Last updated: May 2026 — Liam Harewood, Buxtonnews
At Buxtonnews (buxtonnews.net), every casino and pokies site review published in 2026 follows a structured, repeatable methodology developed and applied personally by site owner Liam Harewood. This page explains exactly how that process works, what criteria we evaluate, how much weight each factor carries, and how we keep our scores honest and independent. If you have ever wondered why we rate one site higher than another, you will find the full answer here.
Every site reviewed on Buxtonnews is tested personally by Liam Harewood before a single word of the review is written. Liam does not delegate the hands-on evaluation to junior writers or rely on information supplied by casino operators. He creates a real player account, deposits real money using payment methods available to New Zealand players, plays a representative selection of pokies, contacts customer support, and attempts a withdrawal before forming a final score. This direct, first-hand approach is the foundation of everything published here.
The review process follows the same sequence for every site, ensuring consistency across all ratings published on buxtonnews.net.
Each site receives a score out of 10. That overall score is built from six individual criteria, each carrying a specific weighting that reflects how much it matters to a typical New Zealand pokies player.
| Criteria | Weighting | What We Evaluate |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and Safety | 25% | Regulatory authority, licence validity, SSL encryption, responsible gambling tools, and fair-play certification. |
| Bonuses and Promotions | 20% | Welcome offer value, wagering requirements, time limits, game contribution rates, and ongoing loyalty rewards. |
| Game Selection | 20% | Total number of pokies titles, quality of software providers, variety of themes and features, and availability of NZD-friendly games. |
| Payment Methods | 15% | Availability of NZ-friendly options, deposit and withdrawal speeds, fees, minimum and maximum limits, and NZD account support. |
| Customer Support | 10% | Available channels, response times measured during testing, quality and accuracy of answers, and hours of operation. |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Mobile browser performance, dedicated app quality, game availability on mobile, and ease of navigation on smaller screens. |
All sites are scored on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 represents the highest possible standard across all criteria. Here is how to interpret the scores you see on buxtonnews.net:
Independence is not a marketing phrase on this site — it is a working principle. Liam Harewood does not accept payment from casino operators in exchange for higher scores or more favourable write-ups. While Buxtonnews does earn affiliate commissions when readers click through and register at reviewed sites, those commissions have no influence on the rating a site receives. A site that pays a higher commission rate does not earn a higher score. If testing reveals serious problems, the review reflects that honestly, regardless of any existing commercial relationship. Scores are reviewed and updated whenever Liam identifies a material change in a site's offer, ownership, or licence status, ensuring that what you read in 2026 reflects the current reality rather than an outdated first impression.
If you have a question about how a specific site was scored, or if you believe information in a review needs updating, you are welcome to contact Liam Harewood directly through the contact page on buxtonnews.net. Transparency is a core commitment of this site, and every score can be explained and defended in full.