Editorial governance
Review Evidence Checklist
Every statement in a review should fall into one of three groups: what you tested yourself, what you cite from a named source, and what you cannot support. The third group gets removed before publishing.
In brief
- Google asks reviewers to "Provide evidence such as visuals, audio, or other links of your own experience".
- Google also asks for benefits and drawbacks "based on your own original research".
- The FTC's rule on consumer reviews, effective October 21, 2024, bans fake reviews, including AI-generated ones, and undisclosed insider reviews.
- Label each claim as tested, cited or unsupported, and remove the unsupported ones.
The three evidence classes
| Class | Example claim | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Tested | "Our withdrawal by bank transfer arrived in two working days." | Date, amount, method, account market, screenshots with personal data removed |
| Cited | "The operator is licensed by the Gambling Commission." | Register link and the date you checked it |
| Unsupported | "Fastest payouts in the UK." | Nothing supports it: remove it, or test and narrow it |
Checklist
- Identity of the review. URL, title, market, reviewer (or desk), review date and the methodology link are visible.
- First-hand basis. The review says what was tested and when, and shows evidence. Google's guidance lists visuals, audio or other links of your own experience.
- Measurements. Where something can be measured (time, steps, limits), give the number and the date. Google asks for "quantitative measurements".
- Operator facts. License, terms and limits are cited from the operator's terms and the regulator's register, with dates.
- Balance. Drawbacks appear with the same prominence as benefits.
- Comparisons. If the review says a product is best for something, it says why and against what, as Google's guidance asks.
- User reviews and quotes. No invented player quotes, no AI-written "testimonials", no reviews from staff or partners without disclosure. The FTC rule covers these practices.
- Disclosure. Commission relationships are disclosed clearly and conspicuously, near the recommendation.
- Market rules. Age, help line and limits are the target market's, not another market's.
- Dates. Every time-sensitive fact carries the date it was checked.
Evidence log template
| Claim | Class | Evidence | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Cited | Operator terms, section and URL | Date |
| Identity check on first withdrawal | Tested | Screenshot reference, steps noted | Date |
| License | Cited | Regulator register entry | Date |
The audit workbench shows how a site-wide grid of these checks can look, using invented example rows.
Worked example (synthetic)
Synthetic example. Invented names and figures that show the method. No real operator, site or test is described.
A reviewer tests Operator F, a licensed sportsbook in New Jersey, for a review. The evidence file holds: the license entry on the regulator's site, checked on the test date; account sign-up screenshots; the deposit and withdrawal records with dates and how long each step took; a copy of the bonus terms as shown that day; and two help chat transcripts. The draft says "withdrawal arrived in two business days in our test on October 14". It does not say "fast payouts", because one test cannot support a general claim. A second editor checks each claim against the file and marks one line, an unsupported claim about app stability, for removal before publication.
Questions
Can a review rely only on public information?
It can cite public facts, but Google's review guidance asks for evidence of your own experience and benefits and drawbacks based on your own research. A review with no first-hand element is closer to a summary.
Are AI-written player reviews allowed in the US?
The FTC's consumer reviews rule, effective October 21, 2024, prohibits fake consumer reviews, and the FTC states that AI-generated reviews are covered.
How much evidence is enough?
Enough that a reader could understand what you did and repeat the check. State sample sizes honestly: one test is an observation, not a rule.
Sources
- Google Search Central, Write high quality reviews, last updated December 10, 2025.
- Federal Register, Trade Regulation Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials (16 CFR Part 465), published August 22, 2024, effective October 21, 2024.
- Legal Information Institute, 16 CFR § 255.5, Disclosure of material connections.
- Gambling Commission, Public register, updated November 12, 2024.
Found an error? Tell the editors and link the source. Corrections are dated on the page they change (corrections).