About Olivia Thompson - Your AU Online Casino Content Analyst at JustCasino-Australia

About the Author - Olivia Thompson, AU Online Casino Content Analyst

I'm Olivia Thompson, a casino content analyst who has spent the past four years deep in the weeds of offshore casino platforms that accept Australian players. Day to day, that means signing up to the same sites you see advertised. I throw in small AUD deposits, see how they behave, then pull apart what really happens once the marketing talk drops away. My work lives in that space where bonus fine print, payment rails and real-world player experiences all collide, and my job is to translate that into plain English so you can make informed decisions before you deposit a single dollar of your own money.

At betjust-au.com, I focus on reviewing offshore sites like Justcasino from an Australian player's point of view: Is the licence genuinely valid or just window dressing? How do withdrawals behave in practice when you're using local methods like PayID or Neosurf? Where are the traps in the bonus terms that can turn "free spins" into something much less generous once you read the conditions properly? Most times I just jump in, see how the site behaves with my own cash, then spell out what that would look like for you in real life. I keep coming back to the big pros and cons so they don't disappear in the fine print. Just as importantly, I always stress that casino games are a form of entertainment with real financial risk attached - they're something you spend money on, not a reliable way to earn money or fix money problems.

1. Professional Identification

My name is Olivia Thompson, and I work as an independent Casino Content Analyst & Gambling Reviewer based in New South Wales, Australia. I grew up in NSW with the usual mix of local pubs, leagues clubs and the odd weekend footy bet with family, so I have a pretty grounded sense of how gambling fits into everyday life here. On betjust-au.com I'm one of the main voices behind our casino reviews, payment breakdowns and responsible gambling guides - and I try to sneak that local experience into everything I write.

I've been analysing online casinos for just over four years, with a particular focus on offshore, Curaçao-licensed platforms that target Australians. Rather than coming from a marketing background, I'm firmly on the consumer side: I treat every review as if I were helping a mate decide whether a site is safe enough to try, and if so, under what conditions and with what limits in place. That includes being upfront when I think it's better to walk away altogether or treat a bonus as "for fun only" rather than something to chase, even if the offer looks tempting at first glance.

What tends to set my work apart is a narrow, almost obsessive focus on payments and regulation in the AU context. I specialise in following how sites like Justcasino handle AUD, PayID, Neosurf and card deposits in practice, and how that interacts with ACMA oversight and the reality that these brands operate under offshore licences rather than Australian ones. I also pay close attention to how the bonuses are structured and how realistic they are to clear. In my bonus guides, I break the numbers into simple examples so you know what you're signing up for before you click anything.

2. Expertise and Credentials

Most of my working week now is spent knee-deep in online casino reviews and player-side analysis. Since 2021 I've been testing and documenting offshore casinos that still take AU players. Early on I assumed the licences were a minor detail; now I see they're often the biggest clue to how a site will treat you. That means hands-on work: creating accounts under typical Australian settings, checking KYC processes, running small real-money deposits and withdrawals, and then benchmarking what I see against what the site promises in its terms and conditions. If the reality doesn't match the sales pitch, that mismatch becomes a key part of my review, not a footnote.

Here's what I actually do on betjust-au.com, week in, week out:

• Reviewing casino brands such as Justcasino, with a focus on licence validity, payout history, complaint routes and how clearly the site explains its own rules to everyday players, including those skimming on their phone.
• Breaking down complex bonus structures into clear pros, cons and practical examples, often cross-referencing our broader bonus guides and comparisons so you can see how an offer stacks up against others in the market instead of judging it in isolation.
• Analysing payment options, with an emphasis on PayID, Neosurf vouchers and other AUD-friendly methods that Australians actually use, linking back to our detailed payment method walk-throughs where you can see each step laid out before you try it yourself.
• Fact-checking operator claims against public information such as licence details, complaints history and Australian regulatory updates summarised in our faq and legal overview, so you're not relying purely on a casino's own marketing copy or vague promises.

I work as an Independent Gambling Reviewer, which means I'm not employed by any casino operator and I don't have any say in how their games or promotions are run. I'm not a financial adviser and I don't give betting tips. My job is to explain the risks in plain English so you can decide what feels safe for you. When I talk about odds, RTP or bankroll management, it's in the context of helping you see gambling like a night out - enjoyable, but with a set budget and no expectations about winning.

