How We Review Online Casinos
Every online casino we review, we personally test via a rigorous process that involves analyzing all aspects of the site. Our team takes the time to download apps, create accounts, claim bonuses, play games, and contact the support team to check their response time. We use a standardized review process to accurately compare online casinos, which we will explore in depth later.
Our goal is to keep users safe and provide the most accurate online casino reviews out there! We also occasionally receive affiliate commissions from online casinos we promote. However, this does not jeopardize our journalistic integrity as we only choose to partner with betting sites that meet our strict rating criteria.
Why You Can Trust Our Reviews & Ratings
Gamble USA brings together industry professionals and expert players with a combined 100 + years of experience in the iGaming sphere. Thanks to our knowledge and passion for all things online gambling, we are committed to delivering you the most up-to-date, accurate, and informative online casino reviews anywhere on the web. We put all online casino sites through the exact same review process, and only the ones that truly excel based on our rating criteria get our seal of approval!
What Drives Our Online Casino Reviews
Gamble USA started off as a hobby website where we could share our passion for all things betting. The US market is absolutely booming, and we wanted to help players jump in head first and have the best experience possible. There is no better feeling than receiving a message from a reader who just hit a big slot jackpot!
Since Gamble USA’s readership has continued to grow, we turned our passion project into a fully-fledged business. We now receive affiliate commissions when our readers sign up via our links and promo codes and make a deposit.
However, Gamble USA only promotes casinos that first meet our standards. After finding US-licensed sites that offer a truly exceptional gaming experience, we then approach them and negotiate an affiliate deal, not the other way around! This ensures that our reviews are impartial and accurate.
Our 10-Step Casino Review Process
We weren’t joking when we said we put online casinos through a strict review process. This is how we review casinos online:
1. Conduct Background Check
Before we even think about signing up to an online casino, we put on our detective caps and start digging into the background of the site. Our team looks at the current iGaming licenses the site holds, whether they can legally operate, and if the casino has had any issues with gaming authorities in the past, such as non-compliance or having a license application rejected.
Our team also looks into the online casino’s reputation. We study user ratings and see what issues people have had. Then finally, we investigate the online casino’s holding company and top executives. If it is a public company, we look at filings and financial statements to get a feel for the overall health of the company.
2. Test Demo Version
Once we are satisfied the online casino is legit and fully licensed, we pull up their website. We explore the website’s theme, functionality, navigation, and usability. If possible, we test different games in demo mode. During this stage, we are looking for any glaring weaknesses like outdated themes, slow loading speed, and lack of/ poor quality games. If we can honestly envision ourselves playing at this online casino, then we continue our review process.
3. Sign Up
Once we have checked that the online casino has a functioning website and appears professional, it is time to make an account. We personally register at all real money casinos we review, and yes, we have completed more registration forms than we care to admit.
When signing up at an online casino, we take note of the number of steps involved, the amount of personal information required, and how long it takes to get verified. We don’t want you losing hours of your life doing battle with a never-ending online casino registration form!
4. Download App
Now our account is up and running, we pop over to the App Store and Google Play and see whether the casino’s app lives up to the hype. When testing mobile apps, we are looking at overall ease of use, loading speed, the number of casino games available, and whether mobile players get any special bonuses or perks.
If the online casino doesn’t have an app, we open their mobile site and test out its overall functionality and see if mobile players get the same features as desktop players.
5. Claim No Deposit Bonus
If the online casino has a no-deposit bonus, then, of course, we indulge, who doesn’t like free play? We put the no-deposit bonus to use on our favorite slots and, if allowed, a few hands of blackjack. When reviewing a site’s no-deposit bonus, we look at the ease of claiming, the amount of free play you get, and key terms and conditions like wagering requirements, game restrictions, and expiry dates.
6. Make a Deposit + Claim Welcome Bonus
After squeezing everything we can from the no-deposit bonus, it is time to part with our precious cash and make a deposit. We go through the whole process of typing in our payment details. When making a deposit, we are looking at the payment methods available, whether there are any fees, and processing speed.
When making our first deposit, we also claim the welcome bonus. Similarly, when analyzing the no-deposit bonus, we look at the ease of claiming, how long it takes to receive the bonus, the size, and all of the tricky little terms and conditions sites attach.
7. Play Real Money Games
Once our account is locked and loaded with funds, including hopefully a juicy welcome bonus, it is time to dive into the online casino’s game selection. One perk of reviewing online casinos is we get to spend hours playing games, and we don’t have to feel the slightest bit guilty about it!
When testing games, we make sure to play a wide range of slots, table games, specialty games, and live dealer games. We make special note of the number of titles, range of games, providers, betting limits, RTPs, jackpots, max wins, graphics, and overall playing experience.
8. Contact Customer Support
It is all well and good for an online casino to claim they offer 24/7 professional customer support, but it is another thing to actually deliver on this promise. To put online casinos to the test, we personally contact customer support via all available channels, including live chat, email, and telephone.
We really make the support agents earn their money by asking all kinds of questions ranging from simple to complex, we also try our luck and attempt to score additional bonuses. When contacting customer support, we are looking at speed of reply, overall professionalism, and effectiveness in solving issues.
