Fun88 is a traditional fixed odds bookmaker that has been online since 2007. The brand is owned by TGP Europe Ltd who have extensive experience in online gaming. The company is located in the Isle of Man and the operation is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain. The site is UK-facing so Fun88 is trading in a competitive market dominated by the established brands.
At the time of writing Fun88 have not developed a mobile app but the website can be read on mobile devices. The operator offers a package of promotions for new and current players. The core product is sports but the site also features a casino and live casino. Fun88 are the shirt sponsors of Newcastle United Football Club who play in the English Premier League. The deal brings the operator global exposure.
Fun88’s licence with the UK Gambling Commission means they have to meet the standards of compliance related to free bets and promotions. The licence is hard-earned and the regulatory body can remove it if an operator is seen to be acting unfairly and not being transparent with offers. Fun88 promotes a sign up offer that credits up to £28 in the form of a bonus.
This welcome offer is subject to the following Terms & Conditions:
• New registrations only and current players cannot claim the bonus.
• Initial deposit of £50 or more.
• Five qualifying bets for at least £10.
• Odds restriction of 2.0 for singles and 1.40 for any leg of an accumulator.
• Bonus of 20% of the total stake.
• 5 bets for £28 earns a bonus of £28.
• The maximum qualifying bets stake is £140.
• Bonus tokens expire after 5 days.
• The bonus stake is not included with any winnings.
• Fun88 general Terms & Conditions apply.
The Fun88 welcome offer is a 20% matched bet bonus. The value of the bonus is one fifth the qualifying bets stake. The odds restrictions are fair but the staking requirements and the timeframe negate some of the financial benefits. The headline amount and terms do not provide a significant incentive to open an account, deposit funds and start betting. However, the rules are transparent and achievable.
The range of ongoing promotions for existing customers is limited. There is a casino welcome offer whereby new players can claim up to 564 Casino Bonus Credits. There are also weekly promotions that credit free spins. At the time of writing the only sports-related dynamic concession for all customers is the 88th minute football promotion. Bettors receive a 50% bonus if a goal scored in the 88th minute or later decides the outcome of a football match.
This ongoing promotion is subject to the following Terms & Conditions:
• All customers are eligible.
• Matches in main European domestic leagues and the Champions League.
• The minimum stake is £20 at odds of 2.0 or bigger. .
• The maximum bonus is £50.
• 50% matched bet bonus if the deciding goal is in the 88th minute or later.
• Bonus tokens expire after 5 days.
• The bonus stake is not included with any winnings.
• Fun88 general Terms & Conditions apply.
This is a genuine 50% matched bet bonus. The value of the bonus is half the qualifying bet. However, the qualifying outcome is rare and the offer is not a huge incentive to place bets in the qualifying leagues. However, they are the most bet on leagues without the bonus so the net effect could be negligible. It might be better to promote an offer for a minor sport or league because the effect could be significant.
‘Sports’ is the first option on the main menu on the Fun88 Home Page. The main sports page features a search facility that allows customers to locate a betting market by entering a league or event. The page also displays banner links to the current promotions, the ongoing in-play events and a link to the casino. Sports betting has been the main gaming product since 2007 and casino games and slots appeared at a later date. Fun88 also offers customers virtual events in football, greyhounds and horse racing. The results are randomly generated and bets are settled instantly. Here is more detailed information about the four sports that appear on the main menu and alphabetical list:
There are Featured Links to the main betting action of the day. These events are mainly related to football and big fixtures in other sports. Customers with Fun88 can select from over 30 sports. In addition to the regular sports, bettors can place wagers on Esports, Politics and TV Specials. The most bet on sports appear at the top of the list and the rest are displayed in alphabetical order. Here is some information about the two most popular betting sports with Fun88:
Football accounts for well over half of all sports bets placed with Fun88. The site features betting on matches in the main leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France. Customers can also select from leagues and Cup competitions in about 50 other countries around the world. Fun88 published football betting in pre-match, in-play and ante-post markets. The most popular leagues for betting are the Premier League in England and the Champions League and the World Cup every four years.
Fun88 displays the three-way match result and a link to related markets of which there are about 150 for a typical match. The additional betting options appear under the following headings:
• Main
• Goals
• Halves
• Corners
• Periods
• Players
• Specials
• Cards
The match result market is compiled with a margin of almost 6% which is a little above the average for a fixture in the Premier League. The most bet on markets are the match outcome (Home Win, Draw, Away Win) totals, handicaps, correct score and first scorer. Asian handicaps are becoming more popular. Fun88 also issues ante-post betting on the major leagues and Cups. The outright winner of the Premier League in England attracts most betting interest except when the World Cup is played in the summer every four years. Every match is shown live on television and often at punter-friendly times at the end of a working day.
