Interview with Max Brimmer

Most players only ever see the front end of their favorite online casinos. Max Brimmer has spent over a decade of her career looking behind the scenes. Currently a senior editor rating and reviewing slots casinos andThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
Max Brimmer  games at Casino.us, she has built a first-hand understanding of how the iGaming industry really works. In this interview, Max shares how she evaluates casinos and slot games, what makes her love a product, and what regular players should know to help them make smarter choices.

Q: Max, how did you first find yourself working in the casino space, and what eventually led you into a full-time role reviewing online slots and casino sites?

I got into it because writing and analytics have always been my favorite muscles to flex. I stayed because I love the atmosphere in this industry; it's always exciting, there's always something going on, and having worked with teams from around the world and on products aimed at very diverse markets, it's been an amazing way to learn about marketing, player psychology, global cultures, technology, and so many other things in between.

Q: You’ve talked about learning so much from the industry side. Has that changed how you feel when you actually sit down to play slots for fun, or do you still manage to switch off the ‘reviewer brain’?

I'm not really good at turning off “reviewer brain” in a lot of aspects of my life, to be honest. I enjoy trying to break things down to see how they work and why, and when it comes to slot games especially, I'm always going to be looking at things with a critical eye. I want to see what's new, which game has the best features, who they appeal to.

If anything, I used to find it hard as a reviewer to separate my own subjective preferences and opinions from what is objectively true, so I focus hard on that to keep reviews fair and balanced.

Q: From your perspective, what are some of the most common ways a slot looks exciting on the surface, but doesn’t really hold up once you start pulling it apart as a reviewer?

A lot of it for me is about clarity and transparency. Something that really convinces me that an online slot was made by an amazing software company is how much attention they put into the boring stuff.

After a few spins as a reviewer, the first thing I do is click on the game rules or info section. My rule of thumb is that if I find a game's features and paytable hard to understand as someone who's been exposed to them for over 10 years, then players will be at a disadvantage. Putting effort into the less exciting parts of the slot shows me the studio is serious about positive player experiences.

Q: Are there similar signs that tell you a site is taking players seriously rather than just chasing quick clicks?

Yes, absolutely. Especially in newer markets or ones where regulation is a grey area, if I see a casino that goes above and beyond what is legally required to provide extra security and customer service, I'm instantly impressed.

Do they make it easy to find responsible gambling tools? Are they up front about wagering requirements? Do they disclose any third-party audits? Those all make me very happy as a reviewer.

Q: When you’re reviewing a new site, what are the very first practical checks you run through to decide whether this is a casino you’d feel comfortable recommending to players?

The first thing I look at is how difficult it is to find the terms and conditions for the welcome bonus, and how difficult they are to understand. I also like to see slots and casino games from reputable software developers, payment providers I recognize, and a robust set of customer support options.

If I don't see any familiar names and can't talk to a real person, that's a red flag for me.

Q: Once a casino has passed those first basic checks, how do you approach its slots lobby? What are you looking for when you scroll through the games for the first time?

I want to see variety; there needs to be a healthy mix of games, even if the main focus of the casino is slots. Different levels of volatility, a mix of game types, different themes, and of course a good way to navigate it all.

I need more than luck when I'm sorting through hundreds or thousands of games to find my favorites: I need a solid filtering system.

Q: When you think about your own favorite slots, what do they tend to have in common, and what do you think that says about you as a player?

I like a slot with a strong theme and a sense of fun. I don't tend to play the classic old-school-style fruit machine slots; they feel very serious. I am serious about good game design but I only play slots for fun, so I want something that feels light-hearted too.

Thunderkick is probably my favorite software studio. I think they hide some strong game mechanics under beautiful and unique visuals.

Q: After a decade of looking at casinos from the inside, has your core view of slots changed, or do you still see them in the same way you did when you first started in this industry?

My understanding has changed, but I think my core values as part of this industry have remained the same. There's a lot of back and forth about the ethics of working in this industry and of casinos and slots in general, and I don't disagree that there is a lot of room for bad-faith actors to take advantage of players. But that is exactly why I also believe in the importance of legalized and regulated gambling, and of player education. We all like to be thrilled and entertained, and I don't believe there's anything wrong with that as long as it's done within a responsible framework.

Now, in my role as a casino reviewer and editor, I see it as part of my job to help players make good decisions.