Online Casino Rating System – How We Score and Compare
Scoring System
We use the following system to rate and compare Microgaming casinos:
| Criteria | Score |
|---|---|
Bonuses
Value and Fairness of Terms
|
15 |
General Promotions
Novelty, frequency and value of promotions, other than bonuses (draws, giveaways, comps etc).
|
10 |
Withdrawals
Performance and reliability
|
15 |
Operator
Track record and reputation
|
15 |
Usability
Website and casino software – easy to find new games, promo terms etc...
|
5 |
Customer Service
Channels, localization and responsiveness
|
10 |
Mobile Casino
Mobile features that set the casino apart from the rest
|
5 |
Licensing Jurisdiction
Country and its reputation
|
15 |
Game Selection
Depending if the casinos uses Viper vs Quickfire
|
5 |
|
Bonus Points
Awarded for excelling in areas not covered in the criteria above
|
5 |
Our Scoring System and How We Calculate Ratings
What the scores mean:
- 85-100 – The safest casinos on our site that present the best value.
- 75-84 – Safe and reliable and still a very good choice.
- 60-74 – No major concerns but read our Alerts carefully.
- 50-59 – There are better options. Avoid.
- 0-49 – Do NOT play at these casinos.
When comparing Microgaming casinos, numerous factors over and above the actual software itself play an important role.
Casinos that use the full Viper platform (which comprises the games, gaming platform, cashier functions and bonus system from Microgaming) need to differentiate themselves in other ways. Therefore, variables such as customer service, withdrawal processing and promotions need to be considered.
As for casinos that use Quickfire, i.e. Microgaming’s standalone games, we evaluate the quality of the base platform used by the casinos, but also the quality of the games sourced from other providers.
Below is an overview of our scoring system. Each criteria combines scored from our actual testing and auditing of the casino (we document more than 150 data points on each casino), information documented in the public domain and in when relevant our own subjective evaluation.
The scoring criteria have been weighted, as indicated.
Bonuses (Weighting: 15)
We record every detail (over 90 factors) about online casino bonuses, right down to the finest detail. This enables us to evaluate bonuses in terms of :
- Relative value (when compared to bonuses of the same type, e.g. match bonus);
- Fairness of the bonus terms, which evaluates wagering requirements. Game eligibility, penalties and dispute resolution.
The higher the relative value and fairness ranking, the better the score.
Promotions (Weighting: 10)
This refers to novelty, frequency and value of promotions other than bonuses (i.e. draws, giveaways, comps etc).
Online casinos with a more active and rewarding promotions calendar will score higher.
Withdrawals (Weighting: 15)
The relates the fairness, performance and reliability of withdrawal processing based on the following factors:
- Cashout turnaround time;
- Reversal time (the shorter the better)
- Withdrawal restrictions including cashout limits. These are typically weekly. Least limitations score the highest.
Points are deducted for regular reports of slow-pay. Recent records of n-pay will result in no points scored in this category.
Operator (Weighting: 15)
This category refers to the operator’s track record and reputation and specifically:
- Longevity – the longer the casino has been in operation with the same ownership, the better.
- Transparency in the way the operator deals with players. Simply put, no shenanigans when it comes to winnings, cashouts, and bonuses.
- Clarity and fairness of general terms and conditions, i.e. no ridiculous “manager override” clauses and well drafted, unambiguous wording;
Simply put, we have a no-bullshit policy.
Usability (Weighting 5)
This related to the website and casino software. It should be easy to find new games, bonus information.
Customer Service (Weighting: 10)
We evaluate the availability of various channels of communications including live chat, telephone and email. Important factors include the responsiveness turnaround time and quality of response. Local toll-free numbers score extra points. Proper use of social media will score extra points.
Mobile Casino (Weighting: 5)
A relatively small number of Microgaming casinos offer mobile gaming but the list is growing quickly. With the uptake in mobile gambling, having a mobile platform is seen as mandatory these days.
Extra points will be scored for innovations on the mobile platform that are non-game related such as promotions.
Licensing Jurisdiction (Weighting: 15)
Online gambling jurisdictions issue licenses and monitor their licensees for upholding their licenses conditions, which range from being highly stringent to downright slack. They are also responsible to provide a safety net for players, which some do with distinction while others frankly don’t appear to care.
The standards prescribed by the jurisdictions and their willingness and ability to uphold them is what we consider when scoring the jurisdictions.
- Jurisdictions that would score the highest: UK, Isle of Man, Alderney
- Good: Kahnawake
- Acceptable: Malta, Curacao, Cyprus, Gibraltar
Anything else – zero.
Game Selection (Weighting: 5)
Although our site focuses on the Microgaming software, we decided to score the game selection specifically for Quickfire casinos, which also utilize games from other providers. The total number of games on offer at these casinos as well as the number of Quickfire games they use vary greatly
Bonus Points: (Weighting: 5)
We award further bonus points for industry awards, evidence of exceptional customer service and innovation and professionalism. We also consider the quality of their affiliate marketing services as this is our primary channel of communication and we rely heavily on these relationships.