An expert reveals how an online casino is audited from the inside as “few people know what really goes on”
Hannah Cutajar is one of those people who needs to read everything, even the small print. This Maltese-born iGaming specialist, editor, reviewer, and Head of Gaming at Casino.org has built her work around separating serious online casinos from those that simply know how to sell themselves. With years of experience reviewing operators, bonuses, licences, payments, and player protection tools across regulated markets, she understands that a casino review is not just about flashy games or big promotions. We spoke to her to understand how an online casino is audited from the inside, with the honesty of someone who has spent years looking beyond the homepage.
Question: If you had to explain your job in one sentence, what would you say?
Hannah Cutajar: I read the small print so the player does not have to swallow it alone.
Q: Your work in casino reviews is visible on your professional site, but most players only see the final rating or recommendations. After so many years reviewing operators, what surprises you the most that people fail to see?
Hannah Cutajar: That few people really know what goes on inside an online casino. An audit does not start when you log in. It starts much earlier, even before registration. You have to ask questions that can be very uncomfortable for the platform: who operates the casino, under what licence, which jurisdiction supervises it, whether the bonus terms are designed so the player cannot use them properly, whether there is a real human team behind the customer support chat, whether withdrawals are realistic, whether the casino says the same thing in its marketing materials as it does in its legal terms…
Q: What is the first red flag?
Hannah Cutajar: A bonus that looks too good to be true. There is almost always a catch.
Q: What exactly do you look at in a bonus?
Hannah Cutajar: Nothing out of the ordinary, but it is work that has to be done properly. First, I look at the wagering requirements before you can cash out, and whether the requirement applies to the bonus, the deposit, or both. Afterwards, I go to the list of eligible games, because some casinos advertise a huge promotion and then it turns out that the popular games barely contribute towards the requirement. I also look at how much time you have to complete the bonus, the winning limits, the maximum bets allowed, and any clause that could cancel winnings over some silly detail.
Q: Does the licence change everything?
Hannah Cutajar: It does not change everything, but it changes a lot. A good licence gives you a minimum basis for trust.
Q: How do you verify whether a casino is truly regulated?
Hannah Cutajar: The logo in the footer is a starting point, but it is not enough. Anyone can put that there. I check the licence number, the regulator, the company behind it, and whether that licence actually matches the site I am reviewing. I also look at whether the casino clearly explains who operates it. If you have to do archaeology to find out which company is behind it, they are making it harder to be identified, and that is not a good sign.
Q: What role does customer support chat play?
Hannah Cutajar: A huge one. The chat usually reveals the real culture of the casino.
Q: Why do you give so much importance to speaking with support?
Hannah Cutajar: Because support is another place where you can see what a casino is really like. One thing is what the homepage promises, and another is how the casino responds when you need something from it. I usually ask technical questions and, if the agent answers clearly, good. But if they dodge the question, copy and paste generic phrases, or do not understand the casino’s own terms, there is a problem. And now there is another issue: some chats look human but are actually automated assistants. In certain cases, that can be a problem, especially if you cannot get access to a real person.
Q: What about money withdrawals?
Hannah Cutajar: That is where you see whether a casino wants satisfied players or just fast deposits.
Q: How do you audit a withdrawal?
Hannah Cutajar: You look at the entire journey. The available methods, the limits, the fees, the timeframes, the documentation required… Then comes the important part: checking whether what they promise makes sense. A casino can sell you “fast withdrawals” and then the process depends on internal checks, low limits, or unclear manual reviews, leaving that promise looking a bit weak. You also have to read the terms related to inactive accounts, withdrawal cancellations, blocked methods, or security policies.
Q: Does the variety of games matter as much as it seems?
Hannah Cutajar: It matters, but not because of quantity. It matters because of quality and reliable providers.
Q: What do you look for in the game catalogue?
Hannah Cutajar: I look for well-known providers, games with clear information, and a library that makes sense. Some casinos boast about having thousands of titles, but then the selection is full of irrelevant games or providers that do not inspire much trust. I also check what types of games are available and whether they have well-integrated mobile options. But I am also interested in whether the player can filter, search, and understand what they are playing. A good casino has to help you find something comfortably and safely.
