Last updated: June 2026 — Marcus Ellison, Ducklimited
```htmlEvery casino review published on ducklimited.nz follows a structured, repeatable process developed and carried out personally by Marcus Ellison. This page explains exactly how that process works, what criteria matter most, and why Kiwi players can trust the ratings they find here.
Online gambling is a significant financial decision. Our job is to give New Zealand players an honest, evidence-based picture of every platform we assess — not to push you toward whichever operator pays the highest referral fee. That principle shapes everything we do.
Before a single rating is published, Marcus completes a hands-on evaluation that typically spans two to four weeks per site. No casino is rated on press materials, screenshots supplied by operators, or second-hand information.
Marcus creates a real player account using his own details, going through the same sign-up flow any Kiwi player would experience. This immediately reveals how smooth onboarding is, what verification documents are requested, and how quickly the process completes.
Before depositing a single dollar, Marcus checks the operator's licence directly against the issuing regulator's public database. Claimed licences that cannot be independently verified fail this stage immediately and the site is not recommended.
Marcus deposits real NZD using payment methods commonly available to New Zealand players. He plays a representative sample of games across categories — pokies, table games, and live dealer titles — to assess game performance, fairness indicators, and payout speed under genuine conditions.
Welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions are claimed and worked through in full where possible. This is the only reliable way to check whether wagering requirements, game restrictions, and withdrawal caps match what is advertised.
A real withdrawal request is submitted. Marcus records how long approval takes, whether additional documentation is requested without prior notice, and whether the amount received matches what was expected after any fees.
Marcus contacts support through every available channel — live chat, email, and phone where offered — at different times of day. Response speed, accuracy of answers, and overall professionalism are all logged.
The casino is accessed on both iOS and Android devices without downloading any app, and through any dedicated app if one exists. Load times, game availability, and ease of navigation on a smaller screen are assessed independently of the desktop experience.
Each casino receives a score out of 10 in six categories. The final overall score is a weighted average calculated as follows:
| Category | Weighting | What We Look At |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing and Safety | 25% | Verified licence from a recognised regulator, SSL encryption, responsible gambling tools, fair terms |
| Bonuses and Promotions | 20% | Real value after wagering requirements, transparency of terms, variety of ongoing offers |
| Game Selection | 20% | Number and variety of titles, quality of software providers, RTP transparency, live dealer range |
| Payment Methods | 15% | NZD support, range of deposit and withdrawal options, processing times, fee structures |
| Customer Support | 10% | Availability hours, response times, quality of assistance, number of contact channels |
| Mobile Experience | 10% | Browser and app performance, game availability on mobile, ease of account management |
All scores are presented on a 1 to 10 scale. Here is what each range means in plain terms:
Ducklimited earns revenue through affiliate arrangements with some of the casinos listed on this site. We believe transparency about this is non-negotiable. Here is how we ensure that commercial relationships never distort our ratings:
If you have questions about how a specific casino was rated, or if you believe information in a review is inaccurate, Marcus welcomes direct contact through the details provided on the About page. Ducklimited exists to serve New Zealand players — not operators.
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