# Can you trust top casino lists, or are the rankings paid for?

> Claim check on paid top 10 casino lists: what ASA, CAP and the DMCC Act require, which signs of disclosure to look for and how this site orders its lists.

Source: https://seatcheck.uk/are-top-casino-lists-paid/
Updated: 2026-11-13

Verdict as of 13 November 2026: not verifiable in general. The claim asks whether top casino lists are paid for; the primary source, the ASA guidance on online affiliate marketing of 22 March 2023, shows that pages built around affiliate links are advertising and must say so. It fails for any list with no clear Ad label before the first link.

## The claim we checked

The question readers ask: "Can you trust top 10 casino lists or are the rankings paid for?"

It contains two claims. One is that rankings may be paid for. The other is that a paid ranking cannot be trusted. The rules speak to the first; the second depends on what you can see on the page.

**Takeaway:** the rules decide what must be disclosed; trust depends on what the page actually shows.

## Verdict: not verifiable in general

We have no evidence about how any particular list is built, and we name none. The disclosure rule is clear, and we confirm it from the sources below.

**Disclosure rules for comparison pages · ASA, CAP and DMCC Act 2024 · status on 13 November 2026**

| Source | What it says | Date |
|---|---|---|
| [ASA, Online Affiliate Marketing](https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/affiliate-marketing.html) | Whole page about products with affiliate links: Ad in the headline before the click. Partial: (Ad) before linked content. Commission wording or a footnote is not enough | 22 March 2023 |
| [CAP Code 2.1, 2.3, 2.4](https://www.asa.org.uk/type/non_broadcast/code_section/02.html) | Ads must be obviously identifiable, with a clear commercial purpose; advertorial needs a label such as advertisement feature | Edition not checked |
| [DMCC Act 2024, Sch.20 para 12](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/13/schedule/20) | Paid editorial content without disclosure is banned | In force since 6 April 2025 |
| DMCC Act 2024, Sch.20 para 13 | Fake or misleadingly presented reviews are banned; the CMA can fine up to 10% of global turnover | In force since 6 April 2025 |
| Audit of ten search-result pages by Ad label | Not done; no result recorded | Not checked |

**Takeaway:** the rules are checked; no list has been audited, so no general verdict is possible.

## Signs of an honest comparison page

Read the page before you read the ranking.

- An Ad label before the first link, not only at the foot.
- The name of the company that runs the page and how it earns money.
- A stated order: criteria, a group compared, and a date.
- "Best" attached to a criterion, not left bare.
- Licence numbers you can search in the register.
- No claim that the writer tested payouts without a described protocol.

**Takeaway:** a trustworthy page shows its label, its owner, its criteria and its date.

## When trust fails

Trust fails when a page has affiliate links and no label before the first one, when "best" has no criterion, or when a figure has no date.

Wording rules on superlatives are on [advertising rules for best claims](https://seatcheck.uk/advertising-rules-for-best-claims/).

**Takeaway:** a missing label or a bare superlative is enough to stop relying on a list.

## How this site orders its lists

Our lists follow five criteria, C1 to C5: a register entry with Casino Remote and an active domain; studio named and checked; table rules published; limits published; control tools and Gamstop participation. Order is by criteria, then check date, then alphabet. There are no scores.

[To be confirmed by the owner: a statement that fees do not decide order.] How the site earns money is on [advertising and affiliate disclosure](https://seatcheck.uk/how-we-are-funded/). The ranking is on [the checked list](https://seatcheck.uk/best-uk-live-blackjack-casinos/), and the method on [how we check operators](https://seatcheck.uk/how-we-check-operators/).

**Takeaway:** order follows published criteria and dates; the owner's statement on fees is pending.

## FAQ

**Are all top 10 casino lists paid for?**

We could not confirm that, and we could not rule it out. The rules say pages built around affiliate links are advertising and must be labelled, so look for the label.

**What label should a comparison page carry?**

ASA guidance of 22 March 2023 says a page wholly about products with affiliate links should carry Ad in its headline before the click. Partial pages need Ad before the linked content.

**Is a note that a site may earn commission enough?**

No. The ASA guidance says may earn commission and a footnote at the bottom are not sufficient.

**How does this site order its lists?**

By criteria C1 to C5, then by check date, then alphabetically. There are no scores. How the site earns money is on the advertising and affiliate disclosure page.