Operator Testing Protocol
Part of the BWG Rating System v1.0 methodology. This page explains what we test and how — so every score we publish is traceable back to observed behaviour, not desk research.
Overview
Every operator reviewed on bwgamehub is tested by a named reviewer using a real account created and funded from the target market. We do not publish operator reviews without hands-on evidence. If a category has not yet been tested, it is marked pending rather than scored.
The test matrix
Each operator review covers, at minimum:
Account setup
- Account registration from the target market (IP or VPN disclosed inline on the review)
- KYC completion — document upload, verification timing logged
- Time-to-first-deposit measured
Deposit
- At least one local payment method tested end to end
- Deposit speed logged
- Any fees noted
- Screenshots captured
Gameplay
- Sportsbook: at least five bets placed across three sports that match the market’s priority list
- Casino: representative games played if the operator has a casino vertical we cover
- Live betting: tested during a live event
- Mobile: a subset of the above repeated on iOS and Android
Odds benchmarking
- 20 fixtures recorded across three sports
- Compared against three benchmark operators
- Hold percentage and closing line value calculated where determinable
Withdrawal
- At least one withdrawal requested using the same method as deposit
- Time-to-withdrawal logged (request → funds received)
- Any friction noted (additional KYC, hold periods)
- Screenshots captured
Customer support
- Contact via each channel the operator offers (live chat, email, phone where relevant)
- Response times logged
- A real query tested — not a scripted prompt
- Quality of response noted
Responsible-gambling tools
- Each available tool enabled (deposit limit, loss limit, session limit, self-exclusion preview)
- Persistence and enforcement confirmed
- Cooling-off and self-exclusion flow tested
Complaint handling
- Regulator complaint record checked
- Trustpilot and AskGamblers reputation patterns reviewed
- Any unresolved public complaints logged
Evidence capture
Every test produces:
- Screenshots (deposit confirmation, withdrawal confirmation, RG tool screen, support transcript)
- A structured internal log linked to the published review
- A test date, testing-from location, and named reviewer on every published rating
Reviewer requirements
- Named individual with a Person-schema author page on bwgamehub.com
- Credentials documented on the author page
- Testing-from location disclosed on the review
- Conflict-of-interest declared per our Conflict of Interest Policy
What we do not do
- Publish reviews from aggregated third-party data alone
- Rate categories we have not tested (we mark them pending)
- Accept operator-provided content
- Adjust ratings in exchange for commercial consideration
Cadence
- First review: full test across all six BWG categories
- Re-review: per the cadence in the BWG Rating System methodology
- Spot re-test: when a specific category changes — new bonus, licence update, product overhaul, regulatory action, parent-company change
Edge cases
- Operator not accepting new accounts from the target market: listed as “not currently available” with no BWG score issued; informational-only page
- Operator IP-blocked in the target market: VPN-only testing noted as a material limitation; score caveated
- Bonus unavailable at test time: bonus section published with a verification note and dated; re-tested when available
- Partial test completion: published partial review with explicit gaps documented; complete review published when test concludes
Conflicts
Where a conflict could materially influence a rating — affiliate-manager contact, sponsored event attended, freebet received outside a standard new-customer promotion — we disclose it inline on the review and log it under our Conflict of Interest Policy.
