Who we are
We are a small independent editorial team of casino reviewers based in Europe. We are not a casino, we do not run or own any gambling brand, and we never accept deposits or bets. Our job is to open an account, use the casino the way an ordinary player would, write down what actually happens, and turn that into a score you can compare. The OnlySpins review on this site was produced with exactly the method described below.
How we test a casino
Every review starts with a real-money account registered by one of our reviewers under their own name. We do not rely on press releases or on the numbers printed in a banner. The test follows the same sequence each time:
- Registration and KYC. We time the sign-up form, note which personal details are required, and upload identity, address and payment documents. We record how long verification takes and whether the casino asks for anything unusual.
- Deposit. We deposit with at least two different methods — typically a card and an e-wallet or crypto — and check minimums, fees and whether the bonus prompt lets you decline the offer.
- Bonus terms. We read the full bonus terms, not the summary. Wagering multiple, whether it applies to bonus only or bonus plus deposit, maximum bet, game weighting, expiry and excluded games all go into a spreadsheet so the real cost of an offer can be calculated.
- Games. We count the lobby, check which studios are present, confirm whether RTP is shown per game and look for reduced-RTP configurations of popular slots.
- Withdrawal. We request at least one withdrawal and time it from request to money received, noting any extra checks, pending periods or reversal options.
- Support. We contact live chat and email with the same set of questions — about wagering, limits and a withdrawal — and time the replies and judge their accuracy.
- Safer gambling. We set deposit limits, a reality check and a time-out, and check how easily each one can be changed or reversed.
Our scoring criteria
Each casino receives a score from 1 to 5 in five categories. The categories are weighted according to how much they affect a real player’s experience:
| Criterion | Weight | What we look at |
|---|---|---|
| Payments and payout speed | 25% | Deposit and withdrawal methods, fees, limits, measured payout time |
| Bonuses and terms | 20% | Real value after wagering, fairness and clarity of the terms |
| Games and software | 20% | Size and quality of the lobby, providers, RTP transparency, mobile play |
| Security, licensing and responsible gambling | 20% | Licence, encryption, KYC handling, limit and self-exclusion tools |
| Support and usability | 15% | Live chat speed and accuracy, languages, navigation on mobile |
How the final score is calculated
The overall rating is the weighted average of the five category scores, rounded to one decimal place. A casino that pays quickly but hides harsh bonus terms cannot reach the top of the scale, and one with a huge lobby but slow or unreliable withdrawals is held back by the payments weight. Two rules override the arithmetic: a casino with no verifiable licence cannot score above 3.0, and any casino that fails to pay a legitimate test withdrawal is not recommended at all, whatever its other scores.
Player ratings and comments shown on our pages are reported separately from our editorial score. They are useful context, but they never change the number our team assigns.
How often reviews are updated
Casino offers move quickly. We re-check every review at least once every three months, and sooner if a casino changes its welcome bonus, payment options, licence or ownership. Each review carries a published date, an updated date and a short change log, so you can see exactly what was re-tested and when.
Affiliate disclosure and editorial independence
This site is funded by affiliate commissions. When you open an account at a casino through one of our links, we may receive a payment from the operator. That payment costs you nothing and does not change the bonus you receive. It also has no influence on our scores: the reviewer who tests a casino does not know the commercial terms, ratings are fixed before any link is added, and we publish negative findings — slow payouts, restrictive terms, weak licences — in the same place as the positive ones.
Responsible gambling
Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. It can be addictive and you can lose everything you deposit. Only play if you are 18 or over (or the legal age in your country), decide a budget before you start, use the deposit and time limits every licensed casino must offer, and stop if play is no longer fun. Free and confidential help is available from:
- BeGambleAware — information and a 24/7 helpline
- GamCare — support, chat and counselling
- Gambling Therapy — free multilingual support for players across Europe
- Gamblers Anonymous — peer support groups
If you live outside the UK, your national gambling regulator also lists local helplines and self-exclusion registers.
Corrections and contact
We work hard to keep every figure accurate, but terms change and mistakes happen. If you spot an outdated bonus, a wrong payout time or anything else that needs fixing, let our editorial team know. We check every report, correct confirmed errors quickly and record the change in the review’s update log.
Ready to see how the method works in practice? Read our full OnlySpins review for the scores, the tested payouts and the complete pros and cons.
See the method in action
Our full OnlySpins review applies every criterion on this page — bonus maths, payout tests, licence checks and support timings.
18+ · Independent review site, not the casino operator · Affiliate link · Please gamble responsibly.