DISCLAIMER: As always; the opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect those of anyone or any organisation I’m associated with. It is not my intention to vex anyone with the following essay. Furthermore what follows are first-hand accounts (based on professional experience) across a number of fields.

About this time last year; I diverted a weeks’ worth of lessons-training time to instead do impromptu lectures/ rants about All things Gambling to my neurodiverse & autistic ITFS students.

Yes - you did read that correctly.

I thought my HF and ASD pupils about everything and anything I could [about gambling]

Now I need to be really clear here - this was not my original intention or plan for the week to come - I had probably set out to cover:

1. Interview Skills - Dress, Preparation, Attitude, Behaviours, Adaptations

2. Self-Agency & Resilience - Attitude, Interpersonal Interactions, Competency, Self-Esteem

3. Word Processing - The history of Windows 95 and Open Office

But all that changed rapidly and instead each class was about some-aspect of ‘gambling’.

• Not because it was on the curriculum or part of the ASTI pack.

• Not because I wanted to or even planned to (I really hadnt)

• Not because of some wellbeing outreach scheme.

No.

I did ~30hr stretch on EVERTHING I knew about Gambling because on the first morning; one of my students asked me to explain it [gambling] to them because their favourite influencer was touting some backalley “Crypto-Bro” Casino.

None of the other adults in his life would even broach the topic with him apparently. They may have thought it wouldn’t be appropriate or suitable for someone with a diagnosis to know about such things.

So he asked me to do it - his (then) teacher:

1. What was it?

2. Why people did it?

3. Was it as HARMLESS OR DANGEROUS as some said.

4. Could he & others like him, do it.

5. Should he do it

6. Is it ‘Evil’?

7. How the companies work?

8. What laws there are / aren’t

9. Funny & Harrowing stories.

10. Good Habits and Bad Habits

11. Addiction & Harm

12. Profit and making money

13. My own background

14. What it was like to work there

15. What I did there.

16. Is it Rigged?

17. Will I absolutely loose?

18. Ads and Commercials

19. How Influencers work

20. My own opinion (this was probably the last topic on the agenda)

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I was as-honest and forthcoming with them as I could be.

I answered any questions they asked; no matter how pricky the query.

I told them stories of ex-customers who had their lives raised to the ground aswell as those who won thousands (even my favourite ever ‘winner’ story)

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Each subsequent morning of that week; some of the students would tell me what had been said at-home the previous night [about my ‘lessons’].

Most were constructive and positive; interested-even. Some weren’t but that okay.

My outlook on that week didnt change anything from my outlook since I first learned 5-Draw and Pontoon; when I was kid:

Gambling happens and is going to continue to happen in every community and group across every society other there. It is NOT GOING AWAY irrespective of any actions or opinions or personal milage.

My students had looked me up. They knew who I was before I became their teacher.

They trusted me to be honest with them - not to:

• moralise

• lecture

• scaremonger

• sugar-coat

To be straight and objective with them.

I didn’t glamourise or vilify

I didnt playdown or exagerrate

I didnt embellish

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I have spent my life around gambling; in one shape or form.

I’ve been a poker player, a rep, trainer, designer, manager, product specialists, mentor; SME and lead.

I have won money. I have spent money. I have lost money.

I have over 17,000 hours of direct-case interactions with persons from every conceivable background and community.

I have been faced with episodes that would break your heart and others that would reignite your sense of wonder [in the world].

I have put gambling lectures on for audiences of hundreds and audiences of one.

It is not possible for me to know how much of what I covered across that whole week; would sink-in or be retained.

I dont know if some of them went on to try [gambling] or swore-off it then and there.

I probably wont ever know. What I do know though is that they got alot more than just a 60-minute seminar on ‘gambling awareness‘.

Would I do it again?

If given the opportunity.

No ordinary customer.

I first encountered the subject for this Case Study; ‘Denise’, probably in early 2014. I had been working in the PokerStars RG team (internationally known as ‘WeCare’) for almost a year.

In that time I had already engaged with quiet a few characters and had a number of complex; especially Full Tilt centric, cases under my belt. I by-no-means thought I knew it all by then but I believed I had a decent handle on how to conduct:

• an investigation,

• interaction

• player welfare check

My superiors and mentors thought so too. Denise - to their credit although I relucent to give it - proved otherwise. I am a better specialist and handler (of people and crisis) now in no small part to having had years of the problematic customer that was Denise.

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This is not normal RG-issues. I dont know what this is!

Denise was a prolific badbeater. They excelled at it.

Their tomes of complaints and challenges were exceptional. They expertly crafted incredibly vulgar and obscene tirades with some pretty robust analysis. They knew how to mix supposed-probability and EV review with calling others ‘c*nts’ and much more. Badbeats from them usually circled about a 1500 word count. Yeah - we’re not dealing with your normal sore loser here. This person was special; how special I would learn far too much-about over the next 7 years.

