How we review online casinos
The methods, guiding principles, and breakdownHere, we examine the methodology that guides our reviews and break down our process to reveal exactly how we review casinos in Canada. Get our full transparency below!
How we review online casinos available to players in Canada
Every year, we review numerous casinos available in the Canadian market. It’s why we’re a premium source for quality casino reviews in Canada. But what makes our reviews so reliable? Where does their alleged quality come from? We’re going to break our reviews down for you to inspect their parts in the clearest way possible, and this is how we’ll do it:
- Licensing, responsible gambling, and security
- Bonuses and offers
- Payment methods
- Game selection
- User experience
Licensing, Responsible Gambling, and Security (30 points)
We begin all of our casino reviews by ensuring the casino is safe and trustworthy for our readers. The last thing we want to do is send you to an unreliable casino! To ensure we’re not making such a mistake, the first step in our review process is to investigate the casino’s level of security:
The casino’s licence (10 points)
Every casino we review has a licence from a reputable authority that holds casinos to a set of standards ensuring players are protected. While these licences are not usually granted by Canadian authorities, they are still recognized in most Canadian provinces. Here are some of the most frequently used regulators:
- Curaçao Gaming Control Board
- Anjouan Gaming
- Malta Gaming Authority
- The Government of Costa Rica
The top 3 regulators listed here are considered stronger than Costa Rica, but all hold operators to standards that keep players safe. In Canada, each province has its own gambling authority that sets local rules while following national laws. For details on provincial regulators, visit our Gambling Licenses page.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The stronger the regulator and the more visible a casino’s licence is on its website, the higher the rating. |
Responsible Gambling (10 points)
The responsible gambling resources available from a casino provide a specific angle on how much the casino truly views its players. If the casino goes out of its way to provide players with the information and tools that promote safe play, then we know the casino cares about the health of its players. It’s an important aspect. When reviewing a casino, we look for the following responsible gambling resources:
- Deposit/loss/wager/session limits
- Self-exclusion tools
- Self-assessment tests
- Links to help organizations
- Links to third-party parental control tools
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more of these tools the casino offers and the easier they are to use/access, the higher we rate the casino’s responsible gambling score. |
Security (10 points)
Our reviews inspect the measures a casino has put in place to ensure player finances and personal data remain secure. That includes whether the casino has implemented the following:
- SSL encryption
- 2FA authentication
- Privacy policy and data protection
- Fraud prevention and AML policy
- Independent testing
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more of these measures a casino has put in place, and the more transparent the casino has been about them, the higher we score this section. |
Bonuses and Offers (20 points)
Casino bonuses are a huge draw. When we assess the quality of a casino’s bonus program, we consider all of the following:
Casino welcome bonuses (10 points)
We look at the size and type of the bonus, as well as its terms. Is the minimum deposit a friendly amount under $20 or not? Are the wagering requirements the industry average of 40x, or are they better or worse? How does this compare to other welcome bonuses?
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The better the bonus and the friendlier the wagering requirements, the higher the score. |
Regular offers (5 points)
We investigate the casino’s full bonus program, seeing if it offers bonuses regularly and what type. We look for reload bonuses, free spins offers, cashback bonuses, no-deposit bonuses, weekly/monthly offers, special promotions, tournaments, and exclusive offers with CanadaCasino. We also check the bonus terms.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more regular bonuses available and the better the terms, the higher the casino scores. |
VIP/Loyalty program (5 points)
Our reviews check a casino’s loyalty program and whether it is available to all players. We go through the VIP casino bonuses that are included in the program.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The easier the participation in the program and the greater its rewards, the higher the casino scores. Casinos that are part of the Rewards Program will score higher. |
Payment Methods (20 points)
Players can’t play for money without depositing their money into their casino account. There is a wide variety of casino payment methods available in Canada, and the processes for using them will differ from casino to casino. This is what we look at when considering a casino’s payment methods:
Payment options (10 points)
We audit the payment methods available at a casino. We look specifically for methods that are popular in Canada, such as Interac, Instant Banking, Visa, Mastercard, MuchBetter, and other e-wallets, and check to see if they are available for both deposits and withdrawals.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more payment options available, the more that are available for deposits and withdrawals, and the more popular they are, the higher the casino is rated. |
Minimum deposit and withdrawal processing times (5 points)
We always check the minimum deposit amount, favouring casinos that offer the $10-$20 standard. Minimum withdrawal amounts can be much higher, and we consider those as well. The processing times might be most significant, though. Deposits should be instant, but withdrawals can take much longer. Fast payout casinos impress us the most.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| Lower minimums and faster withdrawals result in higher grades. |
Cryptocurrencies (5 points)
Our reviews always verify whether a casino accepts cryptocurrencies and which ones.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more popular cryptocurrencies a casino accepts, the higher it scores. |
Game Selection (20 points)
The best casinos have extensive game libraries, so when we review casinos, we spend quite a bit of time reviewing the game selection. These are the things we look for:
Game Variety (10 points)
We review the number of games in a library and the game types, such as Megaways slots and progressive jackpots. We also check to see if there are demo versions of the games free for players to try.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The larger and more varied the game library, the more points we award. |
Live casino (5 points)
We always investigate a casino’s live dealer tables, looking for different versions of blackjack, roulette, baccarat, sic bo, dragon tiger, poker, and game shows.
