How we rate casinos
Every casino on Chipindex receives a score from 0 to 10. This page explains exactly how that number is produced: which criteria we track, how they are weighted, and what the score means.
We publish it for two reasons. First, a rating nobody can inspect is worthless. Second, you should be able to check that our numbers are not arbitrary.
The basic rule
Only what can be evidenced enters the score.
We rate measurable facts: payout speed, bonus terms, provider count, licence type, deposit limits. We do not rate impressions. If we cannot verify a figure, it does not enter the calculation, and we say so on that casino’s page.
Category weights
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Payouts and reliability | 25 % |
| Bonuses and fairness | 15 % |
| KYC and access | 15 % |
| Game offering | 15 % |
| Payments and currencies | 10 % |
| Licence, safety and transparency | 10 % |
| User experience | 5 % |
| Customer support | 5 % |
Why these weights
When a player picks a casino, they are usually asking two things: will it pay, and will the bonus lock them into terms they cannot clear. That is why those two categories are 40% of the overall score.
Site design and customer support carry a low weight. Not because they do not matter, but because casinos barely differ there and they rarely decide whether a player’s experience is good or bad.
1. Payouts and reliability — 25 %
The most important category. It is also the only area a player cannot check before they have money at stake.
| What we track | Share of category |
|---|---|
| Real payout speed | 40 % |
| Withdrawal limits (daily, monthly, maximum win) | 20 % |
| Documented payout problems in the last 12 months | 25 % |
| Process: number of steps, extra questions, cancelled withdrawals | 15 % |
Crypto payout-speed scoring
| Processing time | Points |
|---|---|
| under 10 minutes | 10 |
| under 1 hour | 9 |
| under 6 hours | 7 |
| under 24 hours | 5 |
| under 72 hours | 3 |
| over 72 hours | 1 |
We verify payout speed with our own test withdrawals, repeated on different days and amounts. Where we do not yet have our own test, we use verifiable public sources and mark that on the casino page.
2. Bonuses and fairness — 15 %
We do not rate bonus size. We rate actual value.
A 500% bonus with 60× wagering is worse for the player than a 100% bonus at 25×. Ranking by headline percent, which comparison sites usually do, is misleading.
| What we track | Share of category |
|---|---|
| Wagering requirement | 35 % |
| Maximum cash-out from the bonus | 20 % |
| Maximum allowed bet while wagering | 15 % |
| Time allowed to clear the terms | 15 % |
| Offer range: welcome bonus, rakeback, cashback, VIP programme | 15 % |
Wagering scoring
| Requirement | Points |
|---|---|
| up to 20× | 10 |
| 20-30× | 8 |
| 30-40× | 6 |
| 40-50× | 4 |
| over 50× | 2 |
For every bonus we also publish its effective value, that is, how much of the headline amount a player is statistically left with after wagering. That figure is more useful for a decision than advertised percentages.
3. KYC and access — 15 %
| What we track | Share | Scoring |
|---|---|---|
| When the casino requires identity checks | 45 % | Never = 10 · above a limit = 8 · at first cash-out = 5 · at signup = 2 |
| Threshold from which KYC is required | 25 % | Higher threshold, higher score |
| Number of countries the casino is available from | 20 % | — |
| VPN access | 10 % | Tolerated = 10 · banned with confiscated winnings = 0 |
4. Game offering — 15 %
| What we track | Share of category |
|---|---|
| Number and quality of studios, coverage of leading providers | 30 % |
| Total number of games | 20 % |
| Live casino | 20 % |
| In-house games and originals | 15 % |
| Sports betting | 15 % |
Raw game count has diminishing value: a player will not feel the difference between two thousand and five thousand titles. We therefore weight portfolio mix more than volume.
