Editorial Policy

Connecting Europe Express is an independent editorial publication covering European tourism, recreation, and the entertainment industry — including the regulated iGaming sector — for an audience of UK and EU citizens. This Editorial Policy explains how we produce our content, how we make decisions about what to cover, how we handle conflicts of interest, and what readers can expect from us in terms of accuracy, transparency, and accountability.

Editorial independence

Our editorial decisions are made by our editorial team and are not influenced by commercial partners, advertisers, or any third party. No operator, brand, or sponsor has the right to approve, pre-read, or veto our coverage. Where we accept advertising or include affiliate links, those commercial arrangements are kept structurally separate from the work of our writers and editors. A commercial partner cannot purchase a positive review, change a rating, or remove a critical paragraph. If a request of that kind is made, we decline it and, where appropriate, we disclose the request to readers.

Accuracy and sourcing

We aim for factual accuracy in everything we publish. In practice, that means:

• We rely on primary sources wherever possible — official regulator websites, published licences, operator terms and conditions, government statistics, and direct testing of the platforms or services we cover. Where we cite secondary sources, we link to them so readers can verify the information for themselves.
• We test what we review. Operator reviews are based on hands-on examination of the registration flow, deposit and withdrawal processes, customer support responsiveness, game library, and stated terms — not on marketing materials supplied by the operator.
• We date our content and we update it. Reviews and guides include a “last updated” date, and material that depends on current regulation, pricing, or bonus terms is reviewed on a rolling basis.
• We distinguish clearly between fact, analysis, and opinion. When a writer is offering a personal recommendation or interpretation, we say so.

Corrections and complaints

We take corrections seriously. If you believe something we have published is factually incorrect, please write to [email protected] with the URL of the article and a description of the issue. We will acknowledge correction requests within one business day and, where the correction is warranted, we will update the article and add a visible correction note. We do not silently rewrite history — substantive corrections are flagged so that returning readers know what changed.

Complaints about tone, framing, or editorial judgement (rather than factual error) are also welcomed. They are reviewed by the lead editor and a response is sent within five business days.

Affiliate links and commercial disclosure

Some of the operators reviewed on Connecting Europe Express are affiliate partners. This means that when a reader clicks an outbound link to one of those platforms and registers an account, we may receive a commission from the operator. This is a standard funding model for independent review publications and it allows us to keep our content free for readers.

We disclose this arrangement openly: on every page that contains affiliate links, on the operator pages themselves, and in our footer. Crucially, our commercial relationship with an operator does not influence its rating, the position in which it appears in our comparison tables, or our willingness to write critically about it. Operators we do not have an affiliate arrangement with can and do appear in our coverage, and operators we do have an arrangement with have been criticised in our reviews where the facts warranted it.

Methodology for operator reviews

Operator reviews follow a documented methodology that scores each platform across consistent criteria. The weighting reflects what we believe matters most to readers making a real decision.

The methodology is reviewed annually and updated when industry practice or regulation changes materially.

Coverage of the entertainment industry

When we cover the regulated entertainment and iGaming sector, we follow stricter editorial rules than for general lifestyle content. Specifically, we do not publish content aimed at minors, and we do not publish content that presents gambling as a route to income, a solution to financial problems, or a coping strategy for emotional distress. We always disclose the licence held by an operator we review, and we explain what that licence does and does not protect. We always signpost responsible-gambling resources alongside operator content, and we maintain a dedicated Responsible Gambling page. We do not publish “guaranteed win” claims, “system” content, or any material that suggests gambling outcomes can be reliably predicted. Games of chance are games of chance, and we say so.

Use of artificial intelligence

Our writers may use AI tools to assist with research, drafting, or copy-editing, but every published piece is reviewed, fact-checked, and signed off by a named human editor. We do not publish content that has been generated by AI without meaningful human review, and we do not use AI to fabricate quotes, sources, or first-person experience.

Plagiarism and attribution

We do not plagiarise. Where we quote or summarise the work of others, we attribute it. Where we draw on regulator publications, academic research, or industry data, we link to the original.

Conflicts of interest

Contributors are required to declare any financial, professional, or personal interest that could reasonably be seen to affect their coverage. Declared interests are flagged on author pages and, where relevant, at the foot of specific articles. Contributors with a material interest in an operator do not write about that operator.

Reader feedback

Reader feedback shapes what we cover. If there is a topic, a destination, or an operator you would like us to review, please tell us. Our contact details are on the Contacts page, and we read every message that comes in.

This Editorial Policy is reviewed annually and updated whenever our practices or the regulatory environment change.