Our Editorial Policy and Quality Standards
New Game Network has spent 15+ years covering video games with a methodology readers can trust.
We apply the same rigor to our casino, poker, and sportsbook coverage. This page explains exactly how we evaluate the sites we recommend – what we test, how we score, and why commercial interests are never allowed to influence our verdicts.
Our Team
Our casino, poker, and sportsbook reviews are written by experienced gambling journalists, including former industry insiders, former live dealer croupiers, and long-time betting writers.
They work alongside the editorial team that’s been covering games at New Game Network since 2009, bringing the same hands-on standards we’ve applied to video games for over a decade. Reviewer profiles are available on our staff page.
All reviewers operate independently. No casino, poker site, or sportsbook has any input into the content or outcome of a review, nor do we tell our reviewers what to write at any point.
Editorial Independence
New Game Network participates in affiliate programs. When you sign up to a casino or sportsbook through one of our links, we may receive a commission at no cost to you.
This revenue keeps the site running. It does not influence our rankings, scores, or recommendations. Sites don’t pay us to be featured, and no operator can purchase a favorable review. If a site has problems, we say so; the same way we always have with video games.
How We Choose Which Sites to Test
Before any hands-on testing begins, we build our shortlist the way a newspaper builds a source list – by going where the players actually are.
Our reporters travel to each country we cover, talk to locals about where they genuinely play, and pull candidates from real player behavior rather than operator marketing or search-ranking lists.
Only once that shortlist is finalized does the testing process below begin.
What We Evaluate
We don’t take any casino claims at face value. We sign up, deposit, play, and cash out, every time. If something feels off at any point – clunky UX, slow payouts, buried terms – we note it and share it with you.
Everything gets graded across the same six areas – the things that actually affect your experience once real money is involved.
Our Review Categories
Account Creation and Verification
Registration is one of the first indicators of how an operator treats its users. We look at how much information is requested at sign-up, how clearly the process is explained, and whether identity checks are handled in a way that feels proportionate and transparent. If verification becomes confusing, inconsistent, or needlessly obstructive, that is reflected in the review.
Game Library and Software
We look past the “3,000+ games” claim and check what’s actually there. Which providers are included, how often new titles show up, and whether the selection is balanced or just padded with filler. For poker, that means traffic, table variety, and game formats. For sportsbooks, it’s market depth, bet types, and whether the odds are actually good. As part of this process, hands-on testing is carried out with a real-money budget typically ranging from $50 to $300.
Bonuses and Promotions
Most offers look good at first glance. That’s the point. They’re intended to get you to sign up, but that doesn’t mean the rewards are actually rewarding. We break down what you actually have to do to earn them, including the wagering requirements, game restrictions, expiry windows, and withdrawal caps you have to navigate. If a bonus is “big” but hard to clear, it’s basically useless – and we’ll call that out.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Getting money on the site is easy everywhere. Getting it off the site is another story. We check payment methods, limits, and actual processing times (not just the times they advertise). We also look at how verification is handled. If KYC shows up late and slows everything down, that’s a red flag.
User Experience
We use each site on desktop and mobile like a normal player would. Finding games, placing bets, moving money, managing an account – all of it. If navigation is messy, pages lag, or key features are buried, it adds friction. We don’t like friction.
Customer Support
We don’t assume support works. We actually talk to the reps and put them to the test. That means reaching out through live chat, email, and phone (when available) with basic questions any legit operator should be able to answer. We’re looking at response time, accuracy, and whether the answers actually help.
Licensing and Security
This is non-negotiable. We verify licensing with recognized regulators and check for standard security practices. If a site can’t clearly show it’s legit, it doesn’t get recommended, regardless of how good anything else looks.
How We Score
Each category is assessed individually before we arrive at an overall rating. We do not average the category scores mathematically; for example, a site that excels in five areas but has a fundamentally broken withdrawal process will not score well overall, regardless of what the numbers suggest.
Our overall ratings work as follows:
Overall Rating Scale
How Often We Update the Reviews
The online gambling industry moves fast. Operators change their bonus structures, update their game libraries, and even lose their licenses.
That’s why we re-evaluate our reviews on a rolling basis, with a full reassessment of top-ranked sites every two months. If a significant change occurs between scheduled reviews – a licensing issue, a major policy change, a pattern of player complaints – we update immediately.
Every review displays its most recent update date so readers know how current the information is.
