How We Review Online Casinos

Written by subject editors, not generalists. Every casino is checked against the same 8 criteria: licence, games, bonuses, payouts and how it treats players.

Our reviews are written by a team of subject editors, not generalists. Each casino we cover is checked against the same criteria: who licenses it, what games it runs, how its bonuses really work, how fast it pays, and how it treats players in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. This page explains exactly how we do that, so you can judge our verdicts for yourself.

Who reviews the casinos

Every page is owned by an editor who works in that subject. Michael Thompson handles casino reviews and rankings. Daniel Mertens covers slots and game maths, including RTP and volatility. Sofia Almeida reads the full bonus terms before any offer gets a score. Eva de Jong judges a casino by its cashier and tests real withdrawals. James Walsh, who is law-trained, covers guides, house edge and regulation.

That split matters. A bonus rated by someone who reads the wagering small print is worth more than a number picked off a marketing page. You can see the full team and each editor’s background on our authors page.

What we evaluate

We score every casino against eight areas. A casino can look great on bonuses and still lose points for slow payouts, so we weigh them together rather than chasing one headline number.

Licensing & regulation

Who licenses the operator and whether it’s legal in your region.

Game selection

Library size, software providers, and whether slots, live dealer, and table games are covered.

Bonuses & wagering terms

The full terms: wagering requirement, max bet while active, excluded games, and expiry window.

Payouts

Available withdrawal methods, limits, processing speed. PayID for AU; Interac for CA.

Support quality

Whether live chat exists, how fast it responds, and what help looks like outside business hours.

Mobile experience

The lobby, cashier, and games tested on phone. Most players use mobile.

Design & usability

How easy it is to find the cashier, the terms, and the games without fighting the layout.

Security

Account protection, verification process, and whether data handling is publicly documented.

The 25 steps we run on every casino

The eight criteria above are what we measure. Below is the checklist we work through to measure them. Every casino on the site goes through all 25 steps before a rating is set.

Licensing & Regulation Steps 1–3

1 Identify the licensing authority and the jurisdiction it covers.

2 Confirm the licence is active and not suspended or revoked, by checking the regulator’s public register.

3 Confirm the casino is legally available to players in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, and note any country restrictions on each review.

Game Selection Steps 4–7

4 Count the full game library and identify which software providers supply it.

5 Cross-check RTP figures against provider spec sheets, not the casino’s own lobby claims.

6 Test the live dealer section: availability, providers, stream quality, and betting limits.

7 Check the table game range for variant depth: roulette, blackjack, and baccarat types, not just counts.

Bonuses & Wagering Terms Steps 8–12

8 Read the full welcome bonus terms, not the headline number.

9 Convert the wagering requirement into a dollar figure. A 40x requirement on a $200 bonus means $8,000 in wagers before any withdrawal.

10 Check the maximum bet allowed while a bonus is active. A $5 cap turns a high-limit player into a low-stakes one.

11 Identify which games are excluded from bonus play or contribute less than 100% toward wagering.

12 Check the expiry window. Most bonuses lapse within 7 days. If you don’t clear the wagering in time, the balance disappears.

Payouts Steps 13–17

13 List every available withdrawal method and record the stated processing time for each.

14 Check withdrawal limits at the per-transaction, daily, weekly, and monthly level.

15 Verify PayID availability for Australian players, checked directly in the cashier, not from the FAQ.

16 Time the actual processing window where possible: the gap between requesting a withdrawal and the casino sending it, separate from method speed, invisible until you try.

17 Check whether the casino holds withdrawals pending manual review before releasing funds.

Support Quality Steps 18–20

18 Open live chat and record the time to first response.

19 Test support with a specific question about withdrawal terms or bonus conditions, not a generic greeting.

20 Check what support looks like outside business hours: 24/7 live chat, email-only, or nothing.

Mobile Experience Steps 21–22

21 Test the lobby, cashier, and at least one game on a mobile browser without a native app.

22 If a native app exists, check it separately for performance, cashier access, and game range.

Design & Usability Steps 23–24

23 Navigate from the homepage to the cashier without using search. If it takes more than three clicks, we note it.

24 Locate the full terms and conditions without help. Casinos that bury their terms get a usability deduction.

Security Step 25

25 Verify SSL encryption, available account security options such as two-factor authentication, and whether the operator’s data handling policy is publicly stated and readable.

How we rate casinos

Every review ends with an editorial rating from 1 to 5 stars. It reflects our own judgement, not a user vote.

5 stars — strong across every area. Fair bonus terms, fast and reliable payouts, good game range, solid support. We’d use it ourselves.
4 stars — very good, with one or two limits. Maybe slower withdrawals or a thinner game library, but no real red flags.
3 stars — decent but compromised. Usable, with at least one area that holds it back, such as heavy wagering or limited banking.
2 stars — below standard. Notable problems with terms, payouts or support that most players will hit.
1 star — avoid. Serious issues with fairness, payouts, or availability.

We say what costs a casino points. If we mark one down, the review explains why.

What we don’t do

We don’t sell rankings. A casino cannot pay to rank higher, change its star rating, or remove a negative line from its review. Some links on the site are affiliate links and we may earn a commission when you sign up, but that never changes a score or where a casino lands. If a casino is bad on payouts, we say so, commission or not.

We also don’t list operators that aren’t available, or that we can’t recommend, to players in your region.

How often we update reviews

Casinos change. Bonus terms get worse, payout methods come and go, and licences shift. We check a portion of our casino list every week — prioritising the casinos that have recently changed their bonus terms, updated withdrawal limits, or received fresh player feedback — and update the page when something material changes. Each review shows when it was last checked, so you can see how current the verdict is.

Gambling should stay entertainment. Set a deposit limit, never chase losses, and step away if it stops being fun. If gambling is becoming a problem, see our responsible gambling resources. You must be of legal gambling age in your country to play. 18+.

You can read more about the team and how the site works on our about page, or see the methodology in action across our best online casino rankings.