Rather than describe ourselves in the third person, we sat the panel down in July 2026 and asked each of them the same two questions. The answers are lightly edited for length and nothing else.
The panel, in their own words
Brodie Ellsworth — Lead Casino Reviewer, eight years reviewing
What do you actually do here?
I own the ranking. Every position on that homepage is a decision I signed off, and if one of them is wrong, it is my name on it.
One rule you never break?
I do not write about a casino I have not personally withdrawn money from.
Ngaire Sutton — iGaming Research Analyst, background in consumer law
What do you actually do here?
I check licences against the regulator's public register and read the clauses nobody reads, particularly the ones about voiding winnings.
One rule you never break?
A logo is not evidence. The register entry is evidence.
Tai Herewini — Payment Systems Specialist, fintech background
What do you actually do here?
I run the withdrawals. Eight per casino per month, three methods, every one timed from the moment I press confirm.
One rule you never break?
I never publish a payout speed I did not measure with a timestamp.
Mere Tūpara — Responsible Gambling Advocate, five years with the Problem Gambling Foundation
What do you actually do here?
I hold a veto. If a site's limit tools are cosmetic or its self-exclusion is hard to find, it is not recommended regardless of its bonus.
One rule you never break?
Every page we publish carries a route to free help.
Corey Anaru — Game Testing Lead, hundreds of titles a month
What do you actually do here?
I open the information panel inside every game and compare the return figure printed there with the one the studio publishes. The same title can run at 96% in one lobby and 94% in another.
One rule you never break?
I trust the paytable in front of me over any press release.
How we are funded
New Paradise NZ earns commission when a reader opens an account through a link on our pages. No operator can buy a ranking position, a review score or a measured payout figure. Several of the sites we link to have asked us to change what we wrote and been told no.