a massive selection of the very best casino games. Endorphina, Playson, Fortune Factory, Probability Jones, Live5Gaming, and ELK Studios are just some of the many brands whose slots, table, live dealer, and video poker games are found in the portfolio.
In addition to this, this crypto-friendly casino operator displays a diversity of promotional offers such as a welcome package, reload bonuses, casino spins, and more. Players have the opportunity to join West Loyalty Program, earn points, advance, and unlock versatile perks.
Registration
Our tester was already a registered member of West Casino, so all he had to do was log into his account. He registered quite some time ago, on January 22, 2021. To join this betting website, players need to complete a two-step form and provide a couple of basic info about themselves.
Deposit
Just like with one of the previous tests, he checked with the live chat department if there were any pending bonuses. As none were discovered, he proceeded to fund the account.
On April 16, the tester attempted to deposit CAD 237 using his Visa credit card, but the transaction was denied.
As it turned out, the casino tried to charge more than the amount the tester entered, so the bank flagged the transaction.
For that reason, he turned to live chat, to see why a fee was charged even if the cashier indicated none should be imposed. Agent asked him to provide a screenshot, and so he did.
Referring to the fees, the chat agent noted that “it usually depends on the provider”, but the tester mentioned the info displayed in the cashier.
Her ultimate advice was to try Interac, which comes with no hidden fees.
He visited the cashier and selected Interac to deposit CAD 237. After a couple of minutes, the exact amount was added to his casino balance.
Players can use cards, e-wallets, vouchers, and cryptocurrencies to fund the account, depending on the country of residence. The minimum amount to fund the account is $20 (or equivalent in other available currencies), except for crypto, where the minimum is $100.
Gameplay
Having funded the account, the tester headed to the lobby to explore multiple games from the operator’s wealthy lobby. His first choice was Ice Joker by Play’n GO, followed by Doom of Egypt during which he triggered a win of over CAD 160.
After that, he tried luck with Legacy of Dead, which brought him a massive win of 3740 coins during the free spins feature. His balance grew from CAD 299.18 to CAD 4039.18. He had a couple of more spins and then decided to withdraw.
KYC Procedure
On April 13, 2022, three days before making an actual deposit, the tester decided to verify his identity. He submitted proof of address, ID, and PDF bank statement via live chat.
According to the chat agent, if a player intends to deposit via credit card, some additional info may be required. She forwarded the documents to the finance teams, noting that the tester will be notified when the account is verified.
Regarding the ID verification, the rules indicate as follows:
“5.5. The identity of the player will be verified on cumulative withdrawals of €2,000.
5.6. In certain circumstances we may have to contact you and ask you to provide further information to us directly to complete the Checks. If you do not or cannot provide us with such information, then we may suspend your Account until you have provided us with such information or permanently close your Account. Additionally, you will have to provide identification whenever you make a withdrawal of funds amounting to Two Thousand Three Hundred Euros (EUR 2,300) or more.”
Also, the operator reserves the right to reverse the player's funds in their WestCasino account in case the user does not send the necessary KYC documentation within 3 days from the operator’s request.
Withdrawal
Having finished playing Legacy of Dead, the tester headed to the cashier to make a cashout request on April 16, 2022. He selected Interac and typed in CAD 3190.
As noted in the cashier, the weekly maximum is CAD 3194.60. He visited the cashier once again and noticed that his request was in the pending status.
Over the next few days, the tester communicated with the chat support department regarding the status of his account and the request.
He eventually received CAD 3190 via Interac on April 22, 2022.
Regarding the available methods, the options include cards, e-wallets, vouchers, cryptocurrencies, and bank transfers. To be able to request a withdrawal, a player needs to wager the deposit amount at least once. Cashouts are usually returned to the same method as the one used for the deposit.
“5.7. Unless otherwise stated, the minimum withdrawal amount is EUR/USD/CAD 100, NOK 1000. While there is no limit to the total amount a Player can withdraw, there is a limit to the maximum withdrawal amount per transaction. The maximum withdrawal amount per transaction is EUR/USD/CAD 2,000, NOK 20,000. Also, we will process a maximum of EUR/USD/CAD 5000, NOK 50,000 every 5 business days.”
As for the potential fees:
“9.7 When processing a withdrawal, we reserve the right to apply a deduction equivalent to the amount of the respective transaction processing fees. We reserve the right to retain funds in your account if your balance will be less than EUR 1.50, due to higher sums of transfer commissions.”
Conclusion
As far as our tester concluded, the overall experience with West Casino was not too bad, but some key info was missing. Terms contained no precise information on the processing timeframe for account verification and withdrawal request, so he had no idea when the funds were expected to be visible in his balance.
Finally, this tester has so far participated in a couple of projects, so if you are curious to see how those investigations went, take a look at the following articles:
- Cashmio Casino Test Report
- CasinoCasino Deposit and Withdrawal Tested
- Royal Panda- Full Casino Test Report
- Casumo Casino Tested
Always read the Terms and gamble responsibly!
Sydney 2 years ago Almighty Member
Congrats on your win Coolife! :) And thanks for testing West Casino! :)
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
LeeroyJenkins 2 years ago Jr. Member
This big win caught my attention and I had to read it all.. I really like how detailed LCB is with the players whole experience with West Casino. The transparency with these tests really gives us an honest experience and an idea of how the Casino works..great stuff LCB, keep up the good work! Congrats to the player with...
This big win caught my attention and I had to read it all.. I really like how detailed LCB is with the players whole experience with West Casino. The transparency with these tests really gives us an honest experience and an idea of how the Casino works..great stuff LCB, keep up the good work! Congrats to the player with the big win, please treat yourself and don't go gambling it all away hehe..
Show morePlease enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
FilipR 2 years ago Moderator
I don't like hidden fees, nor does anyone, but everything else was somewhat decent. Good test, congrats!
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
Dzile 2 years ago Moderator
Overall, the test passed without major problems, I hope some things will be better defined in the future so that there would be no doubt. Great win Coolife!
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
Anchi 2 years ago Admin
Well done Coolife :D Congratulations :)))
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
Bixy 2 years ago Moderator
I don't like when a player, when requesting a withdrawal, needs to wager the deposit amount at least once. Also, I agree with marina_m575, any existing fees should be shown so that the players can be advised instantly.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.
marina_m575 2 years ago Moderator
I like transparent casinos, not such as West Casino. If the casino has fees for some deposit methods, it needs to be demonstrated. The player will eventually find out.
Please enter your comment.
Your comment is added.