Because this is a highly regulated, high-risk niche, I ground my work in verifiable sources wherever possible. That includes:

• Checking licence details such as 8048/JAZ2020-013 for Justcasino against the kind of licence-check steps we outline in the licence and safety faq, so you can see exactly how to verify a regulator's information for yourself rather than just taking my word for it.
• Referring to summaries of the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and enforcement trends that we discuss in the responsible gaming information and legal context, especially where ACMA actions affect Australians' access to offshore sites or trigger sudden blocks.
• Reviewing operators' own small print in depth, then mapping that back to the site's terms & conditions guidance and bonus terms explainers so you're not just seeing the marketing headlines, but the full rulebook that sits underneath.

Instead of waving around certificates I don't have, I stick to a repeatable process: I test the casino, write down what actually happened, and then answer the same tricky questions in every guide so you don't have to hunt around. Where I give an opinion, I label it as such; where I'm dealing with facts, I link back to a clear source or an on-site explainer you can double-check whenever you like.

3. Specialisation Areas

Over time, my work has naturally clustered around a few specialisation areas that matter most to Australian players trying to navigate offshore casinos. These are the issues that fill up my inbox, and the topics I return to again and again in my reviews and guides:

• AU-Facing Offshore Casinos: I focus on Curaçao-licensed sites that still accept Australians, including brands run by companies like Dama N.V. in Curaçao. I pay close attention to how those offshore licences stack up against stricter bodies like the MGA or UKGC, and I try to explain the differences in plain English so you can weigh them up before joining.
• Casino Games & RTP Analysis: Within game categories, I specialise in online pokies (slots) and mainstream table games (blackjack, roulette, baccarat), with an emphasis on return-to-player percentages, volatility and how software providers build bonus features. When you see me reference a game's RTP or volatility, I'm doing it to frame expectations - pokies are designed so the house wins over time, and that's a key reality I always highlight, especially for new players.
• Payment Methods for Australians: A large chunk of my time is spent on AUD-friendly banking options. If you've ever wondered whether PayID deposits will be flagged by your bank, how Neosurf redemption works in practice, or how long an offshore site actually takes to process withdrawals, that's exactly the sort of detail I track in the dedicated payment methods resources. I also flag patterns like certain cards being declined, or withdrawals stalling at the verification stage when ID checks drag on.
• Bonuses and Wagering Requirements: I specialise in dismantling welcome packages, reload offers and free spins into concrete numbers: effective wagering, maximum cash-out caps, game restrictions and time limits. This is particularly important on sites like Justcasino, where aggressive bonuses can hide very restrictive small print. In my reviews and the broader bonus guides, I show how long it might realistically take to clear a bonus using common bet sizes on pokies or table games, and where it stops being worth the effort.
• ACMA Compliance Considerations for Players: While I don't provide legal advice, I follow Australian regulatory developments closely, then translate them into everyday language in the responsible gaming and law overview. That includes explaining what it means to use an offshore site in a grey-market environment and what practical risks that carries for you, such as blocked sites, limited recourse in disputes and the possibility of banks declining certain payments.

Looked at together, these threads form a clear pattern: my expertise is less about "how to gamble" and more about how the system around your gambling actually works - from licences and regulators down to the payment rails you use to move your money. My aim is to give you enough context that you can decide if the entertainment on offer is worth the risk and expense for your particular situation, or whether it's better to skip a site altogether.

4. Achievements and Publications

Most of my professional output lives right here on betjust-au.com. I focus on long-form, structured content that you can actually use when comparing sites, rather than quick promotional reviews that gloss over the negatives. If you've ever sat there wondering "Why is my withdrawal still pending?" or "Is this bonus even worth it?", there's a good chance I've written something to address that exact scenario or at least something very close to it.

