When it comes to picking a theme or concept for an online casino, every site creator is faced with a question, do you go for a unique theme that might not connect with your audience, or do you take a tried and tested concept which immediately puts you in direct competition with numerous sites, which can be an unwanted extra challenge, considering how competitive the online casino world is at the best of times.
Most sites will aim somewhere in the expanse of grey area between these two options, but The Grand Ivy has tied its flag firmly to the mast of the second choice.
This is a decision that could go either way with players, some will appreciate the comfort of the familiar, where others will see the black and gold that’s used here and immediately run for the hills due to the oversaturation of that colour scheme and its associated concept on the online casino market.
The way a site like The Grand Ivy can ensure that it keeps a good number of customers despite a derivative look, is by looking better than its rivals, and by offering a better gaming experience than they do.
Design and theme
It would not be much of an exaggeration to say that as a reviewer of online casinos, the keys that make up the words ‘black and gold’ are more worn down than any others on my keyboard.
I get why decadence and affluence are go-to concepts for the online casino market, it aims for the high rollers, or for those who aspire to be high rollers, and creates a true to life, immersive experience if done right. The problem is, it’s been done right a fair few times already, and it’s been done wrong a considerable amount more.
The Grand Ivy’s execution is, all things considered, pretty good. The logo is excellent, the stale faced models in suits and elegant dresses (depending on gender, unsurprisingly, as nobody is pushing boundaries here) are slightly less stale faced than they are in many other places, but it all just feels too familiar, and not in the comforting way referenced above, more in the ‘we’re all bored of this by now’ way.
That being said, navigation is simple enough here, with everything easy to find and where it should be, if you like this sort of thing, you’ll like this one too, but it offers nothing new.
So, The Grand Ivy does not exactly stand out in terms of how it looks, going with very much the same generic design as its brothers-in-theme, but when it comes to games, that’s when The Grand Ivy starts to pull away from its competitors.
With top titles coming from the likes of 2 By 2 Games, Amaya, Aristocrat, Blueprint, Elk Studios, Felt Games, Games Warehouse, Genesis, Leander, Lightning, Microgaming, Multicommerce, NetEnt, NextGen, Quickspin, Thunderkick, and WHG, the variety and quality at this site is hard to find an equal for.
If you’re a slots fan, then, obviously, you’re well catered for here, as you are at all other sites. However, when it comes to this specific theme, the temptation will often be stronger for table and card game players, and with a host of different games on offer, including variations of video poker, roulette, blackjack, and more, and a veritable plethora of live dealer games available as well, this is one of few sites where lovers of all gaming types will be equally catered for.
If this is a theme that you like, then The Grand Ivy may not look like much, but it’s one of the best around!