How We Rate Casinos

At michaelgeedrick.com, every online casino and pokies site we review goes through the same rigorous, hands-on evaluation process. Our team signs up, deposits real money, plays the games, claims the bonuses, and requests withdrawals before we publish a single score. In 2026, with more offshore casinos targeting Australian players than ever, transparency in how we rate sites matters. Below is exactly how we assess each casino — in order of importance.

1. Licensing & Regulation

A valid gambling licence is non-negotiable — it's the single most important factor in our reviews. We verify every licence directly with the issuing regulator and prioritise casinos holding credentials from tier-one authorities such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Curaçao-licensed casinos are reviewed but scored more cautiously, as oversight and player dispute resolution tend to be weaker.

For Australian players, we pay close attention to how a casino's licensing status interacts with the Interactive Gambling Act. Offshore operators serving AU players carry inherent regulatory risk, and we clearly flag this in every review. Casinos with any form of locally recognised authorisation or a strong compliance track record score higher. Unlicensed sites are never recommended, regardless of how attractive their bonuses appear.

2. Game Selection & Software Providers

Aussie players love their pokies, so game libraries are weighted heavily in our scoring. We assess:

A casino with 5,000 low-quality games will always rate below one with 1,500 titles from reputable, independently audited providers.

3. Bonus Terms & Wagering Requirements

A big headline bonus means nothing if the fine print makes it impossible to clear. We read the full terms and conditions of every welcome offer, free spins package, and ongoing promotion, evaluating:

We reward casinos with fair, clearly written T&Cs and penalise those that bury predatory clauses in the fine print.

4. Payment Methods & Withdrawal Speed

Fast, reliable payouts are critical for Australian players. We deposit and withdraw using multiple methods at every casino we test, and score based on:

5. Customer Support

When something goes wrong with a deposit or withdrawal, support quality makes all the difference. We test each casino's support team with real queries at different times of day, assessing:

6. Mobile Experience

Most Aussie players spin pokies on their phones, so mobile performance is tested on both iOS and Android devices. We evaluate:

7. Responsible Gaming Tools

Player safety is a core part of every review. We verify that casinos provide functional, easy-to-access responsible gambling tools, including:

Casinos that make these tools hard to find — or that encourage players to reverse withdrawals — receive significant score deductions.

8. Our Rating Scale

Each criterion above contributes to a weighted overall score out of 10, with licensing, game quality, and bonus fairness carrying the most weight. Here's what our scores mean:

All reviews on michaelgeedrick.com are revisited and updated regularly, because a casino's quality can change. If a site's standards slip, so does its score.

Gamble responsibly. 18+ only. If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, contact Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 — free, confidential, 24/7.