Hollywoodbets logo

Hollywoodbets UK Review - Is it Safe or a Scam? (December 2024)

UK Gambling Commission (53028) UKGC Licence

As Hollywoodbets is a relatively new entrant to the UK sports betting market, people thinking about joining the South African bookmaker are likely to have questions before signing up.

Our experts have spent plenty of time using Hollywoodbets - which is a combined online sportsbook and casino site - to bring you their definitive verdict on the UK site.

We will be assessing myriad areas such as the safety and security of Hollywoodbets, as well as the welcome bonus offered by the site and its promotions aimed at existing UK players.

Furthermore, we will be taking a deep dive into the different deposit and withdrawal methods that can be used at Hollywoodbets' cashier, as well as seeing how fast payout speeds are.

Deposit £10+ on card. Stake £10+ on both your 1st & 2nd bets at min odds of 1.5 (1/2) within 3 days of registration & receive a £10 Free Bet for each qualifying bet resulted as a loss. Free Bets only be valid on multiples with 3+ legs & min cumulative odds of 3.0 (2/1). Min odds of 1.4 (2/5) required per leg. Free Bets must be used within 3 days of them being received. 20 Free Spins will only be available for use on the slot game ‘John Hunter and the Book of Tut Respin™.Promo period: 12/08/2023 – 01/01/2024.
Steven Hubbard
Reviewed by Steven Hubbard
Last updated: 04/12/2024
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At BettingLounge.co.uk, we believe that trust is earned through transparency, experience, and expertise. Our team of experts has over 20 years of experience in the sports betting industry, and we follow a rigorous review process to ensure that our reviews are accurate and up-to-date.

We are partners with bookmakers, but we will never accept money to adjust the reviews or purposely write positive content. We are committed to providing our readers with honest and impartial information so they can make informed decisions about their betting activities.

Hollywoodbets Welcome Offers

Swipe to see all 2 offers
Betting

Up To £30 Back as a Free Bet + 20 Free Spins

Turnover No wagering
Max. Amount £30
Min. Deposit £10
Expiration 3 days
Deposit £10+ on card. Stake £10+ on both your 1st & 2nd bets at min odds of 1.5 (1/2) within 3 days of registration & receive a £10 Free Bet for each qualifying bet resulted as a loss. Free Bets only be valid on multiples with 3+ legs & min cumulative odds of 3.0 (2/1). Min odds of 1.4 (2/5) required per leg. Free Bets must be used within 3 days of them being received. 20 Free Spins will only be available for use on the slot game ‘John Hunter and the Book of Tut Respin™.Promo period: 12/08/2023 – 01/01/2024.
No code required
Claim Offer
Casino

Bet £10 Get 100 Wager Free Spins

Turnover No wagering
Max. Amount 100 free spins
Min. Deposit £10
Expiration 7 days
For new players who register on the App. Card deposit of £10 required. Deposit and wager a minimum of £10 on any slot in order to receive 50 Free Spins to use on both Money Train 3 and Big Bass Bonanza. Free Spins will each carry a value of £0.10. Promo period: 01/04/2023 – 31/12/2023.
No code required
Claim Offer

Hollywoodbets Expert Opinion

Bonus 7
Sportsbook 7
Casino 7
Customer Support 7
Payment 9
Licensing Safety 9
Design and Usability 8
Overall 8
Steven Hubbard
Reviewed by Steven Hubbard

While Hollywoodbets is a big name in South Africa, the company is still breaking through in the UK. A decent welcome bonus is not up there with the best around, though, so it might be hard for the company to make a splash in what is a highly competitive marketplace now.

One thing in Hollywoodbets' favour is the fact it is offering a special app-only welcome bonus to new users who sign up via the software they have downloaded onto their mobile devices. But with the Hollywoodbets app for Android not yet available to download directly from the Google Play store, this is a step that many people might be unwilling to take now.

While Hollywoodbets does offer live horse racing streaming, there is not much else on offer in this department. People who are used to being able to tune in to a wide and wonderful range of live sports through their betting site account may feel the need to go elsewhere.

