How we review casinos
Every casino we rank has been matched on its regulator's public register, scored on eight documented criteria and checked by an editor. Here is the process in full.
On this page
This page explains exactly how a casino gets onto MyCasinoGuru, how it is scored and how it can drop off again. If anything on a review does not match what is described here, please tell us through our contact page.
The verification process, step by step
- One master record per brand. Each casino brand has a single record on our side holding the facts that do not change by country, such as the brand name and the group behind it.
- Separate verification in each market. The same brand is then verified separately in every market we cover. A casino licensed in Ontario is not treated as licensed in Peru, and the company holding the licence can differ between markets.
- Licence match on the official register. Before a casino can appear in a ranking, we find it on the regulator’s own public register for that market. We record the licence holder, the licence number and the date of the check, and we link to the register from the review so you can see it yourself.
- Research and scoring. We research the casino against our eight criteria (below), score each one out of 10 and record the evidence behind every score.
- Editorial check. A second person, the editor named on the review, checks the facts and the scores before anything is published.
- Publication with labels. The review shows the author, the editor, the date it was last reviewed and whether it is desk research or based on a real-money account.
Casinos marked “Unverified”
While we are still researching a casino, we may list it as “Unverified”. An unverified casino has no links, no score and no offers. It is there so you know we are aware of it, not as a recommendation.
The eight criteria
Each criterion is scored out of 10, and the evidence for each score is recorded.
1. Licence and authorization
Is the casino authorised to serve players in this market, and does the register entry match the brand and company we are reviewing? A casino without a confirmed local licence is not ranked at all.
2. Ownership transparency
Can you tell who actually runs the site? We look for the operating company and group being named clearly and consistently across the site, the terms and the register.
3. Withdrawal terms
How easy is it to get your money out? We look at processing times stated in the terms, withdrawal limits, fees, verification requirements and any conditions that could hold up a payout.
4. Local payment methods
Does the casino support payment methods people in this market actually use, in the local currency, for both deposits and withdrawals?
5. Customer support
Which channels are available, when, and in which languages? Is help offered in the main language of the market?
6. Player protection tools
Deposit limits, loss limits, session reminders, time-outs, self-exclusion and links to local help. We check what is available and how easy it is to find and use.
7. Site and app experience
Is the site clear and usable on a phone? Are the terms easy to find and read? Is game information such as RTP shown where you would expect it?
8. Complaints record
How does the operator handle disputes, and is there a public record of regulatory action or unresolved issues? We only use sources we can cite.
How the criteria are weighted
The criteria are not equally important. Licensing and withdrawals matter more to most players than the look of a lobby. The weights are published below once they have been calibrated, and the table updates automatically if they change.
| What we score | How we judge it | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and authorization | A valid licence for this market, matched on the regulator's own register, and what it covers. | – |
| Ownership transparency | Whether the operator, its legal entity and its parent group are clearly identified. | – |
| Withdrawal terms | Published processing times, limits, fees and the documents players are asked for. | – |
| Local payment methods | Whether the methods players in this market actually use are available for deposits and withdrawals. | – |
| Customer support | Channels, opening hours and support in the local language. | – |
| Player protection tools | Deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion and reality checks, and how easy they are to use. | – |
| Site and app experience | Ease of use, speed and how clearly rules and terms are presented. | – |
| Complaints record | Documented complaints, regulator actions and issues that remain unresolved. | – |
Being calibrated on our first reviews.
The overall score is calculated from the eight criterion scores and these weights. Commercial relationships play no part in it.
Desk research and hands-on reviews
Not every review involves opening a real-money account, and we do not pretend otherwise. Every review carries one of two labels:
- Desk research: based on the casino’s published terms, the regulator’s register, the site itself and other cited sources, without a funded account.
- Real-money account: the reviewer opened and used an account with real money, and the review reflects that experience.
If a review does not say it is based on a real-money account, it is desk research.
Re-checks
Licence checks are repeated at least every 30 days for every ranked casino in every market. If a check goes out of date, the casino drops out of the ranking automatically until it is checked again. This is deliberate: we would rather show a shorter list than rank a casino whose licence status we cannot vouch for.
Each review shows when it was last reviewed, so you can judge how fresh the information is. Terms, payment options and support hours change, so check the casino’s own terms before you sign up.
Affiliate links and scores
In markets where it is legal, and after a written approval is recorded for that market, a review may include an affiliate link. We may earn a commission if you join through it. That can decide whether a link appears. It never changes a score or a position. In Ontario, no bonus or inducement advertising is shown. More detail is in our affiliate disclosure.
A note on game odds
Where we discuss games, we stick to the maths. RTP (return to player) is a long-run average over a very large number of plays, not a promise of what any one session will return. European roulette has a house edge of 2.70% (1 in 37), while American roulette, with its extra double zero, sits at 5.26%. In blackjack, a table paying 6:5 instead of 3:2 for a natural adds roughly 1.4% to the house edge. These differences are worth knowing, but no game has a positive expectation for the player.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we correct it and note the change on the page. Operators, players and anyone else can report an error through our contact page. Our wider standards are in our editorial policy.