How we rank casinos: The Sun Factor for casinos explained

OUR biggest priority when reviewing any online casino is transparency with our readers.

Our team of casino experts adhere to a strict set of criteria when reviewing an online casino, assigning ratings in several categories to create an overall score for the operator.

When assigning these scores, our writers are encouraged to share their personal experience with a website and provide an honest analysis of the site’s pros and cons and their opinion on whether you should sign up for the site.

In this guide to the “Sun Factor,” we will look at our review process, highlighting all of the key conditions that operators must meet, and explaining our rating system. 

Mandatory conditions to be met by every operatorBefore we go into further detail about how we rank online casinos, let’s look at some of the mandatory conditions an operator must meet before we even consider reviewing them. 

These factors are non-negotiables, and you will never find a casino reviewed on our site that fails to provide these. 

1. UKGC license, valid SSL encryption, and security measuresAny online casino we recommend must meet strict safety, security, and licensing requirements.

First and foremost, all operators must be licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). This licensing allows them to operate legally within the UK and also shows that they adhere to the highest industry safety and security standards. 

All sites must also use the latest SSL encryption technology to protect users’ personal and financial information.

Further to this, we also check to see if any of the sites have been audited by third parties for further safety and security verification. While this is not as essential as the licensing, it still adds legitimacy to a site’s operations. 

2. Comprehensive and clear terms and conditionsWhen a customer signs up with an online casino, they want to have a complete understanding of what they are signing up for. When reviewing an operator, we focus on transparency and take our time to explore all of their terms and conditions in full. 

We expect all operators to have clear terms and conditions that users can understand. We understand that a considerable part of a customer feeling safe is understanding what they are signing up for. 

Transparency is also crucial in this respect. A player should not have to scour through countless menus in order to find basic safety information. Operators should make any information about responsible gambling, player safety and privacy immediately clear. 

3. Easy and transparent registration processThis transparency also extends to the registration process. When reviewing online casinos, we carefully examine the operator’s sign-up process, ensuring that they follow the correct Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols and provide players with all the responsible gambling options they need.

Primary ranking factorsProviding an operator meets our mandatory terms for review; we will then begin our in-depth review process. An online casino will be scored on the following: 

• Responsible gambling – 20%
• Mobile experience – 10%
• Payment methods – 20%
• Game variety – 20%
• Customer service – 10%
• Bonus offers – 20%

Sun Factor: Casino rankings breakdownAs you can see, some of these factors are weighted more heavily than others. This is simply because we believe these will have a bigger impact on the customer experience. For example, we would score a site higher that had a comprehensive range of responsible gambling features but no mobile app than the other way around. 

Each of the factors will have different requirements that should be met, so let’s take a look at how each of them can impact the customer experience, and how we would rate them accordingly. 

Responsible gamblingResponsible gambling tools and resources are a priority when selecting an online casino. Per UKGC regulations, operators are required to provide a range of tools to help players control their gambling habits. The following tools should all be provided: 

• Self-assessment schemes and programs: Operators should provide players with tools to self-assess and analyse their behaviour. There should also be tools that allow friends and family members to assess a loved one’s behaviour. 
• Self-exclusion tools: Operators should allow players to exclude themselves from further gambling activities. Organisations like GamStop can also help customers do this. 
• Loss, wager, and deposit limits: Online casinos should allow players to set their own loss, wager, and deposit limits when they sign up. You should then have the ability to adjust these within allocated timeframes in your account settings. 
• Time-out and cool-off features: If a player does not want to self-exclude themselves from a site permanently, then they should have the option to set a time-out or cool-off period. This allows players to take a break from playing and regain some composure without permanently removing themselves from a site. 
• Reality checks: Operators also have a serious role to play in checking if a player is in control of their gambling. Reality checks provide players with information regarding how much they spend and the time they spend playing. 

These are the bare minimum an online casino should offer players when it comes to responsible gambling resources and tools. We also expect an operator to provide links to third-party resources and for the customer support team to be able to provide help when a player needs it. 

Mobile experienceAn essential part of the modern online gambling experience is mobile gameplay. All operators should now provide mobile gameplay options for their players. When reviewing a casino we will check how well-optimised the mobile site is and run through as many games as possible to ensure they have all been optimised for mobile use. 

While it is not essential, we will also check if an operator has a mobile app. If so, we will review it and check through customer reviews in the Google Play and App Stores. This is done to provide us with a clearer picture of any recurring issues that may have been encountered by long-time users. 

Payments & bankingAlongside responsible gambling, payment methods are one of the most essential elements when determining whether we will recommend an online casino. Firstly, an operator must offer a good selection of banking options, including most Visa/Mastercard debit cards, e-wallet services, and prepaid methods. 

