Last updated: 28 August 2026
How our commercial relationships work
PlayersTime is an independent online casino review, comparison, research and complaint mediation website. Our website is free for readers to use. To help finance our research, testing, editorial work and operation of the website, PlayersTime may receive commissions from some gambling operators and other companies featured on our pages. We believe readers should understand how these commercial relationships work and, just as importantly, what they do not influence.
How PlayersTime Makes Money
Some links on PlayersTime are affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and subsequently register, deposit or become a customer of the operator, PlayersTime may receive a commission from that operator. Depending on the commercial arrangement, compensation may be based on:
- a qualifying registration;
- a new depositing customer;
- revenue generated by referred customers;
- another agreed commercial model.
Using an affiliate link normally does not increase the price or cost to you. Not every casino reviewed or mentioned on PlayersTime is an affiliate partner, and the existence of a review does not necessarily mean that we have a commercial relationship with that operator.
Affiliate Relationships Do Not Determine Our Ratings
A casino cannot purchase a higher PlayersTime review score. Our casino ratings are based on our published review methodology and may take into account areas such as:
- licensing and regulation;
- company information;
- player safety;
- payments and withdrawals;
- identity verification;
- terms and conditions;
- bonuses and wagering requirements;
- responsible gambling protections;
- customer support;
- first-hand testing;
- complaint history;
- reputation and other relevant evidence.
Commercial relationships are kept separate from the editorial factors used to assess casinos. An operator with which PlayersTime has an affiliate relationship may receive a low score, be criticised, be downgraded or be removed from our recommendations if our findings justify it. Likewise, we may positively review or recommend an operator from which PlayersTime receives no commission.
Commercial Relationships Do Not Affect Complaints
Our casino complaint process is separate from our affiliate relationships. Affiliate partners do not receive preferential treatment in player complaints. An operator cannot pay PlayersTime to:
- close a complaint;
- change a complaint outcome;
- remove legitimate criticism;
- rule against a player;
- classify an unresolved complaint as resolved;
- improve its review score because it participated in a complaint.
When assessing a dispute, we aim to consider the available evidence, relevant casino terms, regulatory requirements where applicable, and information supplied by both the player and the operator. If the evidence supports the casino’s position, we will say so. If we believe the player’s complaint is justified, we will say that as well.
Learn about our Complaint Process →
Rankings and Recommended Casinos
Commercial relationships may affect which operators are available through affiliate links, but they do not override our editorial standards. Our rankings should reflect our assessment of the casinos covered within the relevant comparison.
However, no comparison website can review every gambling operator in existence. A ranking such as “Best Online Casinos” therefore means the highest-rated or most suitable operators within the casinos we have evaluated for that particular page, market or purpose, rather than every casino available worldwide. Availability may also differ according to the reader’s country.
Sponsored Content and Paid Placements
Where PlayersTime publishes content or placements that have been paid for directly by an advertiser, we aim to identify the commercial nature of that material clearly. A paid advertisement or sponsored placement should not be presented as independent editorial content. Any sponsored arrangement that exists outside our normal affiliate model does not give the advertiser the right to alter independent editorial conclusions about player safety, complaints or our assessment of the operator.
Affiliate Tracking
When you follow certain commercial links, a tracking parameter or cookie may be used so that the operator can identify that the referral originated from PlayersTime. This tracking may allow PlayersTime to receive a commission if you subsequently complete a qualifying action. For information about cookies, analytics and the processing of personal data, please read our Privacy Policy →
Our Editorial Commitment
PlayersTime’s commercial model depends on readers trusting the information we publish. For that reason, we aim to:
- explain important disadvantages as well as advantages;
- identify serious restrictions in casino terms;
- distinguish operator claims from our own findings;
- disclose when testing has or has not been performed;
- correct material errors;
- identify important regulatory and payment risks;
- avoid allowing commercial relationships to determine editorial conclusions.
Our objective is not to make every casino look attractive. It is to give readers enough information to make a more informed decision.
Gambling Involves Risk
An affiliate relationship is not a guarantee that a casino is suitable for every player or that gambling is safe. Gambling involves financial risk. Casino games are designed with an advantage for the operator over time, and players can lose some or all of the money they gamble.
Always check whether online gambling is legal in your location, read the operator’s current terms before depositing and gamble only with money you can afford to lose. If gambling is causing you harm, stop gambling and seek assistance from an appropriate responsible gambling organisation.
Questions About Our Commercial Relationships
If you have questions about an affiliate relationship, sponsored placement or how PlayersTime makes money, please contact us.