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The more variants and live game types, the more points are awarded. |
Game providers (5 points)
Which game providers does the casino work with? Who are the most popular providers supplying the casino with games?
| Rating logic |
|---|
| Points are given for larger provider rosters and for rosters that include popular studios. |
User Experience (10 points)
The best casinos in Canada always give players a great user experience. While only 10 points of our final grade, these aspects of our reviews should not be underappreciated:
Customer support (5 points)
As players, we often don’t think about a casino’s customer support team until we need them, and at that point, it can be too late if you’re stuck with an unresponsive or uninformed customer support team. Our reviews assess the following:
- Availability and hours of operation
- Contact channels, like a 24/7 live chat, email address, phone number, or social media account.
- Support for French- and English-speaking players?
- How quickly channels respond
- How helpful responses tend to be
| Rating logic |
|---|
| Support teams with the most channels, best availability, and most reliable responses score the highest. |
User navigation (2.5 points)
Players do not merely play games at casinos; they also have to interact with those casinos. Whether it’s for looking for games, checking out promotions, or understanding Terms, there’s an experience before playing. Here’s what we inspect to assess that experience:
- The ease of locating games, promotions, payment information, Terms & Conditions, etc.
- The use of game categories and search filters
- Design and branding
| Rating logic |
|---|
| Casinos with the easiest websites to navigate and most intuitive interfaces score highest. |
Mobile experience (2.5 points)
We also assess how the casino’s user experience translates to mobile devices. We rate the following:
- Website responsiveness
- Touchscreen adaptation
- The image quality on smaller screens
- Whether there are iOS/Android mobile apps available
| Rating logic |
|---|
| The best mobile casinos make a seamless transition to mobile devices and therefore score the highest here. |
Meet the Team Behind the Reviews
The team at CanadaCasino consists of experienced individuals with a variety of complementary strengths and skills. Nearly 20 years of experience come with this team of writers:
The Team
How Often Do We Update Our Casino Reviews
We make sure to update our reviews whenever we hear of changes to a casino, such as new bonuses, updated terms, or added games. We want to make sure our shared information is fresh and reliable, so we take efforts to ensure it stays up to date. We revisit casinos regularly and update our reviews accordingly.
How Does A Casino Get a Good Ranking?
A casino receives a good ranking from us when it performs well for its players. As we outlined above, the casino’s performance is judged from a variety of angles.
Generally speaking, though, if a licensed casino offers decent casino bonuses, provides a good selection of games, including a live casino, accepts the main casino payment methods in Canada, and has an accessible customer support team with decent responsible gambling resources, then the casino will receive a good ranking from us.
Does Our Affiliation Influence Rankings?
The short answer to this question is a resounding “No.” We know you want more of an explanation than that, though, and we are happy to give it to you:
- Our sales team sells space on our website to casinos to increase their visibility. Often, that involves selling the casino a review.
- Our review team is separate from our sales team, and reviewers are assigned casinos at random.
- Because reviewers review casinos (1) using a singular method (2) within a sea of other casinos they are being assigned to review, casinos are inevitably compared to each other and therefore ranked accordingly.
- When a casino is concerned about a review, we explain that our reviews reflect an independent audit, and that we will happily update the review when any criticisms are rectified.
- Our casino ratings are based on our reviewer’s experience only, and better ratings cannot be purchased. Casinos can only fix their mistakes if they want improved reviews.
- We pride ourselves on providing readers with honest, reliable information.
| Disclaimer |
|---|
| Running a comparison platform like CanadaCasino takes resources, from supporting our expert team to keeping the site up and running. To cover these costs, we work with featured placements and affiliate partnerships. This means that if you choose to play at one of the casinos we recommend, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep the site free and provide honest, reliable information. Our affiliate relationship in no way affects our rankings. |
Why Trust CanadaCasino?
We have a simple mission at CanadaCasino. We aim to help players in Canada make informed decisions about the online casinos available to them. Our team has been around for more than a decade, but as individuals, our collective experience is even older. We test, compare, and review casinos to provide readers with honest guidance: that’s the goal.
So, yes, you can trust us! We just laid out how we review casinos in an effort to be as transparent in our process as possible. Our reviews are carefully researched and fact-checked by a reliable team of experts.
More reasons to trust CanadaCasino:
- 400+ in-depth casino reviews
- Trusted by players in Canada since 2019
- Featured in leading Canadian outlets
- 900+ articles on casinos, online slots, bonuses, and industry news
- A strong commitment to responsible gambling & transparency
More about Responsible Gambling
We at CanadaCasino recognize the significance of promoting responsible gambling. That’s why we ensure it’s worth 10 points of a casino’s score in our reviews. We want to see every player remain safe by playing within their limits.
Learn more on our Responsible Gambling page.
For additional support, you can connect with these trusted and recognized resources in Canada:
- ConnexOntario (official Ontario helpline for mental health, addictions, and gambling): 1-866-531-2600
- Gamblers Anonymous Canada (peer-support fellowship)
- GamTalk (recognized online support community)
Doing a Pretty Good Job of Being the Best
We try to be as transparent and thorough with our casino reviews as possible. Everything written above works to prove our efforts in this regard are true and genuine. We want to be relied on by players in Canada as the best place for accurate online casino information and honest casino reviews. That’s why we’ve outlined exactly how we review casinos.
We think we do a pretty good job of reviewing them, too.
Taylor Mason is the Team Lead for the Canadian Market with over 6 years of experience in the iGaming industry. She specializes in site performance, regulatory compliance, and strategic oversight, ensuring all content meets industry standards. AML-certified and focused on responsible gambling, Taylor brings extensive industry knowledge of Canada’s provincial markets and regulatory developments, supported by a background in Media Journalism.