Although Hopa isn't the best-known of gambling brands, it has nonetheless been steadily building name recognition since the establishment of its online casino in 2005. Only in 2019 did it finally add a sports betting section, based on SBTech's respected platform.
The Hopa brand itself is owned by ASG Technologies Ltd, which is incorporated under the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Meanwhile, in the UK, the site's games are operated by the Malta-based AG Communications Limited.
It shouldn't be a great shock to most newcomers to the site to learn that the promos at Hopa are presently geared mostly towards its casino arm. Those casino-oriented promos include a new-player welcome package complete with free spins, as well as cashback promos and the site's rewards scheme, which we'll touch on in more detail later in this review.
All of that means that, if we're being honest, there isn't a huge amount of promos and bonuses being offered squarely to those who are solely interested in Hopa's sports betting section. Well, not much other than the obligatory free bet and accumulator-related promos, anyway - so we do hope this aspect of the site is primed for expansion in the months and years to come.
There's something for everyone across Hopa's extremely wide range of sporting markets - including, to give just a sampling of what you'll be able to expect:
Football, including the Premiership, Championship, Bundesliga and more
Horse racing in the UK, Ireland and abroad
Basketball - think the likes of the NBA, Euroleague and NCAAB
Ice hockey leagues such as the NHL, World Championship and Swedish Hockey League
Tennis, American football, cricket, rugby league and so much more
It might disappoint some of you to find that Hopa doesn't have a downloadable mobile app - or at least, not yet. In the meantime, though, the specially optimised mobile site is perfectly good for on-the-go betting, and can be easily accessed via your smartphone's web browser.
Whether you bet at Hopa through the desktop or mobile site, you'll also have the option of doing so while the action in a given fixture is taking place. All that you have to do is click the 'In-Play Betting' to discover the current contests that are unfolding.
Let's talk about the good news first; the Hopa site, in both its desktop and mobile variants, is more than presentable, its muted black, blue and grey colour scheme being easy on the eye.
It's also straightforward to get around the site, as the various navigation menus are generally logically laid out, even if it can occasionally feel as if there are too many separate pages to browse when you're seeking help and guidance; we'll touch on that again later in this review.
As for the 'bad news'... well, there isn't much bad news, really. Hopa's interface is well-sorted, and most things are where you'd expect them to be. But with the site consisting (quite literally) to a large extent of different shades of grey, it does also run the risk of looking a bit dull in places.
At the moment, the obvious 'extra' reason to sign up to Hopa over its most prominent sportsbook rivals, is surely the fact that it isn't just a sportsbook.
Indeed, the casino section is the much longer-established part of the site, and you can sort-of tell. There are just so many vibrant and interesting games to play - including video slots, blackjack, roulette and more. Oh, and there's a not-half-bad selection of scratchcards, too.
This is another 'good news, bad news' situation, we're afraid. In short, while a VIP scheme does technically exist at Hopa, it's clearly squarely focused on the casino part of the site, rather than the sportsbook - or that was the case at the time of us writing this review, anyway.
Nonetheless, with various benefits able to be accessed by players making their way up the six VIP levels - including free games, bonus cash, an improved reward point redemption rate, and much more - this feature may still interest you if you intend to play casino games frequently here.
As we explained above, Hopa isn't only a sports betting portal. So, whether you fancy punctuating your gambling on football or tennis with a little dabbling on a video slot like Starburst or Mighty Sphinx, or you instead find yourself in the mood for a bit of Roulette Royal or Black Jack Solo, you should be reasonably satisfied by the 'extras' available here.
Almost any and every popular payment method for online sports betting seems to be represented in the comprehensive list of Hopa's accepted options. Debit cards, e-wallet services, and other possibilities for adding money to one's online gambling account, are generously featured here.
| Payment Method | Fee | Processing Time | Limit Per Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Debit | Instant | £10-£4,500 | |
| MasterCard Debit | Instant | £10-£4,500 | |
| PayPal | Instant | £10-£2,000 | |
| Skrill 1-Tap | Instant | £10-£2,000 | |
| Skrill | Instant | £10-£2,000 | |
| Bank Transfer | Instant | Minimum £10 | |
| SOFORT Banking | Instant | Minimum £10 | |
| Trustly | Instant | Minimum £10 | |
| Neteller | Instant | Minimum £10 | |
| ecoPayz | Instant | Minimum £10 | |
| Giropay | Instant | Minimum €10 | |
| Interac e-Transfer | Up to 24 hours | Minimum C$10 | |
| EasyEFT | Instant | Minimum R160 | |
| Euteller | Instant | Minimum €10 | |
| Zimpler | Instant | €10-€800 | |
| EPS | Instant | Minimum €10 | |
| Wire Transfer | Up to 6 days | Minimum £10 | |
| Paysafecard | Instant | £10-£1,000 | |
| INSTADEBIT | Instant | Minimum £10 |
When you request a withdrawal at Hopa, you may be asked to provide certain documents to verify you are who you say you are. Cashouts are generally credited to the original method that the player used to deposit money to their account, although there are some deposit methods for which this isn't possible - in which case, the site gives an alternative option.
| Withdrawal Method | Fee | Processing Time | Limit Per Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Debit | 6-8 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Bank Transfer | 6-8 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Trustly | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Skrill 1-Tap | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Skrill | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Neteller | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| ecoPayz | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| PayPal | 3 business days | Minimum £10 | |
| Wire Transfer | 6-8 business days |
As is the case with a fair few other aspects of Hopa, there are both good and bad sides to the site's customer support offering. On the positive side, there's definitely a lot of helpful information spread across the site, but that's also the problem - it's all spread across so many different pages, that you might find it a slightly disorientating process to search for the particular information you need.
It's just as well, then, that you can also get in touch with the site team directly, by giving them a call, sending them an email or activating the 'live chat' feature. The latter, of course, is best for getting especially swift answers to whatever questions you might have.
The site makes clear in its terms and conditions that its services are intended to be used by those in the United Kingdom.
If, then, you are based outside the UK and proceed to register and use the site to gamble, it seems you will be doing so at your own risk - especially if it is illegal to gamble in your part of the world.
Hopa is subject to the licensing and regulation of several internationally respected bodies, including:
The Malta Gaming Authority
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission
Lotteriinspektionen
Given that Hopa had only recently become involved in sports betting at the time of us writing this review, we were quite impressed with what it had to offer. It might look a little too understated for its own good in some ways, and some parts of the site can feel a little cluttered, but it's otherwise a fairly well-sorted online sportsbook.
Register a Hopa account today, and you'll probably soon appreciate just how much of an unsung up-and-comer this site is among today's online sport betting portals.
18+. Welcome Bonus: New players Only, 1st deposit, Min Deposit:£10, Max £15 Free Bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 2.0 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Only depositing using specific payment methods.
