At BrilliantCasinos, every casino gets two scores, and we never blend them: a TrustScore out of 10 โ our editorial rating, built from five weighted dimensions and 27 underlying checks โ and a Player Rating from real players who’ve left verified reviews on-site. This page shows exactly how the TrustScore is calculated, what each check looks for, and how we test it ourselves. We publish the formula because a rating you can’t audit isn’t worth trusting.
5weighted dimensions
27individual checks
2independent scores
100%licence-verified
Why two scores, never averaged
What the TrustScore is built from
TrustScore = ฮฃ (dimension score 1โ5 ร weight) ร 2 โ shown as X/10
Worked example: a casino scoring 5/5 licensing, 4/5 payments, 4/5 games, 3/5 bonuses and 4/5 support earns (5ร.30 + 4ร.25 + 4ร.20 + 3ร.15 + 4ร.10) ร 2 = 8.3/10.
Why this matters
Online casino reviews are one of the most conflicted corners of the internet. Most “top casino” lists are ranked by commission, not quality, and almost every site rates almost every casino 8/10 or above. If you’ve been burned by a review that buried a 60x wagering requirement or a week-long withdrawal hold, you already know the problem.
Casino content is also what Google calls YMYL โ Your Money or Your Life. It directly affects your finances and safety, so it’s held to a higher standard of trust. We hold ourselves to that standard not because Google asks, but because a rating you can’t audit is just an advert.
That’s the entire reason this page exists. We publish the formula, the weights, and the 27 checks so you can hold us accountable โ and so you can tell the difference between a casino we genuinely rate and one a site was simply paid to promote.
Our values
Everything on this page comes back to two principles:
Honesty
- Reviews reflect reality, including the negatives
- Bad casinos are listed and clearly flagged
- We never hide problems to protect an affiliate deal
- A bad review is proof we’re independent, not a failure
Quality
- Only casinos that earn it get the “brilliant” label
- Reliability and player safety come before bonus size
- Every claim is backed by evidence and a source
- We test first-hand โ support, terms, withdrawals
We’re not a casino’s marketing department. We’re an advisory platform for players โ built by people who’ve seen every casino trick, read the T&Cs, and are fundamentally on the player’s side. When a casino is good, we’ll say so. When it isn’t, we’ll say that too.
What makes a casino “brilliant”
“Brilliant” isn’t a checklist score โ it’s a threshold of confidence. A brilliant casino operates reliably and transparently, doesn’t try to extract money through deceptive mechanics, offers fair and worthwhile bonuses rather than traps, and earns player confidence rather than demanding it.
The order matters. Reliability and safety come first, bonus quality second โ which is exactly why Licensing (30%) and Payments (25%) carry more than half the score between them. A casino with poor licensing or slow withdrawals cannot be brilliant, no matter how big its welcome offer looks.
Severity order when a casino has problems
Licensing & Player Protection
30%
The biggest weight, because nothing else matters if a casino can’t be held accountable. A licence from a serious regulator means audits, segregated player funds, and a body to appeal to if a withdrawal is refused. We won’t list an unlicensed operator in a positive context โ ever.
1. Jurisdiction & licence number
Verified on the regulator’s own register, not just a logo in the footer. Top-tier bodies like the MGA and UKGC mean stricter rules and real player protection.
2. Ownership & operator details
Who runs the casino, their track record, and whether it belongs to an established, reputable group.
3. SSL / data encryption
A non-negotiable baseline that protects your login and payment data in transit.
4. RNG / game-fairness certification
Independent testing from labs like eCOGRA or iTech Labs proving games aren’t rigged.
5. Payout-rate (RTP) disclosure
Clear, published RTP โ per game or site-wide โ so you know what value to expect.
6. Self-exclusion & limit tools
Deposit, loss and session limits, cooling-off periods and permanent self-exclusion, offered clearly.
7. Account protection (MFA / 2FA)
Multi-factor authentication that protects your account from unauthorised access.
8. Complaint handling
How disputes are resolved, and the casino’s record on AskGamblers and Trustpilot.
