Our Writing Rules

Our articles cover a subject where readers can lose real money, so we hold ourselves to a short list of writing rules. They apply to every new article and to every update of an older one. We publish them here so readers can hold us to them.

1. Say how the product makes money

Any article about a casino game, betting market, poker format or lottery must explain, somewhere a reader will actually see it, how the operator earns its margin. A slot article mentions return to player, a betting article mentions the vig, a poker article mentions the rake, and a lottery article mentions that only part of ticket sales comes back as prizes.

2. Only figures a reader can verify

We use numbers that come from published game rules or from arithmetic we show on the page. We do not invent statistics, survey results, studies or quotes, and we do not round a figure to make it sound more dramatic. Where a number varies between games or operators, such as a slot's RTP, we say so instead of presenting one value as universal. Our article on how to play Texas Hold'em shows the kind of simple card maths we are comfortable publishing.

3. No winning promises

Headlines and body text must not suggest that a strategy, timing trick or system guarantees profit. Phrases that hint at easy money are edited out. Where a game involves skill, as poker does, we are honest that short-term luck still dominates and that the house takes its cut regardless.

4. Promotions come with their conditions

When an article mentions free spins, free bets, deposit matches or loyalty schemes, it also mentions the conditions that usually come with them: wagering requirements, minimum odds, expiry dates and withdrawal limits.

5. A responsible-play line in every real-money article

Each article about real-money gambling includes a reminder about age limits and budgets. We vary the wording so it reads as part of the article rather than as a stamp, but it is always there.

6. Plain language

Jargon is explained the first time it appears. We prefer short sentences, worked examples and tables over long paragraphs of theory. If a term has several names, such as parlay and accumulator, we give both.

7. Independence

Operators and game studios do not review or approve our articles before publication. The size of a bonus or the size of an advertising budget never changes what we write about a product's cost or risks.

8. Pen names, no invented credentials

Our writers publish under pen names and do not claim titles or qualifications they do not hold. The value of an article should come from its clarity and accuracy, not from a claimed authority.

9. Keep it current

Gambling rules and formats change. When we learn that an article is out of date, we update it and follow our corrections promise.