By Asia Gaming Brief reports on the gambling industry across Asia-Pacific: regulation, licensing, enforcement, company results, integrated resorts, online gaming and the policy debates that shape them. We also publish comparison pages that help adult readers find licensed gambling sites in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. This policy explains how both parts of the site are produced, who decides what we publish, and how you can hold us to these standards.
Newsroom independence
Our editors decide what we cover, how we cover it and when it is published. Advertisers, sponsors, affiliate partners and other commercial relationships play no part in those decisions.
- No advertiser or commercial partner reviews, approves or sees a story before it is published.
- We do not agree to remove, soften or delay coverage in exchange for advertising, sponsorship or any other payment.
- A company that advertises with us is reported on in exactly the same way as one that does not. If a partner is the subject of a regulatory action, a court case or a weak set of results, we report it.
- Interview subjects may be asked to confirm the accuracy of their own quotes or technical details, but they do not approve the article.
Commercial staff do not sit in on editorial meetings and have no say in story selection. If anyone tries to influence coverage through a commercial channel, editors are expected to refuse and record the approach.
News and comparison pages are kept separate
The site has two distinct types of content, and we want readers to always know which one they are looking at.
News articles do not link to operator sign-up pages, and we do not insert promotional calls to action into reporting. When a news story mentions a company that also appears in a comparison table, that fact has no effect on how the story is written. Comparison pages follow their own published methodology, set out on How We Rate.
Sourcing standards
We build stories on primary sources wherever they exist. In order of preference, that means:
- Regulators and licensing bodies: published decisions, licence registers, consultation papers and official statements.
- Government gazettes and legislation: the text of laws, decrees, regulations and parliamentary records, rather than summaries of them.
- Court records: judgments, filings and hearing lists, reported with care for the difference between an allegation and a finding.
- Company filings and exchange announcements: annual and interim reports, stock exchange disclosures and investor presentations.
- On-record interviews: named people speaking in their own capacity or on behalf of an organisation.
Secondary sources such as other publications are used to point us towards a primary source, not as a substitute for one. When we rely on another outlet’s original reporting, we credit it by name.
Press releases
Press releases are a starting point, not a story. When an article is based mainly on a company or organisation announcement, we say so in the text. Before publishing, we check the key claims against a filing, a regulator record or a second source. Figures that cannot be checked are attributed to the company that issued them, and promotional language is removed.
Fact-checking process
Every news article and every comparison page goes through the same core checks before it is published.
- Source check The editor confirms that each factual claim traces back to a named document, record or person, and that links or references point to the original.
- Numbers check Figures, currencies, percentages and periods are compared against the source document. Currency conversions state the basis used.
- Names and titles People, companies, licences and regulators are checked for correct spelling, current titles and the correct legal entity.
- Legal sensitivity Allegations, criminal matters and regulatory investigations are reviewed for fairness and accuracy. Where a person or company is criticised, we seek their response before publication and report it.
- Headline and summary The headline and introduction must be supported by the body of the article. We do not publish headlines that overstate what the evidence shows.
- Final read A second person reads the piece before it goes live wherever the schedule allows. Breaking news that is published quickly is reviewed again as soon as possible afterwards.
Anonymous sources
We prefer every source to be on the record. We grant anonymity only when the information is important to readers, cannot be obtained on the record, and the source has a credible reason to fear harm to their job, safety or legal position.
- At least one editor must know the identity of an anonymous source.
- We describe the source as precisely as we safely can, for example by their role or how they know the information.
- Anonymous claims are corroborated with documents or a second independent source before publication.
- We do not use anonymity to allow personal attacks or speculation.
Conflicts of interest
Staff and contributors must disclose any financial interest, employment, consultancy or close personal relationship connected to a company, regulator or person they cover. Where a conflict exists, the story is assigned to someone else or the interest is disclosed in the article.
- Writers do not trade in shares of listed gaming companies they are reporting on.
- Gifts, paid travel and hospitality from companies we cover are declined unless an editor approves them. When a trip or event access is provided by a company, we say so in the article.
- Commercial staff who manage partner relationships do not write or edit news.
Corrections policy
We aim to get things right first time. When we get something wrong, we correct it promptly and openly.
- Factual errors are fixed in the article as soon as they are confirmed.
- A correction note is added at the end of the article explaining what was wrong and what has been changed.
- Minor fixes to spelling or grammar that do not change meaning are made without a note.
- If an error is serious, for example a wrong name in a legal matter, the correction may also be noted at the top of the article.
- We do not quietly delete articles to avoid correcting them. Removal is reserved for legal requirements or serious safety concerns.
How to request a correction
Email [email protected] with “Correction” in the subject line and include:
- The headline or address of the page.
- The exact sentence or figure you believe is wrong.
- What you believe is correct, with a source or document that shows it.
- Your name and, if relevant, your connection to the story.
We review every request and reply once we have checked it. If we decide not to make a change, we explain why.
Evergreen guides and “Last verified” dates
Market guides, licensing explainers and comparison pages are reviewed on a regular schedule and whenever a regulator, court or legislature changes the rules. Each of these pages shows a Last verified date. That date only changes when an editor has actually rechecked the page against current sources, not when a cosmetic edit is made. If a law changes between scheduled reviews, we update the affected pages as a priority and record the change.
Images
- Screenshots of gambling sites are our own, taken while browsing from the target market so they reflect what local readers actually see.
- Other photography comes from licensed stock libraries or is supplied by the subject with permission, and is credited where the licence requires it.
- We never present an operator’s press-kit images or marketing screenshots as our own work.
- Images are not altered in ways that change their meaning.
Responsible gambling standards in our content
Gambling is an adult activity and our content is written for adults. We follow these rules across news and comparison pages:
- We do not create content aimed at people under 18, or under the higher legal age that applies in some markets, and we avoid imagery or language that appeals to children.
- Every comparison page carries the local helpline and support options for its market, and links to our Responsible Gambling page.
- We never encourage chasing losses, present gambling as a way to earn money or solve financial problems, or suggest that a bonus guarantees a win.
- Bonus terms are described with their main conditions, such as wagering requirements, so readers are not misled.
Comparison pages follow per-market rules
Gambling law differs sharply across the region. Some markets license online operators, some restrict gambling to specific venues or state providers, and some prohibit it altogether. Our comparison pages respect those differences.
- A site can only appear in a market’s comparison if it meets the licensing requirements that apply in that market. This licence gate cannot be bought or waived.
- Where a market does not permit online gambling, we explain the legal position and the support available rather than listing operators.
- Scores, criteria and the review process are published on How We Rate.
Commercial arrangements can influence the order of operators in a toplist, but never whether an unlicensed site is listed, what a review says, or what the newsroom reports. The details are in our Advertiser Disclosure.
How to complain
If you think we have breached this policy, treated you unfairly or published something inaccurate, please tell us.
- Write to us Email [email protected] with “Complaint” in the subject line, the page concerned and a clear description of the problem.
- Review An editor who was not involved in the original work reviews the complaint and the material behind it.
- Response We reply with our findings and any action taken, such as a correction, clarification or update.
- Follow-up If you are not satisfied, reply to the same thread and the complaint will be looked at again by senior editorial staff.
You can read more about who we are on About Asia Gaming Brief, and business or press questions can be sent through Enquiries.
