Star Sports
Star Sports is an old and trusted operator that has been around since 1999. Based in Brighton, Star Sports only offered phone and store betting options, until they launched their first online betting site in the summer of 2018.
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Star Sports Overall Score
| Bonus | 4 |
|---|---|
| Sportsbook | 4 |
| Customer Support | 7 |
| Payment | 7 |
| Licensing Safety | 7 |
| Design and Usability | 5 |
| Overall | 6 |
Admittedly, finding positives with StarSports is a lot more difficult than picking out negatives. Despite its long-standing status in the industry, there is a reason it is not a household name. To be honest, it probably never will be.
Founded in 1999, the site lacks many of the core features that are needed to succeed. The website, and app for that matter, both are really clustered, making navigation a bit challenging, whilst the payment methods on offer are more than limited - however, a £1 deposit and withdrawal minimum somewhat betters this.
Overall, we would probably avoid this site, simply because there are no real perks to joining or staying with StarSports.
Key Information About StarSports
| ⚽ Football Coverage (PL game) | 200+ markets |
|---|---|
| 🏇 Horse Racing Coverage | UK & Ireland + International |
| 📊 Betting Margins (Average) | 5.13% |
| 👷 Bet Builder | ✅ |
| 📱 Mobile App | ✅/❌ |
| 💰 Minimum Deposit | £1 |
| ⏱️ Fastest Withdrawal Method | Visa |
About StarSports
Founded in 1999 as Star Racing, the bookmaker initially focused solely on horse and greyhound racing before adding other sports to its books in 2009, which is when the brand changed its name to StarSports.
A staple of the telephone betting industry, the site has always tried to stay on top of trends, but was admittedly late to opening a website. Nevertheless, in 2018, the StarSports site (say that quickly, eh) was born and since then it has been attempting to compete with the big boys in the industry.
In this review, we will look at the full product offered by StarSports, looking at the pros and cons of every area, and refusing to hold back. So, let's dive straight in.
Is StarSports Safe?
There is no need to be concerned about safety when it comes to StarSports, as the site is regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. So, this means that you can expect a good service from the provider.
In addition to this, StarSports works with the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS), to ensure that customers can take up any disputes with an outside party to ensure that you are able to get a fair outcome, which serves as another positive.
However, there is quite a large downfall. Whilst the site is partnered with GamStop, GamCare and GambleAware, it was fined heavily (£593,000) by the Gambling Commission due to not following anti-money laundering protocols and making 'social responsibility failures'.
The failings took place between March 2020 and May 2021, and as a result, Star Racing Limited was given an official warning.
StarSports Welcome Offer
Welcome offers have become very important in recent years, with punters browsing the internet for the best ones available. However, the StarSports offer certainly falls quite short for punters, we have to admit.
The site offers a first bet insurance, where if your first cash bet of up to £50 loses, you will get half of your stake back. For you to get any value here, you almost need to place the larger amount, considering what else is offered by other bookmakers. A real disappointment admittedly.
| Operator | Welcome Offer | Bonus Code | Claim Offer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Welcome Offer 50% Back as a Free Bet Up to £25 + 25 Free Spins | No code required | Claim Offer | Place a real cash bet up to £50 and get 50% of your stake back as a Free Bet if your first bet loses + 25 Free Spins on Gold Horsey Winner. Minimum stake £10. Offer available to new customers only. Qualifying first bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater. Qualifying first bet must be settled on the same day as registration. Free Bet will expire after seven days. |
StarSports Promotions
Unfortunately, customers who are already with StarSports do not get more blessings. It is not rare to see a site make up for a poor welcome offer with nice current customer promotions, but this is not the case.
In fact, there are a few insurance bets once again, which offer you your stake back as a free bet, and there is a £10 free bet up for grabs by placing 5x £10 football accas. So unfortunately, there is nothing starry about the site's promotions, and you are probably better served by other sites in this department.
StarSports Deposit Methods
We often see bookmakers enforce a minimum deposit amount, and whilst StarSports do this, it isn't in the normal way. When depositing, we found that the site accepts payments of just £1, which is really nice, as there are only a few UK sites to accept deposits this low.
