Pala Poker Room Review
Had a great time at Pala. After a stay in downtown San Diego for business, wife and I headed up to relax at Pala Casino Resort, where a grand suite awaited us. Big huge room with both a living room, dining area and large master suite. Room also had 1 1/2 bath. Master bath was huge and the shower was party sized, easily 6'x8'.just the shower! Pala Casino, owned by the Pala Interactive LLC umbrella company, is comprised of two more online gambling platforms—poker and bingo. As evidenced in this Pala Casino online review, it is one of top NJ online casinos, now that such practices have gained legal status.
MetroPlay’s Pala Casino review is up next in the search for New Jersey’s best online casino. We’re looking for casinos that offer the best mix of deposit bonuses, easy sign-ups and deposits, and interesting and exciting games. The winning casino will rank well on key specs, but also will need to offer a clean, intuitive experience for players.
So, whether you’re looking for a betting outlet to pass the time while you’re riding the bus to work, or simply prefer your couch to Atlantic City, MetroPlay will help you find the right fit.
Remember, no single casino will fit everyone’s needs, so explore for yourself. Just as you might bounce along the Atlantic City boardwalk looking for that hot table, join a few and see which one you like best. Read our Pala Casino review and decide if it makes the cut.
Read on for MetroPlay’s Pala Casino review.
About Pala Casino
You’ve probably never heard of Pala Casino Resort and Spa — that’s because it’s based near San Diego, California, on the Pala Indian Reservation. When New Jersey legalized online gambling in 2013, Pala wanted in on the market, but by law had to partner with a local brick-and-mortar casino in New Jersey. They found their partner in the Borgata and are one of five online casinos operating under the Borgata license. They do however, use their own proprietary gaming software, Pala Interactive, which means you’ll find a different mix of games here then on other Borgata-operated sites.
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Pala Casino review: The experience
I was eager to try out the online casino of a brand I hadn’t heard of before, but admittedly, I wasn’t blown away by the other casinos that operate under the Borgata license. Pala Casino does have a main page with a different look and feel compared to other Borgata operated sites. The games are listed in a vertical format and easy to search. The most exciting feature of the site is their exclusive $1,000,000 Daily Free Spin Slot Machine. Both after your initial registration and when you log in each day, you have the chance to win $1 million on their promotional slot. During our Pala Casino review, I found some of the fastest load times for games I’ve experienced yet and the games open in a separate window from the main page — a nice feature except that you can’t open more than one game at a time. Overall, the site did have a few more features than other partner sites but their selection of games was very limited, only offering a few types of popular table games and no live dealer games. Pala Casino also offers an online poker room, but that is accessed through a different page.
How to sign up
Although Pala is partnered with other casinos, you do need a separate account to play on their site. Like most other online casino sites, they request your personal info and you have to create a username and verify your location before you can start playing.
Banking: Deposits and withdrawals
• VIP Preferred — Bank transfer. Instant deposit; $10 minimum; available for withdrawal,
• PayPal — eWallet. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• Visa/MasterCard — Deposit funds using your debit or credit card. Instant deposit; not available for withdrawal.
• Neteller — eWallet. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• PayNearMe — Deposit funds into your online account at a local 7-Eleven or Family Dollar store. 24-hour maximum limit $500; 30-day maximum limit $10,000; not available for withdrawal.
• Pala Play+ Card — Personalized credit card. Instant deposit; available for withdrawal.
• Cash at casino cage — Pick up your winnings or deposit funds at the cashier at the Borgata in Atlantic City.
If you use a method to deposit funds not available for withdrawal, your only option is to have a check mailed to you, which takes five to seven business days.
Insider Tip: I was shocked and concerned that when I logged into the site, Pala Casino already had my banking information. It made depositing funds very easy, but I didn’t know how they had that information. I contacted customer support and they informed me that with VIP Preferred, your information syncs with other casinos that use the same platform. So be warned that if you give your banking info to one site, multiple others will have it!
Pala Casino review: Promotions and rewards
The Pala Casino site offers a two-part welcome package for new players. The first is $25 in bonus money — $20 in casino bonus dollars and a guaranteed $5 win on their $1,000,000 slot machine. There is a 20X minimum wagering requirement on both bonuses before you can withdraw money won, unless you are lucky enough to win the $1,000,000 grand prize.
The second part is a first deposit match of 100 percent up to $500 and no promo code is required. Beware: If you enter a code, intentionally or by clicking on a different promo link, that code takes precedence over the first deposit match. In my case, I clicked on the Tuesday10 link prior to reading the fine print. Instead of getting a first deposit match, I received 10 free spins on the slot machine. I contacted customer support but they wouldn’t change the promo code.
