Expert Review Process at playin-ny
playin-ny is a leading online gambling affiliate for licensed operators in the state. The site is part of Catena Media, a leader in the industry in North America and the world. The company has worked for years to build a reputation you can trust, independent of the operators you see on playin-ny.
Furthermore, Catena Media is dedicated to honesty, integrity and transparency. The company is licensed in each jurisdiction in which it operates and works with regulators and operators to ensure that what you see is legal and in your best interest. The experts at playin-ny also lean into their multiple years of experience to create content you can trust.
What you will learn about us in this article:
Why trust our expert opinion?
It’s imperative to note that Catena Media works independently of the online operators in New York. And while the staff at playin-ny gamble and use the products, they have a journalistic and user-focused strategy regarding stories and reviews you read.
What does that mean? It means giving you the answers to your questions and the information to help you make the best decisions. Gambling is serious business with equally serious consequences. The reviews you read should be honest and trustworthy, not full of ulterior motives and half-truths.
The writers, editors and content managers work each day to provide not only the information you need to make the best decision but information that you can trust. The reviews you read on playin-ny have been written and edited by those same experts with years of gambling industry experience. They’ve used the online operators in the state and know what to look for and how they should work. Most importantly, it’s independent of the gambling operators.
If something needs to improve or doesn’t benefit the user, it’s noted. It’s also done responsibly. Responsible gambling is crucial not only to playin-ny, the writers and editors but to Catena Media as a whole.
You can read more about our gambling experts and company on our About Us page. Catena Media is a licensed and registered vendor in any jurisdiction where it is required by law. According to NYCRR Title 9, Part 5307.3 (b), various organizations — including media outlets — are not required to acquire a license in New York. If that changes, Catena Media will submit the appropriate application to become an official entity in New York. As more states legalize online sports betting and online casinos, the company will become licensed by those respective states.
What does a licensed affiliate mean?
A licensed affiliate such as Catena Media means the company is authorized to operate in that state. It also means the sites protect your interests. New York does not require a license, but that does not change how playin-ny operates. The site will still adhere to strict guidelines as if it is.
What does that mean for you? The only gambling sites discussed on playin-ny are legal and regulated in NY. Unless the gambling site is fully licensed by the state of New York, you won’t see it.
Since playin-ny is an affiliate news site, you may think the operators advertised or mentioned have a say or influence in the editorial content. That is not the case. The affiliate deals are a result of partnerships with gambling companies. The partnership does not influence the content or news playin-ny creates, as we have very strict review and editorial guidelines.
playin-ny expert review process
The reviews you read on playin-ny go through a strict process before they are published for you to read. Our experts take the time to review the products and form their own opinions. With the explosion in AI for written content, all reviews are written and edited by living, breathing humans. Some questions we ask are:
- What does a bettor need to know about this sportsbook or online casino?
- What works well?
- What doesn’t?
- How can it improve?
The only way to get a review you trust is by having an expert know what to look for and how it should work. Once the writer goes through and tests the app/website, it’s reviewed by multiple expert editors in the online gambling industry.
Like the writers, they’ve used the products that are being reviewed. After an extensive editing process, the review is published. playin-ny also reviews each operator, whether the site has an agreement with them or not. But the process doesn’t end there. Each review and page is constantly looked over, edited and updated by the staff.
1. Researching available legal casinos in New York
It’s crucial to start the research with legal casinos. That’s the model playin-ny uses and should be used by readers. Test and use the operators. Get a feel for it. Use multiple operators to find out what works best and what you like. That’s what the staff of writers and editors at playin-ny do and what they recommend. What playin-ny does is use that experience to benefit the reader.
2. Carefully selecting only the best and most trusted
playin-ny only reviews the operators that have received or could receive legal permission to operate in the state of New York. Whether sports betting or online casinos, those are the only reviews you will read on playin-ny. That means playin-ny will conduct reviews on operators that may not be active in NY but legally operate in other states. playin-ny does not associate with or review black-market offshore operators.
3. Extensive testing
Once the operators are chosen for review, we make a deposit and test every aspect of each operator in great detail. Every nook and cranny. As experts, they have used online gambling sites before and know what a good app and user experience look like compared to one that needs improvement. Following a strict list of criteria, they determine whether an operator should be recommended to our readers.
4. Supplementation of more hands-on testing
The testing is only a piece of the review puzzle. The writers and editors at playin-ny constantly look for ways to go deeper and research other expert opinions and customer feedback to ensure nothing is missed. In addition to their own testing, they turn to current long-term users to get further insight into the operator.
5. Operator rating
Once the writers and editors have put in the time, the rating is conducted in the review. This is the culmination of that hands-on testing and research. Again, this process is entirely independent of the operators and any affiliate partnership playin-ny may have with them. Our ratings are based on comparing the very specific criteria we review for each operator.
6. Writing and publishing our review
Once the review has gone through that extensive process our expert writers put all of the gathered information together and send it to the next step, which is multiple levels of editing and fact-checking. It gets several close inspections from editors and site managers, and only then is it published. That’s the only way to write an honest review that you can trust and that playin-ny stands by.