Q: What is the most boring part of an audit?
Hannah Cutajar: Reading the full terms and conditions. It is also the most useful part.
Q: Do you really have to read them all?
Hannah Cutajar: Yes, all of them. And I do not say that to sound intense. That is where the rules that matter when something goes wrong are found. Marketing brings users in; the small print is what decides disputes with them. That is where the limits, restrictions, bonus policies, rules on duplicate accounts, verification, maximum bets, account closures, and situations where the casino can void winnings are found. Most people do not read all of that, and that is understandable. But someone has to do it. And when you do it for a long time, you detect patterns quickly: very broad phrases, ambiguous rules, clauses that leave all the power in the operator’s hands… in the end, you learn to smell smoke before you see the fire.
Q: What separates a good casino from a mediocre one?
Hannah Cutajar: A good casino does not need to hide behind small print.
Q: Can you put that in simpler terms?
Hannah Cutajar: A good casino explains things simply, pays without making a drama out of it, offers logical promotions, has competent support, and does not turn every step into a fight. A mediocre one can have the best games in the world and a beautiful website, but if it does not deliver on this, the experience is awful. Trust in an online casino is not earned with a banner. It is earned when the player can use the platform without feeling like they are in a constant battle.
Q: Are bad online casinos always obvious?
Hannah Cutajar: No. Some are very good at looking good.
Q: How do you detect operators that are good at covering up their problems?
Hannah Cutajar: You have to cross-check signals. One strange thing does not condemn a casino, but several together can already be part of a bad culture. I also look at whether important information is within easy reach. If the casino shows you a bonus ten times but hides the withdrawal limits on some lost page, that already says something. Design also communicates priorities. If everything is designed so you can deposit in two clicks, but withdrawing feels like entering the Labyrinth of Crete, I take note.
Q: What mistake do many players make?
Hannah Cutajar: Believing that all regulated casinos work the same way.
Q: And what mistake do some reviewers make?
Hannah Cutajar: Staying on the surface. Writing a review is not saying that “it has lots of slots, a good bonus, and a modern design”. Anyone can see that in a few minutes. A serious audit needs a method, patience, and constructive bad temper. You have to ask yourself where the player experience could fail. What happens if they win, if they want to withdraw, if the bonus is not credited, if customer support does not respond, if they live in a specific market with different rules… A useful review checks whether the casino can handle difficult questions.
Q: What part do you enjoy the most?
Hannah Cutajar: Finding a strange clause and understanding why it is there.
Q: That sounds very much like an obsessive editor.
Hannah Cutajar: Yes, that is what it is. There is something almost detective-like about this work. Sometimes a small sentence changes the entire assessment of an operator. A condition about winning limits, a game restriction, a rule about documents, a timeframe for processing payments that is far too flexible. It is not about catching anyone out. What you have to do is protect the user. If you find something that can affect a player and explain it clearly, the review becomes a tool, and that is the point.
Q: How should someone who does not understand the sector choose a casino?
Hannah Cutajar: Clear licence, simple terms, transparent withdrawals, and support that responds properly.
Q: So they should not just be carried away by the biggest bonus?
Hannah Cutajar: Exactly. The biggest bonus is not necessarily the best. Many times, a smaller one with more reasonable requirements and easier-to-understand rules is the one you should choose. Before depositing, any player should look at who regulates the casino, how much it really costs to unlock the bonus, how money is withdrawn, and what people say when something goes wrong. You should also test support before putting money in. One quick question can save you a lot of headaches. If the casino cannot explain its own rules to you, imagine what happens when you want to withdraw.
Q: To finish, what makes an audit truly honest?
Hannah Cutajar: First, you must not write to please the operator. An honest audit is on the player’s side, even when that means saying that a popular casino has weak points. It also means admitting nuance. Not everything is black or white. There are grey areas. A casino can have a good catalogue and bad bonuses, or pay quickly while having poor support. The job is to organise all of that and tell the reader what is good, what is bad, and what I would look at several times before registering. When you explain it well, the player no longer goes in blind.
