Our Casino Review Process

When we select and recommend online casinos that have met our standards and criteria, that means players will be able to enjoy their gambling experience by sticking to the most distinguished and reputable online casinos. 

All we want to do is to make sure that players have a safe, secure, entertaining and rewarding gaming experience. 

This is exactly why our approach to the casino review process is not just about listing options. 

Everything changes, and the online casino industry is not the exception. That’s why our team of dedicated casino experts constantly observes gambling industry news, so we can always keep up with the latest trends.

Also, we regularly update our casino reviews as soon as we notice any change. 

For instance, that may refer to updated terms and conditions, or new bonuses and promotions, or new payment method policies and currencies. 

Read more to find out how our online casino review process works and what are the key points we closely pay attention to. 

Why Choosing the Best Online Casino Actually Matters

Before we dig into our review process, you need to know why choosing an adequate and reputable casino is important for your gaming experience. 

Always keep in mind the following unwritten rule – if you want a secure, smooth and enjoyable gaming experience, finding the right online casino is a must, not an option. 

As you probably already know, making a poor choice when it comes to online casino selection can rapidly turn your enthusiasm and excitement into frustration and resentment.

And, that can lead to numerous drawbacks.

This might include, but is not limited to, unresponsive or unhelpful customer support that fails to respond to your queries, a delayed and slow cashout process, and a general lack of professionalism and competence. 

Knowing that you definitely don’t want to experience that, we have created a thorough casino reviewing system which, in these situations, comes not just in handy, but is invaluable. 

First off, we work diligently to review, evaluate and filter out unreliable or less reputable websites, or low-quality operators. 

In other words, we do everything that’s in our power, so that the list of casinos includes only trustworthy platforms and the most reliable operators.

You know what that means, right?  

You will be able to browse our catalog of recommended casinos with confidence, knowing that each casino has been researched for each and every detail, and vetted for fairness, safety and authenticity. 

Never forget that the online casino industry is not always rainbows, sunshine and butterflies. Not all platforms are created equal when it comes to players’ overall well-being. 

To make it clear – not all casinos care whether the player is going to have a good or bad experience navigating through the platform and playing games. 

Of course, there are many top-tier and well-run websites that have an undisputable international reputation. 

However, this is just one side of the coin. 

The other side hides unscrupulous, predatory-oriented and less ethical websites that players should avoid at all costs, because these websites have just one thing on their mind – taking as much money as possible from players without being fair to them. 

But no matter how online casinos may differ in numerous segments, they all need to meet certain criteria and quality standards to offer players an enjoyable and legitimate gambling experience. 

The only way to guarantee the impartiality, integrity and fairness of our reviews is to establish a strict evaluation process and scoring/review system that consists of carefully chosen criteria. 

And that’s exactly what we did. 

Each and every online casino we feature needs to strictly adhere to the above-mentioned standards, and there’s no debate about it. This allows us to create honest and unbiased casino reviews that players can have complete confidence in. 

Every casino we review is thoroughly researched, so players can know precisely what to expect before signing up, registering an account and making a deposit. 

Now that you know why choosing the best online casino matters, we are going to explain the key factors we take into account during our online casino review process. 

These are basically the same aspects players should have in mind when looking for a new online casino for the first time. 

How Gambonus Reviews Online Casinos

Putting our players’ needs above everything else is our priority. That’s why at Gambonus, our experts approach online casino reviews from the players’ perspective.

We know how tough, overwhelming and challenging it can be to sign up and register for a new online casino for the first time, with not enough experience or knowledge. 

That’s why we have created this website – to turn many years of experience of playing on these websites into trusted and credible reviews for players like you. 

Our team of content writers, editors and testers work hard to maintain integrity and objectivity, and provide unbiased and systematic reviews. 

We don’t rely on secondhand information and what other websites or operators claim to offer. 

Instead, we thoroughly test the most relevant aspects of each platform across multiple devices, to ensure a truthful and honest review. 