At this time; there was a strange situation evolving with the playerbase for both companies - there were thousands of players removed from one platform; that used to play happily on the other.
Various reasons such as Voluntary Permanent Closure (NON HARM), Self Exclusion, Gambling-Harm, Addiction, Fraud-related, Debt, Game Integrity-related. Underage, etc.

Most were simply enough to reconcile:

Now that the companies have merged; certain offenses on one; will carry over onto the other. This is our right to exercise and enforce.

In the less obvious instances; I devised a policy called ‘Trial Period’: if you could show you were a decent customer for X months on FTP then you could return to PS (and vice-versa). It was this very procedure that brought me into contact with ‘Denise’.

This person was already barred* on PokerStars for unacceptable behaviour and concerning comments but they had been playing (supposedly without incident) on Full Tilt upto the shutdown.

In hindsight; this person was not appropriate for a trial.

This player was; on the surface, a model customer especially from a safer gambling perspective. They regularly used various self-imposed limits aswell as:

• IIRC they had a strict Monthly DEP and kept details notes for Transactions

• They regularly asked for Account Balance statements to check our information against theirs: Tx, Wins, Losses, Sessions durations, ‘Mixing Drinks’ etc..

• Multiple packs of their Hand Histories had been sent out over the years

• There was never any sign of chasing losses or chasing winnings

• Fixed and consistent game stake ranges; Cash.

• Regular use of Time-Outs and Cooling-offs, as we know them today.

• Their account has been KYC’d and a proto-version of AFF performed via Bank Statements and Source of Funds/ Wealth

• They had been granted access to the Higher Stakes tables and completed all the necessary checks and clearances required.

• No Fraud issues

• Steady employment for years and years

This is where the good ended.

As I said earlier; they were a notorious BadBeater but that was only part of it. ‘Denise’ actually had a very serious problem/ illness and if I understood things then like I do now; it would have been better for both of us. This person; despite having a very strong knowledge of poker and understanding of game theory; simply could not tolerate loosing.

Loosing to them wasnt bad luck or bad play. It was malicious. It was targeted. It was so improbable and unfathomable that the only acceptable-explanation; was nefarious intent.

Denise was truly paranoid about any downswing at all and I do mean ANY: I would have long exchanges with them about as little as 5 bad hands in a row. They were so delusionary convinced that our parent company was specifically targeting them. The way their emails and conspiracies were constructed - this was not sour grapes - this was sickness manifesting.

Unfortunately I would not understand this (really understand it) for many years to come.

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Learning Curve.

‘Denise’ pushed the boundaries and limits of what is acceptable engagement.

Even though; for the majority of the time, they were okay; where there was a problem - it was seismic. They would meltdown and unleash upon; increasing me. Soon enough; there outbursts would be directed to me personally. This became the normal for many years to come and they would not talk to any else but me.

What makes ‘Denise’ so standout wasnt just the badbeat-aspect of their writing; it was the overly personal admissions they would make regarding their life; their childhood, their relationships & employment.
Any attempts to establish boundaries was meet with aggression and fury. What would often follow would be a warning and then short-term suspension [of services]. This would often be followed by a few highly alarming crisis emails (later cited as pleas for reconsideration). This was emotional manipulation and it did work.

Once.

What makes ‘Denise’ so unique as an example is that - their problems didn’t seemingly stem from financial difficulties or loss of relationships (as a result of detrimental gambling). Their problems were centrally temperamental.
The harm for them was the person that they would become* and how they handled difficulties or adversity. This change would frequently be accompanied by a spill over into just destructive-dumps into small stake slots.

It’s easy to reflect now and say what should have done.

Denise should have been removed from Full Tilt; just like she was from PokerStars.

Immediately.

If I could do it all over again - this is what I would do and it is also what I have since taught to dozens of fellow SG-specialists.
Customers like Denise are their own worst enemy and they require clinical treatment. They could be deeply unwell. Responsible Gaming teams and gambling companies in-general; are not the right environment for people like Denise. Their issues are much deeper and delicate than is a reasonable-expectation of Safer Gambling.

They require Clinical and not Behavioural.

I learned a few valuable lessons from Denise.

DISCLAIMER: As always; the opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect those of anyone or any organisation I’m associated with.
It is not my intention to vex anyone with the following essay.
Furthermore what follows are first-hand accounts (based on professional experience) across a number of fields.

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On 19 January 2026, the UKGC introduced new restrictions ending (banning) cross-sell offers — no more mixing casino games with sportsbetting; a dash of bingo, and lotto draw; all into one big multi-legger offer.

