Thanks to our awesome sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming for helping us bring The Gambling Files Podcast to you. In this episode, we chat about important stuff, like Dutch clogs, James Bond, secret super yachts, and knitting. Occasionally, we even talk about gambling. Oh, and we’ve also got two guests on today’s show—Paul Sculpher and Harry Lang. Paul is a consultant who works on existing and proposed casino projects all around the world. Harry is a marketing guru who transforms digital B2C, D...
Jul 23, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Thanks to our awesome sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming for helping us bring The Gambling Files Podcast to you. This episode opens with tales of accidentally sending very personal messages to colleagues. Oops. That silliness out of the way, Jon and Fintan get into the heart of the episode—a chat with Christina Cook, a compulsive gambling addict who is living in recovery and is three years gambling-free. In a nutshell: * Christina shares her personal story of being a gambling addict in recover...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 171
We bring The Gambling Files Podcast to you thanks to our tremendous sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . As we gear up for the complete sexification of the podcast (next week!), we thought we would do a news roundup episode because there was quite a lot of interesting news going on. Unsurprisingly, Fintan and Jon disagree about it. Oh well. Anyway, discussion in the episode includes Jon’s birthday cake, a national ad framework for sports betting advertising in Canada, a pub closing in Vegas, T...
Jul 11, 2024•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 170
We bring The Gambling Files Podcast to you thanks to our kind, generous and loving sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We kick off with Jon and Fintan joined by Naomi Barton, portfolio director at Clarion Gaming. They discuss the upcoming iGB Live! event in Amsterdam and the plans for the event in London in 2025. They also talk about the importance of face-to-face networking in the iGaming industry and the various activities and parties that will be taking place at the event. The conversation...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 169
We bring The Gambling Files Podcast to you with the benevolence of our virile sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . No intro this episode, so no need to press that 'skip' button! We dive straight into the action with this special episode. We have joined forces with one of our beautiful sponsors Optimove to talk stats, the Euros, and what operators can do during this crazy summer of sport. And we’re not even doing it because they’re sponsors, but because IT’S INTERESTING. I know, right! Jon Coll...
Jun 28, 2024•40 min•Season 2Ep. 168
As ever we begin by thanking our benevolent sponsors, who are not only more handsome than their competitors, they also spend more time with elderly relatives, and petting animals. We are talking about the legendary Optimove and Clarion Gaming , and their loveliness and fluffiness is what makes podcasts like ours possible. Oh, and of course iGB Live! is right on the doorstep. Get on it! This episode, we have Fintan and Jon talking a bit before the guests arrive [0:00 – 24:27], then they’re joined...
Jun 27, 2024•1 hr 36 min•Season 2Ep. 167
Special thanks as always to the two Euro 2024 finalists, Optimove and Clarion Gaming . It’s fair to say that no matter what the outcome, football is the only true winner today. We kick off with Fintan and Jon doing that thing they do [0:00 – 10:48], then we’re joined by two guests: Herd Capital’s Jason Ziernicki and Kyle Scott, to talk turkey. Well, affiliates. And other stuff. The conversation covers the recent changes in Google's newspaper partnerships and the impact on media publishers and af...
Jun 18, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 166
Special thanks as always to our two top of the league sponsors, Optimove and Clarion Gaming . Both utter legends and, funnily enough – total coincidence, too – Optimove’s CEO and founder is on this episode! First up there is a short intro, in which both Jon and Fintan completely lose it because of some inappropriate comments [0:00 – 6:05]. And they’re comments for which Fintan certainly apologises. Then we meet Pini Yakuel , of Optimove CEO fame. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics, i...
Jun 12, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 165
Fintan and Jon take to the stage in Amsterdam to interview Frank Kastelijns of Circus.nl, an online and land-based operator, to discuss the doom and gloom surrounding the country's industry following several knee-jerk decisions from those in power. Frank doesn't hold back… And this is our first-ever live performance with the podcast, so it was interesting. Feedback always appreciated. Enjoy the episode.
Jun 10, 2024•23 min•Season 2Ep. 164
"We're making licenses and regulations worthless." So says Washington Post journalist Gus Garcia-Roberts. And you know what, he may have a point. In conversation with Jon, Gus delves into the scandal involving baseball player Shohei Otani, his interpreter, and a bookie named Matt Boyer. The conversation explores the role of casinos in money laundering and the lack of regulation and enforcement in the gambling industry. They also touch on the cultural impact of sports betting and the interconnect...