For the most relevant categories, we assign points out of 100. 

These individual scores are then combined and averaged out to create our final verdict.

This will be prominently outlined at the top of every casino review. 

We evaluate each online casino across eight core review categories to ensure that every relevant aspect of the player experience is covered. Also, each review category is weighted based on segments that matter the most to players. 

So, here is the breakdown of the main categories and criteria we review and evaluate.

• Legal States

• Legit and Fairness (Points Awarded)

• Bonuses and Promotions (Points Awarded)

• Casino-Style Games (Points Awarded)

• Payment Methods – Deposits and Withdrawals (Points Awarded)

• Trust and Safety (Points Awarded)

• Customer Support (Points Awarded)

• User Experience (Points Awarded)
• Final Verdict

   

Legal states

It would be great if players from any country in the world could play games in any online casino they want. 

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. 

Every online casino has a list of prohibited or restricted states, which means players from those states/countries can’t play games or enjoy any other online casino feature. 

The list of restricted countries can vary from casino to casino. 

At one moment, a certain country may not be on that list.

However, sometimes, these operators can all of a sudden withdraw from certain countries in response to changing legal regulations, which means those states will abruptly find their place on the list of the restricted countries. 

That’s why we keep a close eye on any such change. Our responsibility is to update our reviews as fast as possible to reflect the latest casino’s terms and conditions. 

Gambonus is your reliable source for determining which online casinos are confidently accessible from your state. 

In this category, we also highlight the minimum age requirement to be eligible to play. Typically, it is either 18+ or 21+, so you will always know your position before signing up. 

Legitimacy, Reputation and Fairness

Once again, we want to call attention to the previously mentioned unwritten rule – you can have a safe and secure gambling experience only if an online casino is legitimate, and offers clear rules and fair play to all players. 

Otherwise, you can just cross your fingers and hope for the best. Which, unfortunately, in most cases, won’t work. 

That’s why our job is to estimate an online casino’s legitimacy. We do it by researching its transparency in terms and conditions, and responsible gaming tools.

It is an interesting fact that most online casinos, following the practice of traditional casinos, have recognized the importance of responsible gaming – which is another word for a safe gambling environment that does not, by any means, encourage hazardous gambling habits. 

This is why, in our review process, we closely pay attention to what resources and features a particular online casino has to offer to protect its players from gambling disorder and addiction. 

For example, that might be self-exclusion options, activity reminders, deposit and withdrawal limits, or simply links to websites that offer help with gambling disorders and addiction. 

Here at Gambonus, we appreciate platforms that hold valid operating licenses from legitimate bodies. The reason is simple – these online casinos comply with strict regulatory standards.

Casinos should really care what players think of them or how they perceive them, because it can significantly influence their reputation. 

Let’s just say that the casino’s reputation reflects its reliability, trustworthiness, authenticity and performance. It is a strong indicator that an online casino remains consistent in providing fair terms and an enjoyable gaming experience to all players. 

As a casino’s good reputation can skyrocket the particular casino brand, so can a bad reputation destroy a casino in a matter of minutes. 

Also, a casino reputation can definitely influence player confidence. 

When you choose a reputable casino with proper licensing, only then can you enjoy a safe and secure gaming experience with confidence and peace of mind.

We at Gambonus evaluate an online casino’s reputation mainly through its licensing. 

A gambling license means that the casino operator complies with the national laws and regulations, and is not in breach of legislation.

There is one more criterion by which we evaluate a casino’s reputation. 

We examine the operational history or for how long an online casino exists. Established online casinos with a proven track record score higher. 

Our Point System for Legit and Fairness

• Casino Terms & Conditions: 40 points
• Responsible Gaming: 30 points
• Legitimate Operating License: 30 points

Bonuses and Promotions

There’s practically no online casino that does not offer a range of welcome and other bonuses – to attract new players, but also to retain the existing ones.

In addition, online casinos offer ongoing promotions such as daily login bonuses, referral bonuses or even mail-in requests (Alternate Method of Entry – AMOE). 

