How We Rate Non-Gamstop Sites
Cornice Direct is written and edited by a small team of gambling-industry specialists. Every operator review carries an author byline and a fact-check credit, and no operator has ever paid for a ranking position. This page sets out who we are and exactly how the scoring works.
James Halloran
Senior iGaming Analyst · Lead writer
Over a decade reviewing online casinos and bookmakers across the UK-licensed and offshore markets. James specialises in bonus mathematics, payment rails and offshore licensing, and tests every recommended site with a real deposit and withdrawal.
Charlotte Hughes
Compliance & Responsible-Gambling Editor
Fact-checks every page for accuracy and responsible-gambling compliance, with a background in AML/KYC and consumer protection. Ensures our coverage is honest about the risks of offshore play and never markets to those who have self-excluded for harm.
Our Scoring, Weighted
- Value and terms, 30 per cent. Wagering multiple, minimum odds or bet, maximum stake and product weighting — scored on the arithmetic, not the headline percentage.
- Range and coverage, 25 per cent. Depth of games or markets and how much a UK player can actually use.
- Payout speed and terms, 20 per cent. Time from request to spendable money per method, the pending-reversal window, and published withdrawal caps.
- Licensing and conduct, 15 per cent. A named, verifiable licence, stated ownership, terms that disclose limits, and whether support answers a hard question before you deposit.
- Responsible-gambling tools, 10 per cent. Deposit and loss limits, and honest signposting to GamCare and BeGambleAware.
We reject far more sites than we list — a site is disqualified for no valid licence, verified non-payment reports, predatory bonus terms, or absent responsible-gambling tools.
Editorial Independence
We earn affiliate commission when readers sign up through our links, at no extra cost to you. Commercial relationships never buy a ranking or a positive review, and ratings reflect our testing only. Every commercial page carries a visible affiliate disclosure.
James Halloran
Senior iGaming Analyst · fact-checked by Charlotte Hughes
James has spent over a decade reviewing online casinos and bookmakers across both the UK-licensed and offshore markets. He reads the wagering terms before the headline, tests every recommended site with a real deposit and withdrawal, and would rather flag a slow payout than bury it. More about the team and how we rate.