Those chasing monumental jackpots or loving the sound of the ball jumping inside the roulette wheel should take a closer look at Zodiac. This is a Microgaming online casino that contains a comprehensive A-Z collection of that provider. All games ever created by that long-established provider are available for play in Zodiac Casino, even the ones designed in the early days of Microgaming’s career in 2000s. In terms of pokies, the online casino is beyond compare in spite of the fact it is powered by a single provider. Its bonus content is somewhat below average by today’s standards. Novices do get an excellent welcome package but loyal regulars seem to lack reload bonuses and other promotions that some other online casinos hold permanently or regularly.
Now a few words about casino’s general reliability, one of several pillars for any online casino. As a Microgaming casino, Zodiac is subject to assessment by eCOGRA, and this is a globally acknowledged body that double checks every specific casino before issuing it a certificate of compliance. And Zodiac has one. To view the Game Fairness certificate, a player should look at the bottom of the casino website and click the eCOGRA logotype. Another convincing reason not to worry about reliability is a gambling license issued by Kahnawake Gaming Commission, which implies that the online casino is fully legal and thus eliminates all doubts about the casino’s ability to meet its financial and other obligations to registered users.
New players will see two sizeable buttons on the homepage and on other site pages: Click Here To Play Now and Download HD Software. The former is designed for users who want to access the game lobby immediately and play in a web browser. Another button should be clicked if a user would like to download the Microgaming’s app that is then installed on a computer. Both gaming modes are of high quality and have no major issues related to performance or stability.
Deposits and withdrawals in Zodiac
Transactions to the casino are performed via Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, Neosurf and paysafecard. Bitcoins are not found in the list of accepted currencies. Min limits vary and they become visible only in the Zodiac Casino ATM in the software interface of a registered user. And the same applies to max limits. As a user-oriented casino, Zodiac has no fees imposed to deposits (and most withdrawal options). Bitcoins are not in the list of currencies operated by the casino.
Withdrawal practices in Zodiac do not differ much from many other online casinos. Payment options are Visa, a few e-wallets and bank transfer, all being free of commission, except for bank transfers that force the casino to apply a $50 transfer fee (for amounts over $3000, the fee increases to $100). Any transaction outgoing from the casino account cannot be less than $50 for all methods ($300 for bank transfer). A standard set of KYC rules and procedures applies to all new users and – randomly – to some regulars.
Zodiac mobile casino
There is no separate site for mobile devices. The casino site has a responsive design and can adapt itself to different screen dimensions including these in smartphones and other gadgets. The game producer, Microgaming, designs most of its games in HTML5. Bonuses, tourneys, Signup form and other casino content that one enjoys on desktop is also available on the go. Nothing bad can be said about the mobile version. It is a very good place to bet in.
Video pokies in Zodiac
Having a full collection from Microgaming, the casino appeals to most players of New Zealand. The point is that the game provider produces all kinds of pokies concerning themes, the number of reels and lines, bet limits and other parameters. There are classic pokies with fruit icons and one payline; there are 243-ways-to-win pokies and 50-line pokies. With regard to bet amounts, the provider makes nearly every game with the minimum payline bet of 1 cent. This means, a low-budget user will have to spend the amount in cents equal to the number of lines in that pokie, e.g., 20 lines = 20 cents per spin. As for high rollers, Microgaming do not have many pokies in which a bet goes over $100 per spin.
Some pokies in Zodiac Casino have just basic features on board (a wild plus scatter) while others are abundant with bonus features. Let’s give a short overview of the most bonus-intensive pokies found in Zodiac:
- Lara Croft: Temples and Tombs. A 243-way pokie with Rolling Reels, free spins, multipliers and three standalone jackpots (Mini, Major and Grand) that grow within the game only. Along with features, the pokie has interesting and detailed graphics
- The Phantom of the Opera. Cinematographic atmosphere is revealed by using images of actors and thematic accessories (red rose, perfume). The pokie has lots of features: Chandelier bonus, Letter bonus, wild and scatter symbols, Bonus Selection feature, etc.
- Battlestar Galactica. The pokie is loosely based on the same-name television series. Dark, gloomy and full of familiar characters, it features 243 ways to win and three game modes that can change at any time offering different winning chances and opportunities. A player gains new military ranks and unlocks new bonus content.
By rough estimates, one out of five pokies in Zodiac has more than four bonus features or special symbols in place. To the contrary, there are many games with basic functionalities, for example, Reel Gems, Hellboy, Scrooge and Big Break.
Summarizing the Games department in Zodiac Casino, there is a very high probability that a New Zealand user would find at least one pokie to suit his/her tastes, budgets and interests. In addition to five-reel products, the catalogue lists some 30+ classic pokies for retro fans. Access to games is unlocked for registered users only.
Progressive games in Zodiac Casino
The casino offers the following progressive pokies (sorted in a descending order of average jackpot sizes): Mega Moolah, Major Millions, King Cashalot, Treasure Nile, Tunzamunni, Fruit Fiesta and a few others. In addition to pokies, Zodiac has Triple Sevens Blackjack, a progressive blackjack with a side bet that pays out in case a player’s hand carries three 7s of diamonds. Another progressive non-pokie game is Roulette Royale that takes a $1 side bet per round and awards a progressive jackpot if the same number occurs on the wheel for 5 rounds in succession.
Table games in Zodiac
Roulette games are nothing exceptional in Zodiac. The only two products worth player’s attention are Multi Player Roulette and Multi Wheel Roulette. The other 8 tables released so far (the latest game Sapphire Roulette was launched in August 2019) are based on standard European, American or French rules.
The situation with blackjack tables is much better than the one with roulette as the Zodiac lobby features a sheer number of BJ products with different rules, player’s odds and optimal strategies that should be applied to maximize winnings. Examples include but not limited to, Vegas Single Deck BJ, 6-Deck Atlantic City, Multi-Hand Spanish BJ, Big Five BJ and Vegas Downtown.
Welcome bonus in Zodiac Casino
The complete Zodiac bonus program cannot be reviewed as there is only a welcome package that runs permanently, while other bonuses appear sporadically. There is no comprehensive system of persistent promotions that would be active at any given day or week. But as for the welcome pack, it is splendid! It covers five deposits placed by a newcomer:
- 80 free spins (at $0.25 each) following the first deposit of $1, or greater. Winnings must be wagered 200 times
- 100% second deposit bonus up to $100 (the same WR as above)
- 50% third deposit bonus up to $80 (WR x30; valid for this one and below)
- 50% fourth deposit bonus up to $150 and
- 50% fifth deposit bonus up to $150.