Our review method, written down and kept short.
An editorial method is only worth something if it is public. This page documents the checks that sit behind every Free Spin Hunter review and the ones we refuse to skip, even when it would be easier.
Method revision · v1.2
Six measures, weighted honestly.
Not every criterion carries equal weight. Responsible-play tools are non-negotiable, regardless of how pretty a lobby is. Support quality gets a real say. Marketing polish gets almost none.
- § 01
Licensing & ownership
Current UKGC licence confirmed on the public register. Parent company traceable. Licence conditions and associated brand structure recorded alongside the review.
Mandatory - § 02
Onboarding & account flow
Registration friction, identity checks, and how quickly a reader can hit deposit limits, reality checks and self-exclusion without a support conversation.
Heavy - § 03
Product quality
Slot providers, live casino coverage, mobile experience, navigation, search, and whether categories match what players actually want to find.
Heavy - § 04
Transparency of terms
Is the welcome offer readable in one sitting? Are wagering conditions and game weightings stated plainly? Are withdrawal rules buried or visible?
Heavy - § 05
Responsible-play tools
Deposit, loss, single-wager, and session limits; reality checks; cooling-off; self-exclusion. We test that each control actually triggers the expected behaviour.
Non-negotiable - § 06
Support & complaints
Live chat responsiveness, email turnaround, phone or ADR route if disputes escalate. The last two matter a great deal when something goes wrong.
Medium
A review moves through four desks before it goes live.
Small steps, done properly, are what keep a review from becoming a glossy rewrite of whatever the operator’s landing page says.
- Step 01
Shortlist
Every candidate starts with a licence check and a quiet read of the parent company, any past regulatory actions, and recent public complaints.
- Step 02
Desk time
An editor spends hours inside the lobby. Where required, a small deposit is made from a personal account to test the payments flow. No operator money.
- Step 03
Draft & spike
Drafts are edited by a second reviewer. Reviews that cannot clear basic transparency thresholds are spiked before they see daylight.
- Step 04
Publish & revisit
Every live review carries a last-reviewed date. Material changes — licence status, terms, or ownership — trigger a fresh desk pass or retirement.
The reader’s pocket version.
If you want to short-circuit our method and judge a UK casino yourself in five minutes, these are the eight questions we would still ask.
- 01Licence visible on the UKGC public register
- 02Registration completable without leaving safety controls behind
- 03Deposit, loss and reality-check limits reachable in three clicks or fewer
- 04Wagering terms written in plain language, not screengrabs of legal text
- 05Live chat reachable without dodging bot loops
- 06Self-exclusion option visible, not tucked behind account hierarchy
- 07Game list shows providers openly, not as a marketing fog
- 08Complaint route to UKGC or ADR provider clearly signposted
§ 06 · Editorial disclosure
Independent reviews of UK-licensed online casinos. Informational content only. We do not offer gambling services or process payments. 18+ only. Gamble responsibly.