About this site
How We Rate Online Casinos
The six weighted criteria behind every Casino Bros score from 1 to 5, a worked example, the rules that override a score, and what we never claim to test.
Every casino on Casino Bros gets a score from 1 to 5, with one decimal. That number is not a gut feeling. It comes from six criteria, each scored 1 to 5 and weighted by how much it matters when your own money is on the line. This page shows the weights, the maths and the rules that can knock a casino off a list no matter how well it scores.
The scorecard
| Criterion | Weight | Scores well | Scores badly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Licence and operator | 25% | Named company, licence number that checks out in the regulator’s register, clean enforcement record | No company name, a licence we cannot find, regulator orders or blacklisting |
| Banking and withdrawals | 20% | Clear limits and fees, several methods that work both ways, verification explained before you deposit | Low weekly or monthly caps, withdrawal fees, “pending” periods that are not explained |
| Bonus terms | 20% | Wagering we can calculate, sensible max bet, no hidden maximum cashout | Wagering on deposit plus bonus at 40x or more, short deadlines, vague “bonus abuse” clauses |
| Games and software | 15% | Named, established studios; live tables; RTP shown in the game info | Unnamed providers, copies of known games, missing rules screens |
| Mobile and support | 10% | Works in a mobile browser, live chat that answers banking questions | Email-only support, help pages that contradict the terms |
| Safer gambling tools | 10% | Deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion inside the account | Tools only “on request”, or none at all |
We multiply each criterion score by its weight, add the six results and round to one decimal. That is the number on review pages and list cards.
Worked example
Say a casino scores 2.5 for its licence, 4.5 for banking, 3.5 for bonus terms, 4.5 for games, 4 for mobile and support, and 3 for safer gambling tools.
- Licence: 2.5 × 0.25 = 0.625
- Banking: 4.5 × 0.20 = 0.90
- Bonus terms: 3.5 × 0.20 = 0.70
- Games: 4.5 × 0.15 = 0.675
- Mobile and support: 4 × 0.10 = 0.40
- Safer gambling: 3 × 0.10 = 0.30
Total: 3.60, shown as 3.6. A huge game library cannot fully cover for a weak licence, and that is on purpose.
Rules that beat the score
- Geo first. A casino that does not accept players from a page’s country is not listed on that page. Full stop.
- Australia. Offering online casino games to people in Australia is an offence for the operator under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001, and ACMA blocks those sites. Before any brand appears on an /au/ page, we check it against the ACMA blocked list, and a blocked brand is removed.
- Verified offers only. A bonus goes on a card only if we found it on the casino’s own site at the time of the update. If we cannot confirm it, the card says so instead of guessing.
- Regulator action is shown. Fines, bans or blacklisting we find go into the review and the card’s licence line.
- Dead brands are pulled. A closed or unreachable casino is removed from every list, and its review is marked or retired.
Where the facts come from
- Regulators and public bodies, such as the Curaçao Gaming Authority, the Malta Gaming Authority, ACMA and the Czech Ministry of Finance.
- The casino’s own terms, bonus rules, cashier and help pages, read on the day of the update.
- Game studios’ published rules and RTP figures.
- Trade press, only for dates and context when no primary source exists.
Every refreshed review lists its sources at the bottom of the page.
What we do not do
- We do not invent test deposits or playing sessions. If a review ever describes a real test, it will give the date, method and amount.
- We do not call an offshore casino “100% safe” or “legal everywhere”.
- We do not sell scores. Who pays us is covered in the editorial policy.
Who applies the method
Reviews are written under the host bylines and checked by a second byline before publication; Czech reviews by Aleš Novak follow the same scorecard. See About Casino Bros for the team, or browse the results in our casino reviews, Australian reviews and Czech reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What does a 4.0 rating mean on Casino Bros?
It is the weighted average of six criteria, each scored from 1 to 5. A 4.0 usually means solid banking, fair bonus terms and a good game library, with some weakness, often in licensing or support.
Why does the licence count for 25%?
Because it decides who you can complain to and whether anyone checks the casino. A great lobby is worth little if nobody can make the operator pay out.
Can a casino pay for a better score?
No. Commercial deals can affect which casinos we feature, but the score comes from the scorecard and the facts on the page.
How often are scores updated?
Whenever a review is re-checked, and straight away when we learn about a regulator action, a closure or a change in withdrawal terms.