Jun 04, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 163
We don’t know which is Cagney and which is Lacey, but we know that in the hands of top crime-fighting duo Optimove and Clarion Gaming , the city of Gaming is in the safest possible hands. Oh, and they are our eminent sponsors, and we love them bigly. Note: neither entity fights crime. One has industry-leading CRM software, the other organises industry-leading gambling events. But we believe they could fight crime, if they chose to. Apologies for the delay in a new episode, all Jon’s fault. He’s ...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 2Ep. 162
We don’t know which is Starsky and which is Hutch, to be honest, but our glorious sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming are the crime-fighting duo we would all like to be when we grow up. After a brief introduction with Jon and Fintan [0:00 – 9:44], they’re joined by a genuine superstar guest: former PaddyPower Head of Mischief Ken Robertson (now founder and CEO of The Tenth Man), who regales the pair with tales of derring-do and madness from a time of huge creativity and (relative) freedom in ga...
May 14, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 161
The Dom Toretto and Brian O’Conner of this podcast are our glorious sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We won’t ruin your work by introducing The Rock (or even Jason Statham. Don’t get me started on Momoa) any time soon, we promise! After a brief introduction [0:00 – 10:47], Fintan and Jon are joined by journalist David Danzis to talk about his specialism, Atlantic City. David recently wrote a column explaining what needs to be done to save AC in the face of NY casinos and more; you can read...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 160
The Luke Skywalker and Frodo Baggins of this podcast are our magnificent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We love you in the way that some people love Star Wars and LOTR. No Fintan! This episode’s guest is Dr. Sally Gainsbury , Director at Gambling Treatment & Research Clinic and Professor of Psychology, University of Sydney. Dr Gainsbury discusses the importance of language in gambling research and the need for more responsible terminology. Sally and Jon also touch on the flaws of the...
Apr 30, 2024•59 min•Season 2Ep. 159
The true heroes of our story are the magnificent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We love you in a fraternal but very real and very lovely way. In this episode, Jon and Fintan have a casual conversation about various topics, including books, unions, and the challenges faced by Atlantic City. These challenges include the potential impact of a New York City casino, which is a biggie. Oh, and Jon’s therapist has retired, so there is a decent chance the podcast might be his new therapist. In a...
Apr 25, 2024•56 min
As ever, the accolades go to our benevolent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We love you in a big, real kinda way. Thankfully this episode’s intro is considerably less fanciful than last; Jon has new neighbours, and some hedgehogs have had a dodgy meal in his back garden [0:00 – 14:07]. Then our hosts are joined by Brett Smiley, Chief Content Officer of CasinoReports.com, a publication focused on comprehensively covering the US iGaming industry. They aim to offer quality journalism and uni...
Apr 18, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 157
As ever, huge thanks and big love to our benevolent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We love you bigly. Ok, the intro to this one is maybe a bit weird – it spans a lot of things, but begins with a Google search for ‘whale sputum’ and pretty much goes downhill from there [0:00 – 25:27]. Then we welcome guest Martin Calladine, a football writer and author who does not shy away from the less salubrious side of the industry. We explore the involvement of football clubs in cryptocurrency scams ...
Apr 17, 2024•1 hr 40 min•Season 2Ep. 156
As ever, huge thanks, virility and blessings bestowed on our benevolent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . We love you bigly. In a side-step from the norm, Fintan and Jon discuss the news among themselves, focussing mainly on recent events around Bally’s, the Chicago casino plan, and a potential takeover , and also a lawsuit being brought against AC gambling resorts for alleged price collusion . We also discuss various topics including Easter celebrations, the challenges of being a parent, t...
Apr 04, 2024•54 min•Season 2Ep. 155
As ever, huge thanks to our benevolent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . WE LOVE YOU. It’s a step into the Twilight Zone this week – Fintan hosts without Jon! He is here for the intro, though, sadly, in which he explains apropos of very little to Fintan about how some movies were blockbusters on video after doing nothing in cinemas [0:00 – 22:03]. Fintan is joined by guest Michael Schaus of Schaus Creative to discuss the impact of Formula 1 (F1) in Las Vegas, following Michael’s recent op-e...
Mar 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 154
We kick off, as ever, with some chit-chat between Jon and Fintan [0:00 – 9:23] about stuff, and things. They definitely mention our excellent sponsor overlords though, Optimove and Clarion Gaming . Then they are joined by the most excellent Alan Hardacre , a public affairs consultant with extensive experience in the gambling and tobacco industries. Alan explains the role of public affairs in the gambling industry and how it shapes government relations pro- and reactively. It’s Alan’s opinion tha...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 2Ep. 153
A teeny tiny intro as it’s just Bruford this episode [0:00 – 2:38]. Pretty sure he mentions our excellent sponsor overlords though, Optimove and Clarion Gaming . WE LOVE THEM. Jon is then joined by Jon Bourke , CEO of Encompass Digital and Value Privacy , here to discuss the monetization of first-party data and the power of personalization in the iGaming industry. The Bourkemeister also introduces a brand-new buzzword to the podcast: psychographics! Jon explains the concept of psychographics and...