The rational behind this (in NON lawyer-speak) is this: mixing gambling-formats creates Confusion, Overload, and inevitably Regret. Maybe even Harm

It’s the same logic behind other cross‑sell restrictions and product‑specific limits. The industry sees this as a Regulatory Overreach and a competitive albatross.
Campaigners, Advocated and Other; see it as overdue intervention/ protections.

But as is frequently the case on such things - both sides miss, IMHO, the deep on this: the danger isn’t the promotion itself — it’s the transitional, mish-mash functionality. The moment a player switches from one vertical immediately into another (to progress a bonus redemption) is the tilting point.

Imagine being required to play Mixed Games just to get your standardised Bonus Offer

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Most people imagine “dangerous gambling” as a large-impact moment:

• A spontaneous braindead bet.

• A crippling and world-shattering loss. Repeated.

• A shove of chips across a table in desperation or resignation

Something cinematic & bombastic. Something you can point at like a milestone or impact-crater.

But that has not been my experience.

No; most real & lasting cracks comes from the quiet, sloppy mixing of verticals:

• a few spins here

• a sessions of PLO Cash

• a quick sports bet (or 5) to pick up backup

• add in some Blackjack hands while you’re waiting around

• back to slots cause you think the RNG is going to payout

• maybe a roulette spin for luck; just cause it’s 3am now and going to bed is too daunting a prospect.

It’s the gambling equivalent of mixing beer at 8pm, shots at 10, spirits at 11, cocktails at midnight, more shots at 1am — and waking up feeling like roadkill:

It’s not the individual drink that gets you; it’s the slurry concoction together they make

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Throughout all my time in the Industry; this Mixing Drinks was something we learned to especially lookout for

You’d see a player jump from slots → heads‑up poker → PLO → Spin & Gos → baccarat in a single session.

That wasn’t entertainment. That was a behavioural red alert.

A signal that something in the player’s internal state gone.

Variety may be the spice of life but what is unfolding here is beyond heartburn and straight into stomach pumps & payday loans…

I once explained this idea to a promotions manager outside a restaurant while working at GGPoker.

He asked why I kept using the “Mixing Drinks” metaphor during escalations and internal comms.

I told him to imagine what is actually going-on when player is tearing between:

• 5‑Card for an hour or two - trying out something new

• Chasing his arse on $10 Slots (the Shots of this misadventure)

• Still multi‑tabling FL Cash (his preferred tippled)

• Scrambling to try anything to get his money back and swing his luck; he looks to give the ACCAs/ Parlays a go

“It’s like mixing beer, rum, whiskey, red wine, and shots,” I said.

“It’s not one drink — it’s the chaos of all of them. We’ve all done it but has that carryon ever may your night better?”

He understood instantly.

Everyone does.

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Here’s the uncomfortable truth: each vertical demands a different mindset.

Slots numb you.

Poker sharpens you.

Sports betting tempts you with narratives.

Casino games seduce you with speed.

When you mix them, the average punters brain never gets a chance to adjust. You’re thrashing between formats faster than you can manage them. This is often then the point at which reason evaporates. Not because you set out to be reckless — but because you’re probably overloaded and frenetic.

This is where the Beyond the Seatbelt comes into it’s own - switching lanes and not giving yourself enough clearance!

If you’ve ever gambled, you know this moment. It’s the pause after a loss where your chest tightens. It’s the “I’ll just check the football” impulse. It’s the “one more spin” lie you hear yourself say. It’s the shift — not the stake — that does the damage.

The industry doesn’t talk about this because …. well, there are alot of ‘Becauses’ to this. It doesn’t fit neatly into a dashboard or a templated; generic ‘RGI’ (Responsible Gaming Intervention)

It’s not a tidy metric. It’s not a clean compliance box. It’s a behavioural pattern that requires paying attention to the human, not the product.

It requires deep product and theory-knowledge that you cant just pickup during the sparse 1 week new hire orientation.

And that’s the real problem: regulators and operators; until now; built a gambling ecosystem that monitors transactions patterns - not vertical transitions.

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We track deposits, withdrawals, session length, bet size, flux.

But the most precarious moment — the moment where someone jumps from one vertical to another — is treated as normality or noise

It isn’t noise.

It’s a signal of bad things to come!

I saw this blind spot up close in 2017 during a PokerStars cross‑site launch meeting.

The room was full of people daydreaming about KPIs, bonuses, and cross‑sell funnels.

Not one person had considered edge‑cases like:

• what if a player has permanently blocked casino?

• what if a player has restricted Spin & Gos for 90 days?

• what if a jurisdiction prohibits casino entirely or sports or poker-even?

They were planning transitions without understanding transitions. They were designing cocktails without acknowledging the hangover.

This is the same blindness behind mixed‑product promotions.

