Our rating methodology is based on real-money testing, withdrawal verification, game variety analysis, and licence checks. Every casino is scored across 6 key criteria.
When it comes to platforms offering non gamstop games, the internet is full of arbitrary five-star ratings handed out to the highest bidder. At nongamstopgames.ae.org, our rating system is fundamentally different because our business model is different. Since we do not accept commissions, affiliate cuts, or kickbacks from any casino, our evaluation process is entirely objective, data-driven, and designed with only one goal: protecting the player.
We do not just read the PR material provided by a casino. We systematically tear down each platform to see how it operates under pressure. Our team spends weeks testing a single site before it ever makes it onto our platform. We deposit real money, we claim the bonuses, we win, we lose, and most importantly, we try to withdraw our funds. What follows is the exhaustive, step-by-step methodology we use to determine whether a site deserves your time and money, or if it belongs on our blacklist.
Before we even look at the games or the bonuses, we investigate the foundation of the casino. If a site fails this stage, testing stops immediately, and the casino is rejected.
For platforms operating with non gamstop games, licensing is usually held offshore in jurisdictions like Curacao, Costa Rica, or Anjouan. We do not just take the badge at the bottom of the website at face value. We click through to the master licensor’s portal to verify that the licence is active, legitimate, and in good standing. We check for any history of suspended licences or unresolved regulatory disputes.
We dig into the company that owns the casino. Who are the ultimate beneficial owners? What other casino brands do they operate? If a company has a history of launching a site, scamming players, shutting it down, and rebranding under a new name, we will find out. We only recommend operators with a clean, verifiable track record of fair play across their entire portfolio.
We inspect the technical infrastructure of the site. We require mandatory 256-bit SSL encryption to protect your personal data and financial transactions. We also test the robustness of the site’s server security and look for the implementation of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for player accounts.
A massive number on a homepage (e.g., “Over 5,000 Games!”) means nothing if the games are pirated, run at low RTPs, or come from unknown, untested developers.
We verify that the games are hosted on the legitimate servers of tier-one software providers like Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Hacksaw Gaming, and Push Gaming. Some rogue sites use “scripted” or fake versions of popular slots that look identical but have mathematically rigged outcomes. We use developer tools to trace the server calls and guarantee every game is authentic.
Many game developers now offer variable RTPs, allowing casinos to choose whether a slot pays out at 96.5% or 91.0%. Because we are reviewing non gamstop games, we expect these unrestricted platforms to offer the highest possible RTP settings. We manually open the game files to check the actual RTP being offered to players, heavily penalizing sites that silently lower their payout percentages to increase their margins.
For live casino enthusiasts, we test the stability of the HD streams during peak hours (e.g., Friday nights). We look for a wide variety of tables, ensuring there are options for micro-stakes players as well as VIP high-rollers. We also monitor dealer professionalism and the fairness of the physical equipment used on screen.
This is where the majority of casinos attempt to trap players. A “500% Match Bonus” is entirely useless if the terms make it mathematically impossible to cash out. We ignore the massive headline numbers and dive straight into the terms and conditions.
We calculate the true cost of a bonus. We look at whether the wagering requirement applies only to the bonus amount (e.g., 30x Bonus) or to both the deposit and the bonus (e.g., 30x Deposit + Bonus, which is actually a 60x requirement). Any site enforcing wagering requirements above 45x is flagged, as it represents poor value for the player.
We heavily favor casinos that offer “non-sticky” or “parachute” bonuses. This means your real money is kept separate from your bonus money, and if you hit a big win with your cash, you can forfeit the bonus and withdraw immediately. We explicitly warn our readers about “sticky” bonuses that lock your deposit until wagering is complete.
We read the fine print to find the maximum win caps. If a casino gives you a bonus but caps your potential winnings at a mere £100, we dock their rating significantly. We also look at game weightings—if a casino advertises a bonus for non gamstop games but secretly bans 90% of the slot library from contributing to the wagering requirements, we expose that tactic.
The true test of any casino is how it handles your money when you win. We deposit our own funds to ensure our banking tests are 100% authentic.
We test a variety of deposit methods: Visa, Mastercard, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT. We check for hidden transaction fees and ensure the funds hit the account instantly without technical glitches.
This is our most critical test. We generate a legitimate win, complete any necessary wagering, and initiate a withdrawal. We track the exact time it takes from the moment we click “Withdraw” to the moment the funds land in our wallet or bank account.
We purposely go through the Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification process. Legitimate casinos process these documents efficiently. Predatory casinos use the KYC process as a weapon, rejecting perfectly clear photos of IDs or asking for absurd documentation (like notarized utility bills) just to stall the payout in hopes you will cancel the withdrawal and gamble the money away. We document and expose any operator using these stalling tactics.
When things go wrong, you need a responsive, human support team. We do not accept automated chatbots as valid customer service.
We contact the live chat support at random times, including weekends and late nights, to measure the exact queue times. Once connected, we ask complex, technical questions about RTP, withdrawal limits, and specific bonus terms. If the agent gives us a copied-and-pasted PR response or provides factually incorrect information, the casino’s rating suffers.
We look at how the casino handles escalated issues. We scour independent player forums and mediation portals to see if the casino actively works to resolve legitimate player complaints, or if they simply ignore them and ban the users.
Even though we are reviewing platforms focusing on non gamstop games—which operate outside domestic self-exclusion networks—we firmly believe player protection is mandatory.
We actively search for internal responsible gambling tools. Can a player easily set a daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limit? Can they enforce a session time limit? If a player requests a permanent self-exclusion directly from the casino’s support team, is it honored immediately, or do they continue to send the player promotional emails? Casinos that fail to protect vulnerable players are blacklisted, regardless of how good their game library is.
Once Arthur, Eleanor, and the rest of the team have completed this exhaustive gauntlet, we aggregate the data. We do not assign arbitrary stars based on our “feelings.” The final score is a heavily weighted calculation where Security, Payout Speed, and Fair Terms carry the most mathematical weight.
Because we do not take commissions, our ratings are fluid. A casino that scores an 8.5 today can drop to a 4.0 tomorrow if they suddenly change their withdrawal policies or fail a player dispute. We revisit our top-rated sites every month to run spot-checks, ensuring that the platforms we recommend for non gamstop games maintain the high standards we demand.
At nongamstopgames.ae.org, our rating system isn’t a marketing tool; it is a shield for the player.