Last updated: May 2026 — Lachlan Greer, Thecrayonfields
At Thecrayonfields, every review you read is built on a foundation of genuine, hands-on testing. Lachlan Greer, the owner and lead reviewer at thecrayonfields.com, personally signs up, deposits real money, plays real pokies, and contacts customer support before a single word is written. This page explains exactly how that process works and how we arrive at every score we publish.
Australian players deserve honest, independent information before trusting an online casino with their money. There are hundreds of pokies sites competing for your attention in 2026, and not all of them deserve it. Our structured methodology exists to cut through the marketing noise and give you a clear, comparable picture of what each platform actually delivers in the real world.
Before any rating is assigned, Lachlan Greer follows a consistent, repeatable process for every site under review:
Each site is scored across six key categories. The final score is a weighted average out of 10, reflecting how much each factor matters to Australian real-money pokie players.
| Category | Weighting | What We Assess |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and Safety | 25% | Valid gambling licence, SSL encryption, responsible gambling tools, fairness certifications, and data protection practices |
| Bonuses and Promotions | 20% | Welcome offer value, wagering requirements, game contribution rates, time limits, and ongoing promotions for existing players |
| Game Selection | 20% | Number and variety of pokies titles, software providers represented, progressive jackpots, RTPs, and demo play availability |
| Payment Methods | 15% | AUD support, available deposit and withdrawal options, processing times, minimum and maximum limits, and fee transparency |
| Customer Support | 10% | Availability hours, response speed, channel variety, and the accuracy and helpfulness of the answers provided |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Browser-based performance, dedicated app quality where applicable, game availability on mobile, and ease of navigation on smaller screens |
All sites are scored on a scale of 1 to 10, with the final number representing the weighted total across all six categories.
Independence is central to everything we do at Thecrayonfields. Lachlan Greer operates this site independently and is not employed by, financially controlled by, or in any exclusive commercial arrangement with any casino operator. While the site may earn affiliate commissions when readers click through to a recommended casino, those commissions never influence the scores assigned. Sites that perform poorly are reviewed honestly and rated accordingly, regardless of any commercial relationship. Casino operators are not given the opportunity to review, approve, or alter our content before it is published. Our readers come first, always.
The online pokies landscape in Australia changes quickly. Licences lapse, bonus terms are updated, and new games are added regularly. Lachlan revisits published reviews on a rolling basis to ensure that the information you read on thecrayonfields.com reflects the current state of each site, not what it looked like twelve months ago.
If you have questions about our methodology or want to suggest a site for review, you are welcome to get in touch directly through the contact page.