Been playing online long enough now that I barely look at the shiny top-10 lists anymore. Heaps of them read like the exact same thing with a different logo slapped on it, and they always bang on about the welcome offer like that's the main thing that matters.
What I actually care about is the stuff you only find out after signing up and having a proper crack at the site - withdrawals, how painful KYC is, whether support vanishes after you win, if the pokies library is actually decent or just padded with the same old fillers, and whether they treat Aussie players normally or make everything a drama.
I'm curious what you lot use when you're checking a new site these days. Forum posts? review pages? word of mouth? I reckon real player comments are still miles better than most polished write-ups, but even then you've gotta sift through a fair bit of rubbish.
If you've found any review sources that are actually honest, or you've got your own checklist before depositing, chuck it in here. Keen to hear how other regulars sort the decent sites from the dodgy ones.