First depositor monthly drawing — If you make a first deposit of $25 or more, you’re entered to win 50 bonus spins on the million-dollar slot machine. Five winners are selected at random. Any money won from the spins is subject to a 20X minimum wagering requirement before you can withdraw winnings.
Daily plays — Every day of the week, Pala Casino offers a different promotion.
• Monday Spins Reload — Deposit $25 or more and get 25 free spins.
• Tuesday10 — Deposit $15 or more and get 10 free spins.
• Spins Wednesday — Deposit $25 or more and get 25 free spins.
• Double Thursday — Deposit $25 or more and get 10 free spins and $5 in bonus money.
• Friday50 — Get a 50 percent match up to $50.
• Slots Saturday — Earn 10X rewards points on featured slots.
• Pala currently does not have a Sunday promotion, but the site notes one will be announced soon.
Daily spin for $1,000,000 — After the initial bonus spin you receive in registration, each day players log on to the site, they receive a free spin and a chance to win $1 to $1 million on Pala’s exclusive slot machine. To be eligible, players must have deposited at least $50 in their account in the last 30 days and have at least a balance of $10 in their account.
Rewards program — Every real money wager you make on the site will earn you both status and reward points. Status points increase your loyalty level and reward points can be redeemed for cash in the points store.
Types of games
One downside discovered during our Pala Casino review is that this online gambling site does not offer live dealer games and has only a small selection of table games.
Blackjack: Four types are offered. Standard rules with no side bets. One with multihand option. Table minimum 50 cents-$10; maximum $10-$1,000.
Three Card Poker: Table minimum $1; maximum $20 (very low for this type of table game).
Craps: One of six online casinos to offer the dice game. Table minimum $1; maximum $100.
Let It Ride: Table minimum $1; maximum $75 (also very low for this type of game, most other casinos have a table max of $200 for this game).
Roulette: Only one type is offered, European pro. The game is played with only one “0” so the odds are better than traditional American roulette. Table minimum $1; maximum $100.
Video poker: Eight types are offered.
1. Jacks or Better
2. Triple Play Draw Poker
3. Deuces Wild
4. Five Play Draw Poker
5. Deuces and Jokers Wild
6. Bonus Poker
7. Double Bonus Poker
8. Double Double Bonus Poker
Slots: More than 200 titles are offered but only one progressive jackpot — Jackpot Shores. The game is featured on the main page and had a jackpot over $180,000.
90 Ball Bingo: Games are offered every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
SugarHouse scores 4.9!See it for yourself
Pala Casino review summary
For players wanting to try out a different site, Pala may offer the experience you want. Their free daily spin slot machine is a nice incentive, but with only one progressive jackpot, Pala doesn’t have many chances for players hoping to hit it big. For an out-of-state casino, it’s an OK site, but there are others that offer a better mix of games.
What keeps players coming back to Pala Casino? In addition to offering nearly 230 casino games, Pala offers some of the best promotions in the iGaming industry.
We’ve reviewed all the site’s promotional offers and present to you our five favorite Pala Casino promotions.
Claim a 100% deposit bonus of up to $500 at PalaCasino.com
Spin for $1 million
Who wants to be a millionaire? At Pala Casino, qualifying players receive the opportunity to spin daily for $1 million. This is part of Pala Casino’s Million Dollar Slot Promotion.
New players receive a free spin on the Million Dollar Slot when they register for a new account. After the initial spin, players remain eligible for the $1 million grand prize provided that they’ve deposited at least $50 on Pala Casino and have a balance of at least $10.
The $1 million grand prize is not the only prize available on the Million Dollar Slot. Players can also win Bonus Dollars in increments ranging from $1 to $1,000.
If you don’t qualify for your daily spin for $1 million, you’ll still receive a spin to win one of the Bonus Dollar prizes.
Click here to spin for $1 million every day at Pala Casino!
Pala Casino NJ bonus offer — December 2020
New players receive an array of free money bonuses as part of the Pala Casino Welcome Package. Just sign up for your free account using the bonus code OVBONUS and you will receive $25 total in bonus money.
The bonus comes affixed with a 20x turnover requirement on slots and 100 in most other games. This means that players will need to get a bit lucky if they hope to withdraw funds without first initiating a real-money transaction.
Use Pala online casino promo code OVBONUS when you sign up today at Pala Casino!
