About Us

Independent. Australian.
Honest about pokies.

Heart Throb Guide is an independent player resource — not affiliated with any casino or game developer. We cover one game in depth so you can make informed decisions before you play.

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Data-Verified RTPs

We source RTP figures from operator disclosures and cross-check against regulator databases. No unverified claims.

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Real Casino Testing

Every casino we list has been registered, deposited, and tested by our team. We note withdrawal times from personal experience.

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Responsible Gambling First

All guides set realistic expectations. We prominently link to Gambling Help Online and BetStop on every page.

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Affiliate Disclosure

Some casino links are affiliate links. This never affects editorial scores — we disclose all commercial relationships.

Editorial Team

The people behind the guides

Sarah Kim
Sarah Kim
RTP & Math Analyst
Writing since 2021

Sarah has spent 7 years analysing pokie mathematics across Australian and international online casinos. Her background in applied statistics means our RTP breakdowns are based on verified operator data — not marketing copy. She independently tests calculator accuracy and cross-checks published RTPs against regulator disclosures.

Return-to-Player analysisProbability & house edgeSession bankroll mathematics
Writes: RTP guides · Session calculators · Strategy analysis
Matt Reynolds
Matt Reynolds
Casino & Pokies Reviewer
Writing since 2021

Matt spent 4 years managing pokies floors at pubs across Queensland before moving to online casino evaluation in 2021. He has personally registered, deposited, and withdrawn at every casino we list — our bonus wagering maths comes from real sessions, not press releases. He flags any casino that takes longer than 48 hours to pay out.

Casino licence verificationBonus T&C evaluationWithdrawal speed testing
Writes: Casino reviews · Bonus guides · Free-play comparisons
Jessica Ward
Jessica Ward
Responsible Gambling Lead
Writing since 2022

Jess holds a Certificate IV in Community Services and spent 5 years in gambling harm-reduction counselling before joining the editorial team in 2022. She authors our beginner guides to ensure they set realistic expectations rather than inflate wins. She reviews every page for compliance with ACMA guidelines and ensures responsible gambling resources are prominent.

Harm-reduction strategyRegulatory compliance (ACMA)Beginner player education
Writes: How-to-play guides · Responsible gambling resources · Player safety policy

Editorial Policy

Independence. No casino pays for editorial placement or review scores. Our "Top Pick" designation reflects wagering requirement value and withdrawal performance — not commission rates.

Accuracy. RTP figures are sourced from operator help pages, regulator databases (ACMA, MGA, UKGC), or official Aristocrat documentation. When sources conflict we note both figures and explain the discrepancy.

Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this site are affiliate links marked rel="sponsored". When you register through these links, we may receive a referral commission from the casino at no cost to you. This does not influence editorial content.

Updates. Casino bonus offers change frequently. We review casino data quarterly and update pages when significant changes occur. Each page carries a "Last updated" date at the top.

Corrections. Found an error? Our team reviews every correction request. Contact via the feedback form and we respond within 48 hours.

Play Responsibly

Pokies are designed to be entertaining. Set a budget before you play, take regular breaks, and only gamble with money you can afford to lose. If gambling stops being fun, help is available.

Set deposit limits Take a break Self-exclude
Gambling Help Online
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1800 858 858
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