Hollywoodbets has a strong online casino with thousands of top games to try out. The library is updated with new games regularly and dozens of progressive jackpot slots. There is even a no-wagering free spins bonus to take advantage of.

Something else in favour of Hollywoodbets is the site's excellent range of online payment methods that can be used for deposits and withdrawals. But Apple Pay and Google Pay are notable omissions from the list, showing there is still much work for the site to do on mobile.

Is Hollywoodbets UK Safe?

Hollywoodbets has a reputation for being a secure and safe online betting site in the UK.

The operator is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 53028, which can be checked by customers on the official UKGC website using our link in the header of this page.

Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology is used throughout the Hollywoodbets sportsbook and online casino site in order to protect all customer information and data.

Third parties will never be given access to sensitive information that has been shared with Hollywoodbets, such as personal details or financial information like debit card numbers.

Are the Hollywoodbets Welcome Bonus Offers Worth Claiming?

With more competition than ever among sports betting sites, like all other companies in the sector Hollywoodbets works hard to attract new customers through special sign-up betting offers.

However, the headline Hollywoodbets welcome bonus is not particularly generous right now. At the moment, Hollywoodbets is offering new customers £10 back as a free bet if their first wager on the site loses. However, we have an exclusive signup bonus for BettingLounge visitors which is up to £30 back as free bets and 20 no wagering free spins.

Hollywoodbets does have an exclusive app bonus, which is unusual for the industry. Due to the fact, that Hollywoodbets is trying to push players to download its mobile betting app - more information on that later - the site is offering a bigger welcome bonus to those who join it.

Signing up for a Hollywoodbets account via the app will give new customers £20 back as free bets if their first and second bets lose. This is twice as good as the original welcome bonus, so anyone who is thinking about joining Hollywoodbets should do so via the app.

On the casino side at Hollywoodbets, new users who sign up through the app can get 100 free spins to use on the John Hunter slot games if they stake £10. Spins are worth 10p each.

Promotions for Existing Customers

Horse racing betting fans will be particularly pleased with the range of deals and offers that are up for grabs at Hollywoodbets. Best odds guaranteed is in place, so those who back a winning horse might get a surprise when they check their account balance as more profit might be given out.

Not only does the Hollywoodbets best odds guaranteed deal cover UK and Irish horse racing, but South African meetings are covered too. This is a nod to the site's SA heritage.

As well as best odds guaranteed, Hollywoodbets has a first-past-the-post offer in place. If you back a horse that wins a race but is later disqualified, the bookmaker pays out anyway. Nevertheless, the site has not made our top ten list of horse racing bookies.

An acca bonus is offered at Hollywoodbets too, with an improved profit of up to 75% given out depending on how many legs are included in a selection. Furthermore, there is also a form of acca insurance in play at Hollywoodbets too. Sports fans who have at least five selections in their acca can get a refund if just one leg lets them down. And it gets better! Including 12 or more selections means that if just one loses, Hollywoodbets will pay out 5x the stake as a free bet, capped at £50. That is much better than most bookies will offer.

One thing to note about the acca insurance offer at Hollywoodbets is that it does not kick in automatically. Customers who want to get their refund will have to contact the customer service team at [email protected] with 'Acca Insurance' in the title and include details such as the player's account number and the transaction ID, which is a bit of a faff.

Casino promotions at Hollywoodbets include a 10% cashback refund on losses from slots. Free spins on new casino games at Hollywoodbets are often available to claim here as well.

Hollywoodbets.co.uk Sports Review

Hollywoodbets is a new online betting site in the UK market, launching in mid-2020, but, the company behind Hollywoodbets has 20+ years of experience in the industry. The company first started as a single betting shop in South Africa, eventually expanding to 80+ stores and a dominant online presence in South Africa.

It is refreshing to see that Hollywoodbets is not launched as a white label solution like most new betting sites this year, and has its own UK gambling licence under the licensee name "Hollywoodbets International UK Limited".

It is still too early to judge the trustworthiness of Hollywoodbets, but, it is encouraging to see a "new" bookmaker enter the UK market with 20+ years of experience, 5000+ employees, and their licence, instead of the 10+ white label solutions we have seen launch in 2020 that have already racked up plenty of 1-star player reviews.