Pala Casino New Jersey 2020 promotional code and details
| Online Casino | Pala Casino Online |
|---|---|
| Promotional Code | OVBONUS |
| No Deposit Bonus | $25 |
| Deposit Bonus | 100% of up to $500 |
| Physical Casino Partner | Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa |
| Last Verified | December 2020 |
Double your deposit
Ready to make your first deposit on Pala Casino? Great! Just make a deposit of $10 or more and Pala Casino will credit your account with an equal amount of Bonus Dollars.
You can receive up to $500 in bonus dollars. So a $500 deposit will start you with a bankroll of $1,000.
This bonus does have a 10x playthrough requirement for both the bonus dollars and initial deposit. After that, you can withdraw bonus funds.
No deposit codes are needed. Just make your deposit and the bonus funds will be credited automatically. Players have 15 days to complete all wager requirements.
Breaking down the value of the opening bonuses
Pala’s no deposit bonus
No Deposit Bonus (Pala)
- Value:
- Expires in (days):
- Playthrough:
- $40.00
- 30
- 10
Cost of clearing bonus playing slots:
| Slot RTP | Paid to casino | Remaining bonus |
|---|---|---|
| 93% | $28.00 | -$8.00 |
| 94% | $24.00 | -$4.00 |
| 95% | $16.00 | $0.00 |
| 96% | $16.00 | $4.00 |
| 97% | $12.00 | $8.00 |
| 98% | $8.00 | $12.00 |
Cost of clearing bonus playing non-slots:
| Game type | Lowest RTP | Highest RTP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid to casino | Remaining bonus | Paid to casino | Remaining bonus | |
| Blackjack | $12.20 | $7.80 | $9.20 | $10.80 |
| Roulette | $105.20 | -$85.20 | $54.00 | -$34.00 |
| Other table games | $27.20 | -$7.20 | $24.80 | -$4.80 |
| Video poker | $78.80 | -$58.80 | $9.20 | $10.80 |
Bonus break-even RTP cut-off:
| Game type | RTP cut-off |
|---|---|
| Slots | 95.00% |
| Blackjack | 99.00% |
| Roulette | 99.00% |
| Other table games | 99.00% |
| Video poker | 99.00% |
Pala’s opening bonus
First Deposit Bonus (Pala)
- Percent value:
- Max value:
- Min. Deposit
- Expires in (days):
- Playthrough:
- 100.00%
- $500
- $10.00
- 30
- 20
Cost of releasing $1 playing slots:
| Slot RTP | Cost | Cashback value |
|---|---|---|
| 93% | $1.40 | -40.00% |
| 94% | $1.20 | -20.00% |
| 95% | $1.00 | 0.00% |
| 96% | $0.80 | 20.00% |
| 97% | $0.60 | 40.00% |
| 98% | $0.40 | 60.00% |
Cost of releasing $1 playing non-slots:
| Game type | Lowest RTP | Highest RTP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paid to casino | Cashback | Paid to casino | Cashback | |
| Blackjack | $0.61 | -39.00% | $0.46 | 54.00% |
| Roulette | $5.26 | -426.00% | $2.70 | -170.00% |
| Other table games | $1.36 | -36.00% | $1.24 | -24.00% |
| Video poker | $3.94 | -294.00% | $0.46 | -54.00% |
Bonus break-even RTP cut-off:
| Game type | RTP cut-off |
|---|---|
| Slots | 95.00% |
| Blackjack | 99.00% |
| Roulette | 99.00% |
| Other table games | 99.00% |
| Video poker | 99.50% |
Maximum bonus value at highest RTP:
| Game type | Maximum value |
|---|---|
| Slots | $300 |
| Blackjack | $270 |
| Roulette | -$850 |
| Other table games | -$120 |
| Video poker | $270 |
Earn free spins for $1 million on Wednesdays
What’s better than the daily spin for $1 million? How about 10, 20 or even 25 free spins on the Million Dollar Slot. Every Wednesday, players that deposit $25 or more using the deposit code SPINSWED will receive spins for the $1 million slot machine. The number is determined by their loyalty tier.
- Privileges: 5 spins
- Pearl Privileges: 10 spins
- Gold Privileges: 15 spins
- Platinum Privileges: 20 spins
- Elite Privileges: 25 spins
Just log in and make a deposit any time on Wednesday. Within 72 hours you will receive your extra spins.
Players do not have to meet turnover or account balance requirements to participate in this promotion. That being said, they may want to play real-money games to work up the loyalty rankings, as that’s the only way to earn more spins.
