House manual07
How We Write About Games
Writing about gambling comes with a responsibility that writing about, say, board games does not. Real money is involved, and some readers are vulnerable. These are the rules every article on Rhapsody for a Unicorn is held to, whether it covers a slot feature, a football market or a budgeting habit.
Our editorial rules
- Mechanics before excitement. We explain how something works before describing how it feels. A bonus round is a set of rules, not a promise.
- The cost is always mentioned. Every game and market has an edge for the operator. Articles say so in plain words rather than in small print.
- No win promises. We never suggest that a game, feature, strategy or market will make money. Words like "guaranteed", "sure" and "can't lose" do not appear except to explain why they are wrong.
- No invented numbers. We do not make up statistics, payout figures or study results. Worked examples use round, clearly made-up amounts and are labelled as examples.
- Age and law, every time. Each article reminds readers that gambling is for adults and that its legality depends on where they live.
- Respect for the reader. We do not pressure anyone to play, and we treat a decision not to gamble as entirely valid.
Choosing topics
Most new articles come from questions. Readers ask what a symbol does, why a bet was refunded or how to keep spending in check, and those questions shape the newer sections of the archive: Slot Mechanics, Sports Betting Basics and Bankroll & Budget. Older features in Online Casino look at culture, design and regulation, especially in Southeast Asia.
Tone
We aim for a calm, curious voice. Slots and betting can be fun, and we do not pretend otherwise, but we avoid the breathless language of advertising. Headlines describe what an article explains rather than what a reader might win. When a topic touches on harm, such as chasing losses, we address it directly and point to Gambling With a Clear Head.
Articles published with partners
Some articles are produced in cooperation with outside parties and may include links to their sites. The same rules apply to them: no win promises, the cost is named, and the reminders about age and law stay in. A link is never an endorsement of every product on the other side.
Updating and correcting
Games change and so do rules. When we find or are told about an error, the article is corrected in the text. Larger revisions update the article's date. The research side of this process is described in How We Research.
Who applies these rules
The three pen-name writers on The Players’ Desk share the work, and the editor reads every article last with this list in hand. If you think an article falls short of any of these rules, please tell us via Drop Us a Line.
How an explainer is built
Four steps behind every explainer
The same route applies to a slot feature, a football market or a budgeting habit.
Start with the rulebook
Help screens, paytables and published settlement rules are read in full before drafting begins.
One topic, everyday language
One topic per article, explained with round, clearly invented example amounts.
A colleague checks
Another team member checks each statement against the source and reworks every example.
Last read for tone
The editor removes anything that sounds like a promise and confirms the age and local-law reminder is in place.
Worth remembering
Things that hold for every game
General truths that apply whatever the theme, the studio or the sport.
Every casino game and betting market is built so the operator keeps a share over time.
A slot's stated return describes millions of spins, not your next session.
Previous spins and results have no influence on the next one.
Bonus rounds and free spins are part of a game's return, not an extra on top of it.
Converting a price into another odds format never changes its value.
The rules of the game or operator always take priority over any summary, including ours.
Got a topic idea?
Suggestions help us plan.