5. Payments and currencies — 10 %
| What we track | Share of category |
|---|---|
| Number of supported cryptocurrencies | 25 % |
| Supported networks and network fees | 25 % |
| Minimum deposit and minimum withdrawal | 20 % |
| Fees charged by the casino | 20 % |
| Ability to buy crypto inside the casino | 10 % |
6. Licence, safety and transparency — 10 %
| What we track | Share | Scoring |
|---|---|---|
| Licence type | 35 % | MGA, UKGC = 10 · Curaçao, Anjouan = 6 · no licence = 0 |
| Verifiable results (provably fair) | 20 % | — |
| Security controls: two-factor authentication, encryption | 20 % | — |
| Traceability of the operator and company seat | 15 % | — |
| Fairness of the terms | 10 % | Especially confiscation clauses and unilateral changes |
7. User experience — 5 %
Load speed, mobile performance, steps required to register, how clear the game lobby is, and available languages.
8. Customer support — 5 %
Live-chat availability, actual response time from our own enquiry, languages offered, and how substantive the answer is.
Hard caps
Some failures cannot be offset by anything else. If any of the following applies, a casino’s score cannot exceed the cap, no matter how strong it is elsewhere.
| Situation | Highest possible score |
|---|---|
| Documented unpaid winnings without a valid reason | 5.0 |
| Casino without a valid licence | 6.0 |
| Typical payout time exceeds 7 days | 6.5 |
| Main bonus wagering over 60× | 7.5 |
| Support does not reply for more than 72 hours | 8.0 |
What the score means
| Range | Rating |
|---|---|
| 9.0 – 10.0 | Excellent |
| 8.0 – 8.9 | Very good |
| 7.0 – 7.9 | Good |
| 6.0 – 6.9 | Average |
| below 6.0 | Not recommended |
We commit to giving the Excellent label to at most 10% of rated casinos.
If almost everything scored a nine, the number would stop distinguishing anything and would be useless to you. We publish the distribution across Chipindex so you can see that the scale actually separates stronger brands from weaker ones.
- Excellent3 / 100 · 3 %
- Very good47 / 100 · 47 %
- Good40 / 100 · 40 %
- Average10 / 100 · 10 %
- Not recommended0 / 100 · 0 %
How often we update the data
| Area | Interval |
|---|---|
| Bonuses and their terms | 30 days |
| Payout speed | 90 days |
| Games and providers | 90 days |
| Licence and operator details | 180 days |
| Complaints and incidents | ongoing |
Each casino page shows the date of last verification. If it is older than 90 days, we flag it clearly.
Independence and disclosures
- Scores are calculated solely from the criteria on this page. Commission size and any commercial relationship do not affect the rating.
- Where we have a partner or affiliate relationship, we state that on the casino’s page.
- A rating cannot be bought. Paid placements, if used, are always labelled as advertising and visually separated from the score ranking.
- Scores are calculated automatically from verified data. They cannot be edited by hand.
We fund this site from commissions on casinos we link to. We do not charge you, and commission does not change the order of the score ranking.
Disagree with a rating?
If you think a casino is scored wrongly, or you have a documented experience we should weigh, write to us. We review player reports and, where justified, we adjust the rating.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you really test casinos yourselves?
- Yes. We open accounts, deposit our own funds and make real withdrawals. Where we have not yet run our own test, we say so on the casino page.
- Why does a casino with a huge bonus score lower?
- Because we score bonus terms, not the headline amount. A large bonus with heavy wagering and a low cash-out cap is worth less in practice than a smaller bonus with fair conditions.
- Does the score change over time?
- Yes. Casinos change terms, payout speed and catalogues. We recalculate the score whenever the data is updated.
- Is a high score a guarantee?
- No. The score describes how the casino performs against our criteria as of the last verification date. It is not a guarantee or a recommendation, and it does not replace your own decision.
Version history
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | August 2026 | First published version |
Every future change to weights or criteria will be recorded in this table.
Notice
Gambling is for adults 18+ only and may be restricted or banned in some jurisdictions. Check the rules that apply in your country before you sign up.
Gambling can be addictive. Play with care and only stake amounts you can afford to lose. If you feel you are losing control, seek professional help.
Content on this site is informational and is not an invitation to gamble.