Last updated: May 2026 — Marcus Tremblay, Faststartfs
At Faststartfs (faststartfs.ca), every casino review you read is the result of a structured, hands-on evaluation process carried out by Marcus Tremblay. This page explains exactly how we assess new online casinos for Canadian players in 2026, what criteria we use, how much weight each factor carries, and why you can trust the scores we publish.
We believe Canadian players deserve clear, honest, and independently verified information before they deposit a single dollar. That starts with a methodology that is transparent from start to finish.
Before anything else, Marcus researches the operator behind the casino. This includes ownership history, jurisdiction of incorporation, any regulatory actions on record, and how long the brand has been active. Casinos with a history of withheld withdrawals or unresolved player complaints are flagged immediately and may be excluded from the site entirely.
Marcus manually verifies every licence claim by checking directly with the issuing regulatory body. For Canadian-facing casinos in 2026, this means confirming standing with bodies such as provincial regulators, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, Malta Gaming Authority, or the UK Gambling Commission. A licence claim that cannot be verified is treated as no licence at all.
Marcus Tremblay personally registers an account and deposits real money at every casino reviewed on Faststartfs. This is non-negotiable. Testing is done using Canadian dollars and methods commonly available to Canadian players. He navigates the lobby, plays a selection of games, triggers or attempts to trigger bonuses, and initiates at least one withdrawal before writing the review. No review is published based on promotional materials or operator-supplied information alone.
Each casino is scored in six weighted categories. The final rating is a composite score calculated from these individual scores. See the full breakdown in the section below.
After all testing is complete, Marcus writes the full review, assigns the final score, and publishes it. Reviews are dated so readers know when the evaluation was conducted. Significant changes at a casino — such as a licence update, ownership change, or bonus restructuring — trigger a re-evaluation.
Every casino on Faststartfs receives a score out of 10, calculated from the six categories below. Each category is scored individually out of 10, then multiplied by its weighting to produce a weighted score. The six weighted scores are added together to produce the final rating.
| Category | Weighting | What We Assess |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and Safety | 25% | Validity of licence, player fund protection, responsible gambling tools, data encryption, and regulatory track record |
| Bonuses and Promotions | 20% | Welcome offer value, wagering requirements, bonus terms clarity, ongoing promotions, and fairness of conditions for Canadian players |
| Game Selection | 20% | Total number of titles, software provider quality, variety across slots, table games and live dealer, and availability of games in CAD |
| Payment Methods | 15% | Availability of Canadian-friendly options, deposit and withdrawal speeds, minimum and maximum limits, and fee transparency |
| Customer Support | 10% | Live chat availability, response time, quality of answers, availability of support in English and French, and escalation process |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Mobile browser performance, availability of a dedicated app, game load times on mobile, and ease of navigation on smaller screens |
All final scores are presented on a scale of 1 to 10. Here is what each range means in practical terms:
Casinos that fail licence verification, show evidence of unfair practices, or refuse to process legitimate withdrawals during testing are not scored. They are listed separately as casinos we do not recommend, with an explanation of why.
Independence is the foundation of everything we publish. Here is how we protect it:
Marcus Tremblay is the author and owner of Faststartfs. Based in Canada, Marcus has been evaluating online gambling platforms for Canadian players since the early days of regulated online gaming. His focus in 2026 is on newly launched casinos entering the Canadian market, ensuring that players have reliable, up-to-date information on platforms that have not yet built a long public track record. Every casino reviewed on this site has been tested by Marcus directly, using his own funds, before a single word of the review was written.
If you have questions about our methodology or want to suggest a casino for review, you can reach Marcus through the contact page at faststartfs.ca.