On this page 8
The method in short
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Launched
Every review prints the launch year the casino states and an age band: Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 or Established.
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Joined
Every review shows the date the casino joined our list, the day we published its review.
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Licence
We record the licence a casino states and point you to where it can be checked.
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Canada
Each review says whether the casino accepts Canada, whether it has a Canadian dollar balance and whether Interac works.
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Gaps
When a fact is not in our data, such as withdrawal methods, the review says so instead of guessing.
From listing to ranking
What happens when a casino joins our list
Every casino goes through the same five steps.
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We publish its review
A casino joins our list the day its review goes live. That date is printed on the review and beside the casino in our listings.
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We record what the casino states
Launch year, licences, studios, payment methods both ways, currencies, the countries its terms exclude and the link to its terms.
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We check what can be checked
Where a regulator publishes a register, a reviewer looks the licence up and the review shows the result. Until then it is marked as stated, with the check pending.
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We place it in the ranking
Our new-casino rankings include only casinos launched this year or in the two years before. Older casinos keep their review but stay out of those lists.
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We update it when facts change
When a casino changes its licence, terms, Canadian access or welcome offer, we update the review and its date.
Counts, shares and dates on our pages are read from the casinos on our list each time a page loads.
Licence checks
Where you can check a casino's licence from Canada
The licences casinos that accept Canadians state most often, and what each lets you confirm.
| Licence stated | Where to check | What you can confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario (AGCO / iGaming Ontario) | iGaming Ontario's list of regulated sites (igamingontario.ca) | Every operator and site that may serve Ontario players. |
| Alberta (AGLC) | Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (aglc.ca) | Operators registered for Alberta's market, open since 13 July 2026. |
| Kahnawake | Kahnawake Gaming Commission permit holders (gamingcommission.ca) | Current permit holders and the complaints process. Not a provincial licence. |
| Malta (MGA) | Malta Gaming Authority licensee register (mga.org.mt) | Licensees and a URL checker. An EU regulator with a complaints process. |
| Curaçao | Curaçao Gaming Authority register (cga.cw) | Whether the company holds a Curaçao online licence, the most common one on our list. |
| Anjouan, Tobique, Costa Rica | No reliable public register | Treat the licence as the casino's own claim; protection in a dispute is weak or absent. |
Before the first deposit
The six checks on every review
Each check takes a few minutes and needs no account. A review shows whether our data confirms it, whether it is pending, or whether you need to check it yourself.
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Licence on a register
The licence number and company should appear on the regulator's own list, for the same domain.
So what: A licence you cannot find is a licence you cannot rely on.
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Full terms published
The general terms set the rules for withdrawals, dormant accounts and closures, and should carry a date.
So what: Read them before you register.
Terms at new casinos → -
Withdrawal terms in writing
Weekly caps, pending times and when the casino asks for ID decide how fast a win reaches you.
So what: Note the cap and the documents asked for.
Why casinos ask for ID → -
Bonus terms you can read first
Wagering, maximum bet, game weighting and any cap on winnings decide what an offer is worth.
So what: If the terms only appear after you deposit, skip the offer.
New casino bonuses → -
A first small withdrawal
Withdraw a small win to the method you deposited with, Interac if you can, and note how long it takes.
So what: It is the cheapest test of a casino with no history.
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Responsible gaming tools
Deposit, loss and time limits plus self-exclusion should be in the account menu from day one.
So what: Set a deposit limit before you claim anything.
Responsible gaming →
Worked example
What wagering does to a $100 bonus
Each review sets the welcome offer against its cost to clear. On slots with 96% RTP you lose 4% of each bet on average, so the expected cost is the bonus times the wagering times 4%.
| Wagering | You must bet | Expected cost | Expected value of the bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0x | $0 | $0 | +$100 |
| 10x | $1,000 | $40 | +$60 |
| 25x | $2,500 | $100 | $0 |
| 35x | $3,500 | $140 | -$40 |
Our standards
What we do and what we do not do
We do
- Print the launch year and the date each casino joined our list
- Point you to where the stated licence can be checked
- Say whether a casino accepts Canada and takes Interac
- Mark a fact as missing when we do not have it
- Apply the same checks to every casino, partner or not
We do not
- Claim a deposit or withdrawal test we have not dated and described
- Put casinos launched before the last three years in new-casino rankings
- Estimate a launch year the casino does not state
- Change a check result because of a commission
So what
What this means for you
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The launch year is the casino's claim
Use it to tell launches from older sites, and look twice at a recent year on a site that already has a huge lobby.
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An offshore licence is not provincial protection
Outside Ontario's and Alberta's regulated markets, no Canadian regulator can step in if a withdrawal is refused. Check how the stated regulator handles complaints.
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A bigger offer can be worth less
A large bonus with high wagering can cost more to clear than a small one with low wagering.
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Missing data means you check
When a review says a fact is not in our data, find it on the casino's own site before you register.
Questions about our reviews
How do you decide that a casino is new?
By the launch year the casino states. A casino founded this calendar year or in the two years before counts as new, and only those casinos appear in our new-casino rankings.
What does the date a casino joined your list mean?
It is the day we published the casino's review. It shows how long we have followed the casino, which is separate from when the casino says it launched.
Can a launch year be wrong?
Yes. It is the casino's claim, and a rebrand of an older site can state a recent year. When a casino states no year, the review says so.
Do the casinos you review hold a provincial licence?
Most do not. Ontario and Alberta license private operators; most casinos that take players across Canada hold offshore licences. Each review names the stated licence and whether the casino accepts Canada.
How can I check a casino's licence myself?
For Ontario, iGaming Ontario's list of regulated sites. For offshore licences, the regulator's register: the Malta Gaming Authority, the Curaçao Gaming Authority or the Kahnawake Gaming Commission's permit holders.
Do you deposit and withdraw at every casino?
No. Withdrawal times are not part of our data yet, and a review only reports a payment test when it gives the date and the method.
Do casinos pay to rank higher?
We earn a commission when you sign up through some links. It does not change a casino's launch year, licence or check results, and the order is set by our ranking method.