Methodology

Version 0.1.0. The scoring script, weights and raw data are versioned together, so any score can be reproduced.

Principles

Two scores, never averaged. Popularity measures size, trust measures safety. A big casino is not automatically safe.
Money never moves a rank. The scoring script has no access to commercial terms, and there are no sponsored rows.
No invented data. Missing sources are excluded and their weight is redistributed. Every score shows how much of the formula its data covers.
Knockouts beat points. A confirmed critical problem caps the trust score, and only primary sources (registers, courts, regulators) trigger a cap.

Popularity score (0–100)

Web reach	23%	Tranco list (research-grade, manipulation-resistant domain ranking)
Visits	14%	Similarweb, 3-month total for the main domain
On-chain deposits	23%	Labelled hot wallets, 12 months (lower bound)
Search interest	14%	Google Trends against a fixed reference term
Streaming reach	9%	Hours watched with the brand, 90 days
Active wallets	9%	DappRadar, non-sponsored rows only
Community	9%	Reddit and Bitcointalk mentions, 90 days

Each metric is placed on a log scale with fixed anchors, so a score does not change because another casino joined the list. A rank is published once data covers at least half of the formula from two independent sources.

Trust score (0–100)

Complaints	30%	Valid complaints scaled by casino size, older ones decay (12-month half-life) — being collected
Licence	20%	Verified against official registers; tier depends on the regulator
Terms fairness	15%	10-point checklist of the casino's own terms (below)
Player ratings	10%	Trustpilot, Bayesian-averaged toward the mean of audited casinos
Transparency	10%	5-point checklist: company, address, owners, track record, RTP
Verifiability	10%	Provably fair (40), major certified providers (30), proof of reserves (30)
Responsible gambling	5%	Deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, reality checks

Each checklist scores the share of items a casino passes among the items we could determine. Items we could not confirm count neither for nor against, and a checklist only counts once at least 70% of it is assessed.

Trust audit checklists

Terms and conditions

No withdrawal cap below $10,000 a day
No maximum win on real-money play
No inactivity fee before 12 months
Explains when identity checks (KYC) apply
No vague 'irregular play' confiscation clause
Term changes are not applied retroactively
Bonus wagering ≤ 40x with a clear max-bet rule
Restricted countries are listed
Complaints process with an escalation route
Balance paid out if the account is closed

Operator transparency

Legal entity and registration number published
Registered address published
Owners or directors publicly identified
Operating for at least three years
RTP or house edge published

Verifiable games and funds

Provably fair in-house games with a verifier
Games from major certified providers
Verifiable proof of reserves

Responsible gambling tools

Deposit limits
Cool-off / time-out
Self-exclusion
Session reminders (reality check)

Licence tiers

UK Gambling Commission	100
Malta (MGA)	100
Isle of Man	85
Gibraltar	85
Estonia	75
Curaçao (CGA)	60
Kahnawake	50
Curaçao (legacy)	30
Anjouan	20
Tobique	20
Costa Rica (company registration only)	0
Unknown	0

A licence earns points only after register verification. Renewal pending earns half.

Knockout caps

On a regulator blacklist	≤ 20
Confirmed unpaid winnings over $10K, unresolved for 60+ days	≤ 20
Mass withdrawal halt or exit scam	≤ 0
No valid gambling licence (none, expired or revoked)	≤ 40
Blacklisted by two or more independent sources	≤ 50
Accepts players from banned markets, then blocks withdrawals via KYC	≤ 50

Update cadence

Licence registers: weekly, with immediate review of any status change.
On-chain activity: daily snapshots, ranked on rolling averages.
Web reach and traffic: monthly.