Last updated: May 2026 — Liam Hargreaves, Robataya Ny
At Robataya Ny, every review published on robataya-ny.com is the result of a thorough, hands-on evaluation process carried out by our lead reviewer, Liam Hargreaves. We believe New Zealand players deserve straightforward, unbiased guidance when choosing where to play online pokies — and that starts with a methodology built on transparency, real testing, and zero influence from casino operators.
This page explains exactly how we assess each site, what criteria matter most to us, and how we arrive at our final scores. Nothing is left to guesswork or hearsay. If a casino appears on Robataya Ny, it has been personally tested by Liam before a single word of the review was written.
Before investing significant time in a full review, Liam performs a preliminary check to confirm that a casino holds a valid licence from a recognised regulatory authority. Sites that fail this basic threshold are rejected immediately and never published on Robataya Ny. This protects our readers from the outset and ensures only credible operators make it through to a full evaluation.
Liam creates a real player account using his own details, going through the same sign-up and KYC (Know Your Customer) process that any New Zealand player would experience. This reveals how smooth or frustrating the onboarding process is in practice, including identity verification timelines and any unexpected hurdles.
A real deposit is made using payment methods commonly available to NZ players — including credit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers where applicable. This step tests deposit speeds, accepted currencies (with a focus on NZD availability), and whether any hidden fees apply at the banking stage.
Liam spends meaningful time playing a representative sample of online pokies available at the casino — both in demo mode and with real funds. He evaluates the breadth of the game library, software provider quality, loading speeds, and whether the titles that matter most to NZ players are present and functional.
Any welcome bonus or ongoing promotion is claimed and assessed under real conditions. Liam reads the full terms and conditions, noting wagering requirements, game restrictions, maximum bet rules, and withdrawal caps. A generous-looking bonus with punishing terms is marked down accordingly.
Liam contacts the support team through all available channels — live chat, email, and phone where offered — to test response times, the quality of answers provided, and overall helpfulness. Support is tested at different times of day to assess consistency.
A withdrawal is requested to verify processing times, any additional verification requirements, and whether the experience matches what the casino promises on its banking page. This is one of the most revealing steps in any casino review.
The casino is accessed on mobile devices to assess the quality of the mobile experience, whether through a dedicated app or a browser-based interface. Liam tests navigation, game performance, and whether all key features — including deposits and support — are fully accessible on smaller screens.
Each casino reviewed on Robataya Ny is scored across six core categories. The final score out of 10 is a weighted average based on the following breakdown:
| Category | Weighting | What We Assess |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and Safety | 25% | Regulatory licence validity, SSL encryption, responsible gambling tools, fair play certification |
| Bonuses and Promotions | 20% | Bonus value, wagering requirements, terms fairness, ongoing promotions for existing players |
| Game Selection | 20% | Number and variety of pokies, software providers, new releases, RTP transparency |
| Payment Methods | 15% | Deposit and withdrawal options, NZD support, processing times, fees |
| Customer Support | 10% | Availability, response speed, quality of assistance, support channels offered |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Mobile design quality, game compatibility, ease of use on smartphones and tablets |
All casinos reviewed by Liam Hargreaves on Robataya Ny receive a final score on a scale of 1 to 10, calculated from the weighted criteria above. Here is how to interpret each score range:
Independence is the foundation of everything we do at Robataya Ny. Our editorial process is protected from operator influence in the following ways:
Liam Hargreaves is the founder and lead reviewer at Robataya Ny. With years of hands-on experience evaluating online casinos for the New Zealand market, Liam brings practical knowledge of how real players interact with these platforms day to day. His approach prioritises the player experience above all else, and he takes personal responsibility for every score and recommendation published on robataya-ny.com.