There are also a wide range of seasonal promotions, such as Black Friday or Cyber Monday promotions, which often times include exclusive no deposit bonuses. 

Casinos do this, because they want to ensure that both newcomers and existing players can enjoy the gambling experience for free, without the need to invest or spend any money. 

However, there is a catch. 

Online casinos often impose wagering requirements on bonuses. 

Casino wagering requirements are conditions that specify how many times you need to bet the bonus (and sometimes the deposit) before you can withdraw any winnings. Wagering requirements vary from casino to casino.

Also, different games within a particular online casino contribute differently to wagering requirements.

For example, if you claim a 20 EUR bonus with a 5x wagering requirement, you’ll need to bet 100 EUR (20 x 5) before any winnings can be cashed out. If we add to this equation a deposit of 10 EUR, then the calculation is the following:

(20 EUR + 10 EUR) x 5 = 150 EUR.

That means you will have to bet 150 EUR before you can withdraw any winnings from that bonus. 

With our commitment to transparency, we thoroughly examine the various bonuses of online casinos. We want to make sure they offer fair and decent wagering requirements. 

Besides bonuses, online casinos offer VIP or Loyalty programs whose purpose is to reward the most loyal players by accumulating points and perks. 

We scrutinize the numerous benefits of these Loyalty programs, and often times we compare them across different online casinos. 

Also, we will evaluate whether the online casino allows bonus hunting. This is a practice of using casino bonuses, so players can increase their chances of winning without risking too much of their own money. 

Basically, it’s a strategy where players try to squeeze as much value as possible from online casino bonuses, in the hope of making quick and substantial winnings.

Although this might seem like an attractive and potentially lucrative strategy, keep in mind that is not without its risks and downsides. 

For example, online casinos can confiscate players’ bonus funds and winnings, or even suspend or ban their accounts permanently, if they suspect that a player is engaged in bonus abuse. 

Also, sometimes bonus hunters can be blacklisted from multiple casinos, which makes it challenging for them to participate in online gambling in the future. 

Our Point System for Bonuses and Promotions

• Diversity and Frequency of Bonuses: 50 points
• Fairness of Wagering Requirements: 20 points
• VIP/Loyalty Program Benefits and Quality: 10 points
• Innovative or Seasonal Offers and Promotions: 10 points
• Bonus hunting: 10 points

Casino-Style Games

The primary reason for joining the online casino is to enjoy playing various games, there’s not much philosophy about it. 

And, the more diverse the game selection, the more engaging the player’s experience is. 

When checking out a new online casino, we seek a well-rounded collection of both classic and contemporary casino-style games. 

This includes everything – from online slots and table games, to live dealer games (including blackjack, roulette, and baccarat), crash games, fish games, arcade games, scratchcards…

If you are uncertain where to begin, don’t worry. 

In our online casino review we will highlight probably the best games that are worth trying out first. 

What we look for next is the quality and the number of game or software providers. 

There are certainly well-known and established developers, such as Pragmatic Play, Playtech, Play’n’Go, Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, NetEnt and others. 

If these software providers for casino games are featured on a particular website, that’s often a sign of a solid platform.

However, there are smaller niche developers that can bring fresh new energy and innovative games too. 

All in all, in our casino reviews we will reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each casino’s list of software providers, to ensure the games are legit, fair and RNG-certified. 

Each software provider has its own unique approach to multiple aspects of gaming – from themes and game mechanics to return-to-player (RTP) rates and volatility. 

We know that different players have different preferences and points of view when it comes to gaming, which is a normal thing. 

A good online casino should offer a big library of games, as well as a wide variety of game types that cater to all styles. 

When writing a review, we evaluate how well each online casino balances and delivers on game variety, and overall quality across numerous metrics. 

Last, but not least, we also pay close attention to various options, such as jackpots and tournaments, because some online casinos have to offer much more than others in this field. 

For example, this includes some special competitions that allow players to test their luck and skills against each other in certain games. 

