How online casino ranking systems work
The online casino industry has exploded since the start of the 2010s. In the last 15 years, new online casinos have launched on a regular basis. Some are the online branch of established casino brands with locations in places like Las Vegas and London. Most, however, are independent online casino brands or are run by online casino corporations.
With so many new names on the market – and with many of those names being so similar – it can be difficult for players to distinguish between them or to keep track of which online casinos have the best reputation.
Thankfully, an entire industry of online casino guides has emerged to address these issues and direct players to the best online casinos. These casino guides provide information on every aspect of casino gambling (game rules, payment methods, strategies etc) and reviews of online casinos. They also rank online casinos to make it easier for players to find the best options.
Some casino guides are regional, like that found at askgamblers.com/online-casinos/countries/ca. This guide is specifically for online casinos that operate in Canada. These guides typically have a similar ranking system to more generic guides, though they will often add country-specific information. This is especially common for countries like Canada and the United States, where each province or state can set their own gambling laws and clarification is required.
In this article, we’ll take a broad look at online casino ranking systems. We’ll outline how online casino ranking systems work and what factors they take into consideration when creating their lists of online casinos.
Casino details
The casino details are all of the technical details about the casino site that affect how it operates and the player experience. The game selection is one of the first things that rankers consider since this directly relates to player enjoyment. Along with game selection, the game providers are also considered. Licensing and security measures are also heavily weighted, as they can determine if a casino is operating safely and legally.
Key payment details that are considered are the payment methods supported, the average deposit and withdrawal processing times, and the casino’s Know Your Customer (KYC) protocol. The range of accepted payment methods can show if they work with trusted payment companies and how accessible they are. Deposit and withdrawal processing times can seriously impact the player experience and how much they trust the casino brand. The KYC protocol reflects how seriously the casino takes customer security and identity protection.
Other important details that are considered in the rankings relate to customer support (how easy it is to contact, how efficient and effective the team is), bonuses (what kinds are offered, how easy they are to claim), and the general terms and conditions for using the site. The terms and conditions are where all of the necessary information for customers can be found, so ranking systems always check through them for anything important.
Complaint and compliance history
Since online casinos must be fully licensed by a regulatory agency to operate legally in the majority of locations, it is possible to keep track of their history with those bodies. In order to maintain their licenses, online casinos typically need to be re-evaluated on a regular schedule. These audits flag any instances of non-compliance or frequent areas of customer concern.
While it may be hard for the average individual to access reports like these, casino guides and ranking systems are a part of the iGaming ecosystem that gives them greater access. Some even have their own complaint-tracking systems, which make the process even easier. They also take into consideration how complaints are addressed, since an online casino that helps its players solve problems is much more trustworthy than one that ignores or blocks players who complain.
Player reviews
As the industry has become more established, player reviews have taken on a more important role in online casino ranking systems. Player reviews give the individual experience insights that more general reviews can’t capture. With a large pool of reviews, a more complete understanding of how each online casino operates can be presented to readers.
The reason that player reviews aren’t given as much weight as the first two categories is that reviews tend to be written to address extreme circumstances. Most people will only write a positive review if something fantastic has happened but will submit a review for even very minor negative experiences. This creates an imbalance that can unfairly skew a reader’s perception of a casino.
Design elements
Design elements aren’t given as much weight as the other categories because design is often subjective. One person may love a casino site that features the neon colours of vintage Las Vegas Strip casinos, while another user may find that style tacky or distracting.
The main reason why design elements are considered in the rankings is if a design makes the site easier or more difficult to use. This can be incidental and simply a bit frustrating, like a site colour scheme that is hard to read, or it could be more concerning, like a design that makes it difficult to access the site’s T&Cs or other important information.
