Last updated: 24 June 2026
How we rate casinos
Our overall score is not a vibe. It is a weighted average of five categories, each scored from what we found during testing, not from what an operator claims. Here is the breakdown.
| Category | Weight | What moves the score |
|---|---|---|
| Payouts & banking | 30% | Real withdrawal speed, pending periods, NZD and crypto support, fees, minimum cashout. |
| Trust & licensing | 25% | Licence and how strict it is, audit certificates (eCOGRA), complaint history, transparency. |
| Bonuses & terms | 20% | Wagering multiple, game weighting, max bet rules, expiry, honesty of the offer. |
| Games & software | 15% | Studio quality, library depth, live dealer, mobile performance. |
| Support & safer gambling | 10% | Reply speed, helpfulness, and how easy the responsible-gambling tools are to use. |
Why payouts carry the most weight
A casino exists to pay you when you win. If it does that slowly, or makes you fight for it, nothing else matters much. That is why banking sits at the top of the list, ahead of flashy game counts.
The things that cap a score
Some problems put a ceiling on the rating no matter how good the rest is. A bonus that hides a 200x wager, a licence with a weak complaints record, or limit-setting that forces you to email support — each one pulls the final number down hard. We would rather warn you off than round up.
What does not count
Affiliate commission. The amount an operator pays us has zero weight in the table above, and our affiliate disclosure explains how we keep it that way. A site paying top dollar can still score below one that pays us nothing.
Scores get a fresh look whenever terms change — see our editorial policy on updates. For the hands-on side, read how we test.