These special competitions and tournaments are most definitely a significant part of the online casino world. 

The reason being is, they provide an additional layer of excitement for players, not to mention the possibility of outstanding and big rewards. 

Our Point System for Casino-Style Games

• Selection and Diversity of Games: 30 points
• Quality of Software Providers: 25 points
• Size of Slot Gaming Library: 20 points
• Live Dealer Games: 15 points
• Tournaments, Jackpots and Leaderboards: 10 points

Payment Methods (Deposits and Withdrawals)

This is probably the most important category, not just for our review process, but for the players as well, because fast and accessible payment methods definitely improve the gambling experience and allow players to enjoy games even more. 

What are the payment methods, are cryptocurrency transactions allowed, what is the minimum deposit and the maximum cashout, how fast or slow are withdrawals, etc. These are vital information for every single player!

This is exactly the reason why we at Gambonus thoroughly review and assess all available payment methods for both deposits and withdrawals. 

First, the best online casinos offer a variety of payment solutions. 

Typical payment options include debit/credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover…), bank transfers, gift cards and e-wallets (PayPal, Venmo, Skrill, Neteller, PaysafeCard…). 

It’s worth knowing that more and more online casinos accept transactions in cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Tether, Solana and Dogecoin. 

The best online casinos strive to provide excellent payment methods that offer fast withdrawals.

The important aspects of payment methods are undoubtedly minimum and maximum deposit and withdrawal (cashout) limits. 

When we review a certain online casino, we appreciate the low minimum deposit limits, because they allow players to start playing with smaller amounts of money. 

This is a good indicator that the online casino wants to keep players on the platform and provide them with the best possible gambling experience, not just take as much money from them as possible.

Also, we prioritize fast withdrawals. 

Although withdrawal delays happen for various reasons (including bank processing times, payment provider issues, and regulatory checks), fast withdrawals show that an online casino respects players’ rights to receive earned money as soon as possible.

However, if a casino isn’t making it easy (and quick) for players to cash out, that might be a red flag. 

To put it in simple terms – slow payouts can be a signal of cash flow problems, or even shady or suspicious casino practices. 

Experience has shown that an ideal timing window to process withdrawals is typically between 24 and 48 hours, especially for accounts that have been verified. 

A withdrawal delay of up to 3 days here and there can happen and might be normal, but a consistent and continuous pattern of stalling is a warning sign that players should not ignore. 

When reviewing a casino’s payment methods, we keep a close eye on the maximum and minimum withdrawal limits, as they should both be reasonable. 

Casinos that allow low minimum withdrawals will receive more points. 

This all goes to show that you should never spend money on an online casino website that doesn’t guarantee safe and secure transactions. 

Our Point System for Payment Methods

• Variety of Payment Methods: 20 points
• Minimum Deposit: 25 points
• Minimum Withdrawal: 10 points
• Maximum Cashout: 20
• Payout Time: 25

Trust and Safety

You probably know how traumatizing and frustrating a loss of an ID or a credit card can be. There’s a reason why your private and financial information should stay like that – personal and known only to you. 

The same thing applies to the online casino industry, where protecting your personal and financial information has never been more important than today!

When players join an online casino, one thing they expect for sure is a safe platform that guarantees the security of their private and financial data. 

If an online casino can provide this, players will more than likely gain trust in an online casino and play with confidence. 

Also, safeguarding players’ private and financial information is strong proof that an online casino fully complies with the state laws and regulations. 

One more thing that players should expect from a reliable online casino is a thorough identity verification process. This process is known as KYC (Know Your Customer). 

Typically, this includes submitting valid proof of ID and address. 

Maybe this seems like a formality to you. 

However, this is actually a good sign, because it shows that the casino is serious about preventing fraud, underage access or identity theft. This is also a strong indicator that the casino’s practices are legitimate and not suspicious. 

In our reviewing process, we conduct extensive and in-depth research into the company behind an online casino.

