The deposit-tested protocol
Every Canadian online casino we rank on Chula has been funded with real CAD by our editorial team — typically a C$50 Interac e-Transfer from a personal Canadian Big Six bank account — before any ranking publishes. The protocol: deposit, play through the welcome offer where the wagering math is reasonable, request a withdrawal back to the same Canadian bank account, time the full round trip from withdrawal request to CAD settlement in bank. The brand earns inclusion only if it passes the basic deposit-and-withdrawal cycle without operational issues.
Our ranking criteria with weightings
Across all Chula rankings, the standard weighting is:
- Payout speed (30%) — measured CAD round-trip time via Interac e-Transfer.
- Interac and CAD support (25%) — native CAD wallet, Interac e-Transfer at first-class cashier status, no USD intermediary.
- Bonus terms (15%) — wagering math, clear-EV calculation against the headline value.
- Mobile experience (15%) — Samsung Galaxy and iPhone testing of the full cashier and play flow.
- Customer support (10%) — live-chat protocol at four standardised times during Canadian evening hours.
- Game library (5%) — game catalogue breadth and provider variety.
Individual rankings apply page-specific weightings — payment-method pages weight that specific payment more heavily, the instant-withdrawal page weights payout speed at 50%, the crypto page adds provably-fair weighting.
How we test KYC and verification
KYC pre-clearance is the single biggest variable in first-withdrawal speed. Our protocol: upload Canadian government photo ID (driver's licence) and proof of address (utility bill under 90 days old) immediately after account creation, before any deposit. Brands that pre-clear KYC during deposit consistently deliver first-payout 4-6 hours faster than brands that wait until first withdrawal. We measure both — pre-cleared time and first-withdrawal-KYC time — and document the difference.
How we test bonus terms
We claim the welcome offer the brand publishes, play through the wagering where it's mathematically practical to clear, and document the actual clearance experience. Bonuses with above-40x wagering on D+B are typically not cleared in our testing — we document the wagering math openly rather than grinding through it. Bonuses below 35x and 0x wagering (PlayOJO) we typically clear and verify.
How we audit operator licensing
Every operator on Chula's lists has its license number verified against the regulator's public registry — Curaçao Gaming Control Board, Malta Gaming Authority, iGaming Ontario, Kahnawake Gaming Commission. Brands with unverifiable license numbers are excluded entirely. Brands with anonymous parent operators are excluded entirely.
How we audit bonus copy accuracy
Every bonus pill on every brand card cross-references against transportgenie.ca — our parity reference for the Canadian market. Bonus copy that differs from transportgenie's gets re-verified directly against the operator's live cashier page before publishing.
How rankings change over time
Chula's rankings are reviewed quarterly. Brands that fail a re-test (payout speed degrades, license expires, anti-fraud false-positives rise) are demoted or removed. Brands that improve consistently across multiple test cycles are promoted. Every change is logged on the public changelog with date and reason.