9. Check Out VIP Program
After we have annoyed customer support enough, it is time to check out what features VIP players can enjoy at the online casino. When analyzing a VIP program, we look at the amount of points you earn per $1 wagered, the conversion rate of points to cash, how easy it is to progress through the different VIP tiers, whether the online casino site has a VIP store where you can purchase goods with your points and what additional perks regular players can receive, for example, VIP hosts, custom casino bonuses and invitations to exclusive events.
10. Cash Out
In the final step of our online casino review process, we request a withdrawal and hopefully cash out some winnings! When making a withdrawal, we are paying close attention to the number of payment options available, withdrawal limits, whether there are any fees involved, and the processing times.
It is a major red flag if the online casino takes forever to process withdrawals and is constantly coming up with a new excuse on why they can’t initiate the transaction.
Next Steps
If an online meets our strict review criteria, then we explore the site in-depth via a dedicated guide. In these dedicated guides, we share everything we liked and didn’t like about the site, including key features such as the best welcome bonus or top online casino for live dealer casino games. These guides give you all the information you need to decide if an online casino is right for you.
If a casino fails our review process, then we add it to our casino blacklist, which features real money casinos, which we advise you against playing at. We also reveal exactly what we didn’t like about the online casino site and areas where they need to improve if they want to meet our standards.
Online Casino Review Criteria
For an online casino site to get our stamp of approval, they must excel based on our strict criteria. They must be licensed, have a large selection of games from top software providers, offer superior customer support, be fully mobile optimized, and more! See our review criteria below:
License
Gamble USA only recommends online casino sites that hold a current US state license. You can rest assured that we have triple-checked every betting site featured on Gamble USA, and they are 100% legal. We only promote licensed US online casinos because these sites offer the safest gaming as players are protected by the relevant state gaming authority.
Online gambling platforms that operate in the US without a casino license are breaking the law. Why would you trust your personal data, payment details, and money with a criminal organization? It is not worth the risk, especially when there are so many fantastic licensed online casinos out there.
Games
A large part of your online casino experience is tied to the games on offer, so it makes sense why it is such an important aspect of our review process. To ensure you don’t get stuck playing slot games that look like they are straight out of the 90s, we personally test all of the different games on offer.
When reviewing an online casino’s games, we break down the types of games available, for example, a site scores highly if they have a solid mixture of slots and table games like baccarat, roulette, and poker. The casino gets bonus points if they have live dealer games, who doesn’t like chatting to the dealer after a big win playing live blackjack?
We also study exactly who is providing the games. We only recommend online casinos whose titles are powered by well-known and licensed software providers like NetEnt, WMS, IGT, Playtech, and Evolution Gaming. Licensed providers have their games independently tested, so you never have to worry about playing rigged games.
Banking
Who wants to wait weeks for their winnings to arrive? We sure don’t! At Gamble USA, we do our best to only recommend online casinos with ultra-quick processing speeds. Typically deposits are processed instantly, and withdrawals take up to 48 hours but are often much quicker.
We also look for real money casinos that offer a range of secure and free payment methods. The best online casinos allow you to deposit and cash out via Visa, Mastercard, American Express, PayPal, ACH, and bank transfer. Don’t settle for casinos with slow and expensive payment methods!
Customer Support
Unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong at online casinos. It is only a matter of time before you need to contact the site and get an issue resolved. Depending on the level of customer support offered, this can be a quick, painless situation or can turn into a real headache.
We only recommend online casinos with dedicated professional customer support teams who pride themselves on taking care of players. Our top-rated betting sites have 24/7 customer support, and you can contact agents via live chat, email, and telephone.
Mobile Compatibility and Apps
As mobile gaming gets more and more popular, if an online gambling platform wants to be an industry leader, it is imperative they meet the needs of mobile players. We look for online casino sites with dedicated apps for Android and iOS and fully mobile-optimized websites.
When playing from mobile devices, you should have access to the same games, bonuses, and functions as desktop players. The platform and games should also auto-adjust to your phone, providing a seamless gambling experience.
User-Interface
To ensure you have an enjoyable gambling experience, we only recommend online casinos that have expertly designed user interfaces. We look at things like theme, navigation, response time, and ease of use. The online casino sites that score the highest have user interfaces that are a joy to interact with where you never have to worry about loading issues, and everything you need is just one click away.
Registration Process
When you finally find an online casino, you understandably want to start playing immediately. Unfortunately, a number of online casinos don’t understand this and insist on putting players through a long, convoluted sign up process.
To save your precious time, we are always on the hunt for online casinos that offer a simplified and fast registration process. We look for online casinos where you can sign up in just 2 steps and only have to share as little personal information as possible.
Who We Are
Gamble USA is a team of like-minded iGaming experts who have years of experience both working in the industry and as players. Our passion for online casinos and, specifically, the US market allows us to create unique and informative content that helps you quickly find the best licensed casinos in America. We also get you access to exclusive bonuses and have in-depth betting guides, which will get you up to speed with the latest strategies!
Contact Us
Are you an operator looking to be featured on Gamble USA, or are you a player with some unanswered questions about a particular betting site? Then feel free to contact us, and we will get back to you ASAP!
Responsible Gambling Practices
Gamble USA takes responsible gambling practices seriously and only recommends sites that are committed to following them. Responsible gambling practices enhance the player experience and allow bettors to safely gamble online.
Protocols such as self-exclusion, free counseling, game testing, loss limits, ethical marketing, and other practices have played a key role in legitimizing the industry and reducing the risks of problem gambling. That is why Gamble USA is committed to actively promoting them.