Who We Are
Casino enthusiasts who got tired of dodgy reviews and decided to do something about it.
Why We Started This Site
Here's the thing about casino review sites: most of them are garbage.
They slap together some generic content, list whatever casinos pay the highest commission, and call it a day. They've never deposited a cent at the casinos they recommend. They definitely haven't tried to withdraw. And when you get stung by a rogue operator? They're nowhere to be found.
We started Best Online Pokies because we were sick of this. As Aussie players ourselves, we'd been burned too many times. Promised "instant withdrawals" that took three weeks. Bonuses with 80x wagering and $50 max bet rules buried in page 47 of the terms. Customer support that responds with copy-paste answers that don't address your question.
So we decided to build the resource we wish existed when we started playing. A site where every recommendation comes from actual experience. Where the good stuff AND the bad stuff gets reported. Where you can trust that if we say a casino is legit, it's because we've successfully withdrawn real money from it.
How We're Different
Anyone can write a casino review from press releases. Here's what we actually do:
We Create Real Accounts
Every casino gets signed up from scratch. Same experience you'd have. No VIP reviewer accounts with special treatment.
We Run the Withdrawal Gauntlet
Deposit → Play → Win (sometimes) → Withdraw → Verify → Cash out. The full cycle. If anything goes wrong, we document it.
We Actually Read the T&Cs
Yes, all of them. The boring bits about max bet, the game restrictions, the withdrawal limits, the clauses they hope you'll ignore.
We Update When Things Change
Casinos change. Sometimes they get better, sometimes they get worse. Our reviews aren't "set and forget" – we revisit and update.
Does this mean our reviews are perfect? No. The gambling industry moves fast, and sometimes casinos that were great go rogue overnight. But we catch up quick, and when something changes, we update our recommendations.
What We Believe
Transparency Over Commissions
Yes, we earn commissions when you sign up through our links. That's how this site pays for itself. But here's the key difference: we don't recommend casinos BECAUSE they pay us well. We recommend casinos because they're genuinely good, and then we negotiate commission deals with them afterwards. Big difference.
Your Money, Your Decision
We give you information. You make the call. We're not here to tell you which casino is "best" in some absolute sense – the best casino depends on what YOU want. Fast withdrawals? Massive bonus? Specific game providers? Different priorities, different recommendations.
Gambling Should Be Fun
If it's not fun anymore, don't do it. Seriously. We're massive advocates for responsible gambling tools, bankroll management, and knowing when to step away. The house always wins in the long run – play for entertainment, not income.
Our Commitment
Every casino we recommend has passed our testing process. We've deposited, we've played, and we've successfully withdrawn. If we ever get reports of a casino going bad, we investigate immediately and update our rankings accordingly.
About the Author
Michael Chen
Michael Chen spent 15 years in fintech before discovering that online casinos were more interesting than banking apps. Now based in Sydney, he combines his analytical background with a genuine love of pokies to help fellow Aussies navigate the offshore casino landscape. He's personally tested over 200 casinos, completed countless withdrawals, and read more T&Cs than any sane person should. When not reviewing casinos, you'll find him at the local RSL proving that live pokies are somehow even more addictive than the online versions.