Sports, Markets & Betting Odds

You can immediately tell that Hollywoodbets have decades of experience in the industry with a wide range of sports available straight from launch, including horse racing and greyhound betting, which is rare for new bookies.

On top of the popular sports, you will also find a great depth of niche sports including esports, table tennis and ice hockey to name a few. Top esports such as CS:GO, Call of Duty, Rocket League and Dota 2 are among those available to bet on.

Sports available:

  • Football
  • Horse racing
  • Greyhounds
  • Tennis
  • Table tennis
  • Ice Hockey
  • Basketball
  • MMA
  • Badminton
  • Baseball
  • American Football
  • Aussie Rules
  • Auto Racing
  • Boxing
  • Esports
  • Cricket
  • Cycling
  • Darts
  • Formula 1
  • Gaelic football
  • Golf
  • Hurling
  • Motorbikes
  • Nascar
  • Rugby League/Union
  • Snooker
  • Virtual sports

In terms of the betting markets, Hollywoodbets offers over 300+ different markets for popular football events, which is much higher than average. You will find a wide range of markets across the sportsbook including totals, handicaps, corners, cards, shots and more.

While the Premier League is always going to be the main focus for a big bet on the beautiful game for sports fans in the UK, Hollywoodbets also covers leagues, cups and competitions from every corner of the planet as well.

As is the case with most top UK sports betting sites these days, there is a bet builder tool in place at Hollywoodbets so that its users can create their same-game acca. However, you will need to log in before starting a bet builder.

As for the betting margins, Hollywoodbets averaged a respectable 6.56% in our tests, but, it is fairly higher than the best UK bookies that offer margins of 2% and lower.

Hollywoodbets has its statistics section as part of the sports betting offering on the site. This is a data goldmine for anyone who enjoys crunching the numbers while they try to pick out a winning wager.

The Hollywoodbets statistics section is a highly impressive resource. For a typical big game in the Premier League, users who go here can check out a detailed head-to-head record of the two teams in question, as well as various data on the sides.

Hollywoodbets Casino Games

There are well over 2,500 different casino games to try at Hollywoodbets, with players likely to be impressed by the wide selection. Slots make up the vast majority of those games, of course, but there are plenty of good table games too, and a strong live dealer area as well.

The Hollywoodbets casino allows customers to simply filter through the selection. It is possible to view only the video slots, or check out which top Slingo titles are being offered. 

Searching by provider works well and is a great option for those who particularly enjoy playing Pragmatic Play games, for example. There are around 20 different providers signed up to the Hollywoodbets casino and more are joining. A new games area is updated on a regular basis so there is always something fresh to test out on the Hollywoodbets casino.

Progressive jackpot titles will be some of the most popular to play at the Hollywoodbets UK site. There are about 40 linked slots in this area, sharing a massive top jackpot prize. The biggest amount that has ever been won on an online progressive jackpot is £13,213,838.68, so there are extraordinary sums of money on the table in these progressive slots sometimes.

Table games are neglected by many online casinos these days. But Hollywoodbets has worked hard to offer dozens of table games, giving customers a good amount of choice. Variations of casino classics like roulette and blackjack are dominant within the table games section but there are also games such as Hi-Lo and Dragon Tiger to give a go here as well.

Players who prefer a livelier setting at the casino should head to the live department on the Hollywoodbets UK site, with an array of tables at which it is possible to grab a virtual seat. 

Live roulette is probably the top game to go for at the Hollywoodbets casino, but those who prefer to try their luck with blackjack are covered by tables with various stake sizes too. A handful of live poker tables are available to join too, while there are live dealer games that have been created based on game shows such as Deal Or No Deal and Monopoly to play.

Casino tournaments are something that certainly catches the eye at the Hollywoodbets casino. These tend to be pegged around certain events or times of year. As an example, at the time of writing there was a Halloween-themed casino tournament at Hollywoodbets UK. Players had to try their luck on a variety of Halloween casino games to be in with a chance of scooping a share of the prize pool, which stood at a pretty impressive total of £3,000.

