I work as a gambling analyst in Australia reviewing online casinos and pokes available to Australian players. I put the small print of a bonus into easy to understand numbers, time withdrawals with a stopwatch, and keep an active log of spins to see how the games perform in comparison to what is advertised in a brochure. Anything that I didn't capture via a screen shot, timestamped, or written in a test log will not make the page.
Last updated: 29 Aug 2025
MY SCOPE
• Bonuses: How the wagering works, maximum value a player can cashout, restricted games, bonuses made void outside of a specified expiry period
• Payout speed: When funds are requested all the way through to when a customer receives the funds (timing from player request to KYC verification vs payout channel timing)
• RTP & Volatility: Where possible conducting 5,000-10,000 spin sessions, hit rate, maximum wins, cold/hot streaks
• Payments; AU to AU; PayID/bank acc, cards, vouchers, crypto; limits, fees, timeframes
• Safety; licensing, RG tools and support, privacy/data practices, complaints avenues
• Mobile/UX and support; first time onboarding experience, search/filters, first response/outcome time frame
MY METHOD (SHORT)
• Real accounts, real deposits; geolocated to AU or AU-friendly geolocation
• Fresh sessions; laiv spin settings unless noted otherwise
• Converted bonuses to comparable metrics (see “How We Test”)
• Timed withdrawals specifically T0-T4 - withdrawal requested, KYC request initiated, KYC approved, processing for funds to be sent, moment customer has funds received
• Using spin logs: bet size, number of spins, wagered/returned spins and RTP from session (return divided by wager), frequency of bonus
• Evidence over hype - every claim I make is backed up with items logged in spins or screen shots
SCORING PHILOSOPHY
Payout speed (25%), Safety & licensing (20%), Bonus value & clarity (20%), Payments for Aussies (10%), RTP/volatility evidence (10%), Mobile UX & support (15%). If terms change, scores change — no exceptions.
A FEW PERSONAL NOTES
• Pet peeve: “Live chat” that asks for an email at 2pm on a Tuesday — I call this out.
• “Max bet while wagering” traps and 0–10% contribution games get a red flag.
• Sometimes support says “3 business days” and money lands in two hours… and sometimes it doesn’t. I publish both the median and the outliers.
RECENT WORK
• Payout Speed Benchmarks 2025: AU Methods Compared (PayID vs bank vs crypto)
• Bonus “Effective Wagering” — How Hard Is Each $1 to Withdraw?
• Mobile UX Report: Lobby Speed & Game Info Completeness (Q3 2025)
• Volatility Diaries: 10k Spins on Popular AU Titles
(Links will appear here as we publish.)
METHOD & EDITORIAL STANDARDS
Full protocol: https://rickycasino.au/how-we-test
Guidelines & disclosures: https://rickycasino.au/editorial-guidelines
CONTACT
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-jonson-589607271/
• Editorial/press: use the site’s contact form (subject: “For Dean”).
TRANSPARENCY & RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING
We may earn affiliate commissions; we will never sell placements or ratings. The testing steps are the same across all brands. 18+ only. If it is no longer fun, stop and seek professional help.
SHORT BIO (for author box)
A gambling analyst based in Australia. Turns T&Cs for bonuses into numbers, runs a stopwatch on withdrawal times, and completes RTP/volatility sessions across slot spins of 5k–10k. Pro-transparency, pro-RG, no hype.