Editorial independence
The desk is editorially independent of any operator, regulator, trade body or commercial partner. Editorial decisions are made by the desk's editorial team; no operator or partner is given advance sight of, or editorial input into, any page before publication. Where an affiliate relationship exists, it is disclosed at the point of use and does not affect editorial coverage.
Source-first reporting
The desk prefers primary sources for every claim. Where a primary source is not available, the desk either does not publish the claim or flags it as "reported, awaiting confirmation". The desk does not publish claims that cannot be supported by a primary source and does not paraphrase quotations in a way that alters their meaning.
Disclosures
The desk discloses: any affiliate relationship at the point of use, any sponsored content with a clear "Sponsored" label at the top of the page, any reviewer who has a financial interest in the platform under review, and any source that has provided materials or access in exchange for coverage. Disclosures are in plain language and visible at the point where they matter.
Corrections protocol
If a reader reports a factual error, the desk investigates within 14 days. If the report is correct, a correction is published on the affected page with the date and the nature of the change. Major corrections are also surfaced on the homepage score strip for at least 30 days. The desk does not retroactively rewrite older paragraphs to soften criticism; the original framing remains visible alongside the correction.
Image standards
The desk uses editorial photography generated under a documented brief that emphasises natural exposure, recoverable highlights, smooth tonal gradients and realistic colour. The desk rejects images with blown highlights, solarised or posterised tones, false-colour casts, crushed shadows, anatomically impossible subjects, or invented UI mockups. The desk does not use SVG illustrations or stock vectors as substitutes for editorial photography on routes that require raster imagery.
Language
The desk writes for adult readers in plain English. The desk does not use promotional framing, invented urgency, AI-generated boilerplate, or emotional hooks. The desk does not use phrases such as "this page", "this section", "in this article" or "continue reading below" because the language should not remind the reader that they are reading a website. Each page reads as an editorial article, not as a navigation element.
Limits of the editorial standard
The desk will not publish: fabricated payout figures, unverifiable bonus amounts, operator helpline numbers that the desk has not verified, parent-company names that the desk has not confirmed, licence numbers that the desk has not verified against the regulator's register, or "guaranteed-win" claims unsupported by mathematics. Where the desk is uncertain, the page either does not publish the claim or flags it as such; the desk does not paper over uncertainty with confident-sounding prose.
Reader feedback
Reader feedback is the desk's most useful source of corrections and source material. The contact page has a route for general inquiries, corrections, source-sharing and responsible-play feedback. The desk aims to respond within seven business days.
The policy in practice
Three short examples of the policy in practice. First, when the desk publishes a review of a platform with an affiliate relationship, the relationship is disclosed at the top of the review in plain language; the disclosure is not a footnote and is not behind a click. Second, when the desk publishes a news item based on a press release, the source is named and the item is flagged as "organiser-published, desk has not independently verified". Third, when the desk updates a long-form page, the update is logged on the page with the date and the nature of the change.
What the policy does not cover
The editorial policy covers editorial decisions; it does not cover operational decisions (server uptime, payment processing, customer-support responsiveness). The desk treats operational decisions as the operator's responsibility; the editorial desk's role is to describe the operator's behaviour, not to manage the operator's infrastructure.
The policy and the law
The editorial policy is a description of the desk's editorial standard; it is not a legal document and does not create a contractual relationship between the desk and the reader. The desk does not provide legal advice; readers with specific legal questions should consult a qualified lawyer in their jurisdiction.
How the policy changes
The desk updates the editorial policy when the editorial standard changes. The "Updated" line at the top of this page shows the most recent change. Material changes are also surfaced on the homepage score strip for at least 30 days.
Feedback on the policy
Readers who want to share feedback on the editorial policy are welcome to do so through the contact form. The desk treats feedback on the policy under the same standard as feedback on any other page.
A recap of the editorial policy
The editorial policy is the desk's public commitment to independence, source-first reporting, plain disclosure and the limits of the editorial standard. The desk treats the policy as part of the editorial standard; the methodology page describes the operational details that put the policy into practice.
The policy in practice
Three short examples of the policy in practice. First, when the desk publishes a review of a platform with an affiliate relationship, the relationship is disclosed at the top of the review in plain language; the disclosure is not a footnote and is not behind a click. Second, when the desk publishes a news item based on a press release, the source is named and the item is flagged as "organiser-published, desk has not independently verified". Third, when the desk updates a long-form page, the update is logged on the page with the date and the nature of the change.
What the policy does not cover
The editorial policy covers editorial decisions; it does not cover operational decisions (server uptime, payment processing, customer-support responsiveness). The desk treats operational decisions as the operator's responsibility; the editorial desk's role is to describe the operator's behaviour, not to manage the operator's infrastructure.
The policy and the law
The editorial policy is a description of the desk's editorial standard; it is not a legal document and does not create a contractual relationship between the desk and the reader. The desk does not provide legal advice; readers with specific legal questions should consult a qualified lawyer in their jurisdiction.
How the policy changes
The desk updates the editorial policy when the editorial standard changes. The "Updated" line at the top of this page shows the most recent change. Material changes are also surfaced on the homepage score strip for at least 30 days.
Feedback on the policy
Readers who want to share feedback on the editorial policy are welcome to do so through the contact form. The desk treats feedback on the policy under the same standard as feedback on any other page.
A recap of the editorial policy
The editorial policy is the desk's public commitment to independence, source-first reporting, plain disclosure and the limits of the editorial standard. The desk treats the policy as part of the editorial standard; the methodology page describes the operational details that put the policy into practice.
The policy in practice
Three short examples of the policy in practice. First, when the desk publishes a review of a platform with an affiliate relationship, the relationship is disclosed at the top of the review in plain language; the disclosure is not a footnote and is not behind a click. Second, when the desk publishes a news item based on a press release, the source is named and the item is flagged as "organiser-published, desk has not independently verified". Third, when the desk updates a long-form page, the update is logged on the page with the date and the nature of the change.
What the policy does not cover
The editorial policy covers editorial decisions; it does not cover operational decisions (server uptime, payment processing, customer-support responsiveness). The desk treats operational decisions as the operator's responsibility; the editorial desk's role is to describe the operator's behaviour, not to manage the operator's infrastructure.
How the policy changes
The desk updates the editorial policy when the editorial standard changes. The "Updated" line at the top of this page shows the most recent change. Material changes are also surfaced on the homepage score strip for at least 30 days.
Feedback on the policy
Readers who want to share feedback on the editorial policy are welcome to do so through the contact form. The desk treats feedback on the policy under the same standard as feedback on any other page.
A recap of the editorial policy
The editorial policy is the desk's public commitment to independence, source-first reporting, plain disclosure and the limits of the editorial standard. The desk treats the policy as part of the editorial standard; the methodology page describes the operational details that put the policy into practice.
A recap of the editorial policy
The editorial policy is the desk's public commitment to independence, source-first reporting, plain disclosure and the limits of the editorial standard. The desk treats the policy as part of the editorial standard. The methodology page describes the operational details that put the policy into practice.