The same blindness behind poorly designed bonuses. The same blindness behind “engagement journeys.” The industry keeps optimising the drink — not the mixing.

And players feel this. They feel it in the moment they reach for something faster, louder, simpler, or more hopeful. They feel it when they’re not choosing a product — they’re choosing a state.

The UKGC’s new rules won’t fix this and I dont think they meant to.

The new rules are a legal-apparatus attempt to simplify the surface tension, not the behavioural psychology undercurrents. But they do signpost to something important: the system is finally acknowledging that mixing drinks matters:

Mixed‑product promotions are being banned because they blur boundaries.

Bonus wagering caps are being lowered because complexity creates misconceptions and potentially harm.

Cross‑sell rules are tightening because transitions are dangerous; putting unbeknown oust players at a disadvantage.

These are surface‑level fixes to a deeper behavioural truth: people can loose control in the flux between products, not just inside them.

If you gamble, this is the part worth paying attention to. Not the game you’re playing in isolation— the moment you switch it up and begin to mix.
The moment you reach for something that promises a different emotional state. A different buzz. A different flavour or feel

If you work in the industry, this is the blind spot that matters. Because the danger isn’t the game.

It’s the mixing.

The cocktail.

The swirling between verticals that almost nobody pays attention to — until it’s too late.

Unpopular opinion:

Most detrimental impact doesn’t come from a single game or drink. It comes from the mixing.

A few months back I published the first part of this article and it was surprising well-received; especially by those in the Safer Gambling community (which I had hoped it would be).

Like many pieces I write - while I always hope these words will find a wider audience and that someone completely unattached will find something amusing and helpful - my target group is firmly gambling stakeholders (especially RG staff).

So here are the B-Sides and missing tracks from the sleeve of METAL probably saved my sanity.

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This essay will be different though from the structure of Part 1. There I had 2 very clear and strong examples I wanted to give, aspects which are rarely given airtime in the wider discussions about the gambling sector and it’s woes.

I think I did an okay job of that.

1. …those are just words on a page….

During the final paragraph of the Side A, I shorthanded a conversation I had once with a MHFA during my time at PokerStars:

This is a hard reality for alot of people (those in Biz Units) to appreciate I have since found. The concept of aftermath-triage is alien to many of them, no more than direct-customer interaction.

I mean if you are working in Copy or Marketing or Cashier-DEV; you are not going to check your company email one morning and to find Subject Line:

“I found you ‘Finn’……”

SIDE NOTE: That was an unsettling one. A really unsettling one…. especially because the accompanying attachment involved my headshot (from LI or somewhere) had been photoshopped for dramatic effect.

The MHFA in-question was no stranger to the unpleasantries of working with the public. They had worked for many years in call centres of all kinds; from Insurance to Communications.
They told me they knew the drill and had endured their own fair share [of abuse] but what they were shocked at was the ferocity and frequency of it [the incident with Amas].

Yeah - I wasnt.

That wasn’t the worst - not even close!

An aspect of the Gambling Harm Debate than almost never gets referenced is the levels that staff are expected to endure just because Joan or Joe customer ‘lost X sum of money’.

Throughout the course of an average shift; many RG/SG staff will be told:

• They are [INSERT PROFANE TERM HERE]

• How they [or those close to them] should die, painfully

• They get cancer [the REALLY BAD kind]

• God(s) will punish them

• So on. So forth.

SIDE NOTE CHALLENGE: Please try this in your job. Ask a customer or colleagues to use this exact type of terminology/ language towards you and then remind you to ‘have empathy always’.

Let me know how you get on.

Grotesque, isnt it!

I know [better than most] how atrocious people can be to eachother; especially when money is involved & with the power of keyboards.

BUT here is something to consider - what if all of this and more; could just be ignored?

What if instead of getting upset or anxious; we remember that all of the above examples are just words on a page!

”Much easier said than done”

I hear you say so… here’s where metal quietly enters the chat.

Research shows heavy music helps people regulate intense emotions — not by amplifying them, but by matching them. When the external noise mirrors the internal weather, the limbic system calms down instead of overheating.

Fancy that!

Metal becomes the emotional shock absorber that lets you say:

“Right. This is awful. But it’s not getting in.”

2. The “threats and folks that make them” section

I’ve spent hundreds of hours listening to post‑rock and instrumental metal while working SG cases. Guitars and BPMs helped me (as they help others) digest what I was reading — good, bad, or abhorrent.

For context, the worst “Best‑Ofs” include:

1. Two very serious threats of - let’s call them Violent Mishaps -

   1. One contained a photoshopped headshot of yours truly with additions (for effect) and the subject line “I found you 'Finn’

   2. The other standout was deemed so serious by Mgmt it required asking international passport control to intervene

…all because I informed someone they could no longer gamble [with us] anymore.