Something a bit different from the norm at the Hollywoodbets casino is the BetGames area. These live dealer fixed-odds betting games are designed in order to be legal in nations where the rules regarding betting are more complicated than those in place in the UK. An example of a leading title in the BetGames area at Hollywoodbets is Bet On Poker, a game that mimics Texas Hold 'em but with a subtle twist to provide a different gaming experience.

The Hollywoodbets casino is not quite as slick as some of the biggest and best casino sites in the UK, but games work well no matter the screen size and there are decent promotions.

Hollywoodbets Mobile App

Hollywoodbets is pushing its mobile app for iOS and Android hard, putting a special app-only welcome bonus up for grabs for those who download the software to their devices and join.

The Hollywoodbets app has all the same sports and markets to bet on as the main desktop site, so customers will not be missing out on anything if they opt to log in on a small screen.

It is even possible to watch live horse racing live streams through the Hollywoodbets app, which is ideal for those who want to place a bet on the big race of the day, and then watch it.

The Hollywoodbets iOS app can be found by searching for the betting site on the App Store. At the time of writing, it has not proven particularly popular, which perhaps helps to explain why the site is offering a special welcome bonus to app users. There have been fewer than a dozen reviews of the Hollywoodbets app on the App Store and it is rated just 2.4/5 stars which is quite low compared to the top betting apps in the UK.

Over on Android, the Hollywoodbets app does not seem to be available to download directly from Google Play. This is quite a large problem as most sports fans in the UK will not want to have to mess about with APK files and install a betting app themselves.

Not being listed on Google Play could be considered to be something of a red flag for Hollywoodbets, but the South African company may be still working on taking this very necessary step.

Deposit Methods on Hollywoodbets UK

While there is a highly impressive range of payment methods to pick from at the betting site, cryptocurrency is not yet accepted at the Hollywoodbets cashier. UK sports fans will not yet be able to add funds using Apple Pay, Google Pay, Trustly or Boku at Hollywoodbets either.

Check out all the relevant information about the different deposit methods and the minimum and maximum deposit amounts that are on offer:

Payment Method Min. Limit Max. Limit Transaction Fee Processing Time
Visa logo
Visa
£5 £5,000 No fee Instant
Mastercard
Mastercard
£5 £5,000 No fee Instant
Neteller
Neteller
£5 £5,000 No fee Instant
Skrill
Skrill
£5 £5,000 No fee Instant
Paypal
Paypal
£5 £5,000 No fee Instant
Paysafecard
Paysafecard
£10 £5,000 No fee Instant
Instant Bank Transfer
Instant Bank Transfer
£1 £10,000 No fee Instant

How to Deposit at Hollywoodbets

Below, we have put together a step-by-step guide for adding funds to a Hollywoodbets account, and whilst the process is simple, if any further assistance is needed our guide aims to give you just that.

  • 1

    Enter the 'Deposit' Cashier

    Once you have entered the app, the next step is to tap the 'Profile' icon in the top right corner. From here, tap the 'Deposit' option shown in the drop-down menu. Alternatively, you can tap the small '+' icon next to your balance.

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  • 2

    Choose Your Preferred Payment Method

    Following this, you will be presented with the payment methods available on the app. The minimum and maximum deposit amounts are displayed for each method, which is a nice touch.

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  • 3

    Enter Payment Details

    After selecting your preferred method, Hollywoodbets will ask you to enter your payment information alongside your billing address - however, you will not need to insert the latter again as it will use the information you provided when signing up to the bookmaker.

    Hollywoodbets Deposit 3
  • 4

    Complete Deposit

    The final step is to check that you are depositing the right amount, and once this is done, using the box at the bottom of the screen, tap the 'Deposit' option and begin betting!

    Hollywoodbets Deposit 4

Withdrawal Methods on Hollywoodbets UK

Hollywoodbets UK offers various deposit methods, but not all are available for withdrawals. For example, while you can deposit with EeziVoucher, it's not an option for withdrawing winnings.

Customers must use the same method for both deposits and withdrawals, adhering to anti-money laundering regulations. If you deposit with a MasterCard, for instance, you must also withdraw to that card before using another method.

