Star Sports Review

Established in 1999, Star Sports is a UK-based bookmaker with a reputation for luxury betting and strong horse racing coverage. The Legalcasino team examines its broader appeal, evaluating markets, In-Play options, margins, and app usability. We’ll also assess their welcome offer to see if it’s a fair boost for new players. Our review helps you decide if Star Sports is worth your time and money.

Brief Information

Year of foundation	1999
Owner	Star Racing Ltd
Mobile application	Android / iOS
Welcome bonus	Get 50% Back up to £25 + 25 Free Spins
Minimum deposit	£10
Functions	Cash Out, Bet Builder
Customer service	Live chat, email, phone

Star Sports Welcome Bonus

Newcomers can claim 50% back as a Free Bet (up to £25) on a losing first bet and 25 Free Spins on Gold Horsey Winner. Place a real cash bet of at least £10 at odds of Evens (2.0) or higher to qualify. While the Free Bet must be used within seven days, it doesn’t have additional wagering requirements—so it is a fair deal. However, since it only applies if your first bet loses, it serves as a partial safety net rather than an outright reward.

Full T&Cs are available at starsports.bet.

Star Sports Product and Features

Features include diverse sports, varied betting markets, and select live-streaming. Here’s a closer look at what they are proposing.

Sports and Markets

Star’s offering is smaller than market leaders, with only 20+ disciplines plus politics and entertainment available, compared to up to 35-40 at Ladbrokes or Bet365. The emphasis is on horse racing and football. We can note a good selection of events and markets for top sports, but it’s not enough to be called excellent. For example:

• Horse racing: The sportsbook provides a broad racing market, covering UK and Irish tracks (Chepstow, Musselburgh) and international events (Mahoning Valley, Zia Park). The bookie supports various bet types like Win/Ew and Forecast/Tricast.
• Football: The offer of leagues is limited to mostly elite ones from all over the world, with extended coverage of British events (England and Scotland). Only 29 championships are available to bet on from 18 countries, which may disappoint experienced bettors. 900+ outcomes for top football matches aren’t a top score, either.
• Tennis: The tournaments are divided into Grand Slam, WTA, Challenger, ITF, and ATP. The total number of competitions per year is in the dozens. 

Streaming and Live Betting

Star Sports only offers real-time broadcasts for horse racing. However, these include events from various countries beyond the UK and Ireland. You must be logged in to watch competitions live. In-Play betting covers various sports, including racing events, football, tennis, ice hockey, snooker, and more. 

Margins

This sportsbook is known for its competitive odds. We assessed Star Sports’ football margins (bookmaker’s profit from bets) using four random matches from the UEFA Champions League and the Championship. The result was that margins were between 5.30% and 6.28%, with the lowest for the Bayern Munich vs Benfica match. The house edge for totals here ranges from 4.76% to 7.45%, averaging 6.53%. 

Horse racing margins range from 27%, which is typical in markets with many competitors. Tennis margin for top matches may fall below 5%, though usually around 6-7%. The lowest house edge from the top sports is in basketball, falling below 5% for specific NBA matches.

Below, we have chosen several typical events and markets to show its house edge.

Sport	Tournament	Date	Match	Margin on Victory	Margin on Total
Football	Champions League	06/11/24	Bayern Munich vs Benfica	5.30%	4.76%
Tennis	WTA Finals	06/11/24	Aryna Sabalenka vs Elena Rybakina	6.88%	5.91%
Basketball	NBA	07/11/24	Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors	4.76%	5.92%

Additional Options

Star Sports’s online betting is standard, and only promos for today’s events add intrigue.

• Cash Out: The bookie offers only full Cash Out, letting you close bets early for a return. Available on selected pre-game and in-play markets, with mobile app or website access.
• Build-A-Bet. It lets you create custom bet combinations in pre-match markets, which is particularly useful for football matches. Up to 15 selections are allowed.
• Everyday’s promos: Star Sports spices up daily betting with promos on live matches, rewarding consistent bets and offering cashback or Acca insurance. 

Deposits and Withdrawals

Regarding payment methods, the bookie seems very conservative, only allowing players to deposit and withdraw via debit card and bank transfer. Top-up is also possible via cheque. We believe that a modern bookmaker should offer at least a few additional options, such as e-wallets.

Deposits start from £10 and are instant, while minimum withdrawal is £1 and will take from 2 to 5 working days.

Customer Support

The bookmaker’s customer service leaves a mixed impression. On the one hand, as with payments, the telephone service is of a high standard, with quick response times and knowledgeable staff, but we were unable to find the live chat option on the site. Even the email is not so easy to locate: the link to write to support is ‘hidden’ in the login tab.

On social network X, which is listed at the bottom of the page as one of the ways to contact support, a simple question went unanswered for a whole day. So we recommend the bookmaker consider more modern ways of communicating with customers. Incidentally, the Help & FAQ section on the Star Sports website is small and not very informative.

• Phone: 01273 936840
• X (ex-Twitter): @StarSports_Bet 
• Email: cs@starsportsbet.co.uk

Star Sports App and Mobile Options

The sportsbook has mobile apps for both iOS and Android that are available to download directly from AppStore and Google Play. You may also find the links to it at the bottom of the website. Both apps are lightweight at just 18 MB and 13MB and deliver quick performance. The main screen is well-organised, displaying upcoming horse and greyhound races, with one-click access to football events. 

A bottom menu provides easy navigation to all sports markets and In-Play bets, making it user-friendly and efficient for bettors. The only downside is the slightly annoying casino mini-games banner at the bottom of the screen, which cannot be removed in any way. We’d give these apps a high rating, even though they’re rated 3.5 and 2.9 stars out of 5 in the AppStore and Google Play.

Security and License

The bookmaker operates under Star Racing Limited and holds active licences from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), with account number 9177. Star is authorised for the following activities:

• General Betting Standard – Real Event: Allows betting on real-life sports events.
• General Betting Standard – Virtual Event: Permits betting on virtual, computer-simulated events.

The platform adheres to standard security practices, including SSL encryption, to safeguard user data. These measures create a secure betting environment, aligning with industry norms for player protection and fair gaming.

UKGC Account Number	9177
Real Event Betting Licence	Yes
Virtual Event Betting Licence	Yes
SSL Encryption	Yes
Self-Exclusion Tools	Yes

Responsible Gaming

Star Sports emphasises responsible gambling and treats it as a leisure activity rather than a source of income. To help maintain control, they offer: 

• Deposit limits 
• Play Breaks
• Self-exclusion, with cooling-off periods ranging from 24 hours to six months or more 

Players struggling can access support through GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous, and Gambling Therapy. Age verification blocks underage players. Filtering tools like Net Nanny add extra layers of protection. 

Our Opinion

Star Sports is top in horse racing, offering competitive odds and live streaming, specialised promos like Best Odds Guaranteed or Money back 2nd offer for greyhounds, and user-friendly apps. 

However, it falls short with limited streaming and a smaller range of sports than major competitors. The welcome bonus, while fair, is only triggered by losses. Payments are restrictive, with no options beyond cards and bank transfers. Customer support has room for improvement, especially in modern communication channels. 

Overall, this sportsbook will suit conservative horse racing and football fans but lacks broader appeal due to limited market options and features. Bettors seeking a focused, high-quality racing experience will find value, while others may miss more expansive offers.

Frequently Asked Questions