Key Takeaways
- CasinoRank defined: CasinoRank is an automated algorithm that objectively rates online casinos using key data like licensing, payout speed, and real player feedback.
- Unbiased scoring: Commercial partnerships never influence a casino's score, maintaining strict editorial independence across all ratings.
- Verifying reviews: You can independently cross-check any review by verifying active gaming licenses and browsing player feedback directly on the page.
- Handling delayed payouts: If a payout is delayed, submit a dispute to the AskGamblers Casino Complaint Service for free mediation.
How We Test Every Online Casino Before Reviewing It
Before we write and publish a casino review, we do rigorous testing. Our testing process is outlined below:
Our Testing Process, Step by Step
This is how we test casinos on AskGamblers:
- Read Terms and Conditions: The first step is reading the Terms and Conditions and verifying the licence and company against an official registry.
- Register at the casino: We sign up with or without claiming a welcome bonus. We input all the details and verify the account.
- Deposit money: Making a deposit is the first major test. We check available methods, usually using cards or e-wallets; we test deposit times, check for fees, and see how quickly the money transfers to the casino account.
- Play games: Our team plays 2 games of their choice. Usually, it’s an online slot and either a table or a live casino game, but this depends on the casino and games available. We explore how games work, check for interruptions or breaks and wager our deposit.
- Make a withdrawal: After meeting the wagering requirements, our team requests a withdrawal. We test withdrawal times and evaluate how smooth the process is.
- Contact chat support: At some point, we test live chat by asking for help with different issues.
- Check/activate responsible gambling tools: We explore a casino’s commitment to responsible gambling by checking or activating available tools if possible. Usually, we set session wager limits.
Once the testing phase ends, our content team focuses on writing a casino review you can read for every casino published on the site.
Who Writes and Fact-Checks Our Reviews
Every AskGamblers review is crafted and fact-checked by our team of iGaming experts with decades of combined industry experience.
Our writers don’t rely on claims and trust them blindly. Instead, we actively test platforms, verify licences, and make deposits and withdrawals to assess processing times, check fees, and see how the process works.
We write and publish casino reviews in accordance with our Editorial Guidelines. Even after a casino is published, our team regularly checks data and stays in touch with the operator, from which we receive information about any changes or updates.
You can meet the team who reviews and publishes casinos and explore their individual credentials and expertise on our Authors page.
Our Rating Criteria: What We Score and Why
Explore key aspects of our online casino reviews to understand the process of putting together an earnest review you and your fellow players can rely on. We outline what we consider for every review we write and publish on our site.
Licensing and Regulation
Our team checks for an online gambling licence and company registration. An online casino without a licence can’t be published on AskGamblers and reviewed by our authors because we don’t promote unregulated casinos. You can find the licence number in the respective data field and in the written review, as one of the first things mentioned in General Information.
An active licence is a must, but we also check whether casinos feature licences on their site, where they're placed, and whether you can verify them. Our team also checks the official registry.
Different licences exist, but a licence's strength can also affect the score. For example, UKGC and MGA licences are harder to obtain than Anjouan or Costa Rica licences and are therefore held in slightly higher regard.
Security and Fairness
Security is non-negotiable, so we verify the technical infrastructure, including SSL encryption to prevent data interception during transmission.
Other aspects we verify include secure payment processing, adherence to strict data privacy frameworks like GDPR, robust server firewall protection, and whether casinos allow two-factor authentication (2FA).
These security and safety factors feed into the CasinoRank algorithm and affect the final rating.
Game Selection and Software Providers
Another segment that affects the score is game selection and the number of software providers listed at a casino. We check the number of games, variety and include all providers that feature their games.
We verify independent Random Number Generator (RNG) certifications from accredited third-party testing labs, including eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and GLI, if any are publicly listed and visible.
Sometimes, we receive certificates from online casinos as part of the documentation they send.
Mobile Experience
Our casino reviews and tests are done on the mobile versions of the site. Whether a casino is available on mobile affects the overall ranking.
But we go a step further and check whether you can download an app or play in the browser, as well as whether the casino supports both Android and iOS. If a mobile app or version of the site lags or doesn’t work properly, we address it in the written part of the review.
Bonus Fairness and Terms
The number and variety of bonus offers also affect overall casino ranking. Each bonus is verified and checked according to our Bonus Review and Verification Guidelines before it’s published on the site.
The main things we look at include wagering requirements, bonus value, maximum withdrawal limit, minimum deposit limit, game restrictions and expiry dates. If a bonus contains any other constraints, they are highlighted in the Other section.
Customer Support Response Time
Customer support is another segment which influences CasinoRank. We check and verify different communication channels and test live chat.
Our data shows which customer support channels you can use, whether live chat works 24/7, and whether the service is available in different languages.
Meanwhile, in our reviews, testers always share their experience and provide additional details on response times.
Payment Methods and Speed
For payment methods, we look at the number of deposit and withdrawal options, the variety of payments (cards, e-wallets, crypto), deposit and withdrawal times, processing times, and fees. It’s essential for players to have options to deposit and withdraw money quickly.
Additionally, we analyse and test Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, which are required for players to make withdrawals in the first place.
Withdrawal Processing Time
Payments, in general, account for a decent share of ranking, but we pay special attention to processing time. Instant withdrawal casinos process your requests within an hour.
Fast online casinos process withdrawals within the first 24 hours; others average 24-72 hours or 3-5 days (depending on the market), while slow casinos take 5+ days.
We indicate times for different payment methods, and when we mention instant withdrawal casinos and their withdrawal times, we usually refer to cryptocurrencies and e-wallets. Bank transfers are usually slower and take a few days to complete.
