How we rate casinos
Every score on this site comes from the same formula. The weights below are the actual weights the site uses to calculate scores, and each review shows the sub-scores and reasons, so you can check our work.
The six criteria
- Licensing & standing25%
Is it licensed by a US state regulator (real money) or operating a compliant sweepstakes model with clear terms? Any enforcement actions, state exits, or lawsuits?
- Payouts & redemptions20%
How fast do withdrawals or prize redemptions arrive, what is the minimum, and how much verification friction is there?
- Bonus value & fairness20%
What is the welcome offer actually worth after playthrough, expiry, and game restrictions?
- Game library15%
Size and quality of the library, studio lineup, live dealer, and published RTPs.
- Banking options10%
Range of deposit and withdrawal methods, fees, and limits.
- Mobile experience10%
Native iOS and Android apps, or a mobile site that works as well as one.
Each criterion gets a sub-score from 0 to 10. The overall score is the weighted average, rounded to one decimal place.
What the scores mean
| Score | Label | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0+ | Excellent | Best in class on nearly every criterion. |
| 8.0–8.9 | Very good | Licensed, fast-paying, fair terms; minor trade-offs. |
| 7.0–7.9 | Good | Solid, with clear weaknesses you should know about. |
| 6.0–6.9 | Fair | Usable, but expect friction: higher minimums, slower payouts, or legal uncertainty. |
| Below 6 | Weak | We would not recommend it. |
Why sweepstakes casinos score lower on licensing
A state-licensed casino answers to a regulator: player funds are protected and disputes can be escalated. Sweepstakes casinos have no state license, so they start lower on our licensing criterion and lose more for excluded states, cease-and-desist orders, and lawsuits. This is not a judgment that they are unsafe. It reflects that you have less recourse if something goes wrong.
Where our facts come from
- The casino's own terms, sweepstakes rules, and promotions pages, first.
- State regulators' lists of licensed operators, and iGaming Ontario's registered-operator list.
- Court filings, enforcement notices, and trade press for legal standing.
- Other independent reviews, used only to cross-check, and labeled "reported" when we could not confirm a fact with the operator.
Every review lists its sources and the date each offer was checked.
Our rules on money
- Casinos cannot pay for a higher score or a better position. List order follows score.
- We earn a commission when readers sign up through our links. We show casinos we have no commercial relationship with when they score well.
- We never publish reviews or ratings attributed to players that we did not collect. All scores are editorial.
- We do not promote any casino in a state where it is illegal or under active enforcement action.