How to Sign Up at Betbus

Betbus’ bonuses are clearly aimed primarily at sports bettors, although they have ensured that casino enthusiasts aren’t totally left out.

While the Betbus bonus offers might not be as enticing or numerous as other big names, we expect that Betbus will expand its selection to cater to as broad a range of tastes as possible in time.

Welcome Bonus

At the time of writing, the Betbus welcome bonus differs depending on whether you are after sports betting or casino games. For its part, the casino games first deposit offer rewards a 120% deposit match bonus up to R6,000, while the sports welcome offer sits slightly lower at a 100% deposit match up to R5,000.

However, for both options, players need to deposit at least R100, which is pretty steep as far as we’re concerned. Yet, the fact that there is no Betbus welcome bonus code required does simplify the process considerably.

Other key considerations are that the Betbus sign-up offer for casino users only applies to Slots and comes with a wagering requirement of 35x. Players have three days after making a qualifying deposit to wager the full amount, and have 30 days to meet the 35x wagering requirement that is attached. Needless to say, these restrictions are quite harsh for casino players.

The requirements attached to the sports betting welcome bonus aren’t much better. Like the casino bonus, players have three days after making a qualifying deposit to wager the full amount, and this must be wagered on bets of at least 2.0. On top of this, players have 7 days from when the bonus is activated to meet the 5x wagering requirement, which again isn’t great to say the least.

Score: 18/30

Ongoing Promotions

Although both casino and sports betting enthusiasts are offered a welcome incentive, on the casino side, users can win Free Spins by wagering on a specific game that is determined by what day of the week it is, although the exact requirements to unlock the Betbus Free Spins can vary.

For their part, besides a 75% deposit match bonus on a qualifying deposit of at least R100 and a 10% weekly cashback on sports bets, Betbus appears to have played it safe in regards to its sports betting incentives. The offers here are largely what you’d expect from an online bookmaker that offers sports betting, with Cash Out, Odds Boosters, Bore Draws and Accumulator enhancers all available to take advantage of.

We should note here that the Bore Draw promotion doesn’t appear to apply to outright pre-match bets, but rather to Half Time/Full Time and Correct Score bets.

Score: 18/25

Loyalty Program

From what we were able to determine, Betbus doesn’t currently run a proper VIP Program. What’s more, as we covered above, the range of existing player bonuses isn’t exactly extensive.

Score: 14/25

Wagering Terms and Conditions

The wagering Terms and Conditions are clearly stated in the small print, and largely are in line with what you’d expect from a South African bookmaker. Free bets typically only return any winnings, and promotions have clearly defined expiry periods, betting requirements, and wagering attachments.

As a result, while there might not be that many promotions and bonuses, players are given all the information they need to ensure they know what they are signing up for.

Score: 18/20

Final Bonuses and Promotions Score: 68/100

Betbus places clear emphasis on keeping its banking system efficient and user friendly, as shown by the fact that it has provided a range of both deposit and withdrawal options, as well as the strong security measures in place and generally fast withdrawals.

As long as users have passed FICA verification, withdrawals are generally completed as quickly as possible, with a typical maximum wait of just 2 working days.

Deposit Methods

Betbus provides a strong list of South African-friendly deposit options, including staples like Visa, Mastercard, and Bank Transfers, as well as other options such as EFT and Instant EFT and vouchers, giving players a sizable variety of payment options to choose from.

As well as offering a broad selection of deposit options, Betbus’ appeal is further increased by the fact that minimum deposits are set at just R20, making the platform accessible even to casual players.

Score: 18/20

Withdrawal Methods

Withdrawals are processed mainly via EFT to all major South African banks, so all users should be able to find a method that works for them. What’s more, as we mentioned earlier, verified withdrawal requests typically take just 1 to 2 business days, so Betbus users aren’t left waiting to get their hands on their winnings.

However, it is worth pointing out that, although this was the experience for ourselves as well as many other users, these processing times aren’t guaranteed, particularly when larger withdrawal requests are made.

This is because Betbus reserves the right to request additional FICA checks when dealing with withdrawals that are larger than usual, as they are bound by law to help prevent financial crimes. These checks typically don’t take that much longer, but it’s still worth thinking about before you make a large withdrawal request.

Score: 22/25

Transaction Security and Fairness

All Betbus transactions are protected by SSL encryption, and as we covered earlier, all the payment processors that partner with the bookmaker employ their own security measures to defend against fraud. As such, players know that their financial details are secured across both deposits and withdrawals, allowing them to focus on enjoying what Betbus has to offer.

Betbus is required by South African law to ensure all its users pass FICA checks to help combat financial crime, and it takes this duty very seriously. However, this process is very straightforward, and users will be guided each step of the way. Consequently, players know what is required, as well as how to minimize the chances of delays to the verification process.

Score: 25/25

Supported Payment Methods at Betbus

Betbus supports a wide range of secure local and international payment methods. Below you can learn more about how each option works, including limits, fees, and withdrawal speeds.

Final Payment and Transaction Methods Score: 66/70

Website Design & Navigation

The website may look basic, but this is a reflection of Betbus’ overall focus on quality. The key sections of the website are well organized, and this is especially the case for the specific game sections of the Betbus website. What’s more, the website loads quickly, so getting around is as seamless as possible.

We also have to give credit for the Recent Wins banner that is displayed near the top of the landing page, as this lets players know what games have paid out, so they can adapt their playing style accordingly.

Score: 20/25

Mobile Gaming

At the time of writing, although Betbus offers a downloadable APK for Android users, iOS users do not have a mobile app available to use.

Although the presence of a mobile-optimized website is welcome, the fact that a proper Betbus mobile app isn’t available across either Android or iOS is disappointing, as this is a feature that mobile casino users have come to expect for easier gaming on the go.

Score: 14/20

Customer Support

Betbus’ customer support options are as we expected, with email, Live Chat, and phone support to choose from. In particular, the presence of the latter is especially welcome, as it adds a human touch that is too often missing from many online gambling sites.

We also have to praise the Live Chat, as the quality of the support team means that this feature significantly reduces the waiting time for users to get issues fixed.

We should warn that, while we had a very smooth experience when testing out the customer support team regardless of what method we chose, there is the important caveat that their responses may be slower at peak times. This is substantially more likely for Betbus in particular, as the bookmaker is still relatively new when compared to leading betting companies.

Overall, though, we were more than happy with the quality of the customer support, which again reflects Betbus’ focus on offering a quality experience as much as it can.

Score: 28/30

Responsible Gambling

Betbus’ Responsible Gambling page seems rather basic, and this extends to the tools as well. Currently, the tools available are allowing players to request for a Cool Off of 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, or 3 months, longer self-exclusions of at least 6 months, permanent self-exclusion, and hands-off advice on the signs of problem gambling. It’s slightly more extensive than other sites we’ve reviewed, but not by much.

To its credit, the bookmaker does provide users with the contact information for the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation. However, we really think the casino should expand its range of tools, as this would make it easier for players to keep gambling fun without the need to resort to more restrictive measures like what is currently available.

Score: 15/25

Final User Experience and Customer Support: 72/100