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Editorial standards

Editorial Policy

We publish a page only when it answers a distinct visitor question with traceable evidence, practical information gain and an identified update responsibility.

Published 1 October 2026 · Reviewed 1 October 2026 · Queenstown Gaming Guide editorial team

Editorial evidence flowing through review to publication
Original editorial-process illustration.

What earns publication

A proposed page needs a clear search intent, a defined reader task, primary or authoritative sources and information that is not a place-name variation of another article. Word count alone never earns indexation.

Editorial and commercial separation

Venue facts, legal guidance and safer-gambling information do not change because of a partner relationship. Commercial placements are labelled, use sponsored links and remain disabled while the partner or offer is unverified.

How we handle uncertainty

We qualify time-sensitive facts, show the review date and use conservative wording when official sources conflict. If evidence is missing, the claim remains unpublished or the page stays on hold.

Publication checklist

  • Distinct intent and direct answer
  • Primary-source evidence
  • At least two information-gain elements
  • Legal and safety review where applicable
  • Author, editor and review date
  • Five useful internal links
Need immediate gambling support?

Call the New Zealand Gambling Helpline on 0800 654 655 or text 8006.

How this policy changes publication decisions

This policy is an operational control, not a reputation statement. Every material claim needs an owner, a source that can support the exact wording, a verification date and a clear response when the evidence changes. Search snippets, copied affiliate tables and anonymous reviews cannot satisfy that standard.

  • Keep primary evidence beside the claim it supports.
  • Mark unresolved legal or factual points before publication.
  • Correct the page, changelog and dependent pages together.

Independence also means disclosing the commercial model. Sponsored links may earn the guide a commission; they are labelled, and commercial considerations do not override legal, safety or factual gates.

How to use this information

Start with the decision you need to make, then distinguish a stable fact from a live condition. An address or statutory rule may remain stable for years; a timetable, entrance condition, machine configuration or promotional term may change without notice. Follow the primary-source link closest to the claim and check that it describes the same venue, service, product and date.

Keep a simple record of what you checked and when. Do not fill an evidence gap with a directory excerpt, an old screenshot or another publisher’s confidence. Where two official sources differ, use the more specific and current source, describe the conflict, and ask the responsible organisation before relying on it.

Evidence rule: use the linked official source for the live fact, then record the date checked. If the source is unavailable or ambiguous, keep the claim unpublished and list it in Sources and updates.