At a certain point, you stop being shocked and start thinking:

“Forget being empathic. The best I can offer is not treating this person the way they’ve treated me… and I’m blaring Spotify for the rest of the shift.”

Apparently some clinicians who work in delicate and traumatic-fields; do the same.

There’s supposedly-research showing metal helps professionals process disturbing material without absorbing it.

If you’re going to be threatened by strangers on the internet, you may as well have a soundtrack that matches the energy.

3. Meanwhile, in America…

Recently, some US regulators have raised the possibility of criminal charges for punters who send death threats to athletes over bets.

Absolutely.

Threaten a professional because your 12‑leg parlay died flat?
You should be escalated to the authorities and face the consequences.

But I’ve yet to see the same energy applied to protecting the staff who deal with this abuse Every. Single. Shift.

Athletes get stadium security.
RG staff get a wellness webinar and a reminder to “be empathetic always.”

Twilight Zone stuff.

4. Metal: the quiet salvation of loud music

People assume metal hooks you because it’s loud, angry, or rebellious.

No.

Metal hooks you because it’s the only genre that sounds like your internal monologue when you open your inbox at 9:01am.

Everyone has that moment — the first time a riff hits you and your brain goes:

“Ah yes. Finally. A noise that matches my emotional weather.”

And here’s the science bit:

• Metal helps people enter flow states faster

• It sharpens focus

• It reduces perceived effort

• It makes time pass differently

Ideal when you’re staring down a 200‑case queue.

Metal doesn’t ask you to be calm or presentable.
It hands you a sonic crowbar and says:

“Here. Use this on whatever needs prying open.”

You don’t grow out of something that helped you survive your own brain.
You grow into it — like a leather jacket that eventually stops squeaking.

5. Metal as a behavioural tool

Metal is not therapy.
But it is therapeutic — in the same way DOOM Eternal is therapeutic & is a socially acceptable

It helps you:

• Process intensity without combusting

• Channel frustration without collateral damage

• Find momentum when your brain is buffering

• Build identity when you feel like a blank file

• Feel understood without having to talk to anyone

Research, albeit sparse, backs this up: metal reduces perceived effort and increases emotional resilience.

It’s emotional regulation for people who want a life with more BPM & OMFF

6. “Words are violence”! Let’s talk about that.

We live in an era where people say “words are violence” and “dehumanising language causes harm.”

Okay. Let’s take that seriously.

If words are violence, then RG staff are treated no better than clay pigeons.
We’re basically doing customer mindfield sweeping, with a headset.

But here’s the twist:

They’re not opening emails that recount genuine horror and trauma; caused often by destructive gambling activity.
They’re equally not being told their kids should die because someone lost €40 on a boosted acca.

So yes — if language is violence, then maybe the people absorbing the worst of it deserve the same protections as athletes, politicians, and anyone else who gets a nasty DM.

But RG staff don’t.

7. Closing track

Metal did probably save my sanity, because it made the job survivable, the days tolerable, and the chaos manageable.

And again, some research agrees:

Metal helps people regulate emotion, stay focused, and keep going when the work is heavier than advertised

His name was Conor. He had been playing online for about 6 years and like the overwhelming majority of service-users, he was losing. Badly.

Despite an initial hotstreak and a handful of strong finishes earlier in his story; Conor had been on a downswing more or less for years. By the time he came to my attention, he was down a significant sum (approx the average industrial annual salary). His preferred games were HUSnGs (25+ buyin) and HU Cash. The problem was obvious after reviewing a few random hand-packets, Conor was playing beyond his ability; consistently.

He was not a bad player in a general sense but he was definitely weaker than the level required typically for his stakes – especially HU. Unfortunately no one ever explained this to him or he never took it onboard.

After a particularly bad few days; where he admitted to depositing his entire month’s pay within a few hours of receiving it (and losing it), he exploded and sent an incredibly emotional rant to support. This lead to his case being escalated directly to me.

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From the moment I reviewed his case and history; I had made up my mind: Conor needed to be permanently closed for his own good. His transaction history; playing habits and the overall player-profile he presented were deeply concerning. His latest email (it was a plea for help and reimbursement coupled with other concerning admissions, etc) illustrated that he finally realised he’d gone too far. The sad part was that, in many regards, this moment of clarity came too late for intervention.

Now it is rare that an operator will decide to outright permanently close a player without first trying to intervene and engage with them. Naturally; depending on the customers motivations and circumstances; you would try to work with them; offering limits or restrictions to aid them, strict caps to help with bankroll management or just general quality of life. Here though; any of that would have just been prolonging the bleeding. On some level, I imagine Conor realised this himself.

