How We Review Casinos and Pokies
Every casino on PokiesLAB goes through the same process. If a test is still running when a review goes live, the review says so, and we update it when the result is in. This page sets that process out in full, so you can judge our rankings for yourself rather than taking them on trust.
What we actually do
We open a real account at every casino we review, verify it the way a player would, deposit our own money and play. Then we request a withdrawal and time it, from the moment we press the button to the moment the money lands.
That last step is the one most review sites skip, and it’s the one that matters most. A bonus is only worth something if you can get your winnings out, and the only way to know how a casino handles withdrawals is to make one.
What we check
Licensing. Who licenses the casino and whether that regulator actually handles player complaints. Licences are not equal: some regulators investigate disputes, others don’t respond.
Withdrawals. Measured payout time, minimum and maximum withdrawal, monthly caps, fees, and which payment methods work for withdrawals rather than only for deposits.
Bonus terms. The real wagering requirement behind the headline number, game weighting, maximum bet while wagering, maximum cash-out, and expiry. We convert every welcome offer into what it actually asks you to stake before you can withdraw.
Payments. Which Australian methods work (PayID, POLi, Neosurf, cards, crypto), in which direction, and how fast.
Pokies. How many titles, from which studios, and whether the Aristocrat, IGT and Ainsworth games Australians look for are actually available or only advertised.
Support. We contact support with a real question about withdrawals and note how long a human takes to answer, and whether the answer is useful.
Terms changes. Whether the casino publishes changes to its terms, or rewrites them quietly mid-promotion.