Editorial & Review Policy in October 2025

Last updated: 05.09.2025

SkinCrates is an independent review site covering third-party platforms inspired by CS2 (ex. CS:GO) game mechanics. We do not host games or accept deposits. Our goal is to help players make informed, safe choices by publishing transparent, test-driven reviews and rankings.

Our Mission & Scope

We evaluate websites that offer CS2-style experiences (e.g., roulette, crash, case openings, coinflip, upgrades, mini-games), with a focus on transparency, fairness, payment reliability, and player safety. Our coverage prioritizes:

Platforms popular among CS2 players or closely integrated with the Steam economy.
Sites with provably fair systems or public fairness documentation.
Material changes that affect user risk: licensing, payment methods, KYC, geoblocks, terms.

Editorial Independence

Our reviews and rankings are written by editorial staff and subject-matter reviewers. Commercial teams cannot change scores, conclusions, or placement in our lists. Financial relationships are disclosed on /disclosure/; affiliate links never influence editorial ratings.

How We Review (Hands-On Process)

Each review follows a repeatable checklist. When practical, we perform live tests using small amounts and document the process with screenshots or screen captures.

Access & Onboarding: account creation flow, age gates, KYC prompts, geoblocks.
Payments: deposit limits, fees, confirmations, cash-out options, payout delays, failed/returned transactions.
Fairness & Integrity: provably fair docs, seed management, RNG disclosures, provider/house edge notes, abuse & anti-bot policies.
Safety & Licensing: licensing claims, company details, complaints history, risk wording in ToS.
UX & Features: game catalogue, speed/stability, mobile experience, accessibility, language & region support.
Support: live chat availability, response time, resolution quality.
Terms & Promotions: clarity of bonus rules, wagering requirements, restricted methods, expiry, max-cashout rules.

Scoring Model

Our default weightings for total score (0.0–5.0) are:

Trust & Safety – 35% (licensing, KYC clarity, dispute history, transparent terms)
Payments – 25% (deposit/withdraw reliability, speed, fees, limits)
Games & Fairness – 15% (provably fair/RNG info, providers, house edge disclosure)
UX & Mobile – 15% (stability, navigation, accessibility, mobile fit)
Support – 10% (channels, speed, competence, policies)

Category scores are combined into a single overall number rounded to one decimal. “Editor’s Notes” may explain risk factors that outweigh the numeric score (e.g., license suspension, unresolved payment incidents).

What Each Score Means

4.5–5.0: Excellent safety track record and documentation; payments and support consistently strong.
4.0–4.4: Solid option with minor caveats that are clearly disclosed.
3.0–3.9: Usable, but meaningful issues or uncertainties; read the caveats before playing.
2.0–2.9: Not recommended for most users due to safety, fairness, or payment concerns.
< 2.0: Avoid until issues are resolved and independently verified.

Evidence & Documentation

We keep internal notes for every test cycle. When possible, reviews include:

Screenshots of key flows (KYC prompts, deposit, withdrawal, fairness checks).
Time-stamped observations (e.g., “SEPA withdrawal received in 26h”).
Links to official sources (license lookups, ToS, fairness docs).

Significant updates appear in a visible “Updates” (changelog) block on the page.

Update Cadence & Triggers

Listings and top brand pages are reviewed at least monthly. We also update pages immediately when we detect one of the following:

License or jurisdiction change, or regulator action.
Payment method added/removed, material delays, or systemic payout complaints.
Major game/fairness change (e.g., seed reset policy, provider migration).
New geo-restrictions, KYC policy change, or significant ToS update.

Authors, Reviewers, and Accountability

Authors perform research and hands-on checks, then draft the review.
Reviewers validate claims, ensure the score aligns with our model, and sign off on publication.
Every review page displays the author, the reviewer, and the latest “Reviewed on” date.

Corrections & Right of Reply

If you spot a factual error, please contact us via /contact/. We verify credible reports within 2–5 business days. Material corrections are annotated in the page’s Updates section with a date and summary.

Advertising & Affiliate Links

Some outbound links may be affiliate links. If you click and sign up, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never changes our scores or verdicts. Sponsored placements are labeled “Sponsored” or “Ad”. Our disclosure is available at /disclosure/. Affiliate and sponsored links are marked with rel="sponsored nofollow".

Responsible Gaming

SkinCrates is a review site. We do not host games or accept deposits. Access is restricted to adults (18+ or the legal age in your country). Play for entertainment only; set limits; take breaks. If gambling affects your life, seek help immediately.

Responsible Gaming resources
External help: BeGambleAware.org · GamCare.org.uk · NCPGambling.org

What We Don’t Do

We do not sell skins, accept deposits, or operate games.
We do not sell rankings or guarantee positive coverage.
We do not publish unverifiable claims from anonymous sources.

Use of Automation & Tools

We may use automation to collect publicly available information (e.g., bonus terms snapshots, provider lists) to speed up checks. All editorial decisions, scores, and caveats are reviewed by humans before publication.