Alongside this, there needs to be flexible limits for both deposits and withdrawals, with zero fees. Of course, when assessing withdrawals, it is also essential to analyse the processing time, with many top online casinos now offering instant withdrawal options. 

Game varietyAnother big priority when determining if an online casino has The Sun Factor is the game catalogue. A big game collection is likely to score an operator big marks, but it is important to understand that quantity does not always equate to quality, and this is factored in when analysing the games on offer. 

We check the developers that operators work alongside and highlight any stand-out titles and rare games that may be unavailable at other casinos. 

It is not just slots we want to see. Our team of experts will also analyse the live-casino offerings, ensuring that the best content providers provide these games. 

Customer serviceCustomer service and the overall user experience are essential when recommending an online casino. Our ideal operator will provide 24/7 live chat and support, with available phone and email options. Modern casinos should also have a social media presence and should be contactable through these sites. 

Aside from a good customer support team, a top online casino should also provide help through FAQ sections and help centres. Essentially, the more support an operator provides, the better. 

Bonuses & offersPlayers love a good bonus, and so do we. When we are choosing which operators to recommend, we will carefully analyse their full range of bonuses and promotions, highlighting bonuses for both new and existing customers. 

While bonuses can look attractive from the outside, some of them do not hold up particularly well when you read the small print. This is why we read through all of the terms & conditions of any bonuses we recommend, highlighting any potential issues we notice. Customers must have a full understanding of the bonus they are claiming. 

Key terms and conditions we explore include wagering requirements, qualifying deposits, and time limits. We will also note any restrictions a bonus might have regarding the games it can be used with. 

We also like to recommend operators who reward their regular customers. As such, we will always review any available VIP or loyalty programs that an operator might have. 

Rank descriptionsNow that we have explored the factors we consider when ranking an online casino, let’s take a look at how our ranking system breaks down: 

1-2: If an operator receives a rating between one and two, they have failed to meet many of our ranking criteria. They offer minimal responsible gambling resources, have a poor game selection, and do not have many banking methods. Any site with a score this low has been marked down across the board and is not likely to have scored well in any area. Casinos with a rating this low are best avoided. 

2-3: An operator that has received a 2-3 rating, while not as bad as one with a 1-2, will still have scored poorly across the board and will have to make some vast improvements. It is likely that an operator with this score offers a mediocre selection of games and that it will have strict wagering requirements attached to its bonuses. While it will offer some customer support, it will probably only provide a limited number of methods and might have restricted operating hours. 

In terms of payment methods, you can expect a site with one of these ratings to offer a limited selection of methods and/or quite slow withdrawal speeds. 

3-4: A casino that has been rewarded a 3-4 rating will be good but not great. You can expect it to offer a good selection of games but not necessarily have a lobby that stands out from the crowd. Likewise, you can expect a good selection of payment methods but potentially delayed withdrawals or less flexible limits than higher-rated operators. You can expect a solid range in bonuses, but they might have slightly more difficult terms & conditions. 

Any operator achieving this score would have a good standard of responsible gambling resources and tools. Given this is such a key factor, if an operator scores low, it would drag its entire rating down. 

4-5: A site that scores four or above delivers a top-quality online casino experience. To achieve this rating, an operator must have scored high across all major areas, including responsible gambling, game selection, bonuses, customer support, and payment methods. We also expect the site to deliver a high-quality mobile and desktop experience and a mobile casino app. 

Toplist orderingIn our online casino section, you will encounter various toplists for online casinos. These will rank the operators based on different criteria. For example, a casino might be placed at number one on our top mobile casino apps list but number four on our list of the best online casino bonuses. 

However, it is important to note that we only choose the highest-scoring casinos when collating our lists. If a casino has been poorly reviewed and received a low ranking, it will not earn a place on any of our top lists. 

Conclusion – what makes a good operator for the Sun readers?So, what could you expect from an operator that achieves a high Sun Factor rating? Our ideal online casino will provide a diverse range of games for customers to enjoy, working alongside the best names in the industry to provide a comprehensive gambling experience. 

Alongside this, it will offer a selection of different payment methods, flexible limits to suit every budget, and speedy withdrawal times. The more convenient the payment process is for a customer, the better. 

It would also offer reliable customer service that is available 24/7 through a number of different methods, including live chat, phone, and email. We would also expect the website to provide useful resources such as a detailed FAQ page and/or help centre. 

On top of this, we also expect high-quality bonuses and promotions to be offered to new and existing customers. These would need to offer flexible and transparent terms and conditions to receive our highest marks. 

To meet the bare minimum we expect of an operator, a site should offer comprehensive, responsible gambling resources, be licensed by the UKGC, and have a transparent registration process. If a site fails to meet these criteria, it will not be recommended to our readers. 

Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – GambleAware.org

Read our guide on responsible gambling practices.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.