How We Rate Gambling Sites
At Online-Gambling.com, we approach our online gambling reviews seriously, delivering to our readers detailed and verified information. To ensure that we only recommend the highest quality sites, we’ve established a comprehensive set of criteria that all platforms must satisfy. Here’s our evaluation process for each gambling site.
What’s Behind Our Gambling Rating System?
In every gambling site review, you will see that we have awarded the operator with a specific percentage point. Our system is not arbitrary, and a lot of thought went into developing it. Our goal was to provide a quick and informative way for readers to see where a gambling site stands in the rankings.
Our approach is to consider all relevant aspects of the online gambling experience and evaluate them according to a strict set of standards. First, we establish the legality of an operator, then look at the games, bonuses, security, and customer support they offer.
After that, we assess each aspect and assign it a percentage grade. All grades are then summed up and averaged, which helps us reach the final rating. To see what each grade level tells you about your chosen operators, see the table below:
Legal Status and Legalization
Not every gaming site you come across is safe and reliable. That’s why players need to be informed about which operators are legal in their state. For our guides, we make a point to review only legitimate and licensed platforms.
Any country with legalized online gambling will have a regulatory institution to oversee the gaming industry. We make a point to review only operators with legitimate licenses. This is a key factor when it comes to the safety of online gambling. For example, UK gambling sites operate under the terms of the UKGC, and one can easily verify a UK-based gambling license online[3].
In the US, gambling is regulated on the state level. Every state has its own gambling authority, which decides what operators to allow. This institution works under the standards set by the state legislature, ensuring that only legal forms of gambling are allowed in the state.
Security Certificates and Trust
Online gambling sites don’t operate in a vacuum. There are a number of factors that they have to get right in order to provide a safe service. More often than not, gambling platforms proudly display the certificates they have managed to acquire over the years. Such credentials give us significant insight into how important player safety is for the different operators.
Valid License Number
We don’t comprise on operator licensing, and you shouldn’t either. A valid state gambling license is the only way to verify if a gambling site is legitimate. It’s issued by the local gambling authority and gives an operator permission to provide gambling services in that state. At a bare minimum, your chosen gaming site needs to have a license in your state.
Independent Audits
Many gambling sites go out of their way to prove that they’re legitimate. Aside from the state gambling license, operators can submit their systems for testing at independent agencies. These will evaluate the theoretical levels of payout and publish their findings. Operators that undergo third-party audits will usually present the certificate next to the gambling license. Independent testing shows us that the gambling site is transparent about its systems, and that’s a positive sign in our book.
Technical Security & Encryption
The safety of your information is always important, and operators need to have sufficient security systems to keep it secure. You don’t want your details floating around on the Internet, so gambling sites that can prove worthwhile data protection rank higher in our reviews. It’s generally a good idea to look for an encryption certificate, although not all operators display these. But even if they don’t, gambling sites have to have data protection systems to comply with state gambling regulations.
Gambling Products
A key feature of gambling sites is the gambling products on offer. As such, we place special emphasis on what you can play. Naturally, each operator offers a different set of products, so we make a point to look at each individually. More options at the user’s disposal result in a better score for the platform.
Game Variety
Where online casinos are concerned, game variety is king. The casino gaming scene has come out with hundreds of hits over the years, and many of them are available in the United States. Specifically, the slots section often proves the most important, and we have come to expect hundreds of individual titles from casino sites. On the other hand, we also don’t neglect table games – blackjack, roulette, baccarat, video poker, and others.
Jackpots, Free Demos and Features
Many casino sites also boast large jackpots, and players have come to expect reasonable prize pools from their chosen operators. We evaluate the different progressive slots on offer. This involves looking at the gameplay features and whether the prize pools are linked or not. Granted, the size of the jackpots can vary over time, so we consider that as well.
Sports Betting Options
In 2022, nearly half of Americans placed a bet on sports events[1], making this the most prevalent form of online gambling in the US. This means that you will have a plethora of betting sites to choose from. When evaluating an online sportsbook, we consider the betting selection, market coverage, available wager types, odds, bonuses, and more. These are major factors crucial to the online betting experience.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy is broadly available in most states, although the number of operators is somewhat limited. When available, we look to evaluate all features at your disposal. Daily fantasy has become a popular pastime for many players in the US, with a quarter of adults having played it at some point[2]. We want players to have access to all important leagues and events, allowing them to build suitable fantasy teams.