Ongoing promotions and bonuses
- NetEnt $250,000 Prize Pool (March 2-29): each time you bet $20 on one of the listed games, you earn one ticket for one of the four weekly raffles with $250,000 in total on the line.
Earn 10x rewards points on Slots Saturday
If you’re looking to quickly rack up Rewards Points, we recommend you play on Slots Saturday. Every Saturday, Pala Casino will select a featured slot machine and anyone that plays on that machine will receive 10X Rewards Points.
There are no special requirements or codes to participate in this promotion. Just log in and play the featured slot for the day. Click here to see which slots will be featured on Slots Saturday.
VIP program evaluation
VIP program cashback (Pala)
- Points expiration:
- Exchange rate per $1
- Points exchanged for:
- -
- 5000
- Cash
Pala Casino Poker Room Review
Status Points awarded per one dollar wagered:
| Game Type | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 1.00 | 4.30 |
| Video poker | 0.20 | 1.95 |
| Table games | 0.20 | 2.60 |
Reward Points awarded per one status point earned:
| Account tier | Reward Points |
|---|---|
| Base | 4 |
| Pearl | 4 |
| Gold | 6 |
| Platinum | 8 |
| Elite | 10 |
| Reward Points cash value | |
Wagers required to earn one dollar in cash:
| Game type | Base | Pearl | Gold | Platinum | Elite | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | |
| Slots | $1,250.00 | $290.70 | $1,250.00 | $290.70 | $833.33 | $193.80 | $625.00 | $145.35 | $500.00 | $116.28 |
| Video poker | $6,250.00 | $641.03 | $6,250.00 | $641.03 | $4,166.67 | $427.35 | $3,125.00 | $320.51 | $2,500.00 | $256.41 |
| Table games | $6,250.00 | $480.77 | $6,250.00 | $480.77 | $4,166.67 | $320.51 | $3,125.00 | $240.38 | $2,500.00 | $192.31 |
Cashback as a return on wagers:
| Game type | Base | Pearl | Gold | Platinum | Elite | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | Max. | Min. | |
| Slots | 0.34% | 0.08% | 0.34% | 0.08% | 0.52% | 0.12% | 0.69% | 0.16% | 0.86% | 0.20% |
| Video poker | 0.16% | 0.02% | 0.16% | 0.02% | 0.23% | 0.02% | 0.31% | 0.03% | 0.39% | 0.04% |
| Table games | 0.21% | 0.02% | 0.21% | 0.02% | 0.31% | 0.02% | 0.42% | 0.03% | 0.52% | 0.04% |
Cashback as a return on net losses:
| Game type | Base | Pearl | Gold | Platinum | Elite | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest RTP. | Highest RTP. | Lowest RTP. | Highest RTP. | Lowest RTP. | Highest RTP. | Lowest RTP. | Highest RTP. | Lowest RTP. | Highest RTP. | |
| Slots | 3.44% | 4.00% | 3.44% | 4.00% | 5.16% | 6.00% | 6.88% | 8.00% | 8.60% | 10.00% |
| Video poker | 3.96% | 3.48% | 3.96% | 3.48% | 5.94% | 5.22% | 7.92% | 6.96% | 9.90% | 8.70% |
| Table games | 3.95% | 0.59% | 3.95% | 0.59% | 5.93% | 0.89% | 7.91% | 1.19% | 9.89% | 1.48% |
| Additional bonuses for reaching tiers | ||||||||||
Status Points awarded per one dollar wagered:
| Tier | Status Points to reach | Additional bonus (1x playthrough) |
|---|---|---|
| Platinum | 50000 | $100 |
| Elite | 250000 | $500 |
Wagers required to receive bonus:
| Game type | Platinum | Elite | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Slots | $11,628 | $50,000 | $58,140 | $250,000 |
| Video poker | $25,641 | $250,000 | $128,205 | $1,250,000 |
| Table games | $19,231 | $250,000 | $96,154 | $1,250,000 |
Cashback as a return on wagers:
| Game type | Platinum | Elite | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Slots | 0.20% | 0.86% | 0.24% | 1.03% |
| Video poker | 0.04% | 0.39% | 0.05% | 0.47% |
| Table games | 0.04% | 0.52% | 0.05% | 0.62% |
Cashback as a return on net losses:
| Game type | Platinum | Elite | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest RTP | Highest RTP | Lowest RTP | Highest RTP | |
| Slots | 8.60% | 10.00% | 8.60% | 10.00% |
| Blackjack | 85.25% | 8.70% | 85.25% | 8.70% |
| Roulette | 9.89% | 1.48% | 9.89% | 1.48% |
| Video poker | 9.90% | 8.70% | 9.90% | 8.70% |
| Other table games | 38.24% | 3.23% | 38.24% | 3.23% |
Pala Poker Room Reviews
Background on Pala Online Casino NJ
Pala Interactive is the online gaming arm of the California-based Pala Band of Mission Indians. It became the first tribe to operate an online casino site in New Jersey. The company first applied for and received a transactional waiver in 2013, when New Jersey first accepted applications for New Jersey online gambling operators.
