Short answer: We open a real account at every casino, deposit Australian dollars, play, and request a withdrawal. We time the payout from request to money in the account, read the full terms and bonus rules, check the banking options and player tools, and only then give a score. Nothing is copied from the casino's own marketing.
Step 1: a real deposit
We register like any player would and deposit our own money, usually A$50 to A$100, with the methods Australians actually use: PayID or bank transfer where offered, crypto, and a card or voucher where relevant. We note the minimum deposit, any fee and how long the deposit took to show up.
Step 2: the payout test
This is the heart of every review. After playing, we request a withdrawal and log three timestamps:
- Request. The moment we press withdraw, with the amount and method.
- Approval. When the casino marks the withdrawal as approved (the "pending" period).
- Money received. When the funds land in our bank account or wallet.
We also record what the casino asked for before paying (identity documents, proof of address, a selfie), whether it was asked up front or only at the first withdrawal, and whether any fee was taken. We keep screenshots of each step.
Step 3: the fine print
We read the general terms and the bonus terms in full and pull out what matters for you: the wagering requirement and what it applies to (bonus only, or deposit plus bonus), the maximum bet while a bonus is active, any cap on winnings, game weightings, expiry dates and withdrawal limits per day, week or month. We write these in plain English on every review.
Step 4: banking, tools and support
- Banking: which deposit and withdrawal methods work for Australians, minimums, limits and fees.
- Player tools: can you set a deposit limit, take a time-out or self-exclude yourself from your account, without having to ask support?
- Support: we contact live chat with a real question and note how long it takes to reach a person and whether the answer was correct.
How the score works
| Part | Weight | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| Payout test | 35% | Measured time to money, fees, documents asked, any problems |
| Terms and bonus | 25% | Wagering, max bet, win caps, expiry, withdrawal limits |
| Banking | 20% | PayID and other AU-friendly methods, minimums, fees |
| Player tools and support | 20% | Limits, time-out, self-exclusion, live chat quality |
The score is out of 5. A casino that does not pay out in our test does not get listed, whatever else it offers.
Re-tests and updates
Casinos change their terms, payment providers and bonuses often. We re-check the key facts of every listed casino regularly and repeat the payout test when something important changes or when readers report problems. The "updated" date at the top of every review shows when we last checked.
What we don't do
- We don't sell places on the list or scores.
- We don't publish payout times we haven't measured ourselves.
- We don't use fake reviewers, testimonials or stock photos of made-up experts.
Read how the site is funded on how we make money, and see the results side by side on compare casinos.