Payments & Withdrawals
25%
A fair win is worthless if you can’t cash it out. This dimension is about getting your money in easily and โ more importantly โ out quickly, on clear terms.
9. Deposit & withdrawal methods
Range and reliability across cards, e-wallets, bank transfer and crypto.
10. Withdrawal times & policies
How fast payouts clear and how clearly the rules are stated. Same-day is a strong signal; vague delays are a warning.
11. Minimum / maximum limits
Reasonable and transparent limits, not a hidden cap on big wins.
12. KYC / AML clarity
Required documents stated upfront, with a smooth process rather than a payout-stalling tactic.
Games & Platform Experience
20%
A great library on a platform that’s a chore to use isn’t a great casino. This covers what you can play and how good it feels to play it.
13. Game variety & quantity
A well-rounded mix: slots, table games, live dealer and specialty titles.
14. Software-provider credibility
Quality names (NetEnt, Pragmatic, Evolution) over unknown studios.
15. Mobile-optimised games
Games that actually work on phones, not just desktop.
16. Page-load speed
Fast performance across devices and connections.
17. Navigation & usability
Finding games, banking and support without friction.
Bonuses & Wagering Terms
15%
Bonuses pull players in, but a bad bonus is a trap. We weight this below reliability on purpose โ a generous offer can’t rescue a casino that pays slowly.
18. Welcome-offer clarity
Terms that are readable, not buried in fine print.
19. Wagering requirements
Written as a multiplier with a real example: 40x on a โฌ10 bonus means โฌ400 to clear โ above average for a no-deposit offer.
20. Ongoing promotions
Reloads, cashback and tournaments beyond the welcome bonus.
21. VIP / loyalty programs
Real, clearly-explained rewards for regular players.
Support & Accessibility
10%
The smallest weight, but it’s what you remember when something goes wrong. We test it โ we don’t just check that a chat widget exists.
22. Contact channels
Live chat, email and phone โ ideally 24/7.
23. Agent quality
Accurate, useful answers rather than scripted deflection.
24. Help-centre quality
FAQs and guides that solve common problems without an agent.
25. Multilingual & multi-currency
Play in your language and currency. Single-region casinos aren’t penalised for not being global.
TrustScore vs Player Rating โ two scores, never one
Every casino page shows two numbers, and the difference between them is the whole point. We deliberately never blend them into a single “overall” score, because doing so would hide the most useful signal on the page.
| TrustScore | Player Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides it | Our editorial team | Real players |
| Based on | The 5 weighted dimensions + 27 checks above | Verified on-site reviews, cross-checked against Trustpilot, AskGamblers and Casino.org |
| What it measures | Whether the casino should be trustworthy on paper | Whether players actually had a good experience |
| Shown as | X/10, with this methodology | A separate “Player Rating” label |
Why keep them apart? Because the gap tells a story an average would erase:
- High TrustScore, low Player Rating โ the licensing and terms look fine, but players are hitting real-world friction (slow payouts, support runaround). Read the player reviews before you deposit.
- Low TrustScore, high Player Rating โ players are happy, but something structural worries us (weak licensing, opaque ownership). The fun is real; so is the risk.
When the two agree, you can be confident. When they don’t, that tension is exactly the information most review sites bury โ and we put it front and centre.
What happens when a casino fails
We list the bad ones too
Frequently asked questions
How does BrilliantCasinos score a casino?
Five weighted dimensions โ Licensing (30%), Payments (25%), Games (20%), Bonuses (15%), Support (10%) โ each scored 1โ5 and combined into a single TrustScore out of 10. Behind those five sit 27 specific checks.
What’s the difference between the TrustScore and the Player Rating?
The TrustScore is our editorial, research-backed rating. The Player Rating comes from verified player reviews. We never average them โ the gap between them is itself useful information.
Do you review bad casinos?
Yes. Operators that fail our checks are rated honestly and flagged on our avoid list. We don’t hide negatives to protect affiliate relationships.
How often are ratings updated?
Every review carries a last-updated date, and we re-verify licence status and key terms on each update.
See the method in action
Our editorial guidelinesHow we stay independent
Wagering requirements explainedGo deeper
Responsible gambling