Player Complaint Resolution
The complaint resolution rate affects an online casino's rating. It’s inevitable for players to submit complaints with our AskGamblers Casino Complaint Service (AGCCS) and experience occasional problems, but as long as casinos stay on top of complaints and resolve them, their CasinoRank won’t drop.
The casinos that pass our testing with flying colours, score highly in each category, have their complaints addressed and receive positive reviews from players have a high chance of getting a Certificate of Trust, a seal awarded to the best casinos who put their players first.
Share Your Own Casino Experience
If you wish to contribute and help us offer the most detailed and accurate information in the online casino review, you can do so in a few simple steps:
- Register/Log in to the AskGamblers website; only registered members review a casino, so make sure you have completed the registration process.
- Go to the casino you wish to review.
- Scroll down to the 'Reviews by players' section.
- Rate the casino.
- Write a review; you can detail both positive and negative aspects of a casino.
- Post your review.
Your first-hand evidence alongside expert testing completes the picture of an online casino and helps other players who wish to play there. So far, we’ve received over 115,000 reviews from players all around the world.
Why Casino Reviews Matter Before You Sign Up
The biggest value of AskGamblers reviews is that we verify all the data and test the casino first-hand, so you know exactly what you can expect from the casino once you sign up.
Although it takes time to read our casino reviews and check all the information, it’s better to consult our experts first than to spend time and money at a casino only to fail to make a withdrawal or discover the games are skewed.
Additionally, you can compare different aspects of casinos and choose the one which suits you best.
Lastly, you avoid signing up blindly. With new casinos, you don’t know what you’ll get, but this is where our experts come in. We sign up, make deposits and play games to pave the road for you. If something’s wrong, you’ll know about it.
How CasinoRank Scores Are Calculated
There are four main aspects that affect CasinoRank:
- Casino details: A variety of factors including but not limited to licences, languages, withdrawal and processing timeframes, payment methods, withdrawal limits and fees, customer support channels, software providers, variety of games, responsible gambling tools.
- AskGamblers Casino Complaint Service (AGCCS) history: Complaints received from players and their status (resolved/unresolved)
- Player reviews: Ratings players give to online casinos they play at
- Design: Web and mobile design, website's responsiveness, user-friendliness, and ease of navigation
Although casino details make up 50% of the overall rating, your reviews and complaints can greatly influence the score the casino gets on AskGamblers, 15% and 25%, respectively. We value real experiences of our players and therefore take it into account when assessing casinos. The design and responsiveness account for 10% of the CasinoRank.
How to Choose the Right Casino for You
Choosing the right casino can seem daunting. However, if you follow our simple steps, you will realise that if you focus on the right details laid out in our top online casino reviews, you will learn how to choose the right casino in no time.
- Read casino reviews carefully - Now that you know how we do our reviews, take the time to read the best rated online casino reviews as that is the best way to get all the necessary facts before registering.
- Check the country lock - ensure that the casino is available in your country of residence.
- See which payment methods are available - analyse the casino’s payment method options and check whether your deposit methods and withdrawal preferences are offered at the casino.
- Test the casino - Before you commit, make the minimum deposit possible, test the casino for a few days.
- Explore the casino’s features and games - check if the casino has all the features you need for optimised gameplay and play some games to get the feel for the casino.
Blacklisted, Terminated & Closed Casinos: What's the Difference
If it’s not open, an online casino on AskGamblers may have one of the following three statuses: blacklisted, terminated, or closed. Here’s how they’re different and what it means for you:
|
Casino Type
|
Status
|
Reason
|
Player Access
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacklisted Casinos | Open | Flagged for poor practices, mistreating players, missing payouts | Players CAN play, but are advised NOT to |
| Terminated Casinos | Temporarily closed | Experiencing problems with the platform, working on redesign, not accepting new players, not responsive | Unavailable, until further notice |
| Closed Casinos | Permanently closed | Operations are ceased fully or the casino announced closure in the upcoming weeks and isn’t accepting players | Inaccessible |
You may find one more status on AskGamblers: restricted. This means that the casino is open, but unavailable in your region.
Responsible Gambling: What We Check For
In our reviews, we always verify the casino's commitment to responsible gambling. Our team looks for all the tools available at the casino:
- Deposit/wager/loss limit: We check each one separately and mark it on our website. By setting different limits, players stay in control of their spending.
- Time/session limit: Limiting sessions is a big part of responsible play, which is why we look for it.
- Self-exclusion: For self-exclusion, our team checks timeframes, options and the process.
- Cool off/time out: Cool-off gives players a chance to take a break, and we verify whether this option exists.
- Reality check: Reminders can help players avoid losing track of time.
- Self-assessment test: The test can be available on the responsible gambling page, or the casino may include a link to an online test you can take.
- Withdrawal lock: Once requested, players can’t cancel their withdrawals.
- Self-exclusion register participation: We’re looking at whether a casino is connected to an official self-exclusion registry or offers a basic in-house self-exclusion.
Not all casinos have all responsible gambling tools available within the player profiles. Our team tests available options such as setting limits, reminders or reality checks and we can even activate cool-off.
If tools must be activated via support only, we make sure to note that down in our reviews. We also review the responsible gambling page and highlight the information that might be important to players.
Key Terminology
- Casino Rating: On AskGamblers, casino rating is a number from 1 to 10 that showcases how good a reviewed online casino is.
- Gambling Self-Exclusion: Self-exclusion is a tool or a programme that supports players who wish to stop gambling.
- Wagering Requirements: Wagering or playthrough requirements show the number of times players must spin through a deposit or bonus.
- Payout: A reward paid to a player after a successful wager.
