Our Methodology
How We Score Online Casinos
Every casino in our rankings is evaluated against five weighted performance categories. No gut feelings, no paid placements — just structured testing with real CAD deposits. Here's exactly how we arrive at our scores.
Final score = weighted average of all five categories, scored out of 10. Some casinos with a standout specialty (e.g., live dealer, sportsbook) may use a tailored category in place of one of the five — noted clearly in the rating breakdown.
Game Variety
Breadth, depth, and provider diversity
This isn't just a count of how many slots are in the lobby. We evaluate the actual quality and diversity of the game library — whether the casino offers titles from both major studios (Microgaming, NetEnt, Pragmatic Play) and boutique providers that bring innovative mechanics to the table.
What we measure
- Total game count — Raw number matters, but only when paired with variety. A library of 3,000 reskinned slots scores lower than 1,500 titles across different mechanics.
- Provider diversity — We count the number of unique game providers and check for smaller studios like Nolimit City, Hacksaw Gaming, and Push Gaming alongside the big names.
- Table game depth — Beyond slots: how many blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and poker variants are available? Are there Canadian-specific tables?
- Live dealer coverage — Number of live tables, streaming quality, hours of operation, and whether Evolution, Pragmatic Play Live, and Ezugi are all represented.
- Search and filter tools — Can you sort by volatility, RTP, bonus buy, provider, or theme? A large library without good filtering is useless.
- New game cadence — How frequently are new titles added? We check across a 90-day window to spot stale libraries.
Payout Speed
How fast your winnings actually hit your account
We don't trust the FAQ page. Every payout claim is verified with a real withdrawal using CAD payment methods that Canadian players actually use. We time the process from the moment we hit "Withdraw" to the moment funds are confirmed in our bank account or crypto wallet.
What we measure
- Interac e-Transfer speed — The most popular method in Canada. We measure how long the e-Transfer takes to arrive after the internal approval process completes.
- Internal processing time — The gap between submitting a withdrawal request and the casino approving it. Some sites have 24-48 hour "pending" periods that operators don't advertise.
- Crypto withdrawal speed — For sites that accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin, we test how many blockchain confirmations are needed and whether the casino batches transactions or processes them individually.
- First withdrawal vs. repeat — The first cashout often triggers KYC verification. We measure how much additional delay this adds and how smooth the document upload process is.
- Weekend and holiday processing — Does the site process withdrawals 7 days a week, or does everything stall from Friday to Monday? We test both weekday and weekend cashouts.
- Withdrawal limits — Daily, weekly, and monthly caps. A casino that lets you win big but only withdraw $5,000/week loses points here.
User Interface & Experience
How it feels to actually use the platform
A casino can have thousands of games and instant payouts, but if the interface is a cluttered mess with buried navigation, it fails the user. We evaluate the full end-to-end experience — from first visit to withdrawal — on both desktop and mobile devices under real conditions.
What we measure
- Page load speed — Time to interactive on desktop and mobile. We benchmark using real devices on Canadian LTE and Wi-Fi networks, not lab conditions.
- Navigation architecture — Can you find the game you want in under 3 taps? Is the deposit flow intuitive? Are promotions, account settings, and support accessible without hunting?
- Mobile responsiveness — We test on both iPhone and Android. Buttons need to be in the thumb zone, text needs to be readable without zooming, and landscape mode should work.
- Registration friction — Time from landing to first playable game. We count every field, every screen, and every unnecessary step.
- Visual design — Consistent typography, readable contrast ratios, clear CTAs. Dark patterns (hiding the withdrawal button, confusing bonus opt-in screens) are instant deductions.
- Native app quality — If they offer iOS/Android apps, are they actual native apps or just browser wrappers? We test biometric login, push notifications, and offline behavior.
Bonus Value
The real math behind the marketing
A "$10,000 welcome bonus" means nothing if the wagering requirements make it mathematically impossible to clear. We calculate the expected value of every bonus by modeling realistic play scenarios, factoring in game weighting, max bet rules, and withdrawal caps.
What we measure
- Effective bonus value — The dollar amount you can realistically expect to withdraw after completing all wagering requirements, assuming optimal game selection.
- Wagering requirements — The playthrough multiplier (e.g., 35x) applied to the bonus, the deposit, or both. Lower is always better.
- Game weighting — Slots usually count 100%, but blackjack might count 10% or 0%. We calculate how this affects the actual grind required to clear wagering.
- Max bet rules — Many bonuses cap your bet at $5-$10 per spin while wagering is active. This dramatically affects how long clearing takes.
- Time limits — Some bonuses expire in 7 days, others in 30. If the wagering is 50x with a 7-day window, that's effectively impossible for most players.
- Withdrawal caps — A bonus that lets you win unlimited but only withdraw $100 is a terrible deal regardless of the headline number.
- Ongoing promotions — Reload bonuses, cashback, loyalty programs, and free spin offers that provide long-term value beyond the welcome package.
Security & Licensing
Trust infrastructure and regulatory compliance
This is the non-negotiable foundation. A casino can score perfectly in every other category, but if the licensing is questionable or the security infrastructure has gaps, none of it matters. We verify every license claim independently and test the actual security measures in place.
What we measure
- License verification — We independently confirm every license claim with the issuing authority (MGA, Kahnawake Gaming Commission, AGCO for Ontario, Curacao eGaming). If the license number doesn't check out, the casino doesn't make our list.
- SSL/TLS encryption — We verify the certificate, check for HTTPS enforcement across all pages (including payment forms), and flag any mixed-content issues.
- RNG certification — We look for independent testing by eCOGRA, iTech Labs, or GLI. If the operator doesn't publicly display audit reports, that's a deduction.
- Responsible gambling tools — Deposit limits, loss limits, session timers, self-exclusion, and cooling-off periods. Are they easy to find and actually functional?
- KYC process quality — Document verification should be thorough but not invasive. We evaluate turnaround time, accepted document types, and data handling practices.
- Track record — Has the operator had any regulatory actions, player complaints, or data breaches? We research the parent company's history across multiple jurisdictions.
- Payment security — PCI DSS compliance for card processing, proper tokenization, and separation of player funds from operating capital.
Specialty Categories
Some casinos excel in a niche that doesn't fit neatly into the five standard categories. When a casino's primary value proposition is something like "Best Live Dealer" or "Best Sportsbook Integration," we replace one standard category with a tailored one that better captures what makes that casino distinct.
For example, Kingmaker's score includes a "Live Casino" category (replacing a standard one) weighted at 25% because that's genuinely where they differentiate. PlayOjo uses "Bonus Fairness" because their zero-wagering model fundamentally changes how bonus value is evaluated.
The substitution is always noted in the rating breakdown popup on the toplist, so you can see exactly what was measured and how it was weighted.
Meet the Review Team
Every score in our rankings comes from hands-on testing by analysts who deposit real money and document every step. Here's who's behind the data.
Specializes in welcome bonus analysis, wagering requirement breakdowns, and real-money payout testing across all 15 ranked casinos.
Focuses on mobile app performance, UI/UX audits, and load speed testing for Canadian betting platforms across iOS and Android.
Specializes in welcome bonus EV calculations, RTP analysis, wagering requirement breakdowns, and casino churning strategy for Canadian players.
Read more about our team on the casino reviewers page.