Editorial Policy
Donald | August 26, 2026 | Updated on: August 26th, 2026
This Editorial Policy explains how Casino Scout produces, reviews, and updates the content on CasinoScout.io, and the standards every review has to meet before it goes live. Our goal is simple: give Australian players honest, accurate information about online casinos, regardless of which operators pay us a commission. This page also covers how we handle conflicts of interest, sourcing, and the people responsible for what we publish.
Policy Owner and Review Cadence
Donald Duggan, Editor-in-Chief, owns this Editorial Policy and is responsible for enforcing it across all content on CasinoScout.io. We review this policy quarterly, or sooner if our editorial practices or gambling regulations change.
Our Core Commitments
Everything we publish is built on four commitments:
- Independence: ratings and rankings are never influenced by commercial relationships.
- Accuracy: we check licensing, bonus terms, and payment details before publishing, and correct errors quickly when they’re found.
- Transparency: we clearly label sponsored content and disclose how we make money.
- Responsibility: we promote safe, legal gambling and never target underage or vulnerable readers.
Editorial Independence
Editorial independence (a commitment that money from operators doesn’t change how we rate or rank them) governs every review, comparison, and ranking on this site. Casinos cannot pay to receive a higher rating, and no advertiser or sponsor has editorial control over article content, scores, or rankings.
The specific criteria we use are set out on our How We Rate Casinos page. That page is currently in development; once published, it will be linked here.
Separation from Advertising and Sponsorship
Casino Scout earns affiliate commission when players sign up through links on this site, but that arrangement is kept separate from editorial decisions. Any sponsored or paid placement is clearly labelled as “Sponsored” or “Paid Partnership” wherever it appears, so readers can tell the difference between our independent reviews and paid content. You can read more about how our affiliate relationships work on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
Our Content Standards
| Standard | Our Approach |
|---|---|
| Content types published | Casino reviews, bonus and promotion guides, game guides, comparison and “best of” lists, and general how-to content for Australian players. |
| Tone and style | Clear, plain-English, and free of hype; we avoid guaranteeing wins and don’t use pressure tactics like fake countdowns. |
| Review process | Every page is drafted by one writer and checked by a second person before publishing, covering licensing, bonus terms, and payment details. |
| Update cadence | Casino reviews and bonus details are checked quarterly, or sooner if a casino changes its terms, licence, or ownership. |
| Conflicts-of-interest handling | Any writer with a personal or financial connection to a casino recuses themselves from reviewing it (see our Conflict-of-Interest Process below). |
| Diversity and inclusivity | Content is written to be accessible to Australian players of all backgrounds; casinos and games are assessed on the same criteria regardless of who operates them. |
| Originality | All content is written specifically for CasinoScout.io; we don’t duplicate other sites or republish press releases as reviews. |
| AI-use disclosure | AI tools may assist with early drafts or research summaries, but every published page is written, fact-checked, and approved by a named member of our editorial team before it goes live. |
Sourcing and Fact-Checking
We prioritise information straight from the source: casino terms and conditions, licensing regulator databases, and official payment provider pages, rather than relying on other review sites or press releases. Where regulatory information is relevant, we link to the relevant regulator so players can verify details themselves.
Conflict-of-Interest Process
If a member of our editorial team has a personal or financial interest in a casino, for example if they’ve previously worked for the operator or hold a financial stake, they must disclose it to Donald Duggan, our Editor-in-Chief, before writing about that casino. Donald then reassigns the review to another writer or, if that’s not possible, steps back from approving it and asks another senior team member to sign off instead.
Our Team
CasinoScout.io’s content is written and reviewed by David Flack, Donald Duggan, and Daniel Kim. You can read more about each person’s role on our About Us page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Us
Who is responsible for CasinoScout.io’s Editorial Policy?
Donald Duggan, our Editor-in-Chief, owns this policy and is responsible for enforcing it across all published content.
Can a casino pay for a better review or ranking?
No. Editorial independence means no casino can pay for a higher rating, and sponsored content is always labelled separately from our independent reviews.
How often do you update your reviews?
We check casino reviews and bonus information quarterly, or sooner if a casino changes its terms or licensing.
Do you use AI to write your content?
AI tools may assist with early drafts or research, but every page is written, fact-checked, and approved by a named member of our editorial team before publishing.
What happens if a writer has a conflict of interest?
They must disclose it and are reassigned away from that casino, following our Conflict-of-Interest Process above.