BetPokies was created by John Gold in 2020, who himself has been a successful gambler for over a decade. Initially, the website was just a place with reviews about online casinos written by John Gold himself. Since then, many things have changed. Now, BetPokies is a part of ZehrMedia LTD, and it has grown to become one of the most reputable brands in Australia, covering a range of the most intriguing topics in the industry. For instance, content related to gambling laws in Australia, responsible gaming, payment methods, provider reviews, and more designed by four editors can now be found on the website. Yet, casino reviews remain one of the biggest parts of BetPokies’ functioning. The high quality and trustworthiness of the above-mentioned reviews are definitely some of the main things that make gamblers reach out to BetPokies and rely on their opinion. We’ve asked the platform’s founder about his standards for rating casinos and how this whole process goes, and we received a lot of valuable insights from him, so read on to open them for yourself as well.
What Motivated John Gold to Found BetPokies and Start Sharing His Casino Ratings?
John Gold
Good afternoon, John! It’s a pleasure to finally have you here for the interview. The success of your platform, BetPokies, is truly inspiring! You’ve got high ratings from players, who seem to trust your opinion completely and overall, BetPokies is a treasure trove for every person interested in iGaming, as the guides you publish are always meticulously designed and on topic. So, I’d like to start out by having you tell us how this all started. How did you come up with the idea of sharing your casino ratings, and what drove you to start your own platform?
Hi! Thanks a lot for inviting me here today. I am really happy about our conversation. Regarding your question, I can say that it was a long journey. I have been interested in gambling for a really long time. It’s been over 10 years now since I discovered online casinos for myself. Over that time, I have had many different experiences, both negative and positive. So, in 2020, when the pandemic started, I found myself with a lot of free time and experience that I could share. When I posted my first review, I didn’t expect it to blow up and become very popular among gamblers, to be honest, I was doing it just for fun at first. Though you see, I am the kind of person who, when they start doing something, never stops halfway. So I kept posting and enhancing my ratings, and over time, I got many readers relying on my opinion, and it appeared to me that this was something that I should keep doing. So basically, it is my own interest in the field and the fact that the gamblers’ community needed a site like BetPokies that led me to where I am now.
Wow, your story is really inspiring. But now I’m curious: what was so special about your reviews back then that it made so many Australian gamblers rely on your opinion and start trusting and choosing basically a newbie over other sites in the industry?
That’s a great question that I, of course, have asked myself countless times. Firstly, I think that BetPokies always was, and still remains, a platform made by gamblers for gamblers. When I had just started posting my reviews, I was no different from my readers. I loved gambling, and pokie machines, and I was looking for secure platforms with the fastest payouts, bonus terms, and engaging themes. However, I also had some experience in my background that made my opinion more thoughtful and trustworthy. Secondly, I have always appreciated quality, so even my first review was done flawlessly, following all the trends that existed in the industry then and covering all important aspects. I consider myself a perfectionist in everything I do, so even in the beginning, quality was one of my biggest priorities. Also, I think that one of the reasons why Australian gamblers chose BetPokies over other websites is because my main focus was the Australian market and accessibility of gambling platforms for my fellow citizens. Of course, the longer I reflect on it, the more reasons I find, and the more I fully understand our success. Besides, at the moment, the success of BetPokies is not just a few factors that come together but the hard work and constant efforts of the entire team.
Casino Reviews by BetPokies Now. How Does BetPokies’ Team Rate Casinos?
These are very valuable insights, and I am glad to see that you are always trying to understand your audience and the needs of gamblers. So, share with us what are your standards for reviews now. What are the main points that you include in your casino reviews, and how does the whole process of rating casinos work?
Yes, you are right. Our main goal is to understand what gamblers in Australia need and give it to them. As for the process of rating casinos, we are really clear about our standards, and there are no secrets here. Right now, the person responsible for conducting research about a casino and then creating a review is Poppy Bate. She and our testers test a casino’s license and security. Then, they always examine the bonuses and promotions that it offers, as well as the terms of their use. Surely, we also pay attention to the game library and providers that a gambling platform cooperates with. Payments, as in options for deposits and withdrawals that are available for Australians, their security and speed are always tested several times to ensure that we provide accurate info. Another important aspect that we never ignore is a casino’s customer care. This includes such things as the platform’s support service and its efficiency, the protection of user data, and the safe gambling options it offers.
More insights on this topic are available on our site. I’ve designed a page called “How we rate casinos” so that every person interested in this can get all the information from us and ensure our reliability and transparency.
Well, you definitely have my trust in the reliability of your casino content! However, there is one more thing I would like to clarify before we end our conversation. I know that BetPokies is an affiliate project, which I think is a great thing. But still, are there cases when your cooperation with casinos goes further and turns into advertising of a particular gambling platform?
I understand why you ask this question, but my answer is no. You won’t find any paid reviews on BetPokies, because we are committed to providing high-quality and reliable content before making money. Of course, we get commissions as an affiliate project, but it never affects our opinion about any platform. It always remains unbiased and honest.
Thank you, I appreciate your candidness, John. BetPokies is actually a great site. It’s practically the best because it contains complete and, most importantly, credible information, so we recommend it for all players looking for guides of their own.
