How we rate casinos — our method and criteria weights

Our score is not an impression. It is the output of six criteria with published percentage weights. Below is the full formula and how the points are awarded.

A score from 0 to 5 appears in every review we publish. For it to be worth anything it has to be repeatable — which is why we publish the whole formula. Below are the six criteria, their weights, and exactly what we check under each.

Criteria weights

Criterion Weight What we check
Legality and licence 30 % Licensing authority and number, verification in the regulator’s register, domain status in the MF domain register
Payment methods available in Poland 20 % BLIK, a PLN account without conversion, Polish bank transfers, minimum deposit
Withdrawal speed and terms 20 % Stated processing time, limits, required documents, transparency of the process
Bonus terms 10 % Wagering requirement, expiry, withdrawal cap, readability of the terms
Local-language service 10 % Interface, terms and support in Polish, availability hours, and whether English support exists
Security and responsible gambling 10 % Encryption, KYC procedures, deposit limits, self-exclusion, operator registration details

The formula

Each criterion is scored from 0 to 5, and the final score is the weighted average:

Score = 0.30 × legality + 0.20 × payments + 0.20 × withdrawals + 0.10 × bonuses + 0.10 × local service + 0.10 × security

The result is rounded to one decimal place. Legality carries the largest weight deliberately: in Polish conditions it is the criterion that most strongly determines a player’s position — from tax to whether the money stays reachable.

How we award points for legality

  • 5.0 — a Ministry of Finance licence. In practice this applies to Total Casino.
  • 3.0–4.0 — a strong foreign licence (MGA, for example), verified in the regulator’s register, with the domain absent from the MF register.
  • 2.0–3.0 — a foreign licence with weaker supervision (Curaçao, Anjouan), verified, domain not listed.
  • 1.0–2.0 — a foreign licence, with the domain listed in the MF domain register.
  • 0 — the licence cannot be confirmed in any regulator’s register. We do not publish such sites at all.

What the individual jurisdictions mean is covered on online casino licences, and the register mechanism on the MF domain register.

Where the data comes from

  1. The operator’s site — terms, payments section, limits table, promotion conditions. We check the Polish-language version where one exists, since it is the one that binds players here.
  2. Regulator registers — verification of the licence number and the company’s status.
  3. The MF domain register (hazard.mf.gov.pl) — the domain’s status on the day of checking.
  4. Our own functional tests — whether payment methods and the interface actually work over a Polish connection.

We record the source and date for every fact. Where a value cannot be confirmed, we mark it as needing verification — we never fill the gap with a plausible-looking number.

What we do not do

  • We do not sell ranking positions. An affiliate relationship does not change a score; how we monetise is set out on about us.
  • We do not publish fictional player reviews. The “opinions” sections in our texts are editorial assessments.
  • We do not promise wins. No methodology changes the house edge.
  • We do not rate sites without a verifiable licence. If it cannot be checked, there is nothing to assess.

Updating scores

We revisit a score on any material change: a domain added to the register, a change of licence or operator, altered withdrawal terms, BLIK or PLN support being dropped. Independently of that, we review the key pages on a cycle and state the position as of a specific month. The results are in the online casino reviews archive and in themed listings such as BLIK casinos.

Gambling is 18+ and can be addictive. The free helpline in Poland is 801 889 880; see responsible gambling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does legality carry 30 %?

Because in Polish conditions it determines the most: who settles the tax, whether the domain can be blocked, what the complaints route looks like, and what risk the player takes on.

Can an operator influence a score?

No. Affiliate arrangements concern links only and change neither the points nor the order of a listing.

Do you rate Total Casino too?

Yes, against the same criteria. It takes the maximum on legality and lands below the market average on bonuses — a consequence of the rules restricting the promotion of gambling.

What does it mean if a site has no score?

That we could not confirm the key facts, above all the licence in a regulator’s register. We neither rate nor recommend such sites.

How often do scores change?

On any material change of fact, and as part of the regular review cycle. The date of the last check is given in each review.

Can I report a mistake in a score?

Yes — email [email protected] with a link and a description. We check every report and correct the text where the point is well founded.

18+ 18+ · Gambling can be addictive · Play responsibly · Helpline 801 889 880 Responsible gambling