In short
- I compare casinos only on facts a reader can check: who runs them, which licence they hold, the terms as written, payments, limits and what players report.
- I rank sources from regulator records down to affiliate pages, and I never let a weaker source overrule a stronger one.
- Every figure carries a source and a date; where sources disagree, I show each figure instead of picking one.
- I do not deposit, play or withdraw for these guides, and I do not give casinos a score of my own.
Why I wrote this page
When I started researching King Johnnie, almost every page I found contradicted the next one: different owners, different licence numbers, four different welcome offers. I decided the only honest way to compare casinos was to write down exactly how I decide what is true, and to apply the same rules to every brand on this site. This page is that rulebook. The King Johnnie research itself, step by step, is on how I researched King Johnnie.
What I compare, and why
I compare every casino on the same eight criteria, in this order. The order reflects what protects a player most when something goes wrong.
| # | Criterion | What I look for | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operator | A named company with a registration number | If you cannot name the company, you cannot complain about it |
| 2 | Licence | A licence number that appears on the regulator’s own register, with the casino’s domain listed | A licence you cannot look up protects nobody |
| 3 | Australian position | ACMA blocking records, AUD accounts, whether the casino targets Australians | Decides whether the site will load and how payments behave |
| 4 | Withdrawals | Caps per day, week and month, minimums, reported payout times, verification rules | The point where most disputes start |
| 5 | Bonus terms | Wagering and its base, bet cap, deadline, max cashout, codes | Decides what a bonus is actually worth |
| 6 | Payments | Methods for deposit and withdrawal, PayID, crypto, fees | Practical fit for Australian players |
| 7 | Reputation | Regulator actions, complaint records, Trustpilot and review-site scores, with sample sizes | Shows how the casino behaves under pressure |
| 8 | Games and extras | Lobby size, studios, sportsbook, cashback, tournaments | Matters only once the first seven are acceptable |
I do not turn these into a single score. A weighted number would hide exactly the trade-offs a reader needs to see, such as PayID at a casino whose licence cannot be checked.
Where my facts come from
I rank sources by how close they are to the thing they describe. A lower tier never overrules a higher one.
| Tier | Source | Example | How I use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regulator records and announcements | Curaçao Gaming Authority licence register, ACMA blocking announcements | Treated as fact, with the date I read it |
| 2 | The casino’s own published terms | Footer, T&Cs, bonus terms, cashier | Treated as the casino’s claim, checked against tier 1 |
| 3 | Established review and complaint sites | Casino Guru, LCB, AskGamblers, Trustpilot | Reported figures, always attributed by name |
| 4 | Independent reviews and aggregators | CasinoAudit, independent Australian review sites | Reported figures, flagged when they disagree |
| 5 | Affiliate and promotional pages | ”King Johnnie Australia” style pages | Used only to show the range of claims, never as the only source |
When a casino’s own site will not load for me, as happened with King Johnnie and Winberry, I say so on the page and rely on tiers 1, 3 and 4.
How I grade every fact
Each figure on this site falls into one of four grades. The grade decides how I word it.
| Grade | Meaning | How I write it |
|---|---|---|
| Checkable | On a regulator record or the casino’s own terms | Stated plainly, with the source |
| Reported | From a named review or complaint site | ”Casino Guru shows…”, “CasinoAudit lists…” |
| Unclear | Two or more sources disagree | Every figure shown, with its source |
| Not confirmed | Claimed somewhere, no way to check | ”I could not confirm…” or “Not confirmed” in tables |
In comparison tables I mark these with ticks, crosses and question marks, so you can see at a glance which cells are solid and which are not.
How I handle conflicting sources
- I never average. If one review says A$5,000 a week and another says A$10,000, the page says “A$5,000 to A$10,000 a week, by source”, not A$7,500.
- The newer, closer source wins when it is clearly better. A regulator record beats a review; a dated review beats an undated one.
- If nothing wins, I show the range and tell you to check the cashier before you deposit.
- I note conversions. Terms published in euros or Canadian dollars are converted to A$ at a stated rate and date, and the note sits under the table.
How I chose the casinos I compare
I start from what Australians search for next to the brand, using Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends for Australia. Then I look for casinos that fix a specific weak point of the brand people are leaving: a checkable licence, a named operator, AUD accounts or a sportsbook. A casino stays on the list only if I can name its operator and licence. If its Australian access is unconfirmed, as with Winberry, it is marked “checking” in every table.
My research log
| Casino | Last checked | Main sources | Still open |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Johnnie | 3 November 2026 | ACMA (February 2021), Casino Guru, CasinoAudit, independent AU review, BetSquare, Trustpilot | Operator, licence number, live welcome offer, current weekly cap |
| Aerobet | 21–27 October 2026 | Footer licence, LCB, AskGamblers, Trustpilot | Max bet with a bonus |
| Winberry | 21–27 October 2026 | LCB, Trustpilot, review sites (Canadian terms) | Australian access and AUD terms |
| MateSlots | 21–27 October 2026 | Curaçao licence record OGL/2024/161/0191, TrueBlueCasinos, LCB | PayID, which wagering figure (35x or 40x) is current |
How often I re-check
I re-check every casino at least once a month, and straight away when a regulator acts, a casino changes its offer or a reader reports a change. Every page shows its “checked” date under the title, and the research log above is updated at the same time. When a figure changes, the newer source replaces the old one and the page notes it.
What I never do
- Deposit, play or withdraw for these guides, or claim that I did.
- Give a casino a score or star rating of my own, or invent player numbers, tests or quotes.
- Publish mirror or “new link” addresses, or advise on VPNs or getting around ACMA blocks.
- Let affiliate links change the order of facts or a verdict. How the site is paid for is explained on the about page.
18+ only. Online casinos cannot be licensed in Australia; every casino on this page is an offshore operator. Set a deposit limit before you play and never chase losses. Free, confidential help 24/7: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 or gamblinghelponline.org.au.