It’s always a good thing to check whether that company has a history of any questionable activities.

Also, in terms of trust and safety, we meticulously evaluate whether the online casino we review uses encryption technologies to secure players’ data. 

Sensitive information, especially data related to payments, must never be shared with (unauthorized) third parties. 

Also, trustworthy casinos must not use this type of information for purposes beyond those for which it was collected in the first place. 

On the other hand, this type of information has to always be encrypted and securely stored. 

Last, but not least, we also examine whether the casino allows or prohibits using a VPN. 

Our Point System for Trust and Safety

• Data Protection and Privacy: 40 points
• Reputation of the Company Operating Casino: 30 points
• Verification Process: 30 points

Customer Support

Casino customer support quality directly affects player satisfaction and overall user experience. 

Good customer support can indeed boost player retention and most often keep them coming back for more casino engagement. 

On the other hand, bad customer support can keep players away from a particular casino, “crushing” its reputation like a house of cards. 

But no matter how advanced, reputable or eminent certain online casinos are, they can’t anticipate every single issue, dilemma or question a player might have. 

So, when things just don’t go easily as you expected, or if the Help/FAQ section doesn’t provide the answers you are looking for, you will most likely want to reach out to the casino’s customer support service.

Their duty is to step in and help in these situations.

That’s why we at Gambonus rigorously assess the quality of customer support service – its availability and responsiveness – offered by each online casino we review. 

This includes reviewing all available contact options like phone, email, live chat, and even support through social media channels.

We focus on how quick, helpful and accurate the responses are.

But, not just that. 

You know how a rude or unprofessional salesman can turn you away from buying the thing you want? The exact same thing applies to customer support in the online casino industry. 

This is why we evaluate the operator’s courtesy and professionalism. And, the most important thing – we assess how quickly the customer support team resolves issues. 

For an online casino to establish trust and a flawless reputation, it is more than obvious that it must have a knowledgeable, professional and well-trained customer support team capable of providing effective and immediate assistance to any issues raised by players. 

Fast, effective and responsive customer service is crucial for player satisfaction.

We think that response time and the quality of informative service of casino representatives are vital indicators when assessing and reviewing customer support. 

Also, the presence (or absence) of an up-to-dated and detailed FAQ section plays a major role in our review process. 

Actually, a well-written FAQ represents a compelling reviewing parameter, as it offers quick answers and solutions without the need to reach out to the customer support team. 

Our Point System for Customer Support

• Availability of Support Channels: 20 points
• Live Chat: 10 points
• Live Chat 24/7: 20 points
• Response Time and Efficiency: 20 points
• Helpful Chat and Quality of Assistance: 20 points
• FAQ and Other Help Resources: 10 points

User Experience

Let’s assume that the online casino has decent payment methods, excellent bonuses, the finest selection of games, and everything else that is in favor of players, but lacks good user experience (UX).

This means that all casinos’ features that are beneficial for players have no value whatsoever! 

That’s exactly why we pay special attention to the user experience.

The registration process and creating an account in an online casino should be user-friendly, so players can begin their gaming adventure with ease and with a lot of excitement. 

Also, players’ navigation across the website – from one section or category to another – should be user-friendly, as well. 

In other words, the best online casinos should focus on players’ overall experience through the UI (User Interface), which refers to the interactivity and the appearance of a web page.

When it comes to user experience, our team of experts evaluate the online casino website’s speed and responsiveness, but also things like filtering options in the game library. 

The site’s accessibility across various devices, with the main focus on desktop and mobile devices, plays a significant role. That’s why we never skip to assess and research this segment. 

The versatility, interactivity and the creativity of the casino’s website really matters. 

Only with these features, players can fully enjoy the same level of gaming experience, no matter what device they use. 

We also check whether the online casino offers players an option to download a mobile app on the Apple Store or Google Play. 

It’s always a plus if a casino offers a well-designed mobile application. The reason being is, a mobile app most often improves the user experience, because it provides helpful notifications and more integrated gameplay.