With that being said, the payment methods on offer are really poor, as you will see, and this serves as another really large drawback.
Ultimately, if customers had to deposit £5 minimum each time, but more methods were available, it would be more worthwhile we feel.
| Payment Method | Min. Limit | Transaction Fee | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
 Visa | £1 | £0 | Instant |
 Mastercard | £1 | £0 | Instant |
How to Deposit at StarSports
Below, our step-by-step guide shows exactly how to deposit at StarSports. For reference, we did it through the iPhone app, but the website process is just the same.
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Navigate to the Cashier
Once you have logged in on the site or app, simply look to the top right corner of the screen, and tap the 'Profile' icon, then tap the 'Deposit' option.
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Enter the Deposit Amount
Here is where you would normally choose a method, but there are no options. Instead, just insert your deposit amount and continue.
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Enter Payment Information
Following this, you will be taken to a payment screen, where you must insert your details. You may also be asked to verify your payment with your bank here too. Once done though, you can begin betting straight away.
StarSports Withdrawal Methods
It is not expected for a site to offer more methods when withdrawing, in fact, it is normally the other way around, and of course, this is the same here - only debit cards are accepted for withdrawals.
Customers can, once again, withdraw as little as £1, which is a really nice feature of the site, and withdrawals are rapid, with the money arriving in our account in seconds, which is a real shock, as that is one of the fastest times in our tests.
It is worth noting that a transaction this small is probably the reason for the instant process, so please consider this.
| Payment Method | Min. Limit | Transaction Fee | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | £1 | £0 | Instant |
| Mastercard | £1 | £0 | 24 Hours |
How to Withdraw Funds From StarSports
If you are new to StarSports and would like to find out how to withdraw funds, you can follow our step-by-step guide below.
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Go to the Withdrawal Cashier
As we did for the deposit, simply tap the 'Profile' icon in the top right corner, and then tap the 'Withdraw' option shown on the menu.
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Check Withdrawal Method
Once you have entered the cashier, you need to check that your withdrawal method is correct, though there is a selector menu to change payment methods if you would like to use a different card.
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Enter Withdrawal Amount
Following that, enter how much you would like to withdraw from your account, which can be as little as £1, impressively.
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Tap On 'Withdraw' and Wait for the Money
Finally, once the above has been completed, tap the 'Withdraw' button, and you will be taken to a confirmation screen about the payment process beginning. We did not need to wait long at all though, and the funds were delivered to our Visa account within a minute, which is absurd (in a good way).
StarSports Sportsbook
Considering StarSports only became an all-in-one bookmaker for sports in 2009, there is quite an impressive sportsbook on offer. As expected, horse racing still remains a notable feature of the site, but now other sports can be found, such as the ones below:
- Football
- Tennis
- Cricket
- American Football
- And more
Across the board, there are actually now 23 sports available, including virtuals, which is a really impressive list we have to admit. Of course, the best sports bookmakers have a much more extensive list, but this is something that StarSports can strive towards.
Looking at the actual quality of each sport, the football and horse racing markets are fantastic, offering a wide range of quality and times. Meaning customers can punt on Bahrani racing, or Icelandic football in just a few clicks, which is a really notable benefit of top sites.
That being said, it could be argued that some football markets are a bit difficult to follow, with the site listing options, rather than sectioning them - for example, a player to get one foul, two fouls and so on, each as a different selection, rather than categorised.
This is also the same when placing Bet Builders, which admittedly is a slight turnaway feature. On other sites, finding and placing selections is much more streamlined, whereas with StarSports the process feels rather clunky.
Despite formerly being a horse racing bookmaker, the selections are quite lacking. Unfortunately, you can only bet on winners, E/W, forecast/tricast and Betting Without, so the options are quite slim. However, the streaming options are vast, and the price history feature is nice.
