How We Review Gambling Sites
Every casino and sportsbook on GamblersGW is reviewed using the same 8-point methodology. We deposit real money, test real withdrawals, and read every line of the T&Cs. No operator pays for a review. No score is negotiated.
Chief Gambler · 8 yrs iGaming
Casino Reviewer · 3 yrs iGaming
Our commitment to you
Our scoring criteria
Each site is scored out of 100. The weights below reflect what actually affects your experience as a player — licensing and banking carry the most weight because they determine whether you can trust a site and actually get paid.
Licensing & Safety
- License verified directly on the regulator's own database — not taken from the operator's website
- We check MGA, UKGC, Curaçao, Gibraltar, and Isle of Man registries
- Ownership and parent company identified and cross-checked
- History of player complaints and regulatory sanctions reviewed
- SSL certificate and data protection policy verified
Bonuses & Promotions
- We read the full bonus T&Cs — not the headline number
- Wagering requirements assessed against industry average (30x is standard)
- Game contribution rates checked: slots vs. table games vs. live casino
- Maximum bet rules and cashout caps documented
- Ongoing promotions evaluated, not just welcome bonus
Game Selection & Software
- Total game count and variety across slots, table games, live casino
- Provider quality assessed — Pragmatic Play, Evolution, NetEnt, etc.
- Game RTPs verified against provider-published data where available
- Exclusive games and in-house content noted
- Search, filtering, and game-loading speed tested hands-on
Banking & Payouts
- We make a real deposit — minimum €/£/$20 — using available methods
- We request a withdrawal under €/$200 and time how long it actually takes
- Withdrawal limits (daily, weekly, monthly) documented
- KYC verification process tested: what documents, how long approval takes
- Fees on deposits and withdrawals recorded
Customer Support
- Live chat tested with 3 standard queries — one about bonus terms, one about withdrawal, one about responsible gambling
- Response time measured and recorded
- Email support tested with a 48-hour follow-up window
- Quality of answers assessed, not just speed
- Availability of phone support and FAQs noted
Mobile Experience
- Site tested on both iOS and Android (mobile browser)
- Native app reviewed if available, including app store rating
- Game availability on mobile vs. desktop compared
- Load speed and navigation usability on a 4G connection
Responsible Gambling Tools
- Deposit limits, loss limits, and session limits availability
- Self-exclusion process tested — how many clicks to activate
- Reality check reminders and cool-off periods
- Links to GamCare, BeGambleAware, and national helplines
Red Flags
- Any unresolved player complaints about withheld winnings
- License expired or suspended at time of review
- Missing or misleading bonus terms
- No responsible gambling tools whatsoever
- Unlicensed operation in jurisdictions where the site actively markets
Editorial independence
GamblersGW earns revenue through affiliate commissions when players sign up to sites we recommend. This never influences our ratings or written content. Operators cannot pay to improve their score, request removal of negative findings, or alter our conclusions.
If a site deteriorates after initial review — delayed payments, licence issues, player complaints — we update the score downward immediately. Sites that consistently fail our standards are removed from our recommended list entirely.
Read our full affiliate disclosure →Questions about our methodology? Contact us