3-7 business days
£10
500+
40x bonus + deposit
UKGC
2015
18+ | T&Cs Apply | BeGambleAware.org
Review Date: January 2026 | Status: Active (as of January 2026)
We began our investigation by tracing the corporate ownership chain. Monster Casino operates under ProgressPlay Limited, a Malta-based gambling operator established in 2012. On the surface, this appears legitimate—the company maintains physical headquarters in Malta and operates under dual licensing from the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority.
However, the corporate history reveals significant red flags. Monster Casino was originally launched in 2015 under Nektan Plc, a London-based gambling technology provider. In April 2020, Nektan entered administration due to financial collapse. One year later, in April 2021, the UK Gambling Commission suspended Nektan’s operating license, officially deeming the company “unfit” to hold a gambling license.
Following Nektan’s collapse, Monster Casino was transferred to ProgressPlay Limited. While this corporate restructuring allowed the site to continue operations under valid licenses, the transition raises questions about continuity of player protections and regulatory oversight during the handover period.
The Sister Site Network: ProgressPlay operates an extensive network of over 100 sister sites, including Palms Gold, Mr Vegas Casino, Sin Spins, Mr Slot, Dazzle Casino, Gatobet, Funky Jackpot, Betarno, Fruity King, and Casimpo. All sites share identical terms and conditions, minimum deposit requirements of £10, and parent company infrastructure.
We checked user reports on gambling forums and identified a critical pattern: players who self-excluded from Monster Casino report being able to register at sister sites without restriction. This circumvents the purpose of self-exclusion tools and creates a predatory loop where vulnerable players can continue gambling across the network despite requesting protection.
We clicked the license validator links in the footer of Monster Casino’s website. The site displays two licenses:
License Verification Result: Both licenses are legitimate and currently active. Unlike Curacao licenses, which operate without player dispute resolution mechanisms, both the UKGC and MGA provide ombudsman services for player complaints.
However, license validity does not equal operational integrity. In May 2022, the UK Gambling Commission charged ProgressPlay Limited with systematic failures in:
The settlement resulted in a £175,718 fine. The license was not suspended, but the enforcement action remains on public record. This represents a critical gap: the operator can continue operating despite documented regulatory failures, relying on financial penalties rather than operational reform.
We analysed Monster Casino’s Trustpilot profile, which holds a 1.5 out of 5.0 rating across more than 180 reviews. While some operators manipulate ratings through purchased 5-star reviews, the volume and specificity of negative reviews here indicate systemic operational issues.
Pattern 1: Non-Delivery of Promised Bonuses
Multiple users report signing up based on advertised welcome bonuses, only to find the bonuses never credited to their accounts. Support teams either provide contradictory explanations or ignore inquiries entirely.
Pattern 2: Withdrawal Blocks and Technical Barriers
Users describe attempting to withdraw winnings, only to encounter persistent pop-up messages requiring additional verification. Even after submitting requested documents (passport, utility bills, bank statements), the pop-ups continue indefinitely. Some users report being locked out of their accounts entirely, with no resolution pathway provided.
One user stated: “I won £420 and tried to withdraw. They asked for verification, which I provided. Then they asked for a second utility bill. Then a bank statement. Then they closed my account with no explanation and kept my winnings.”
Pattern 3: Refusal to Pay Wins on Technical Grounds
We identified multiple cases where the operator refused payouts citing technical violations:
Pattern 4: Account Suspension Without Recourse
Users report receiving generic account suspension emails referencing terms violations, without specific explanation of which term was violated or how to appeal. Support teams provide copy-paste responses and refuse escalation.
These patterns are not isolated incidents. They represent a systematic approach to denying payouts on large wins, using verification requirements and terms enforcement as technical barriers. Even games from reputable providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, and Pragmatic Play cannot protect players from operator-level withdrawal obstruction.
| Method | Advertised Time | Real-World Time (User Reports) | Verification Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debit/Credit Card | 3-5 business days | 5-10 days (if approved) | Mandatory on first withdrawal |
| E-Wallets (PayPal, Skrill) | 24-48 hours | 3-7 days (if approved) | Mandatory on first withdrawal |
| Bank Transfer | 3-5 business days | 7-14 days (if approved) | Mandatory on first withdrawal |
| Cryptocurrency | Not supported | N/A | N/A |
Critical Note: The phrase “if approved” appears deliberately in the Real-World Time column. User reports indicate that withdrawals are frequently delayed or rejected during the verification process, even when users comply with all document requests.
The withdrawal terms include a 48-hour pending period during which the operator can reverse the withdrawal for “security checks.” This creates a window for the operator to identify reasons to deny the payout.
For UK Players: While Monster Casino holds a valid UKGC license and integrates with GamStop (the UK’s national self-exclusion scheme), the operator’s 100+ sister site network creates a workaround. Users report being able to register at sister sites operated by ProgressPlay despite active GamStop exclusions. This defeats the purpose of self-exclusion and places vulnerable players at continued risk.
For EU Players: The operator does not integrate with Cruks (Netherlands’ national self-exclusion register) or similar EU-wide protection schemes. Players from jurisdictions with stricter gambling regulations may find themselves without recourse if disputes arise.
Monster Casino operates under legitimate, active licenses from the UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority. The corporate owner, ProgressPlay Limited, is a registered Malta-based entity with a physical headquarters.
However, license validity does not equal player safety. Our investigation uncovered:
Classification: HIGH RISK OPERATOR
This is not a scam in the traditional sense—the licenses are real, and the company is registered. However, the systematic patterns of withdrawal denial, verification traps, and self-exclusion circumvention indicate an operator prioritising profit extraction over player protection.
Recommendation: Proceed with extreme caution. If you choose to play, deposit only amounts you can afford to lose entirely. Document all communications with support. Do not rely on self-exclusion tools to protect you, as the sister site network defeats these mechanisms. If you experience withdrawal denial, file complaints with both the UKGC and MGA immediately, and preserve all evidence (screenshots, emails, chat logs).
If you’re struggling with gambling, GambleAware offers free confidential support and resources.
Jake has been reviewing online casinos since 2021, specializing in bonus analysis and withdrawal testing. Before publishing any review, he deposits his own money to verify bonus terms, wagering requirements, and payout speeds firsthand. His testing methodology focuses on what matters most to players: Can you actually withdraw your winnings, and how long does it take? Jake has completed over 200 successful withdrawals across 45+ different casinos, documenting each one with timestamps and screenshots.
What He Verifies