There's no fixed withdrawal limit, but daily winnings are capped. The casino and top football leagues like the Premier League have a £50,000 daily winnings limit.

This limit is halved to £25,000 for smaller competitions and minor sports. Horse racing bets on UK, Irish, and SIS-broadcast races have a £50,000 cap. However, bets on media and TV events like the Eurovision and Big Brother are capped at £5,000.

Payment Method Min. Limit Max. Limit Transaction Fee Processing Time
Visa logo
Visa
£1 No limit No fee 1-3 business days
Mastercard
Mastercard
£1 No limit No fee 1-3 business days
Neteller
Neteller
£0 No limit No fee Within 24 hours
Skrill
Skrill
£0 No limit No fee Within 24 hours
Paypal
Paypal
£1 No limit No fee Within 24 hours
Instant Bank Transfer
Instant Bank Transfer
£0 £10,000 No fee Instant

How to Withdraw From Hollywoodbets

For those who are looking to withdraw winnings from Hollywoodbets for the first time, it might not be completely obvious where to go, or what to do, to get your hands on your money. Our easy step-by-step guide for how to withdraw from Hollywoodbets has all the details:

  • 1

    Head to the Withdrawal Cashier

    After opening the app, you need to tap the 'Profile' icon in the top right of the screen, which will give some drop-down options including the one we want: 'Withdraw'.

    Hollywoodbets home
  • 2

    Select your Preferred Method

    Once you have entered this area, you now must choose your payment method, and you may be shocked by the range of methods and the minimum withdrawal amounts - we certainly were!

    Hollywoodbets Withdraw 1
  • 3

    Enter Withdrawal Amount

    Now that you have selected your method, the next step is to enter how much you would like to withdraw - and we chose to withdraw our initial £5 deposit back to the same Visa debit card used.

    Hollywoodbets Withdraw 3
  • 4

    Wait for the Money

    After this, your withdrawal will be completed, and you will be shown a confirmation of the transaction being submitted. From this point, it took less than 30 minutes for the money to reach our account which is fantastic.

    Hollywoodbets Withdraw 4

How to Verify an Account at Hollywoodbets UK

New UK customers who sign up at Hollywoodbets will need to verify their account. The site requires two forms of identification for ID and proof of address before users can play here.

There are a couple of ways that customers can do this, including via the following options: 

  • Directly upload documents in the 'Documents' section under the 'My Profile' section
  • Send your proof of ID and home address by email to [email protected]

Hollywoodbets accepts a few different documents as proof of ID, such as the following:

  • Current signed passport
  • Original birth certificate
  • EEA member state identity card
  • Current UK or EEA photocard driving licence – front and back
  • National identity card bearing a photograph of the applicant

For proof of UK address, Hollywoodbets requires one of the following documents to be sent:

  • Utility bill (gas/electric/satellite television/landline phone bill) from the last six months
  • Broadband statement 
  • Local authority council tax bill for the current council tax year
  • Current UK driving licence 
  • Bank, Building Society or Credit Union statement
  • Original mortgage statement

A solicitors letter that is dated within the last six months confirming a recent UK house purchase is also accepted by Hollywoodbets, along with a benefits book, a council or housing association rent card or a HMRC self-assessment letter or tax demand.

Keep in mind that it is not possible to use the same document for both proof of ID and address. So Hollywoodbets customers who upload a copy of their UK or EEA photocard driving licence as proof of ID will have to provide a different document for proof of address.

Hollywoodbets Customer Service

Chat Yes
Email [email protected]
Phone -
Opening hours 7 Days a week, 24/7

Live chat is likely to be the main way that UK customers access help at Hollywoodbets. The good news is that live chat is available around the clock here, which is not always the case at sports betting sites in the UK. On mobile, the live chat button is in the bottom-left corner. Initially, users will go through the options available with a bot that can be very useful indeed.

Email support is also offered by Hollywoodbets, but this is not available around the clock. Hollywoodbets provides customer service by email between the hours of 7am-11pm. To get in touch with the Hollywoodbets customer support team, email [email protected].

