Why We Built a Scoring Framework
There are hundreds of live casino games, and scores from different sites are hard to compare. One site may score mostly on looks, another on the bonus round, a third on the size of the max win. So an 8 in one place is not an 8 in another. The number tells you little, because you do not know what is behind it.
We built this framework to fix that for our own reviews. There are dozens of blackjack games, dozens of roulette games, and many game shows, and within one type they can look almost the same. The framework shows you the real difference. We score every game on the same points, with the same weights. RTP counts for the same share every time. Gameplay counts for the same share every time. Nothing changes from one review to the next. That is what makes our scores worth comparing. When two blackjack games score 8.5 and 7.2, that gap is real.
In the next section, we explain the categories in our framework and how some lean on facts while others need our expert judgement.
The Four Categories We Score
We score every game across four categories. Each category has a fixed weight in the final score.
Each category is made up of a few smaller points, and we score each point on its own. The score for a category is the average of its points.
Every point is one of two kinds, and we think it is only fair to be clear about which is which.
Some points are facts. The RTP, the maximum win, and the volatility level. A fact is the same for everyone, and anyone can check it. For these points, we use a fixed scoring table. If two games have the same fact, they get the same score.
Other points need our expert judgement, like whether a bonus round feels satisfying, how good the pace is over a long session, or how natural the dealers feel. These are not simple facts, and we do not pretend they are. So we do two things to keep our scoring fair. First, we explain what a high score and a low score mean, so we always follow the same standard. Second, we back up every score with notes from our own test sessions. Instead of writing “the bonus round is fun”, we tell you how often it triggered in our tests and what it paid out. That way you can always see what our score is based on.
Below we explain the points in each category.
1. Game Math & Payouts & Fairness (35%)
This is the most fact-based category in the framework. It looks at the numbers behind the game: the RTP, the bet options, and the max win. These numbers decide what you get back over time.
We evaluate this on three key factors.
Optimal RTP (fact-based)
RTP, or Return to Player, is how much of all bets a game pays back over time. A higher RTP is better for you. For example, an RTP of 96% means that for every 100 euro bet, the game pays back 96 euro on average over the long run. This is an average over many players and many rounds, not a promise for one session.
Many games have more than one way to bet, and each one can have a different RTP. In this point, we score the highest RTP you can choose. This shows how good the game can be if you pick the strongest bet.
| Optimal RTP | Score |
|---|---|
| 96.0% or higher | 10.0 |
| 95.0% – 95.9% | 8.0 |
| 94.0% – 94.9% | 6.0 |
| 93.0% – 93.9% | 4.0 |
| Below 93.0% | 2.0 |
RTP across all bet options (fact-based)
Point 1 only tells you about the best bet. It says nothing about the other options on the table. This point fills that gap. Together, the two points show how high the game can go and whether you can trust every bet on the board.
This point is about transparency, not about how high the RTP is. A game can have a low RTP everywhere and still be honest, because every bet is the same and nothing is hidden. The problem is a game with one strong bet and a weak one next to it. The main bet may pay back 96 euro per 100 euro, but a side bet only 90 euro per 100 euro. A player who does not check the numbers picks the side bet and loses more without knowing it. That is the trap we score for.
| Gap between highest and lowest RTP | Score |
|---|---|
| 0% – 2% | 10.0 |
| 2% – 4% | 8.0 |
| 4% – 6% | 6.0 |
| More than 6% | 4.0 |
Max win and big prizes in practice (expert judgement)
Every game has a theoretical max win. This is the most you can win in one round. A big max win looks good. But you often win the top prize with a very small chance. So the number alone tells you little.
That is why we score two things. First, how large the max win is. Second, how often big prizes are paid out. By big prizes we do not mean only the max win. We mean any win far above what a normal round pays. For example, 500x your stake or more in games that can reach those multipliers. In games with a lower top prize, we look at big prizes for that game.
For this, we do not only use our own test sessions. In a few sessions, we can have good or bad luck. So our own results are not always reliable. We also use public data on payouts from sites such as CasinoScores. These sites track far more rounds than we can play. Together, this gives a better idea of how often a game really pays a big prize.
A high score means a strong max win. It also means big prizes are paid out often enough for players to have a real chance to win one. A low score means a top prize almost no one reaches. It also means big prizes stay rare in practice.
2. Gameplay & Features (35%)
Gameplay decides whether a game is actually enjoyable. This category needs the most expert judgement, because it is about how a game feels over real play sessions. For every point here, we back up our score with concrete notes from our tests.
We score it on three points.
Pace and depth (expert judgement)
Pace is the speed of the game: how many rounds you play per hour, and how long you wait between bets. Depth is how much choice you have: a game with one bet feels flat, while a game with side bets and different strategies gives you something to think about. A high score means a game that stays fun over a long session and rewards players who think about their bets. A low score means a game that feels slow, repeats itself, or gives you no real choices.
Bonus rounds and features (expert judgement)
We look at two things: how often a feature triggers, and how good it is when it does. Frequency matters because a great bonus round is worth little if it almost never comes. Quality is about both the payout and the feeling: does it build real tension before the result, is it fun to play through, and does it pay enough to feel worth the wait? A weak feature pays little, ends fast, and gives you nothing to hope for. A high score means features that trigger often, build tension, and pay well. A low score means features that are rare, or that trigger often but feel flat and barely pay. We always report how often each feature triggered in our test sessions and what it paid on average.
