The World Sports Network's Editorial Principles

At WSN, we are committed to delivering high-quality iGaming journalism that informs, entertains, and engages our audience. Our publishing principles are designed to ensure that our content meets the highest standards of accuracy, fairness, and integrity.

The World Sports Network relies on a team of contributors and permanent staff for the content it makes available daily to its visitors.

With such a diverse and remote team, closely adhering to a set of editorial principles is paramount for ensuring quality and the continued satisfaction of our readers. Below you can read about the various policies that inform all our publishing activities.

Accuracy and Fact-Checking

We strive to achieve high levels of accuracy in our reporting. Our editorial team fact-checks all information before publication, including statistics, dates, and statements attributed to sources. We are committed to correcting any errors promptly and transparently.

Our detailed fact-checking process consists of the following ten steps - 

Step 1: Source Verification ✅

We begin by verifying the credibility of the sources providing the information. This includes confirming the expertise, reliability, and relevance of the source to the topic at hand. For sports news, this might involve checking whether the source is an acknowledged expert in the sport, a well-regarded statistician, or an officially affiliated person with the sports team or organization.

Step 2: Cross-Verification ✅

We cross-check the information provided against multiple sources. This might include official sports databases, past interviews, official team or league statements, and other media reports. The goal is to confirm the information from several independent and trustworthy sources.

Step 3: Contextual Accuracy ✅

We ensure the information is accurate within its context. This involves understanding the broader situation or history. For sports stories, it could mean verifying the historical accuracy of sports records mentioned, understanding the rules of the game as they apply, and confirming the context in which a quote was made or an event occurred.

Step 4: Statistical and Data Verification ✅

Our team double-checks all numbers, dates, and statistics. We use reliable sports statistics websites, official league records, and historical sports data to verify figures like game scores, player statistics, and historical records. Misreported figures are a common error in sports journalism. In addition we also provide well-researched odds to help our readers understand the latest statistics.

Step 5: Visual Media Verification ✅

We at WSN verify the authenticity of images and videos. This involves checking the source of visual media, confirming that it accurately represents what is being reported, and ensuring that it has not been altered or taken out of context.

Step 6: Quote Verification ✅

Our team verifies direct quotes from individuals. Ensures that the quotes are accurate and attributed to the right person. This may involve listening to recordings of interviews, reviewing transcripts, or verifying with the individual who was quoted.

Step 7: Legal Review ✅

We make sure that we check for any potential legal issues. This includes copyright, libel, and defamation concerns. We keep all our data up to date regarding gambling and sports betting regulations in all US states. 

Step 8: Final Review ✅

The final review of the entire piece is conducted by another member of the editorial team, ideally a fact-checker or an editor who has not been involved in the original writing and editing process. This provides a fresh perspective and a final chance to catch any errors.

Step 9: Correction and Feedback Implementation ✅

While we strive for 100% accuracy in our reporting, unintentional errors may occur from time to time. Visitors and readers have several ways of getting in touch with the World Sports Network in order to report these errors and/or omissions.

They can make use of a contact form, email us directly at [email protected] or leave a comment via a comment form that is available at the bottom of most articles.

As soon as we receive a notification about an error or an omission, our editorial team performs a fact-checking exercise to review the veracity of the feedback received. If the feedback turns out to be valid, we will immediately correct the mistake on our website. We will also reply to the party who submitted the feedback acknowledging our mistake and providing proof of the correction made.

Step 10: Documentation ✅

We strive to document the sources and steps taken during the fact-checking process. This documentation can be useful for reference in case of disputes and for future stories to build upon verified information and sources.

This structured approach ensures that every piece of content published is as accurate, reliable, and trustworthy as possible, maintaining the integrity of the sports news outlet.

Meet Our Fact-Checker: Ioana Romanasu

Independence and Impartiality

While the World Sports Network nurtures commercial partnerships with various entities whose products it promotes on its website, this does not influence our editorial principles.

Our writers and staff do not receive gifts or monetary compensation in exchange for writing favorably about any third parties.

In our reviews of products and services, we are guided by the need of the consumer to receive accurate and useful information that will help them make an informed decision.

Transparency

We disclose any potential conflicts of interest related to our reporting. When sponsored content is published, it is clearly labeled to ensure our readers can distinguish between editorial and promotional material.

At WSN, we are completely impartial when we review and rate sportsbooks and casinos. Our reviews come directly from our team of experts who spend a week (minimum of 12 hours) testing each product.

All operators featured on WSN must meet our standards before they are listed on the site. We have stringent criteria that our reviewers use to verify every sportsbook and casino. If the product does not meet those requirements, it is not featured on the site.

WSN’s parent company, Gentoo Media, is one of the world’s leading online gaming companies and a trusted name in the iGaming industry. Gentoo Media was ranked #3 in the EGR Power Affiliates Rankings in 2023, recognizing the business as one of the top organizations within the gaming industry.

Accountability

We hold ourselves accountable to our audience and the individuals and organizations we report on. We encourage feedback and criticism from our readers and respond to it constructively.

Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to covering a diverse range of sports, athletes, and perspectives. Our content reflects the global nature of sports, and we strive to include voices from different backgrounds and communities.

Respect and Sensitivity

Our reporting respects the dignity and privacy of the individuals involved. We are sensitive to the cultural and social contexts of the stories we cover and avoid perpetuating stereotypes or prejudice.

Use of Sources

We rely on credible sources and seek to verify information through multiple channels before publication. Anonymous sources are used sparingly and only when necessary to protect the source's safety or job security, and with clear justification.

Rights and Permissions

We respect copyright, trademarks, and the rights of others. We obtain permissions for images, videos, and other content that is not produced by our team, and we adhere to legal and ethical guidelines for their use.

Innovation

We embrace innovation in our storytelling and presentation, seeking new and effective ways to engage our audience while maintaining our core journalistic values.

Editorial Oversight

Our editorial team has final say over all the content that we publish. We maintain a strict separation between editorial decisions and business interests to ensure our content integrity.

Corrections Policy

We are committed to transparency in our corrections policy. When mistakes occur, we correct them promptly and clearly, detailing the nature of the error and the correction made.

Contact Us

Feedback from our readers is invaluable. If you have comments, concerns, or suggestions about our coverage or our principles, please email our editorial team directly at [email protected] with your ideas or questions and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.