The Gambling Files

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 episod...

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 co...

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...

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 e...

"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...

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 c...

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 p...

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...

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 rese...

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 J...

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 focus...

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 sa...

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...

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 S...

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 g...

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...

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 subs...

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 ref...

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...

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 sa...

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 joine...

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....

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...

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...

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...