Originality (expert judgement)
We judge how original the game is within its category. A high score means a game that brings a genuinely new idea, or improves a familiar format in a clear way. A low score means a game that copies an existing game without adding anything of its own.
3. Interface & Usability (15%)
This category covers three things: the interface you use, how well the game explains itself, and how it plays on mobile. None of them can make a weak game good. But each one can make a good game harder to play. So we do not look for anything special here. We check that all three work well and do not get in the way of the game.
Interface controls (expert judgement)
We check how easy it is to place a bet, change your stake, and read the result. Does the statistics panel show the recent results? Can you look back at earlier rounds? A high score means a layout you can use the first time you play. A low score means a layout that hides the buttons or the information you need.
How well the game explains itself (expert judgement)
We check how well the game teaches you its rules and shows what is happening on screen. Can a new player follow the game in the first few rounds, without a guide? Are the rules easy to find? After a round ends, do you understand why you won or lost?
This is not about how simple a game is. A game with many bonus rounds can still be easy to follow. A simple game can still be hard to follow. A high score means a game a new player can follow the first time, however complex it is. A low score means a game that hides its rules, uses labels a new player does not understand, or leaves you unsure why a round ended the way it did.
Playing on mobile (expert judgement)
We play every game on both desktop and mobile. A high score means a mobile version that keeps all the features and works as well as the desktop version. A low score means a mobile version that drops features, feels cramped on a small screen, or is hard to tap.
4. Dealer & Studio (15%)
The dealers and the studio decide how a live game feels to watch and play. A good dealer keeps the game friendly and easy to follow. A good studio looks clean and lets you see the table clearly. This category is a mix. Stream quality is almost a fact: we can measure the resolution. The dealers and the studio need our judgement, because there is no number for how professional a dealer feels.
We score it on three points.
Technical delays (fact-based)
A live game should run without breaks. Sometimes it does not. The game can freeze for a moment, take too long to confirm a result, or lose track of the ball or card. Each pause pulls you out of the round and makes the game feel slow.
We count how often this happens during our test sessions. Fewer delays means a smoother game.
| Number of delays during our test sessions | Score |
|---|---|
| 0 | 10.0 |
| 1 | 8.0 |
| 2 to 3 | 6.0 |
| 4 or more | 4.0 |
Dealers (expert judgement)
We watch the dealers over several sessions and at different times of day. Do they run the game smoothly and without mistakes? Do they answer players in the chat, or ignore it? When one dealer hands over to the next, does it go calmly or does the game stop for a moment? A high score means dealers who are friendly, clear, and steady across every session. A low score means dealers who make mistakes, skip the chat, or change the feel of the game from one shift to the next.
Studio (expert judgement)
We look at the studio design, the lighting, and the camera angles. Can you follow the cards or the wheel without trouble? Does the camera switch at the right moment, or do you miss the result? A high score means a studio that is clean, well lit, and easy to follow. A low score means a studio that is too dark, too busy, or cuts away at the wrong time, so you lose track of the game.
The Final Score
We use a 10-point scale with 0.1 steps. So a final score of 8.7 out of 10 is possible, and that level of detail helps us separate good games from very good ones.
Here is what each score range means:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9.0 – 10.0 | Excellent. A genre-defining game that sets the standard |
| 8.0 – 8.9 | Very good. A strong recommendation for most players |
| 7.0 – 7.9 | Good. A solid choice with clear strengths |
| 6.0 – 6.9 | Decent, but with notable limitations |
| 5.0 – 5.9 | Below average. Better options exist |
| Below 5.0 | Not recommended |
We calculate the final score by giving each category its weight, then adding the results together. So if a game scores 9.0 for Game Math, 8.5 for Gameplay, 7.5 for Interface, and 8.0 for Dealer & Studio, the final score is:
(9.0 x 0.35) + (8.5 x 0.35) + (7.5 x 0.15) + (8.0 x 0.15) = 8.5 out of 10
Why Our Weights Look Like This
Game Math, Payouts & Fairness and Gameplay & Features both sit at 35%. We give them the same weight because both decide whether a game is worth your time. Math decides what happens to your money: a low RTP means you lose more over a long session, no matter how fun the game is. Gameplay decides whether you want to keep playing at all. A game with great math but dull rounds gets boring fast. And a fun game can still hide a weak bet option that pays back less than the main bet. Both sides can let you down, so we score them with equal weight.
Interface & Usability sits at 15%. A bad interface can ruin a good game, but a clear interface on its own is not a reason to play. It can only lose points, not carry the game.
Dealer & Studio is also at 15%. The gap between the top providers is smaller than the gap in gameplay or math, so a great studio rarely sets one game apart from another. We still score it with care, but we do not let it decide the final number.
How We Test Every Game
To make our reviews honest and consistent, we follow a minimum test standard for every game on this website:
- At least 3 test sessions per game
- Each session at least one hour long
- Every game played on both desktop and mobile
We do not score a game we have not tested ourselves. We re-review a game when the provider makes a major update, so our score always matches the version you can play today.
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