Key facts
- We check six criteria: licence and safety, terms, banking, responsible gambling tools, support and games.
- Facts come from each site's own cashier, terms and help pages, read on the date shown on the page.
- The SFS Score will rate full reviews on these criteria; until a review is published, the top list shows 'Test in progress'.
- The order of our top list is set by our editors, and commercial relationships can influence it.
- We never present a desk check as a hands-on test.
Contents
How do we look at an online pokies site?
We look at every online pokies site against the same six criteria, weighted so that what can cost you money counts most.
| Criterion | Weight in the SFS Score | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and safety | 25% | The company and licence named in the site's footer, checked on the regulator's register; security, identity checks and the complaints route |
| Terms fairness | 20% | Bonus wagering, maximum bet, maximum cashout, expiry, withdrawal rules, discretionary clauses |
| Banking and withdrawals | 20% | AUD accounts, PayID and crypto for withdrawals, limits, fees, stated processing times |
| Responsible gambling tools | 15% | Deposit limits, time-outs, reality checks, self-exclusion in the account |
| Customer support | 10% | Channels, hours, and whether answers match the written terms |
| Pokies and games | 10% | Named providers, RTP information in game rules, demo availability |
Why this order?
Who runs a site, its terms and its banking decide whether you can get your money out, so together they carry 65% of the score. Account tools come next because they protect you when play stops being fun. A large game library cannot make up for a withdrawal clause that lets a site keep winnings.
How do we use these criteria today?
Full reviews with an SFS Score are being written. Until a site's review is published, our top list shows "Test in progress" for that site instead of a score, and our guides explain what to check yourself, with checklists on pages such as fast payout casinos and online casinos in Australia.
How is the top list order set?
The order of the top list is set by our editors. We are paid commission by some operators, and those commercial relationships can influence which sites we list and their position. We state this next to every top list and in our affiliate disclosure. Commission never changes the facts in a guide.
Desk checks and hands-on tests
A desk check uses the site's own cashier, terms and help pages. A hands-on test means we opened an account and tested deposits, verification, withdrawals, support and account tools, and recorded the dates. We never present a desk check as a hands-on test.
Frequently asked questions
What is the SFS Score?
The SFS Score is the score we will give each site once its full review is published, based on the weighted criteria on this page. Until then, the top list shows 'Test in progress' instead of a score.
Who decides the order of the top list?
Our editors set the order. Commercial relationships with operators can influence which sites appear and where, which is why we say so next to the list and in our affiliate disclosure.
Do you test every site with real money?
Not yet. Where we have not made a dated hands-on test, our information comes from the site's own terms, cashier and help pages, and we do not claim otherwise.