1. UKGC licence
We confirm the operator (or the legal entity behind the UK product) appears under UK Gambling Commission licensing. Without that, the review stops. Licence status also implies mandatory safer-gambling tools and complaints pathways.
2. Game range
We look at breadth across slots, table games and — where relevant — bingo. A sportsbook-led brand can still score well if the casino catalogue is coherent; a slots specialist is judged on depth in its lane, not on missing roulette volume.
3. Live casino
Presence of live dealer tables, variety of game shows or classic tables, and whether the live lobby feels maintained. Brands that deliberately stay slots-only are marked honestly rather than punished for a different product focus.
4. Mobile and apps
We assess mobile web clarity and, where offered, native apps: navigation, readability, and whether account protection tools remain easy to find on a small screen.
5. Game studios
Recognition of major studios and distinctive titles. We note partnerships that shape the lobby without turning the page into a catalogue of every reel.
6. Welcome offer type
We classify structure — match bonus, spins-led, combined package — and remind readers to read wagering rules. We do not rank “biggest” offers; inflated claims are out of bounds.
7. Customer support
Availability of help routes (chat, email, help centre) and how easy they are to locate. We do not invent average response times.
8. Usability
Information architecture, footer transparency (licence details), and whether safer-gambling entry points are obvious. Kinetic headlines on our site are ours; cluttered lobbies on theirs cost marks.
Independence
Affiliate funding keeps the site running. It does not rewrite criteria. See the affiliate disclosure and return to the homepage comparison table for current shortlist scores.
Note
One-word verdicts are editorial shorthand, not grades from a regulator and not predictions of personal results.