Online Lottery
You’ll find a good number of lotto sites online, which you can use to purchase tickets for many different lottery draws. We make sure to provide sufficient and informative coverage of your options to purchase lottery tickets. Ease of access, the opportunity to watch lotto draws live, and support for a variety of lotteries are hallmarks of a great lotto site that we consider.
Online Bingo
Online bingo is readily available on the internet, and you’ll find no lack of virtual bingo rooms to play your favorite games. On our site, you’ll find several bingo platform reviews. Specifically, we look at the types of bingo games and what kinds of prizes they offer. You’ll find information on the price of bingo tickets, promotions, the number of bingo rooms available, and how often games are held.
Online Poker
Of course, we can’t overlook poker, either. Many operators have begun hosting online poker rooms, supporting a wide range of different game variations. Moreover, they tend to provide suitable bonuses for new players, not to mention a multitude of tournaments and cash games. All of these factors and more play into our final rating of a poker site.
Other Gambling Products
The above-listed gambling games are the most common online, but we also evaluate other types. When available, we make sure to mention them in our reviews. The availability of other gambling types can play a significant role in the final rating.
Software Quality
Online gambling products are powered by specialized software. There are numerous development studios active in the gambling scene, and operators work with them for the supply of their games. The more diverse the software, the more and better quality games you will have at your disposal. That’s why, operators that work with multiple top-tier developers, such as NetEnt, Playtech, Evolution, Play’N GO, etc., earn a better rating from us.
Gambling Bonuses and Promotions
A crucial element of online gambling is bonus availability. Every gambling site offers some form of promotion, giving you the opportunity to win something extra. With so many deals out there, we believe it’s important for you to see which offers are worth your time. Check out our bonus criteria below.
Welcome Bonus Offer
The welcome bonus will be the first promotion at your disposal when you create an account. It’s usually the most rewarding and worthwhile bonus an operator has to offer. As such, you want the best possible deals. Our bonus overviews focus on the important details found in the T&Cs, which let you know the specific rules of any promotion.
Exclusive Bonus Codes
Some operator deals can only be unlocked by using the relevant bonus codes. We do our best to include any possible bonus codes in our reviews so that you can have immediate access to the best promos. When possible, we also provide exclusive promo codes specifically for our readers, allowing you to claim even more value from the bonus.
Bonus Terms
Our review process involves looking at the bonus terms, with a special emphasis on the wagering requirement, betting limits, eligible games, bonus duration, and more. We rank offers with reasonable and easy-to-achieve conditions higher.
Regular Promotions
Following the initial deposit bonus, you’ll have access to other promotions as well. Not all operators list all of their other promos, but many do. In our reviews, you’ll find a detailed description of follow-up deals whenever info on them is available.
Safe Payment Methods
Online gambling sites support a wide range of payment methods. Operators with more variety and wider transaction limits score higher in our rating system. Our goal is to ensure that you have as many options as possible going forward. Not only that, but we make sure to verify that the available services are safe for you to use.
Easy Deposits
Deposit methods come in several varieties. Our reviews shed light on all available deposit options, placing special emphasis on transaction speeds and limits. As it happens, certain transaction options are not eligible for bonus offers, and we make sure that this info is available to players.
Fast Withdrawals
Withdrawals are another factor we take into consideration. Not all services can process your payouts, and it’s important to understand this before going in. In our reviews, you’ll find information on which payment methods are the best at different operators. Specifically, we look at transaction limits, payout speeds, and more.
Mobile Gambling Platform
A major part of modern online gambling is mobile compatibility. In an industry where most players access their favorite gambling products from their smartphones, it’s crucial to pay attention to the mobile gambling experience. For this reason, we have several criteria by which we judge mobile-ready operators.
Web Gambling App – Direct Access from the Mobile Browser
Gambling sites with suitable browser-based platforms can provide immediate access to users without the need to download an app. Evaluating the in-browser experience has us looking at factors such as the load times on multiple browsers. Additionally, we make a point to see how different games perform on smaller screens and if the interface has been scaled to match the screen size.
