How we rate operators

We weight regulatory standing above everything else: whether an operator holds a licence you can look up on the regulator's public register, and what that licence obliges it to do. An operator that makes verification easy is rated well before we look at anything else; one that relies on vague claims is not. Clarity of terms comes next: bonus wagering, withdrawal conditions and eligibility rules stated plainly enough to check against what the operator publishes, rather than left ambiguous. Only after regulatory standing and clarity have been weighed do we consider other measures, such as how straightforward the site is to use. This order reflects our view that a reader making a financial decision needs to know how to check a claim before the claim itself matters. Where information cannot be verified, that gap is noted and affects the rating rather than being smoothed over.