While it was approved by the DGE at the time, Pala Interactive was unable to find a partner in New Jersey. That issue that is now resolved.
Pala Interactive operates under Borgata’s license (each license holder is allowed to operate several separate sites). However, Pala’s iGaming sites will not be part of the current network that includes BorgataPoker.com and NJ.partypoker.com or their sister NJ online casino sites.
What’s the skinny at Pala online casino?
Poker fans will be pleased to know that Pala now offers online poker under PalaPoker.com. New registrants will receive bonuses for poker, casino, and bingo.
Pala Casino now features one of the biggest progressive jackpots in the NJ online casino industry. It’s exclusive JackpotShores machine is currently awarding a top prize of over $120,000 and growing. The price of a chance at life-changing money: $6.25 per spin.
Pala still offers its slick 100% up to $500 match on first-time deposits.
Online casino
Pala’s online casino site in New Jersey is a standalone site. It competes with Borgata and PartyPoker NJ.
Pala’s casino site has been able to garner a share of the market, although it entered the New Jersey market facing three distinct disadvantages:
- The Pala brand (one of the best in California gaming) was a complete unknown in New Jersey. This was a factor that seemed to hurt Ultimate Gaming in the market before it pulled out.
- Pala had no New Jersey player database to speak of.
- The site launched a year after its competitors.
Still, an online casino is an online casino. Pala has already made some waves with its sleek and updated software, innovative marketing strategy, and its exclusive progressive slot Jackpot Shores.
Pala also features an online poker room. Pala Poker joins the four other NJ online poker rooms: 888 NJ, Party/Borgata, WSOP.com NJ and PokerStars NJ.
Ultimate Poker (which has left the market) and Betfair (whose online poker room was a ghost town and ultimately shuttered) were unable to gain any market share through NJ online poker.
Deposit Options at Pala Casino
Pala Casino offers the following deposit options, all of which require a minimum deposit amount of $10:
- PayPal
- PayNearMe
- Bank transfer
- Mastercard/Visa
- Prepaid card
- Cash at casino cage
- ECheck/ACH
New games at Pala Casino
Lucky Tree: If you frequent land-based casinos, you should already be familiar with this title. Now available online, with all the bonus features such as random wilds, picking and free plays completely intact.
Epic Monopoly II: Expanding wilds and as many as 100 pay lines make this board game-based slot truly stand out from all the other five reel titles. Land the Epic Wheel on the Epic free spins bonus for up to 25 free games or start raking in the cash on the classic Monopoly board in the around-the-board feature.
Cirque Du Soleil Kooza: Five reels, 40-lines, and a visually appealing circus theme make this SG Gaming slot stand out from the crowd. The bonus features include free spins, bonus wheel, and a pick bonus special.
Bier Haus: This one is on Williams Interactive and SkillOnNet, gents! Five reels, 40 lines, locked wilds, scatter symbols and a bonus round with up to 80 free spins. If you’re looking for fast-paced slot action, you simply can’t go wrong with this Oktoberfest-themed slot.
Elvis The King Lives: Crank it up to eleven in this 11-reel, 80-line slot! As expected, the music is absolutely top notch and the Wilds and Free Spins keep the gameplay smooth and exciting.
Black Knight: The Black Knight acts as a Wild in this dark-ages themed five reel slot. Get three feature symbols scattered anywhere on the reels to trigger the bonus round and get a shot at winning the jackpot!
Wishing You Fortune: With as many as 1,024 paylines, this five-reel video slot with an ancient China theme is guaranteed to bring you good fortune! The visuals and sound effects are absolutely top-notch, and the gameplay is smooth and satisfying thanks to the wild symbol that appears on the fortune reel.
Alice and the Mad Tea Party: Revisit your childhood in this amazing five-line video slot straight from Williams Interactive and SkillOnNet. Thirty paylines, wilds, scatter symbols and plenty of winning combinations to line up.
The Wizard of Oz – Road to Emerald City: A 2017, three-reel slot produced by SG Gaming and Williams Interactive. Its seven bonus rounds will surely make you believe in magic again!