Been hopping through a few sites this week and figured I'd chuck this up here, because a lot of the write-ups floating around feel a bit off... either way too glowing or they don't sound like the person actually played there.
For me the first check is the game lobby. Not just how many pokies they claim to have, but which providers are actually there and whether the filters work properly. A site can say it has heaps of games, then you open it up and it's the same recycled stuff over and over, or half the titles won't load on mobile.
Then I go straight to the money side of it. Deposit options are easy enough most places, but withdrawals tell you more. I look for how clear the cashout times are, whether limits are buried in the fine print, and if they start getting weird with verification. If a site bangs on about fast payouts but takes ages once you've got a win sitting there, that's the bit that sticks with me.
Support is another one. Doesn't need to be amazing, just has to be useful. If live chat only throws canned replies at you or dodges basic questions about pending withdrawals, I start losing faith pretty quick. Same deal with terms and conditions really... if I need to dig through a novel just to work out the wagering or max cashout rules, it's already giving off dodgy vibes.
Mobile matters too since I'm usually on my phone in the arvo. A clean desktop site means nothing if the lobby lags, the cashier freezes, or it keeps logging you out mid-session. Little stuff like that makes a bigger difference than the giant promo banners they love sticking everywhere.
Curious what everyone else checks first when sizing up a site. Payout speed? KYC? Game range? Actual player feedback? Keen to hear what other punters use to sort the decent ones from the ones not worth the hassle.