Online Casino Reviews – An Honest and Expert Appraisal

Table of Contents

• How we decide what elements of a casino are important to review
• What are the most important considerations for choosing an online casino in New Zealand?
• What else is important assuming the online casino can be trusted and has a good range of games
• How do you know the reviews are impartial?
• Who writes these reviews and why you can rely on them?
• Online Casino Reviews FAQS

How we decide what elements of a casino are important to review

At casinos.win we always aim to write honest online casino reviews. However, there are many different aspects involved in making a casino the brand that it is, so how do we use our knowledge to weigh these, sometimes, widely varying elements. 

Our first port of call in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of online casinos is to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to discover what it is that Kiwis are asking about casino websites that serve the New Zealand market. By understanding what it is that New Zealanders want from their casino providers, from the web searches they have made, we can conclude the aspects of a casino’s output that New Zealanders value the most.

Information from keyword analysis tends to fall into several content hubs. 

For casinos, consumers generally want information about game types, casino bonuses, and specific features, such as the ability to use NZD on a platform and how safe online casino sites are. 

It stands to reason, therefore, that features are placed at the heart of the casino reviews that we undertake. Therefore, if you are a casino fan who has a specific preference for Baccarat, Blackjack, Slots, Pokies, or Roulette, we will fill you in on the range of these games that individual sites host. 

Conversely, if you are one of the many Kiwi’s who likes to know if you can deposit on a site from $1, or $5 and whether these sites support a no deposit bonus deal, we will also factor this in on our casino reviews. 

However, although consumer demand guides all that we do, it is also necessary for us to have the right people in place to understand all of the issues within the casino industry that relate to these important topics. For exactly this reason, the team at casinos.win is filled with content specialists who have had years of experience working in the gambling industry. After all, insider industry knowledge shines a light on some of the shadier practices that some online casinos use to hold on to your cash for as long as possible. Although I am heartily cheered by the strengthened regulations that have been put in place by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) in recent times that has stopped trustworthy sites from enabling such things as withdrawal reversals to continue. Online gambling, at the end of the day, should be a pleasurable pastime. It is difficult enough to win at an online casino, it seems a little bit unfair, therefore, that some operators thought that it was acceptable to give you the option to bet with money that had already been earmarked for a payout. Taking away this temptation will help to level the playing field between punters and casinos, and not before time!

What are the most important considerations for choosing an online casino in New Zealand?

Kiwis have a slightly more difficult time than most when it comes to playing at online casinos. The reason for this uncertainty is that the 2003 Gambling Act that guides online betting in New Zealand is ambivalent where remote casinos are concerned. Although the New Zealand government does not allow online casinos to operate from within its borders, it does stop Kiwis from accessing online betting that is piped into the country from abroad. Because the New Zealand government is not actively involved in regulating the online casino industry in New Zealand, this often means that Kiwis are unsure about whether casinos that they play at will pay them when they win. It is perfectly reasonable that New Zealanders should feel this way, after all, most casino brands that operate in New Zealand today are based in Malta. So, reluctance to deal with distant firms is understandable. 

Fortunately, fans of casino products in NZ needn’t worry. We check the status of all casino operators during our review process so that we can tell you if you should have any concerns about not being paid out from a particular casino platform. As it happens, many of the online casinos that serve the New Zealand marketplace are licenced by the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). The MGA serves as an upholder of player protections when external casino sites operate within the New Zealand jurisdiction. As a body with high standards, the MGA demands that all of its licensees operate in New Zealand per the restrictions imposed by the 2003 Gambling Act, but also acts as an arbitrator for Kiwi players if they need to complain about the treatment provided to them by their casino of choice.

Due to the involvement of the MGA, casino players in New Zealand should have a high level of trust that most of the firms that operate today will pay them out if they are fortunate enough to claim a win. If you take a look through our extensive range of safe NZ casinos, you will see that all of them hold a licence that is issued by the MGA. 

Once it has been established that an NZ casino will pay you, the next question that is normally asked is ‘how quickly do pay-outs take to complete? Checking this out is another issue that is of high importance to our research team. 