So I closed his account, explained the reasoning for my decision and signposted him to financial support and debt services as well as gambling harm resources. I also arranged for all currencies Conor had within his account to be consolidated and issued to him asap as a FINAL WITHDRAWAL – the total amount would have gone some way to easing his immediate problems (rent etc).

—————————————————

Conor’s story is hardly unique. I encountered 1000s of players just like him. You reading this; you probably know a few yourself who mirror-onto Conor’s story. The reason why Conor’s story stands out to me is because it perfectly highlights a blindspot far too many wannabes have – they dont actually evaluate and study their play.

Conor seemingly just chased ‘that big win’. Why not. It mapped early in his journey but it was probably more luck and circumstance than his innate ability. When he started playing more frequently; he zeroed in on one of the hardest formats; HU and never seemingly stopped to really reflect on his ability – was he swimming too far out?

I believed he was.
Actually – I know he was.
He was a Yellow Belt grappling with Black Belts – for alot of money. Over and over again.

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———————————

It’s easy to reflect now and say what Conor should have done. That would be of no help to him.

The best recommendations though for anyone who is seeing themselves (comfortably or otherwise) reflected in Conor’s story are these:

-NEVER move up stakes until you have cracked the one you are at. Conor jumped pretty soon after his first win because he conflated his results with him capability. This turned out to be a grave mistake. As I said at the beginning – he wasnt a bad player. Had he stayed in the shallow end and honed his skills there before trying to conquer the next rung– he might have become the black bet shark rather than the yellow belt chum!

-Study your results. Please. For someone who played as frequently as he did and again – the format he did – he admitted to not knowing how any of his recent sessions went. He knew he was losing but not by how much or how often. I asked him questions about his approach and why he played certain significant hands the way he did (general game theory) he did not know. He had completely lost track of his financial spending and his outcomes… he was playing on autopilot and out of desperation.

-He never once used a deposit limit or time-out. There are and were features available-throughout to help him – he never used them. Even when he would occasionally get an automated outreach signposting him – he just ignored them. I asked him why. He didnt answer.

Conor Study Conor: Now What?

I am sure by now many of you will have read my last article, in which I recounted the story of Conor and how his initial small wins turned into serious + lasting gambling harm.

Eventually Conor’s situation became so dire and detrimental that (as I stated previously), by the time he came to my attention – the damage was done.

I would like to pivot here and say that Conor is a complete exception and outlier to the mean. I would like to say that.

The truth is though – Conor is not unique because most of us; as poker players and recreational gamblers; are losing: we start with X amount (via our deposits or bankroll or buy-ins or whatever) and we finish with Y amount (but only after we have engaged in some form of gambling-like activity for however long).

The dream is to finish each one of the X -> Y scenarios with more money than we started (Y > X), and that unfortunately is how far too many people (Conor included) look at this game we love.

The reality is to finish most sessions with less than you started (X > Y). I am sure if most of us stopped and looked back at a session result report and transaction balance audits over years – we are down…. And that can be okay. Normal even, and it doesn’t necessarily track that every losing player will become Conor-adjacent.

So please stop and consider before you read any further:

“Am I losing or winning long-term? / am I making more from this than I’m spending on it?”

“If I am a losing player – how bad is it really?”

“What can or should I do to tackle this?”

—————————–

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Now to be perfectly clear and honest – I cannot teach you to make more money playing poker. Let’s just get that tied up right here and now.

It is a long time since my job was Player Advice and Education around:

• Strategy,

• Bankroll Management

• Mindset

Lessons and Cautionary Tales is not about making better winners. It is about dispelling a lot of the noise that floods the Player Welfare space:

• a lot of the myths

• half-truths

• outright muck

So I can’t help you make more money but I can help you spend (and lose) less… and a dollar saved is a dollar earned.

Basics Lesson 1:

Set a deposit limit today. Right this very moment, and stick to it.

Test yourself and your self-discipline. Let’s consider this a learning exercise or an experiment.

Set a value that you can easily afford week on week (my own recommendation is about 5 – 10% of monthly recurring/predictable income).

No more.

For any reason.

Ever.

Conor did not do this, as we have all learned. Conor deposited and burned his entire income (~100%).

I could write 100,000s on Deposit Limits and how they are (in my humble opinion) the single biggest x10’er in online gambling since the proliferation of broadband.

Basics Lesson 2:

Never ignore the outreach or interventions. I know these seem banal and bland but it isn’t. Believe it or not; the Intervention Emails or subtle Chat Prompts you receive from an operator or event-staff aren’t hollow exercises. They really aren’t.

See these interventions are triggered when there is a noticeable change in expected behaviour from a player. Think about it – in this game; observation, predictability, recognition are paramount to success (a lot more too but this is The Basics). If the machine or the staff spot that you are suddenly acting out of character – shouldn’t you? And what if you don’t or can’t see it in yourself – doesn’t it make rational sense to appreciate that others have the situation awareness to raise this with you?