Stepping away from sports, the site also offers 'Other' markets and 'Politics' markets, which are two growing sectors for betting sites, so their inclusion is definitely worth noting, and they compare quite nicely to the more notable options, at least price-wise.
| Football Markets (Premier League Game) | 200+ |
|---|---|
| Betting Margins (Average) | 5.13% |
| Horse Racing Coverage (Countries) | UK & Ireland + International |
StarSports Casino
Bookmakers are now becoming complete products, offering sports and casino in the same house, so to speak, and StarSports is no different. The site and app both boast an extensive casino area, which on face value alone is really nice.
After taking a deeper look, customers will be glad to see some of the biggest games available, such as Big Bass Splash, Pirots and Starburst, which are all popular options. Furthermore, the range of different providers is rather impressive.
In addition to having slot games, StarSports boasts a nice range of different 'classic' casino games, both digitally and virtually, and this means that players can stake a range of different amounts - up to £50,000 on some games - on a nice variety of games.
Navigating the areas are made much easier by the search function, and it is also worth noting that the 'Live Casino' area overlaps with the general casino area, which is sometimes not the case.
Players can also take note of the fact that the site offers a bingo area, which is a somewhat rare feature for a sports bookmaker. Of course, we have seen other big bookmakers offer this previously, but it is still a notable addition to a site that lacks a lot.
StarSports Mobile App
At present, the site seemingly only offers one mobile app - on the iOS App Store. However, you can easily be mistaken with StarSports Australia also being advertised on the Android store. This is certainly a huge frustration for Android users.
The iOS app is alright, and anything more than that feels quite generous. Using the website on your phone would give the same experience, which is often the case, but it feels rather cluttered and despite the navigation features being OK, there are definitely a few questionable elements.
Given there is no Android app, it is quite telling about the status of things at the moment, and unfortunately for the site, there are no benefits to downloading the app.
StarSports Responsible Gambling
Despite displaying banners and logos of several safer gambling assistants, the big elephant in the room is the site's previous failure to adhere to the standards set by the gambling commission in early 2020.
The site does offer a range of different tools for anyone who needs any support, which is a must - but customers must be signed in to access these features, which may be frowned upon.
- Deposit limits (Daily, weekly, monthly)
- Reality checks
- Time Out
- Self-Exclusion
StarSports Customer Support
The site boasts about its customer service, stating that it provides a 'first-class' service for its customers, and we are somewhat inclined to agree.
Accessing the site's live chat is very easy to do, via the 'Help and Support' area of the side menu on the website and app, or via the icon at the top of the screen. Additionally, there is no need to speak to a chatbot, as you type your problem and are then connected to an 'admin' within minutes if that.
That being said, the FAQ area is terrible. Instead of having a search box or contents area, the site just has a long block of text for people to read through, which is a real failure on things, you have to admit.
| Chat | Yes |
|---|---|
| [email protected] | |
| Phone | 08000 521 321/01273 420221 |
Opening hours
How to Get Started at StarSports
If you are looking to sign up for an account at StarSports, you can follow our step-by-step guide on how to do so below:
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Head Over to StarSports
Signing up is very easy and can be done via the app or online - which can be easily accessed through our link above.
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Enter Your Account Details
To start off, simply enter the details that you would like for your account - your email and password - and then tap the 'Create Account' button.
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Enter Your Personal Details
On the second screen, you will be asked to provide your name, and some other personal information, such as your Date of Birth and telephone number. Then, tap the 'Create Account' option.
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Provide Job Title
In the final step, you will be asked to provide your occupation, which is to gain a little information about your potential earnings for their safer gambling tools, which are asked for shortly after creating the account.
StarSports FAQs
Who owns StarSports?
Is StarSports legal in the UK?
What is the minimum deposit and withdrawal on StarSports?
User Reviews
Average score of 1.0 by 6 users
Terry
8 May 2022
SCUMsports
Kevin
8 May 2022
Deposited 50000 and these people stole my money.
Dave
8 May 2022
AVOID this treacherous company.
John
8 May 2022
These people are thieves.
Ben
8 May 2022
Such a vile company.
Tom
8 May 2022
They dont even deserve 1 star no enforcement of responsible gambling whatsoever. These people belong in prison.