Native Gambling App
Of course, some players prefer to download the apps and not mess around with their browser’s tabs. For this reason, we also pay attention to the dedicated apps when they are available. Our criteria for ranking gambling apps include their availability on iOS and Android, how much storage they require, and how efficiently they run on mobile platforms.
iOS and Android Performance
To have a complete overview of the mobile gaming experience, it’s crucial to test the platform on both major mobile OS. As such, our testing process involves trying out a specific operator on iOS and Android devices. This way we can be sure you have a smooth user experience no matter the device.
Customer Service
The level of customer service will make a difference in your online gaming experience. Sooner or later, you may need to reach out to the support team. When this happens, you will want a responsive and effective agent to take on your issue. We test the operator’s response times on all available contact methods, including live chat, phone, and email. Then, we see how helpful and knowledgeable the support agents are on several topics. The better they perform, the better we rate them.
Diverse Contact Channels
One of the hallmarks of a good online gambling site is the number of ways that you can contact customer support. The best operators give you a multitude of options, including email, live chat, phone, and social media support. Granted, not all sites will feature the complete list of methods, but more is always better. Gambling platforms with more contact options receive more points towards their final score.
Quick Response Times
Slow responses can be frustrating, and time spent waiting could have been spent playing. Ideally, you want support agents to reach back to you as soon as possible. Some contact methods will be more efficient at this, namely, live chat and phone support. Still, you don’t want to wait multiple days for an email response. This is why we try out all operator support contact options to see how they perform.
Localization
As part of our general approach to online gambling sites, we look at the different forms of localization. On the Internet, most gambling sites are available in English. However, some go above and beyond, adding support for multiple demographics. This means that you’ll easily find platforms in French, Spanish, Swedish, Japanese, German, Dutch, and many other languages. We appreciate such levels of effort, and it is reflected in our operator reviews.
Compliance with Local Regulations
As you may know, every country has its own gambling regulations, and these vary between different jurisdictions. Therefore, it’s important for us to see how operators deal with these. A gambling site that adheres to local rules and adapts the products accordingly will score more points than one that simply does the bare minimum.
Language and Currency Support
When you gamble online, you want to do it in your local currency when possible. This is why we place special emphasis on the currency available at any given operator. Many international gaming sites support multiple currencies, such as the US dollar, Euro, British pound, and others. Gamblign platforms with more currencies receive a higher score from us.
Responsible Gambling Support
A crucial factor to consider is responsible gambling. All gambling sites are required to provide players with tools and resources to help manage any potential gambling addiction. Without these present, we can’t deem any platform legitimate. As a result, if the operator doesn’t list a gambling helpline for a particular country, then it’s automatically excluded from our ranking for that country.
Blacklisted Gambling Sites to Avoid
We strongly believe in fair and regulated online gambling. For an operator to be legitimate, they need to be licensed by a state gambling authority. Without the local license, you have no player protections and nobody to turn to in case of a dispute. Unfortunately, there are a number of unregulated platforms that haven’t been blocked by the authorities.
The number of rogue sites is impossible to count. The Internet makes it possible for new platforms to pop up on a daily basis. While we can’t list every illegitimate gambling site, we can give you some pointers to recognize them. You should avoid platforms with any of the following qualities:
- No valid state gambling license
- Unknown owner
- Lack of ‘standard’ payment methods
- No responsible gambling tools
If you are not sure about the legitimacy of a given platform, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to help you shine some light on the situation.
Publishing Process
Our process is not a one-and-done kind of deal. We do our best to stay on top of any relevant developments and keep our content up to date. From the moment we publish a guide, we aim to maintain the utmost accuracy, ensuring that you can rely on the information we present.
Editing and Fact Checking
Our review and editing process is quite strict. Our research team goes over all important details to make sure that we have everything right. Combing through the fine print is what helps us reveal all crucial details about any operator. As such, we are ready to back any information you find on our site.
Regular Updates
We don’t write articles once and forget about them. We regularly go back to review already published material to make sure they are still relevant. Whenever an operator makes changes, we are quick to update and edit our work to stay on top of things. As such, you can always trust that our info is on point.
References
- Sports Betting Statistics & Trends [2023 Report], (August 2, 2023), Emily Rodgers, Retrieved November 22, 2023
- Share of participants in fantasy sports in the United States as of August 2022, by playing frequency, (August 2022), Statista Research Department, Retrieved November 22, 2023
- Public Register, United Kingdom Gambling Commission, Retrieved November 22, 2023