Conor never engaged. Not once – and he did get a lot of outbound welfare checks in before I got involved.

Sure you can be sceptical and even cynical at times but what would it actually cost you to treat these with some demeanour?

“Hi Mr X; we have noticed that you have been depositing and spending a lot more in the past month than you have in the last few years.

A rich aunt dies and leaves you a fortune OR is there something else going on? Are you okay?”

What if the Tournament Director tapped you outside and asked you for a quick chat in the smoking area:

“Mr X – what’s going on? You don’t seem yourself lately and the way you’re spending – it doesn’t look like you. I’m serious now when I ask this – are you okay?”

This isn’t Mammy-State or Overreach. It’s genuinely staff doing their job – checking in on you as their customer.

I’m not pretending the quality of comms from all outreaches will be stellar [some are shocking] but the fact that it is done at all can give you some solace and hopefully guidance as to how you are really doing lately (not how you think you are).

Doesn’t it feel a little less daunting and more reassuring when you know someone will take notice.

DISCLAIMER: As always; the opinions expressed are solely my own and do not reflect those of anyone or any organisation I’m associated with.
It is not my intention to vex anyone with the following essay.
Furthermore what follows are reimagined & inspired accounts of events which took place between 2013 and 2019.
They are NOT GENUINE people or cases. Remember this please.

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Before we begin I feel it is important to give some context to what you are about to read and confirm where the following opinion comes from.

I started working exclusively on Responsible Gaming/ Safer Gambling customer-facing email case in 2013 at ‘FullTilt/PokerStars’.
I was 25 years old.
I stopped interacting with customers-directly in 2023 when I left ‘GG Poker’.
I was 35 years old.

What follows is a position/mindset I have arrived at from over 10 years of day-to-day correspondence with persons from all over the world; not simply the UK or US or Ireland.

The Proposition:

You will receive 45000 into your bank account in 8 weeks.

This will definitely happen provided you cooperate as-requested and what is more; you know there are legal apparatus in place to ensure you get this money.

All you must do is wait patiently and do nothing.

Could you?

• If you are one of the thousands of gambling-operations staff who received one of my training sessions/ modules over the years; you will no doubt be familiar with this problem and the greater context behind it.

• If you are not of the thousands of staff who have received [….] then please think hard for a minute or two before answering.

Seems simple enough and dare I say - ‘a no brainer’. Most people; nearly everybody actually, would do whatever they were asked and sit on their hands-feet, in order to get this life-changing sum.

It’s not hyperbolic to say that the overwhelming majority of adults would “move heaven & earth”; in whatever manner required, to obtain such an amount.

For many of us; such a sum could significantly upswing our financial circumstances.

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Scenario 1

The above quotation is a tidied-up retelling of a case I was assigned in 2017.

While paying a Slots session late into the night - the player we shall refer to as ‘ST’ - won big. They won very big. After a short period of time; ‘ST’ hit a hot streak and road this wave until he had amassed a balance in the region of 6-figures.

Imagine it. Making over 100,000 from a few dozen spins on an otherwise uneventful Wednesday night.

The possibilities.

As a young man; IIRC, ‘ST’ would have had limited external obligations and therefore, the avenues and opportunities this winfall could bring, were extensive.

‘ST’ finished up his session & then logged out of the game client. He contacted the relevant department about requesting a withdrawal for this sum and (presumable) sat back and took in all the emotion of what has just happened to him.

Simple enough right?

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Scenario 2

‘KK’ had done it.

An absolute novice with no exceptional talent, skill or training, had just won a major 2014 FTP event.

Their price money was around 80,000. They were (at the time) the same age as me. Naturally then I took a liking for this person.

Please understand that it is rare that significant MTT events; especially back in the day, were won by relative unknowns and recreational upstarts.

Tournament Poker; more so than Cash Games, tends to favour the experienced player over the amateur. Not always [obviously] but there is an undeniable edge that goes to the veteran, especially one you get down to the final table and showdowns.

‘KK’ was escalated to me immediately following his win.

The Game Integrity department who (upon confirming all was ‘square’) thought it best to get a gentle bit of outreach from the RG-specialist. Afterall this mid-20s ‘nobody’ had just accomplished a feat few ever did and won a seismic bucket of cash in the process.

Naturally I sent them an appropriate email.

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Scenario 3

The partner of ‘AF’ came in as an urgent alert that morning in 2018.

‘My BF has a serious problem and you should immediately stop him. He has just blown 11,000 since yesterday. That money would have been for our future; maybe a house and kids. You have an obligation to stop him". Please”

‘AF’ did not know their partner had sent this email. There were completely unaware.