Mar 14, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 152
We begin with idle chit-chat between Jon and Fintan [0:00 – 7:43] some of which may involve beautiful sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . They’re just so wholesome and virile! Then the chaps are joined by Alex Pratt, MD of Clarion Gaming, to discuss various topics related to the gaming industry. The conversation covers the genius business decision to sponsor the Gambling Files podcast, the subsequent success of ICE London, the impact of the event on the city, the importance of event staff, th...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 151
There’s the usual nonsense to kick off, Jon apologising for not doing an episode last week, that kind of thing [0:00 – 20:30], then the chaps meet their latest guest, the excellent Antti Koivula, legal advisor for Legal Gaming, of Finland. Antti covers the surprising news about Betsson in Finland and the subsequent blacklisting; we delve into the background of the Betsson case, the legislative reform for gambling advertisement, and the administrative proceedings against the company. Antti explai...
Mar 11, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 150
We begin with more small talk between Jon and Fintan [0:00 – 14:00] some of which may involve premier sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . They’re just so hot right now! Another returning guest this episode, it’s the brilliant Charles Cohen of Department of Trust fame. We do start this one – and it’s on Charles – talking about Ludlow and its influence on video games despite being in the arse-end of nowhere. But then we get into it: frictionless affordability checks. Charles explains that these...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 149
First up, Fintan and Jon talk about some stuff or other, a bit of this and that, plus their benevolent sponsor overlords Optimove and Clarion Gaming [0:00 – 22:44]. Then star guest and UK gambling law scion Melanie Ellis , of Northridge Law fame, joins the chat. We discuss the newly-minted online slot stake limits, debate the effectiveness of stake limits, the lack of evidence for the impact of same, and have a brief look at the recent WSJ article about a psychiatrist's gambling addiction. This ...
Feb 28, 2024•59 min•Season 2Ep. 148
OK, joking aside – this episode, it’s well worth skipping the intro, even though we discuss our benevolent and beloved sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming . Jon talks absolute waffle, even going into a race he once organised, and a wedding fayre (that’s how they spell it, really), and bigging up his own credentials to run ICE as a result. Fintan is not convinced [0:00 – 37:37]. Then they’re joined by the lovely and knowledgable Frank Op de Woerd of www.CasinoNieuws.nl – basically if Frank doesn...
Feb 21, 2024•1 hr 28 min•Season 2Ep. 147
First post-ICE edition and it’s a doozy. Thanks, Ned*! First up, Fintan and Jon talk about their very different experiences of ICE. Clue: one included golf, socialising and nice dinners and lunches, and one included recording the podcast, editing it, staying in a shitty hotel and almost no socialising [0:00 – 20:10]. Then we’re joined by top guest and newly-minted CEO of OddsJam.com, Matt Restivo. He discusses his passion for running marathons and participating in endurance races (mostly with Fi...
Feb 15, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 146
Jon flies solo in the week's third outing, as Fintan responds to Chairman emergencies around the globe in his role as some kind of chair-superhero. I guess his name would be simply, Chair Man. That works. Anyway, first guest on Thursday was the lovely Chief Vision Officer from Xprizo , Richard Mifsud , with their genius product which not only helps businesses wanting to enter potentially difficult markets with transaction handling, it also helps people without access to traditional banking. It's...
Feb 09, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 145
Well, Jon messed up and left his car keys at the hotel, which would have been fine but his mic was locked in the car, which is at ExCeL. So a slightly more rustic feel to today's episode, not least because Fintan is busy doing chairman things. It also means no intro, so we go straight into the action with Better Change 's Rob Mabbett . Rob joins Jon to talk about the team's tie-up with RG24/7, as they now offer the latter's training free of charge. How to spell Leeds also comes up, along with ta...
Feb 07, 2024•54 min•Season 2Ep. 144
It's been a banging first day at ICE 2024; the place is absolutely heaving, ExCeL is buzzing and if you're not here, why not? We're doing an episode a day in theory, as our benevolent wonders Clarion Gaming kindly found us a room to record in. So, the intro is Fintan and Jon talking about stuff including Optimove, the other wonder sponsor, as the room is very close to their stand (which is at the entrance to N5, you can't miss it, go and mention the podcast for an amazon voucher. But also, get a...
Feb 06, 2024•1 hr 26 min
