How We Review

The very first question we focus on when reviewing an operator is, can this online casino be trusted? If the answer is no, that operator immediately goes into our blacklisted pile, and we won’t sing even a single note of praise on its behalf.

In order to truly know if a casino is safe and secure for players, there are 3 important things we look into:

• Website SSL, Privacy Policies, & Contact Information
• Licensing & Regulations
• Player Fund Protection

If an operator doesn’t use at least 128-bit SSL encryption for keeping players’ information safe or fails to list privacy policies or valid contact information, we omit them with no hesitation.

The same goes for licensing and regulations; it’s absolutely mandatory for the casino to have a license with proof of a license number and to fall under the regulations of a legit gambling commission. Without these two points checked, there’s no way we can recommend that casino to our readers.

Finally, if the operator doesn’t have some sort of a player fund protection system in place, it receives a double thumbs-down in our books.

Once we’ve established that our safety and security standards have been met, customer service is the next big consideration.

We want to know whether or not an operator treats its customers with respect by paying close attention to things like average response times and the quality of service provided.

There are a few more factors that can help determine whether or not a provider passes the customer service test with flying colors:

• Contact Channels: Ideally, customers can contact a casino’s customer support team via multiple channels, like email, phone, and live chat.
• FAQs, Support Center, & Guides Provided: Some casinos make it easy to get answers without even having to get in touch through their FAQs page and online guides.
• Service Hours: Ideally, customer service will be available 24/7, allowing you to get in touch even if you need assistance at 2 AM.
• Languages Offered: Many casino operators operate on a global level, which means customer service should be available in multiple languages.

Making deposits on your account and cashing out your winnings are both big aspects of the online gambling experience. That’s why we pay extra close attention to an operator’s deposit and withdrawal processes.

For this review category, we look into the following:

• Supported Payment Methods
• Currencies Accepted
• Ease of Depositing and Withdrawing
• Speed of Funds Credited After Deposits
• Speed of Withdrawal Processing
• Deposit and Withdrawal Limits
• Player Protection Tools

We live in a mobile-driven world where the majority of the global population owns a smartphone. An operator’s compatibility with various devices is one of the aspects we pay attention to.

Here are some of the questions we ask ourselves to determine whether or not an operator can be deemed “mobile-compatible”:

• How does the site operate on tablet vs phone vs desktop?
• Is the online casino optimized to work well on a smaller screen?
• Does the operator have a mobile app? How is the in-app experience for players?
• How easy is it to navigate the site on different devices?

One of the best parts of the review process is evaluating operators’ Welcome Bonuses and ongoing promotional offers. There are numerous great new-player bonuses out there, some even reaching quadruple digits.

These bonuses play a major role in how we review and make our recommendations. So what makes a Welcome Bonus or an ongoing promotion good, bad, or mediocre? To get the answers, there are 3 big questions we ask:

• How generous are the offers and bonuses?
• Are the T&Cs reasonable?
• Are all the requirements for the bonuses communicated clearly?

Bonuses have layers to them, so ranking them based on one attribute isn’t enough. If the bonus offer is generous with reasonable terms and clearly communicated rules and requirements, then you can count on a positive review from us – at least when it comes to the topic of bonus offers.

How Do We Calculate Bonuses?

Online casino bonuses can be confusing, with no deposit bonuses, first deposit bonuses, free spins, rebates, and a whole load of combinations and offers.

At BonusFinder, it’s our mission to help you “Play With More”, and that is why we do the hard work for you when it comes to calculating bonus offers. Our team calculates the true value of the casino bonuses to ensure you know exactly what you are getting before you sign up.
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You’ll notice on our casino bonus page that each operator’s bonus shows you an exact numerical value. We strongly believe that showing you how much you need to deposit and how much money you will have to play with will make it easier to choose a provider. We aim to pinpoint the bonus details that are often buried deep in the casino terms and conditions.

Another thing we like to see from the operators we review is a strong dose of customer appreciation. Quality customer service is one way to show that appreciation, but another is the player loyalty program.

Loyalty programs, also called VIP programs, come in all shapes and sizes. Most operators implement a program based on tiers, so the more you play, the more you can get out of the program, like bonus spins, extra bonus cash, cashback, and even access to your own personal account manager.

In order to measure these programs and determine their worth, we keep 3 questions in mind during the review process:

• Does the casino offer a loyalty program in the first place?
• Do they have bonuses and offers for existing customers?
• Is there a VIP program available for high rollers?

When all is said and done, the core of online casino gaming boils down to casino games (or, with sportsbooks, betting markets). But that doesn’t mean we all like to play the same games or bet on the same sports, and that’s why product variety is such a big deal when we review operators.

There’s a lot that goes into rating an operator’s game available. First, we look at the game categories that are available, and ideally, that includes everything from slots to table games to live dealer games.
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Then we look into the game suppliers with hopes of coming across a range of big-name software developers, like Microgaming, NetEnt, Play’n GO, Evolution Gaming, and Playtech. Supplier variety typically means good game variety.

Lastly, we take into account things like return to player ratings and game popularity. An operator can score extra points if it offers all the most popular titles as well as under-the-radar games.

Even though branding isn’t as important as security or game variety, it’s still something that falls on our radar when conducting our reviews. Sites with strong branding usually offer a gaming experience that feels structured and complete. It also shows that the provider has thought of the customer experience as an entity instead of slapping a stray brand logo somewhere as an afterthought.

A site with a well-thought-out color scheme and a unique design will definitely hold your attention longer than a poorly-branded site. The same goes for ease of use and functionality; if the site is easy to use, the experience will be vastly improved.
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The amount of time an operator has been in the industry is another thing that goes hand-in-hand with branding.

There are a lot of great new operators that have hit the scene recently, so an operator’s release date isn’t really something that can make or break how it’s reviewed. However, it’s always promising when an operator has been around for a while and has formed a solid reputation.