We scour the terms and conditions of all of the casinos that we investigate so that we can tell you exactly how long it should take to receive your payout once you have made a claim. Industry standards suggest that you should receive a payout from a genuine casino within 1-6 days. 

All of the casinos on our review panel meet these requirements, however, we do have a criticism of some brands, where processing periods of ‘up to 72 hours are sometimes employed. In our eyes, payment of any size does not require 72 hours! But, make your mind up by reading our latest reviews of leading NZ online casino brands. 

Once you have found a selection of New Zealand’s safest online casinos, what might be the deciding factor that encourages you to sign up with an operator? One aspect that is important for every casino review is giving a fair assessment of the range of games that a platform boasts. Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and Slots enthusiasts will not be impressed by a casino site that hosts a poor selection of their favourite games. At casinos.win we understand this. We aim to provide an indication of the true depth of each of the major content categories that NZ casinos support, and point out if a website hosts innovative features that could be of interest to you. It is not only which games a casino boasts that is important, but also which software drives them. Evolution Live Gaming is considered to be the world’s leading developer of live casino output. Therefore, we give higher ratings to casinos that carry this range. The same goes for pokies products. NZ casinos that utilise NetEnt and Microgaming technology are more likely to be winners in our eyes.

What else is important assuming the online casino can be trusted and has a good range of games

There are many ways that an online casino can seek to stay ahead of its rivals. Once it has been established that a site is safe, what other features should be considered as being a necessity at gold-standard providers?

A hefty welcome bonus can set one casino apart from others. Welcome bonuses often come in multiple parts. Initially, casinos might look to sweeten you up with a no deposit or a no deposit free spins offer, but following this is normally the main event. Casinos in NZ can offer a matched deposit bonus of up to $2000 for new customers, but the devil is in the details. Factors that might reduce the value of a welcome bonus deal include, 

• Excessive wagering requirements
• Short redemption periods
• Restrictive fair play rules
• Small matched offers

We use all of our industry expertise to evaluate the true value of all welcome bonuses. We always look to deliver a verdict on whether a deal is worth pursuing in full or whether it should be passed upon.

It is also valuable to understand the range of products that a casino supports. If a casino doesn’t provide a home for slots, pokies, Baccarat, Blackjack, and Roulette, then it is unlikely to be of interest to most of you. However, when a casino also has a tag-a-long sportsbook, poker, or bingo facility, things get very interesting indeed. We always aim to provide you with this information so that you can make the right decision about your iGaming future. 

Once the product range of a casino has been assessed, you will want to know how you will be paid all the winnings that will be (hopefully) coming your way. Most casinos that serve Kiwis offer a similar range of banking options. New Zealand casinos normally accept payment via Skrill, Paysafecard, Mastercard, Visa, and Bank Transfer, but several sites offer a superior range in this department. We research everything there is to know about casinos and financial transactions so that you can make a choice that is right for you. Transaction methods aren’t the only issue, however, when it comes to payments. Many of you will want to know the deposit and withdrawal limits that a site operates. Can you deposit from $1, $5, or $10, at your preferred casino, and when you win, are your withdrawals restricted over a weekly or a monthly period? 

We aim to provide the answers to these questions and much more.

One feature of an online casino that has the potential to sway the opinion of the consumer of online casino content is whether a website has a good rewards system or not. A casino rewards system has the potential to provide you with a continual flow of offers, bonus cash, and free spins as you invest more in an operator’s products. A good scheme can help you to maintain your bankroll. For this reason, we investigate the loyalty schemes at all of the casinos that we review to give you an honest assessment of their true value. 

VIP players are also often treated to additional merchandise, just for being a valued member of a casino’s community. Some of these are merely an extension of regular loyalty deals, while others exhibit an air of exclusivity by being invite-only affairs. Either way, VIP schemes can be highly persuasive in increasing brand loyalty. If this is the case then we need to be on the ball. We assess whether the benefits that are accrued by being a VIP at a casino is worth all the additional wagering that could be required as a pre-qualifier. If we feel that a scheme is too heavily weighted in favour of the house, be assured, we will be the first voices to shout. 

