Last updated: May 2026 — Mitchell Carriere, Calpo

How We Rate

Our Review Methodology at Calpo

At Calpo (calpo.ca), every casino review you read has been personally researched, tested, and written by Mitchell Carriere. This page explains exactly how that process works, what criteria matter most, and why Canadian players can trust the scores we publish. There are no shortcuts, no copied press releases, and no ratings handed out in exchange for favourable treatment from operators.

Who Reviews the Casinos

Mitchell Carriere is the author and owner of Calpo. With a focused background in Canadian online gambling, Mitchell specialises in Interac casino reviews for the Canadian market. Before any review is published in 2026, Mitchell personally creates an account at the casino, makes a real deposit using Interac where possible, claims a welcome bonus, plays a selection of games, contacts customer support, and attempts a withdrawal. This hands-on approach means every rating reflects a genuine player experience, not a summary of marketing materials.

Step-by-Step Review Process

Each casino goes through a structured evaluation before receiving a final score. The process follows these stages:

• Step 1 – Licence Verification: Mitchell confirms the casino holds a valid licence from a recognised regulatory authority before investing any further time in the review.
• Step 2 – Account Registration: A new player account is created using a genuine Canadian identity to test how smooth the sign-up process is for real players.
• Step 3 – Deposit via Interac: A real-money deposit is made using Interac e-Transfer or Interac Online to verify processing times, minimum limits, and ease of use.
• Step 4 – Bonus Claiming and Terms Review: Any available welcome bonus is claimed and the full terms and conditions are read carefully, with particular attention to wagering requirements, game restrictions, and withdrawal caps.
• Step 5 – Game Testing: A representative selection of slots, table games, and live dealer titles are played to assess variety, software quality, and loading performance.
• Step 6 – Customer Support Contact: The support team is contacted at least once via live chat and once via email to evaluate response times and the quality of assistance.
• Step 7 – Mobile Testing: The casino is accessed on a mobile device to assess the responsiveness, navigation, and full functionality of the mobile experience.
• Step 8 – Withdrawal Request: A withdrawal is requested to verify processing times and whether the Interac payout process matches what the casino advertises.
• Step 9 – Scoring and Writing: All findings are compiled, scored against the weighted criteria below, and written up in plain language for Canadian players.

Rating Criteria and Weightings

Calpo uses a 1 to 10 scoring scale. Each casino receives a score in six categories. Those category scores are then combined using the weightings shown below to produce a single overall rating out of 10. A score of 9 or above represents an exceptional casino, 7 to 8.9 is a strong recommendation, 5 to 6.9 indicates an average experience with notable drawbacks, and anything below 5 is not recommended to Canadian players.

Rating Category	Weighting	What We Examine
Licensing and Safety	25%	Valid licence from a recognised authority, SSL encryption, responsible gambling tools, fair play certification, and data protection practices
Bonuses and Promotions	20%	Welcome bonus value, wagering requirements, bonus terms fairness, ongoing promotions, and loyalty programme quality
Game Selection	20%	Total number of titles, software provider diversity, slots variety, table game options, and live dealer availability
Payment Methods	15%	Interac support, deposit and withdrawal speeds, transaction limits, currency options in CAD, and fee transparency
Customer Support	10%	Availability hours, live chat response time, email response quality, and knowledge of support agents
Mobile Experience	10%	Browser-based mobile performance, dedicated app availability, navigation ease, and full feature accessibility on smaller screens

How Calpo Stays Unbiased

Independence is the foundation of every review on this site. Calpo maintains its credibility through the following commitments:

• No paid reviews: Operators cannot pay to receive a higher score or a more favourable write-up. Every rating is determined solely by the evaluation criteria above.
• Real money testing: Mitchell uses personal funds during each review, which creates a genuine incentive to identify problems that could affect Canadian players.
• Affiliate transparency: Calpo may earn a commission when a reader signs up through a link on this site. This commercial relationship never influences the score a casino receives. Low-rated casinos are still published with honest assessments.
• Regular re-evaluation: Casino conditions change. Ratings are reviewed and updated when operators change their terms, payment options, or licensing status.
• Reader feedback: Comments and complaints submitted by Canadian players are taken seriously and can trigger a re-review if patterns emerge.

Questions About Our Methodology

If you have a question about how a specific casino was evaluated, or if you believe a score no longer reflects current conditions at a site, you are welcome to reach out directly through the Calpo contact page. Mitchell Carriere reads all submissions personally and takes reader input into account when updating reviews.