If you're curious where to start, these are the articles I usually point people to first:

• In-Depth Review of Justcasino for Australian Players. A comprehensive look at Justcasino that walks through its Curaçao licence, ownership by Dama N.V., dispute options via Certria/Antillephone, and the practical pros and cons for AU players considering signing up. The review is written to be read alongside the general safety and licence faq, so you can see how Justcasino fits into the broader offshore space rather than treating it as a one-off.
• Bonus Terms Explainers. A series of guides in the bonuses & promotions section that turn dense wagering clauses into everyday examples, showing how long it might realistically take to clear a bonus on different games and what happens if you accidentally break a rule. These pieces also reinforce that bonuses should be treated as a bit of extra entertainment value, not as a guaranteed path to profit.
• AUD Payments Guides. Step-by-step walkthroughs in the payment methods hub that cover PayID, Neosurf and other options commonly used by Australians, including where delays tend to occur, which documents casinos usually request, and how to set your own limits so you don't over-commit your budget in a single session.
• Responsible Gambling Resources. Practical advice pieces in the responsible gaming area that outline deposit limits, self-exclusion tools and links to Australian support services. In these articles I also go into detail on warning signs such as chasing losses, hiding gambling from family, or using gambling to escape stress, and I encourage readers to reach out for help early rather than waiting for things to get worse.

I haven't chased industry awards or conference stages. I'd rather my work quietly hold up when players - or regulators - pick it apart. The benefit to you is straightforward: you're reading content written by someone whose incentives are aligned with thoroughness and clarity, not with pushing you toward the quickest sign-up. If a casino or a bonus doesn't look like good value or feels unsafe, I say that plainly, even if it means steering you away from a promotion that looks flashy on the surface.

5. Mission and Values

Everything I write for betjust-au.com comes back to a handful of basics I keep in mind whenever I sit down to review a new site or payment method:

• Player-First, Unbiased Reviews. I don't work for casino operators, and I don't let them review or approve what I write. When I recommend - or criticise - a brand like Justcasino, it's based on observable facts: licence quality, payment performance, complaint history and the realism of its bonus terms, not on how big a welcome offer looks in an ad.
• Responsible Gambling Advocacy. Gambling won't fix money stress - if anything, it usually makes it worse - so I'm always clear that it's not a way to make a living. Wherever you see my name, you'll also see reminders to play within a strict entertainment budget, along with links to support resources and practical tools in the responsible gaming section. That part of the site already explains common signs of gambling harm - like chasing losses, needing to bet more to feel the same excitement, or getting anxious when you're not gambling - and lists ways to limit yourself, including deposit caps, time-outs and full self-exclusion.
• Transparency About Commercial Relationships. betjust-au.com may receive commissions when you sign up through some links, but my role is to flag risks and downsides regardless. If a bonus looks predatory, or if a withdrawal policy worries me, I will say so clearly, even if it means some readers decide not to join that casino at all. Your long-term trust matters more than any single sign-up.
• Regular Fact-Checking and Updates. Offshore casinos change fast: mirror domains shift, payment rails come and go, and regulators update their stances. I revisit key reviews, especially of brands like Justcasino, to keep licence details, terms and ACMA-related information current, and I note major changes so returning readers can see what's different from their last visit.
• AU Player Protection and Legal Awareness. I'm always careful to distinguish between what is allowed for operators under Australian law and what is happening in practice in the grey market. My goal is not to encourage you to skirt regulations, but to make sure you understand the environment before you choose to play. I repeatedly stress that online casino gambling comes with a high risk of losing money and should always be treated as optional entertainment, not as a way to pay bills or get ahead financially.

6. Regional Expertise - Focus on Australia

Being based in New South Wales, I'm surrounded by the same things you are: pubs with pokies, local leagues clubs and all the state-level harm-minimisation rules layered on top of the federal Interactive Gambling Act. That helps keep my work grounded in how Australians actually gamble, not just how offshore marketing teams imagine we do when they put a kangaroo or a footy in their ads.

In practice, my regional expertise includes:

• Understanding AU Gambling Laws. I follow how the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 is enforced, particularly around website blocking and advertising restrictions, and how that affects Australians who still choose to access offshore casinos. In the responsible gaming and legal information, I break this down into simple language so you can understand where the law focuses on operators versus players, and what that means for you day to day.
• Local Banking Methods. I pay close attention to how major Australian banks treat gambling-related transactions, especially PayID, card payments and Neosurf voucher redemptions on offshore sites. When banks tighten or relax their rules, or when certain transaction types start getting knocked back more often, I update the payment method guides and individual reviews to reflect that reality.
• Cultural Attitudes to Gambling. Australians have a long history with gambling, from pokies in RSLs to betting on the footy or the Melbourne Cup. I try to respect that cultural reality while also being honest about how much easier it is to lose track of time and money on a 24/7 offshore site compared to a night out at a local venue. Online, there's no closing time and no staff keeping an eye on visible signs of distress, which is why setting your own limits is so important.
• Feedback from AU Players. Much of my refinement of reviews comes from reader emails and questions submitted through the contact us page and the complaints inbox. When patterns emerge - for example, repeated issues with a particular withdrawal method or several readers reporting the same stalled verification process - I update reviews and the faq answers and troubleshooting tips accordingly so others can benefit from those experiences.

