# A ten-point check for any sportsbook review you read

> Ten checks you can run in ten minutes on any Canadian sportsbook review: date, method, disclosure, registry, province, age, order, brands, bonus text and sources.

Source: https://reviewstandings.com/ten-checks-for-a-sportsbook-review/
Updated: 2026-11-13

Ten checks tell you in about ten minutes whether a sportsbook review deserves trust: its date, method, disclosure, registry check, province, age and help information, table order, brands outside registries, bonus text and links to primary sources. As of 2026-11-13, each check below has a fail sign, and any one fail is worth knowing.

## The ten checks

**Ten checks for a sportsbook review · sources: registries, AGCO standards, Competition Act · checked 2026-11-13**

| No. | Check | Pass looks like | Fail looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Page date | A dated page and a date for the last brand check | No date, or a date with no later check |
| 2 | Method | A method page that names what was measured | "Tested" or "rated" with no method to open |
| 3 | Disclosure of pay | A plain statement near the top about how the site earns | No statement, or one only in the footer |
| 4 | Registry | Each listed brand is found in your province's registry on the day you check | A brand you cannot find in the registry |
| 5 | Province | The list says which province it is for | One list for all provinces |
| 6 | Age and help | Minimum age by province and a help line | No age or help information |
| 7 | Order | The order follows a stated rule, such as a score or the alphabet | The order is unexplained, or follows the offer |
| 8 | Brands outside registries | No such brand is recommended | Recommended brands that are not registered where you live |
| 9 | Bonus text (ON, AB) | No bonus offers aimed at Ontario or Alberta readers | Bonus amounts or promo codes for those readers |
| 10 | Primary sources | Links to the registry, regulator and operator terms | Only links to other review sites |

**Short answer:** run all ten, note which fail, and decide how much weight the list deserves.

## Why these ten

**Checks 1 and 2** make the claim traceable. A list without a date or a method cannot be matched against anything.

**Checks 3, 7 and 10** show how the site is funded. The Competition Bureau Canada asks that material connections be disclosed.

A link to an affiliate page or a promo code is not enough on its own. [How review sites earn from sportsbooks](https://reviewstandings.com/how-review-sites-make-money/) explains the models.

**Checks 4, 5 and 8** use the law of your province. The registry is the gate: a brand that is not listed for you is not an option on this site.

**Checks 6 and 9** concern readers directly. In Ontario (ON), AGCO Standard 2.05 limits public advertising of bonuses, and Standard 1.21 adds that affiliates should not promote unregistered sites. Read [what Ontario's advertising standards change for readers of review sites](https://reviewstandings.com/agco-advertising-rules-and-review-sites/).

## Words that need a visible basis

Sections 52 and 74.01 of the Competition Act cover false or misleading claims. If a page says "tested", "independent" or "best", look for the basis next to the claim: who tested, how many products, on what dates.

We do not judge whether a page breaks the Act. We tell you what to look for. A claim without a visible basis is a fail on check 2.

**Note:** we quote such words only with a URL and a date, and never as a description of this site.

## Results from our matrix

We apply the ten checks to review pages in the reviewer matrix. As of 2026-11-13, we have not yet recorded results, so the table is empty.

**Checks applied to reviews read · source: reviewer matrix · checked 2026-11-13**

| Check | Reviews that fail | Reviews read |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Page date | Not checked | Not checked |
| 3. Disclosure of pay | Not checked | Not checked |
| 4. Registry | Not checked | Not checked |

See [the reviewer matrix](https://reviewstandings.com/reviewer-matrix/) for the dated entries when they are available.

## How we checked

1. We took the registry, AGCO and Competition Act references from our reference notes dated 2026-11-06.
2. We turned each into a pass and a fail that you can see on the page.
3. We have not yet applied the checks to any review page for this table.

## Sources

- [iGaming Ontario registry](https://igamingontario.ca/en/player/regulated-igaming-market) and [Alberta AiGC list](https://www.abigaming.ca/operators/registered-igaming-sites/)
- [AGCO](https://www.agco.ca): Standards 1.21 and 2.05.
- Competition Bureau Canada guidance on material connections; Competition Act, sections 52 and 74.01.

## What changed

- 2026-11-13: page created; no review results recorded yet.

## Before you bet

19+ in Ontario and British Columbia; 18+ in Alberta, Manitoba and Québec. Gambling involves risk. Play responsibly. [Need help? See help lines by province](https://reviewstandings.com/responsible-gambling/).

## FAQ

**How many of the ten checks must a review pass?**

There is no pass mark. Each check has a fail sign, and any fail is useful to know. Checks 3, 4 and 9 are the ones that most often decide whether we would use a list at all.

**Which check is quickest?**

The page date. If a review shows no date, you cannot match its list against a registry, and you can stop there.

**Why does bonus text matter for Ontario and Alberta readers?**

AGCO Standard 2.05 limits public advertising of bonuses in Ontario, and the reference notes say the limit reaches affiliate links and descriptions. A review that promotes a bonus to Ontario readers may not follow it.

**What does the Competition Act have to do with reviews?**

Sections 52 and 74.01 cover false or misleading claims. Words such as tested, independent or best need a basis the reader can see. Whether a given page breaks them is a legal question, not one we decide.

**Do you use these checks on your own pages?**

Yes. Every table on this site carries a date and a source, and our own score comes from published weights. The checks apply to us in the same way.