How We Rate Online Casinos
Dan Panzariu
At FreeBets.com, we don’t just list casinos - we test them. Every casino review on our site is built on real experiences, structured evaluation, and a clear scoring framework designed specifically for UK players. We deposit, claim bonuses, play games, contact customer support, and verify withdrawal speeds to bring you ratings that reflect real player experience.
Curated. Tested. Verified for the UK.
Our Expert Review Process
Our reviews follow a five-step process to ensure accuracy and transparency:
- Initial Screening: We check for UK licensing, secure technology (SSL), and brand legitimacy.
- Live Testing: We sign up, deposit real money, claim bonuses, and play.
- Performance Evaluation: We test payment options, support responsiveness, mobile UX, and game variety.
- Scoring: Each of our 10 criteria is rated out of 5, then weighted based on its importance.
- Final Review: Scores are combined into 5 public-facing categories, and a final score out of 5 is published.
We re-test each listed casino every 90 to 120 days, or immediately if a license or bonus changes.
Our Review Criteria
We evaluate each casino across five core categories, each built from weighted criteria that reflect the most important aspects of the player experience, making our reviews simple to understand and meaningful to compare.
| Payments & Support | Payout Speed (20%) + Customer Support (10%) | 30% |
| Bonuses & Terms | Bonus Verification (15%) + Promotions & Terms (10%) | 25% |
| Safety & Responsibility | Licensing & Safety (15%) + Responsible Gambling Tools (5%) | 20% |
| Platform Experience | Mobile Experience (10%) + UX & Navigation (5%) | 15% |
| Games & Software | Game Variety (10%) | 10% |
Our Review Criteria
We evaluate each casino across five core categories, each built from weighted criteria that reflect the most important aspects of the player experience. This makes our reviews simple to understand and meaningful to compare.
Payments & Support (30%)
- Payout Speed (20%) — How fast and reliable withdrawals are, including e-wallets, cards, and bank transfers.
- Customer Support (10%) — Availability and responsiveness of live chat or email, whether users speak to a real person or a bot, and issue resolution quality.
Bonuses & Terms (25%)
- Bonus Verification (15%) — We test welcome offers to ensure they are awarded and playable as advertised.
- Promotions & Terms (10%) — We assess clarity, fairness, and accessibility of bonus terms and wagering requirements.(we care about how to get the best out of their bonus)
Safety & Responsibility (20%)
- Licensing & Safety (15%) — UKGC or other Tier 1 licences, SSL encryption, and platform legitimacy.
- Responsible Gambling Tools (5%) — Availability and visibility of deposit limits, self-exclusion, and other RG features.
Platform Experience (15%)
- Mobile Experience (10%) — Quality and speed of mobile site or app, including layout and functionality.
- UX & Navigation (5%) — How intuitive the site is to use across desktop and mobile.
Games & Software (10%)
- Game Variety (10%) — Breadth and depth of game selection: slots, live dealers, tables, exclusive titles, and provider quality.
How We Calculate the Final Score
Each internal criterion is scored out of 5. We apply the weights and group them into the 5 public categories. These are then averaged to produce the final score shown in the review.
Example:
- Bonuses & Terms: (4.6 + 4.2 weighted) → 4.4/5
- Games & Software: 4.8/5
- Platform Experience: (4.7 + 4.5) → 4.6/5
- Safety & Responsibility: (5.0 + 4.8) → 4.9/5
- Payments & Support: (4.3 + 4.5 + 4.0) → 4.3/5
- Final Score = Average of 5 categories = 4.6/5
What Our Scores Mean
We believe in making our scores understandable at a glance. Here's how to interpret a casino's rating:
| Score (1–5) | What It Means |
| 4.5 – 5.0 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional: Top-rated across all areas |
| 4.0 – 4.4 | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strong: Very good with only minor drawbacks |
| 3.0 – 3.9 | ⭐⭐⭐ Average: Serviceable, but with some clear weaknesses |
| 2.0 – 2.9 | ⭐⭐ Below Average: Lacks value or fails on key criteria |
| < 2.0 | ⭐ Not Recommended: Serious issues with licensing, safety, or fairness |
Why Our Reviews Are Different
- We don’t list hundreds of casinos. We curate brands that matter to UK players. (more selective)
- We test everything: bonuses, games, withdrawals, and customer support.
- We score using a fixed weighted system, not guesswork.
- We update scores every 90–120 days to reflect the latest conditions.
| Feature | FreeBets.com | Other Sites |
| Bonus Tested With Real Funds | ✅ | ❌ |
| Weighted Criteria System | ✅ | ❌ |
| UK Player Focused | ✅ | ❌ |
| Regular Retesting | ✅ | ❓ |
Want to see our scoring in action? Check out our Best UK Online Casinos or read some of our top-rate Brand Reviews:
Affiliate Disclosure
We may earn a commission if you sign up to a casino via links on our site. This helps fund our testing and content work. However, our ratings are based on performance, not payment. If a site scores poorly in our testing, we state that clearly—even if we have a partnership in place.