Fun88 is typical of UK betting brands in that tennis is the second most bet on sport. In fact, more bets are placed in the in-play environment than before a match. However, the range of tournaments is limited to the ATP and WTA tours, which are the top level of professional tennis for men and women. Fun88 displays the two-way match market (Player 1 or Player 2) for each match with a link to the related markets. There are about 60 in total in the categories of main, sets, fast markets and specials.
The match outcome market is priced with a margin of almost 6% which is standard for the industry and UK market. Customers can place bets on the outright winners of upcoming Grand Slam tournaments, including the Wimbledon Championships. There is also plenty of betting interest on the winner of international team events, such as the Davis Cup for men and Fed Cup for women. Tennis is an Olympics sport and Fun88 covers the men’s and women’s Gold Medal events.
At the time of writing, Fun88 have not introduced a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. This situation puts the operator at a disadvantage with the major UK brands who all have apps that can be downloaded from app stores. However, iOS and Android users can access a mobile version of the Fun88 website, as long as the browser is mobile optimised. The mobile release replicates the functions of the PC website. Fun88 does not offer any mobile-specific bonuses. However, mobile users can claim the welcome bonus and enjoy the benefits of any ongoing promotions.
Fun88 offers traditional bookmaking services whereby customer’s place bets on sport at fixed odds. The operator does not offer spread or exchange betting markets but the PC, mobile and tablet products do feature the following betting services:
‘Live Betting’ is the second option on the Fun88 Home Page menu. Clicking this option takes users to the live betting page which displays the current live events. When this review was written, there were 54 active live events of which 37 were for football and tennis matches. The other live events were related to sports more popular for betting in Europe than the UK. A typical live football fixture features about 40 betting markets of which the most bet on are the match winner, handicaps and totals.
Fun88does not provide live streaming of any sport . However, customers can view an animation of the progress of play. Live bettors can read detailed possession statistics and key live match data. For a live betting football fixture, Fun88 displays the number of significant incidents for each team. Betting is taken down after a major event, such as a goal, penalty or red card. When there is a break of serve or end of set in tennis, Fun88 suspends live betting which soon reappears with updated odds.
This is a feature that is not widely available elsewhere. Customers with Fun88 can add a selection to an existing multiple bet. The alternative is to create another bet which means increasing the original stake. Bettors have more control of accumulators because they can have an additional leg in a multiple bet. The process is quick and easy and applies to a selection of sports and markets.
Fun88 allows customers to close current bets using the cash out feature. Bets can be fully or partially cashed out. Bettors decide how much of the stake on singles and accumulators is let to run until the final outcome is known. The cash out value is based on the stake and odds of the original bet and the current odds. This feature is available on football, tennis, the four US betting sports and several other sports.
Mobile bettors can create a personal multiple bet on all football betting options. The feature allows customers to bring together match outcomes in an accumulator. The bet can contain up to six markets. A typical bet combines the full time result, half time score, scorers and bookings. In some cases these outcomes are related so Fun88 adjusts the odds accordingly.
Customers with Fun88 can deposit betting funds using debit cards and e-Wallets. Other operators offer more banking options including prepaid cards and Bank Wire Transfer. Players can deposit cash in Pounds Sterling, US Dollars and Euro. The minimum deposit is £5 and the maximum deposit is £5,000. The same limits apply to withdrawals using the same methods. Deposits are free and immediate and withdrawals are generally free but subject to delays of 2 to 5 days.
Potential new customers visit the Fun88 Home Page and click ‘Join Now’. There are three registration screens, for personal details, account information and bank details. New registrations can enter an optional promo code or bonus code and specify a Username and Password. When the new customers have completed the required fields they create the new account. New players select a deposit method and the deposit amount. Bettors navigate to the chosen market, click the odds, enter the stake and type of bet and place the bet. Fun88 usually accepts the bet and updates the balance.
Customers can contact Fun88 by email and postal address. The operator offers a Live Chat facility, that is open from 7am to 11pm BST. There is a complaints procedure and unresolved issues are directed to the Independent Betting Arbitration Service (IBAS). Fun88 customers can refer to a detailed Frequently Asked Questions feature. The operator is committed to promoting responsible gambling with account control measures and banker links to support bodies.
Fun88 over more than a decade of experience in the online sports betting market. Part of the operation is UK-facing but this is a competitive market. Fun88’s shirt sponsorship with Newcastle United Football Club gives the operator huge exposure to the UK and global audience. Newcastle United play in the Premier league in England. This league attracts a huge worldwide television audience so the Fun88 branding is visible of many potential customers. This partnership is expensive which means Fun88 offers a limited package of free bets and bonuses.
Sponsorship and advertising are major elements of the Fun88 business model. The operator is competing with the major UK betting brands that have a retail division and recognisable and trusted branding. Other players in the UK market focus on an online service so can afford investment in offers and promotions. However, Fun88 offers a solid sports betting service with few flaws and missing features.