There is not any telephone customer service available for Hollywoodbets users in the UK at present. Many UK betting sites no longer offer customer service via the telephone.

It is also possible to write to Hollywoodbets by post, though replies via snail mail are likely to be quite slow as a result. The address to do so is Hollywoodbets International UK Limited - PO Box 227, 3rd floor Peveril Buildings, Peveril Square, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM99 1RZ.

Responsible Gambling Tools At Hollywoodbets

At BettingLounge.co.uk, we place utmost importance on responsible gambling. Our team meticulously assesses the responsible gambling tools and policies of each operator to ensure a safe and accountable betting environment.

As part of its responsible gaming policy, Hollywoodbets encourages its UK customers to gamble only "for fun and within your means". To help out with this, Hollywoodbets provides several top tips for betting sensibly on its site, including treating betting as a form of entertainment, rather than as a way to make a significant amount of real money.

Hollywoodbets allows users to set deposit limits, which can be done within the "My Profile" section under "Limits". Those who want to set a Hollywoodbets deposit limit can also do so by contacting the compliance team by email ([email protected]) or live chat.

For the higher deposit levels, Hollywoodbets may ask for the source of wealth documents like:

  • Bank statements from within the last three months
  • Latest salary slip
  • Evidence of other income or accounts where funds are available

When requesting an increase to a deposit limit at Hollywoodbets, there is a 24-hour period before the change will go through. Additional verification checks may be needed as well.

As well as deposit limits, a Hollywoodbets bet limit amount can be set per single bet, per day, week or month to help sports fans in the UK stay in control of their spending.

It is also possible to set up a Reality Check on your account. This can produce a pop-up reminding you of your browsing time for a time frame between 10 minutes to four hours.

Hollywoodbets users can also take a time out for a period of either a day, a week, four months or six weeks. All marketing and promotional emails from Hollywoodbets will not be sent to the user taking a time out for the chosen duration. Timeouts cannot be cancelled.

Those who want to take a permanent break from their Hollywoodbets account can also use the site's self-exclusion option, which will prevent them from placing any further bets. For self-exclusion at Hollywoodbets, go to the menu option "My Profile" then tap on "Self-Exclusion".

User Reviews

Average score of 2.6 by 9 users

Jay

6 March 2022

They asked me to provide a birth certificate 12 months from the date of my birth isnt gambling for under 18 illegal this site is a joke keep your toddlers well clear from this joke site.

Mr Andrew Roberts

9 January 2022

Why do they offer you a promotion if they are just going to ban you from using them. Seems a bit back to front if you ask me.

Dan

16 October 2021

Restrict you in 2 days and you will not even get the welcome bonus from them. Nice way to scam people.

Jo Park

28 March 2021

DO NOT USE THIS SITE - BE WARNED When you do their ACCA promotion they will restrict you to tiny bets of just over a pound When your 10 ACCA loses by one leg and they give you your stake back as a free bet if that free bet wins they will restrict your account. Support are unhelpful and treat you like a criminal. Please be warned. Avoid these scammers. Dont give them your money. STAY AWAY

Mo shelby

10 December 2020

They wont open acount for me also the service costumer very bad

Chris

23 September 2020

You are required to submit ID docs before betting however this was painless and only took an hour to be approved. I won 950 over 2 days and withdrew late at night and by 7am had received the payment. Great selection of betting options on football (fouls shots offsides etc....). The site is a little glitchy with Brave browser and can default to some random sporting events after refreshing but other than that the site and user experience is very good. They also settle bets much quicker than other bookies I have used. Speed seems to be their niche.

Dan

15 September 2020

Great to see a new betting site with their own licence and not launching as a carbon copy of those other scam sites that all look the sameHad no issues depositing and withdrawing using my paypal account and actually won quite big. Hoping the luck continues but the site is a bit ugly to be honest. Still not as bad as the new bet365 update though.. man they messed up there.

Simon

3 September 2020

Layout took a while to get used to but actually a fairly decent bookie.

Juan

13 August 2020

Had never heard of this bookie before really like the bet 10 get 10 offers tho usually work in my favor

What are your thoughts of Hollywoodbets?