7. Personal Touch

When I test casinos, I gravitate toward low-volatility online pokies and modest stakes - not because I'm chasing wins, but because I treat gambling the same way I treat a night at the cinema or a live gig: a fixed entertainment cost, with any return being a pleasant surprise rather than an expectation. That mindset shapes the way I write reviews and guides, and it's the attitude I encourage readers to adopt as well, especially if you've ever felt tempted to "double up just once more".

I'm also upfront about how easy it can be to get carried away, especially when you're playing on your phone at home rather than walking into a physical venue. That's why I regularly point readers back to the responsible gaming tools and warning signs we outline on betjust-au.com. If you notice gambling starting to take up more headspace than it should, or you're feeling pressure to "win back" what you've lost, those are red flags to pause, step away and, if needed, reach out for professional help.

8. Work Examples on betjust-au.com

If you'd like to see how all of this comes together in practice, you'll find my work throughout betjust-au.com. I write with the assumption that you may be comparing several sites or reading on your commute, so I use clear headings, summaries and concrete examples to make life easier. A few examples:

• Justcasino Australia Review. A full breakdown of Justcasino covering its Curaçao licence, ownership by Dama N.V., banking options (including PayID and Neosurf), bonus structure and complaint routes via Certria and Antillephone. The review walks through what you can realistically expect at each stage, from sign-up to withdrawal, and links out to supporting content such as the payment method breakdowns and bonus clearing guides so you can dive deeper into any area that matters to you.
• Bonus Comparison Guides. In the bonuses & promotions section, I've written guides that compare welcome offers across multiple offshore brands, highlighting which ones are genuinely achievable and which are essentially locked behind unrealistic wagering. These pieces are particularly useful if you only have a small entertainment budget and want to know which bonuses will stretch your playtime without pushing you toward risky bet sizes.
• Banking and Cash-Out Walkthroughs. The casino payment methods hub includes my step-by-step explainers on using PayID and Neosurf with offshore sites, including common verification steps, typical processing times and troubleshooting tips for withdrawal delays. I also explain how to set personal limits around deposits and how to keep gambling transactions separate from everyday bills so you don't accidentally overspend.
• Safety and Limits Articles. In the collection of responsible gaming resources, I provide practical checklists you can run through before joining any new casino, including licence checks, responsible gambling tools and red flags to watch for in the terms and conditions. These articles repeat a core message that runs through all my work: online casinos are designed so the house has the edge, and your best defence is to see them as paid entertainment with strict limits, never as a financial plan.

If you browse around the site, you'll notice a theme: I try things myself, I'm upfront about the costs and hassles, and I boil it all down into quick summaries so you can compare casinos without reading a novel. If you finish one of my pieces and think "okay, I know what I'm getting into now", that's exactly what I'm aiming for.

9. Contact Information

If you spot an error in one of my reviews, have additional information about a casino I've covered, or want to share your experience with a site like Justcasino, I genuinely want to hear from you. Real player stories - good and bad - are invaluable when it comes to painting an accurate picture of how a casino behaves over time, especially once the initial honeymoon period is over.

You can get in touch via our main editorial and complaints inbox at [email protected] - messages about my reviews are reviewed by the editorial team so they can look into them and, where needed, update the content. You can also get in touch through the contact us form on the site if you prefer using a web form instead of email.

That openness to feedback is a core part of how I work: your observations help me refine mine, and together we can build reviews that stay useful long after they're first published. If I keep hearing the same complaint about a game, payment option or brand, I'll fold that into future updates - no point in everyone learning the hard way.

Last updated: November 2025. This material is an independent editorial overview prepared for betjust-au.com and is not an official casino page or marketing communication from any operator.