Methodology
Editorial policy and rating methodology
Every score on this site comes from the same process, applied the same way, to every casino. Here is that process in full.
Last updated:
Editorial independence
Best Licensed Casinos's editorial team has sole authority over what is published and how casinos are scored. Commercial considerations, including whether a casino has an affiliate programme and what it pays, play no role in scoring or ranking. Our affiliate disclosure explains how we are funded.
We do not accept payment for reviews, do not sell positions on our lists, and do not publish operator-supplied content as editorial. We do not use AI to write or score reviews.
How we rate casinos
Every casino receives a score from 1 to 10 across five criteria. The overall score is a weighted average designed to put trust first:
| Criterion | Weight | What we measure |
|---|---|---|
| Trust & licensing | 30% | Regulator strength (UKGC/MGA/national vs Curaçao vs others), ownership transparency, years of operation, complaint volume and resolution, responsible gambling tools, clarity of terms. |
| Games | 20% | Library size and quality, studio roster, live casino depth, RTP transparency, lobby usability, exclusive content. |
| Payments | 20% | Withdrawal speed measured with real cash-outs, pending periods, fees, limits, method variety, KYC efficiency. |
| Support | 15% | Availability (24/7 or not), channels, response time and accuracy tested with real questions, language coverage. |
| Bonus value | 15% | Wagering multiple, expiry, max bet, game weighting, sticky vs non-sticky, ongoing promotions and loyalty value. Not headline size. |
Overall score = (Trust x 0.30) + (Games x 0.20) + (Payments x 0.20) + (Support x 0.15) + (Bonus x 0.15), rounded to one decimal place. Score bands: 9.3+ Outstanding, 8.8-9.2 Excellent, 8.3-8.7 Very Good, 7.5-8.2 Good, below 7.5 Fair.
Trust carries the highest weight deliberately. A generous bonus at a casino that may not pay is worth nothing. This is why fully regulated brands with modest bonuses frequently outrank Curaçao-licensed casinos with much larger offers.
Testing process
- Screening. Licence verified on the regulator's register; operating company identified and researched; complaint history reviewed. Casinos with unverifiable licences or a pattern of non-payment are excluded.
- Registration. Account created as a normal player. KYC completed and timed.
- Deposits and play. Real money deposited from the Best Licensed Casinos test bankroll. Minimum two weeks of play across slots, table games and live casino, on desktop and mobile.
- Bonus testing. Welcome bonus claimed and terms verified against the published version.
- Support testing. At least three contacts via live chat and email with specific, answerable questions.
- Withdrawals. At least two withdrawals via different methods, timed from request to receipt.
- Scoring and review. Analyst drafts scores and review; a second analyst fact-checks licences, ownership, terms and figures before publication.
Category rankings
Category pages (for example, best crypto casinos or fastest payouts) include only casinos that meet the category definition, ranked by overall score. We do not adjust scores per category; a casino's score is the same everywhere it appears.
Updates and re-testing
- Bonus terms are re-checked monthly.
- Every casino is fully re-tested at least once per year.
- Material changes (licence, ownership, payment performance, terms) trigger an immediate review and, where warranted, a score change with a note on the review page.
- Every page displays a last-updated date.
Corrections
We correct factual errors promptly and transparently. Corrections that materially change a page's conclusions are noted on the page. To report an error, contact us with the page URL and supporting evidence.
Responsible content standards
- We never describe gambling as a way to make money.
- Every page displays an 18+ marker and responsible gambling notice; every bonus call-to-action carries a terms reminder.
- We do not use urgency tactics, fake scarcity or misleading claims.
- We do not target content at minors or self-excluded individuals.
- We state clearly which regulator licenses each casino, because the difference matters for player protection.
Sources
Licence details come from regulator registers. Ownership information comes from company filings, regulator records and the casinos' own terms. Bonus terms are taken from the casino's live terms pages at the time of review. Game RTPs come from in-game information panels and studio documentation. Payment times are our own measurements.