At casinos.win we are all too aware of the problems that gambling can cause. Therefore, when we find a website that does a great job in explaining the rationale that lies behind players’ limiters and time-out tools we are quick to offer praise. Gambling should always be entertaining. If for any reason you find that you are chasing losses or betting with cash that you can’t truly afford to lose, then seeking help and using play restricting functions can be of value. We are delighted to report that all the websites that we have reviewed in recent months have a wide range of player protections in place, but we will continue to monitor developments in this area so that you can enjoy your casino experience every time you play. 

Player protections are, however, just one part of the customer services make-up of a website. If, for any reason, you have a problem at a casino, how can you get this resolved? Our reviews check out how casinos can be contacted in an emergency. In practice, this means that we have scoured hundreds of casino websites to look for contact information. In general, this involves a 24/7 live chat facility, an email address, a phone number (occasionally), and (sometimes) a social media presence. By extracting this information you can use our directory of reviews as an important source of data regarding your favourite casinos. 

Finally, one of the most important factors that you should consider before signing up to any casino website is where they are licenced. Licencing bodies have varied reputations. The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) are considered to be the globe’s leading actors in this field. These organisations ensure that their members have the highest levels of player protection in place. However, casinos that are licenced by authorities in Curacao, Antigua, or Kahnawake cannot be thought of in the same way. We advise on this information in all our reviews. We feel most comfortable recommending UKGC and MGA licenced operations to all of our readers. 

How do you know the reviews are impartial?

Much of the information that is provided in our casino reviews can be easily verified by our readers if they wish to do so. At casinos.win we would always advise that our casino reviews should be only one of the pillars of information that you should rely on before deciding on becoming a customer at any online casino. Indeed, we would suggest that you have a good look around every casino that you are thinking of signing up to. After all, our biases about what makes a good casino might be somewhat different to your personal views. 

At casinos.win we also aim to take a clear-eyed view of the iGaming industry. As a casino gambler myself, I understand the thrill that can be derived from beating the croupier after a deal or a spin. However, I have also been a gambler for long enough to know that whenever I play my next hand or place my next pile of chips, the outcome is likely to be less favourable. Being in this position it is easy to gain a certain amount of clarity about betting online. Yes, the cut and thrust of a casino session can be exhilarating, but at the same time, it is also easy to understand how some players develop issues regarding their gambling behaviour from time to time. Casino betting is a high octane pursuit that can be all-consuming if you have not put the appropriate defence mechanisms in place. 

As a result, it is with a certain amount of pride that I can point out that many of the reviews that have been posted to this site in recent months have as much focus on the levels of player protections that casinos offer as they do on the promotions that are advertised there. Like most forms of consumption, finding a good balance between these issues is often the most appropriate outcome to achieve. 

We also go to great lengths to point out that in 99% of cases the house will win. There is absolutely no reason why you cannot attempt to be the ‘1%’, but with a sense of realism, we like to point out that turning over a profit at any online casino is a difficult thing to achieve. 

The fact that we like to dwell on many of the negative connotations regarding the iGaming industry, highlights that we are not here just to make money, but to make you think hard before embarking on your next tie-up with an NZ casino operator.

Who writes these reviews and why you can rely on them?

The content team at casinos.win is formed of a small group of individuals who are passionate about casinos. Just as we would be cheering you on if we were seated at your table in a land-based venue, we wish you the best of luck with your online pursuits. 

To aid your quest we like to ensure that everything is in your favour to succeed. To do this, we like to point you in the direction of the safest casinos, with the best offers and the most effective forms of player protection. 

We can do this because all of our team has a long association with the casino industry. 

We know when something doesn’t look right. If this situation ever arises, we will be the first to tell you. 

Also know when a promotion is too good to pass up on. 

In our experience, casinos are sometimes fallible, and they do sometimes give a little bit more cash away than they perhaps should! 

But, that is exactly why we are here. 

Passing on our knowledge of the casino industry in New Zealand is our reason for being.

Ensuring that the information that you will find at casinos.win has a unique perspective of the online casino industry in New Zealand. 

Online Casino Reviews FAQS