Operating in a global market can result in many tasks feeling like an uphill struggle. However, in online casino gaming, this struggle is amplified by the fact that there are so many companies in the space, all looking to make money and competing for your time and attention via their marketing strategies.
Now, just because their end game is profit doesn’t mean that they are rogue operators, far from it. Still, you do need to be careful of those sites or reviewers who are pushing you in the direction of a specific site, as these can often be used as a tactic by affiliate marketers. They’ll give an online casino a 5/5 rating, but it’s part of a layered marketing strategy to get people to the site and is not a genuine reflection of what they have to offer.
So, what’s the counterargument to this? How can New Zealand players find casino reviews that are trustworthy, fair, and are penned by people who have plenty of experience in the industry and know what they are talking about? Let’s take a look.
Review the reviewers
It’s all too easy for social media influencers or people online to claim (and make it seem) they are an expert in a topic. In so many fields, these waters have been muddied by experts, so people become suspicious of everyone and everything. It’s not a healthy environment. Although this is a problem in other industries, casino gaming falls into a different set of criteria.
Yes, there are rogue operators out there, as we mentioned in our opening. Still, the quickest and easiest way to cut through this noise is to see what people are saying about the brand or the reviewer, or to check the credentials of the person doing the review. In the age of social media, this task is not only easy but also time-efficient, helping you cut through the noise to find reliable reviewers who offer unbiased insights into how the best casinos operate.
As casino gaming is a heavily interconnected global market, casino sites in New Zealand, or at least those with a good expert rating, usually adhere to the same principles we see in top-rated international providers.
Trustworthy reviewers often work for reputable and visible casino review brands or have their credentials and accreditations linked to their website or professional social media profiles, such as their LinkedIn page. This isn’t always the case, but this should give you an idea of the sort of clues you should look for when you begin doing your research and reviewing the reviewers you come across.
Find review sites and reviewers you like
Once you’re familiar with the key variables that make a casino brand trustworthy and have confidence in experts’ opinions, you can effortlessly find their reviews directly. This way, you won’t need to spend time browsing through other sites and opinions. Generally speaking, some of the components you will find in trustworthy casino sites right across the board include:
- High-quality customer service options. This includes a range of social media, phone, and email options, as well as live chat and a complaint process if necessary.
- Strong working ties with designers who have a revered name in the industry. This showcases that they have a working agreement with big names in the sector, which often speaks to a solid long-term business strategy.
- 128-bit or 256-bit SSL encryption and firewall security on their site.
- Marketing promotions that are clear and do not overuse jargon.
- Clear and transparent links to responsible gambling pages, self-exclusion tools, time and deposit limits, and the contact numbers for problem gambling charities.
Without going into too much detail, all of these variables are the attributes you will find from a trustworthy casino brand. It shows they value their customers, they want to shield those who are at harm, and that they have plans that stretch far and beyond simply making a quick buck from the online casino world as it reaches new heights.
Listen to other casino gamers
Now, admittedly, some negative casino reviews can be a source of great amusement. You shouldn’t put all your eggs into one basket, though. It is essential to explore a range of opinions from different types of casino gamers, as only then will you be able to build an accurate picture for yourself of whether a brand is trustworthy or whether it has a lot of room for improvement.
Usually, if a site has pages of negative reviews, or they have packed comment sections on their socials from disgruntled customers telling you to avoid them, then your best bet is probably to move on to another brand.
Companies can have the most impressive interface in the world. Still, if there are cracks in their service, and people are complaining about payout speeds, poor customer service, or issues with site security or licensing, then these are enormous red flags and should not be avoided.
Final thoughts
Expert reviewers and review sites are the first port of call for Kiwis looking to find trustworthy online casino reviews. Personally, I would also say that the reviews from other gamers and dissecting the best attributes of a site are also a good call.
You might find a highly rated casino, but it could be because it offers the best range of poker tables. However, if you don’t play poker, then it’s not a review you’re going to seek out, nor is it a 5-star review you would agree with. Some casinos can specialize in games and themes that are now being used as an influence in Hollywood films, and there are plenty of other niches, such as slot-only sites and cryptocurrency platforms — the scope of this industry is colossal.
Make the most of promotions and marketing strategies, especially ones like free spins, which can provide a snippet of what an online casino has to offer, and usually in a cost-efficient way.
Once you start to get first-hand experience yourself, and combine it with what expert reviewers say, fellow gamers, and by ticking off some of the criteria we have touched on today, then you should have no problem in finding trustworthy online casino reviews. This way, you’ll be able to form opinions around what you think stands out and where brands could make improvements.