The writers and editors at playin-ny have worked for years to build their authority and credibility to craft an opinion that is fair and honest. Each review is carefully researched and analyzed before it ever reaches our readers, as we are dedicated to offering only the most accurate and current information on all operators.
How we evaluate each online operator
It’s important to review every aspect of the operator, whether they are an online casino, sports betting, or a sweepstakes website or app. We have a set list of points we evaluate each by, though more points may be added to it for more detailed topics.
Our evaluation criteria
Licensing and regulation
The first step is ensuring that the online operator is licensed and regulated in New York.
Security and safety
We carefully analyze how the player’s information is protected, their fair play measures, and any encryption and certifications they have in place.
Payout variety and speed
We ensure that each operator we recommend offers a wide variety of deposit and withdrawal options, as well as clear payout terms and fast payout speed.
Variety and quality of games
Our team reviews their game variety and the quality of the games they have available for the players.
Bonuses and promotions
Having a great welcome bonus isn’t enough. We carefully review their terms and conditions, whether the wagering requirements are reasonable, and if any restrictions exist.
Customer support
Hiccups are inevitable, and quality customer support is crucial. We ensure the operator’s customer support is knowledgeable and readily available through chat, email, and phone.
Mobile compatibility
Many players like to take their gaming on the go. The transition from a desktop to a mobile device should be smooth and seamless, giving the player a quality mobile gaming experience.
Once the playin-ny team has tested and reviewed each online casino, sports betting site, or sweepstakes page, we compare them against each other and select only those that rank the highest in each of the criteria set above.
Review publishing process
Every published word goes through a rigorous review process before publishing. By the time you read something on playin-ny, several pairs of eyes have gone over the material for accuracy and grammatical correctness.
Multiple people go over almost every single thing published — sometimes more than once — and the years of experience are always helpful for spotting things that may have been otherwise missed. There is nothing more important than accuracy. But it doesn’t stop there. playin-ny constantly updates the site for the most current and relevant information available.
Fact-checking and editing
From reviews to news content, our writers, editors and content managers fact-check each bit of information, and each word is edited for grammar and accuracy. Years of journalism experience are part of this, ensuring the content is worthy of publication.
Final review
Once a review or story is ready for publication, at least one person gives it a final review. In some instances, multiple people will go over a piece of content before it’s published.
Updating
When it comes to online gambling, information is a living, breathing entity. It’s constantly changing and incredibly dynamic. That means we ensure all reviews and content are current. Online gambling operators are constantly updating their services, so the reviews must reflect that.
That’s why the reviews aren’t published and forgotten. If there is an update to the operator, the review gets one as well. From writers and editors to designers and developers, the team at playin-ny is dedicated to providing readers with the information they need to make the best decisions possible. The end goal is to help readers have an enjoyable gambling experience.
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playin-ny takes the risks, so you don’t have to
Having years of experience with the services and creating content is fine, but it doesn’t mean much unless it benefits the readers. After all, reviews are playin-ny’s business. If they don’t serve you, they don’t serve the site. This is why we strive to provide readers with the most accurate, up-to-date, and unbiased information on the state’s legal operators and the latest online gambling and sports betting news.
Explore the best online casinos in New York, or if you still have questions about our review process, feel free to contact us, and we’ll be more than happy to provide you with additional information.
playin-ny Review Process FAQs
Yes, playin-ny earns a commission when the site sends a user to an operator and they sign up. That’s part of the affiliate agreement the site has with operators. However, this does not sway our review process or the recommended operators.
Aside from the advertising you see on the site, that’s it. The operators have no influence or say in the content that is created on the site.
Responsible gambling is a core principle for the site and Catena Media. Responsible gambling isn’t just a catchphrase. It’s a business practice, and one playin-ny takes very seriously. playin-ny will always look for ways the state of New York can do more and brings those to light.
Absolutely not. Under no circumstances will playin-ny recommend or review offshore, also illegal, operators. That would put the user in a situation where they are not protected but also the site and Catena Media in legal jeopardy. The only operators you see on playin-ny are authorized and legalized by the state of New York.
Since the state of New York doesn’t require a license for affiliate and media companies, it is not. However, if the state of New York changes course and requires a license, playin-ny will meet all criteria to become legally licensed.
After rigorous research, our writers determine the best operators to recommend. First of all, the operators must be authorized and legal to operate in the state. From there, the sportsbooks and online casinos go through an in-depth review process before being recommended to our readers.
It depends on the operator and the time of year. One of the benefits of signing up with playin-ny is you may get an exclusive deal that even the sportsbook or online casino may not offer directly on their site. playin-ny works closely with the operators to bring users the best signup deals possible.
Reviews are based on years of experience, thorough testing, collaboration with the various members of the site and what is viewed as the best. They test each site, carefully review their terms and conditions, ensure it is safe and secure, and of course, whether the operator is licensed for operation in the state.