Our Review Process
Every operator on TDU goes through the same process before it earns a place in a ranking. We first carry out a document review against public sources, then record what we could and could not confirm, and only then assign scores against a fixed set of criteria. A brand is not ranked until we have enough verified information to score it fairly; where key facts are missing, the operator is marked Pending Verification rather than given a guessed score.
How We Verify Operators
We split verification into two separate activities, and we are explicit about which one produced a given fact.
- Document review covers everything we can confirm without creating an account: the official brand name, the legal entity behind it, the domain, licence status with the Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT), the advertised welcome bonus and its terms, supported payment methods, and KYC and responsible-gambling rules. The source is the operator's own site, the GBT register and published terms.
- Hands-on testing covers what can only be confirmed by actually using a product: registering, navigating the lobby, contacting support, and making a real payment. We only report a hands-on result when it was actually performed; we do not claim to have deposited, withdrawn or tested payouts on an operator where we have not.
Each check records a date, a source and a result, so a score can be traced back to the evidence behind it.
How Our Rating System Works
Every operator is scored on a 0–5 scale. Each criterion receives a score and a weight, and the overall rating is a weighted average:
Overall Rating = Σ (Criterion Score × Criterion Weight) / 100
The weights for each criterion always sum to 100%. We store unrounded scores and display them to one decimal place; operators are sorted by the unrounded result, so two operators showing the same displayed value are ordered by the finer underlying score and then by a fixed tie-break. We do not adjust a score by hand to preserve a position.
Casino Rating Criteria
| Criterion | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing & Safety | 20% | Licence and legal entity, account security and transparency of terms |
| Payments & Withdrawals | 20% | Local payment methods, fees, withdrawal speed and limits |
| Casino Games & Providers | 15% | Providers, game availability and RTP information |
| Bonuses & Wagering Requirements | 15% | Bonus value against realistic wagering and game weighting |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Mobile web and app quality |
| Responsible Gambling | 10% | Deposit limits, self-exclusion and age verification |
| Customer Support | 10% | Availability, language and ability to resolve problems |
Sportsbook Rating Criteria
| Criterion | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing & Safety | 20% | Licence and legal entity, account security and transparency of terms |
| Sports Markets & Coverage | 15% | Local Tanzanian and international markets and tournaments |
| Odds Competitiveness | 15% | Odds on the same outcomes compared across operators |
| Payments & Withdrawals | 15% | TZS support, local payment methods, fees and withdrawal speed |
| Live Betting | 10% | In-play markets and cash-out availability |
| Bonuses & Promotions | 10% | Bonus value against realistic terms |
| Mobile Experience | 5% | Mobile web and app quality |
| Customer Support | 5% | Availability, language and ability to resolve problems |
| Responsible Gambling | 5% | Deposit limits, self-exclusion and age verification |
Operators that offer both a casino and a sportsbook receive a separate Casino Score and Sportsbook Score. Where a single combined position is shown, we state the rule used to combine them. This methodology was approved before publication.
How We Test Payment Methods
We record which payment methods an operator advertises and label each one Verified, Operator-Reported or Not Verified. A method is Operator-Reported when it comes from the operator's own cashier or terms; it is Verified only when the fact is confirmed against the operator's published rules or a documented test. We list local mobile money — M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money and Halopesa — first because that is how most Tanzanian players pay, and we note where withdrawal support, fees or limits are not confirmed rather than assuming them.
How We Evaluate Bonuses
A headline bonus amount is marketing; the terms are the product. We score a bonus on the advertised amount, the minimum qualifying deposit, the wagering requirement, the game weighting, the time limit and the maximum bet rules — and we only state a figure we can source. Where no current welcome bonus can be confirmed, we say so plainly rather than inventing an offer.
How We Handle Missing Information
Every fact we state carries one of five statuses: Verified, Operator-Reported, Not Verified, Not Applicable or Outdated. An unverified criterion is not silently scored as 0 or 5, and it is not dropped from the calculation without a published rule. Where the information needed to include an operator responsibly is missing — for example an unconfirmed licence — the operator is marked Pending Verification and is not ranked until it is confirmed. A large advertised bonus never substitutes for a missing licence.
How Often We Update Reviews
Commercial pages are reviewed at least quarterly, and immediately whenever a bonus, licence or regulatory detail changes. The review date shown on each page is the date of the last check. Bonus figures are treated as indicative because they change often; we always say “at the time of writing” and point readers to the operator's own site for the current terms.
Editorial Independence
TDU may earn a commission when a reader uses a link on this site. That commercial relationship never changes where an operator ranks or how it is scored. Rankings are produced from the same criteria and evidence regardless of any partnership, and operators cannot pay for a position or to remove a finding. If a commercial relationship exists with a reviewed brand, we disclose it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who regulates the operators TDU reviews? The Gaming Board of Tanzania (GBT) licenses and supervises gambling operators under the Gaming Act. We check licence status against the GBT register.
Why do two operators show the same rating? Displayed ratings are rounded to one decimal place. Operators are ordered by their unrounded score, then by a fixed tie-break.
Does a commission change the ranking? No. Rankings are produced from the same criteria and evidence regardless of any commercial relationship.
What does Pending Verification mean? The operator cannot yet be scored responsibly because a key fact — usually its licence — has not been confirmed. It is not ranked until it is.
Do you claim to test deposits and withdrawals? We only report a hands-on result where the test was actually performed. Otherwise the item is marked Operator-Reported or Not Verified.