The previous Saturday, ‘AF’ had ‘the night’ most of us dream of. In less than an hour; they had turned 100 into 400,000.

To this day ‘AF’ remains one of the largest ‘single session winners’ I have ever dealt with.

They were also one of the most astute.

Scenario 4

“Ciaran - can you take a look at someone for me and advise what we can do. what I can do. Please”

There are Big winners.

There are Serial winners.

Then there is ‘MB’.

‘MB’ amassed a phenomenal bankroll over many months of excellent strategy.

Their success was staggering…. only matched by their confidence!

They paraded their winnings and boosted about them to any who would listen.

On a Thursday in mid-March / 11 years ago; they dropped a fortune.
This person lost more money in 24hours than you can imagine (think what the KLF did)

The Dept Head was worried. The Dept Head was agitated. The Dept Head was sweeting bullets!

The Dept Head came round to my desk and asked to speak with me, quietly.

Scenario 5

The Facebook post had announced the win.

The invite page had been created.

There was going to be a party to celebrate. The biggest party that “TF” had ever known; May 2018.

“TF” was direct in their first email response. They affirmed that this win was going to change everything.

“TF” also made it very clear they did not want to hear from me or my department again. In any way. For any reason.

They did not want or need our help.

They were winners!

During following 24 hours, “TF” had recorded 2 separate videos:

1. The first was an enormous house party with all revelries & beer cans…

2. The second was a quiet moment with their wife; listing all the things they would do now with the money

I would soon be sent both videos….. and alot more.

Scenario 6

“HR” we’ll call this person for they believed themselves to be a Whale and their bankroll corroborated this.

At one point they had over nine-figures in their active balance.

“HR” played NoseBleed at stakes that would…well… make your […]

A staple of the exclusive, restricted tables - if you were in the know, you knew “HR“.

Across their particular demographics; “HR” was one of the most ‘railed’ (observed/ ‘followed’) players in the world.

“HR“ was a nightmare to deal with.

I dealt with “HR” alot over the years until enough was enough.

This day was that ‘ENOUGH’.

Each of the scenarios above are inspired-by genuine cases which I was assigned. Out of respect and professional standards; I have given facsimile accounts of each escalation so as to not incriminate anyone or cause upset. The players in our stories are:

• ST - SlotsTops

• KK - King Kong

• AF - Ah Ferrari

• MB - Mighty B

• TF - To Family

• HR - High Roller

Now that you have all been prepped;

Let us begin.

I have chosen these 6 particular case-studies because each represents a similar but distinctly different perspective, to the core aspect of this essay:

Winnings

More accurately; gambling-related winnings and how these are viewed (depending on your personal relationship or bias towards ‘money’).

In each instance; the persons-involved suffered a significant loss of their winnings. As we know from long-established findings; a large win early in someone’s gambling journey can place them at a high level of risk. The reasons for this is three-fold:

1. It can create an Unhealthy and Unrealistic expectation for future wagers. The detrimental belief that, because this win took place (often in-spite of Probable Outcome), the person must have some inherent skill or ability.

2. Tolerance*. While less implicit; there is a risk that affected users could be chasing an emotional climatic-crescendo like ‘…that first high..’ which is obviously something than cannot be replicated. “I’d do anything to feel like that first win again”. Naturally these leads to greater lapses & danger-seeking, all in pursuit of a mythological thrill.

3. Increased means. “The more money you [have to spend] - the more you can afford** to spend”.
   With an account balance of 10 - there is moderate and conservative cap on what on amount you can wager.
   Suddenly with a balance of 1000 - the size of your wagers and adjacent-appetite for risk, increases exponentially. The emotional, mental and physiologic effects of such a spending-behaviour; increase in-kind.
   

   SIDE NOTE: History has shown me frequently that [where ‘account balance’-means allow] betting sums only track UPWARDS.

An additional well-recognised but surprising less publicized; AFAIK mental-state with gambling is what I always called:

The Hope factor.

This is the believe that with, just the right amount at just the right time & no matter what personal hardship you are facing - money can solve it. Im certain everyone; gambling-fan or not, can resonate with this.
’Money can make you anew’
It’s an unfortunate cognitive trap that hoodwinks most of us into thinking that that such a pot of gold will bring Renewal or Transition into something new.

SIDE NOTE: I would often discuss Money and differing POV regarding it; as part of my '“Pocket Rich” module series & Mental Health First Aid:"
”….money is a tool and as-such; it can help fix some [things] but it won’t calm or heal …. any more than another tool…”

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Each case above (along with multiple others) fundamentally changed the way I look at gambling winnings and how I would approach very concerning cases from distressed customers:

In scenario 1 - ‘ST’ on the surface had done everything right:

• He logged out of the game client.

• He sent a withdrawal request, via email correspondence rather than through the cashier portal (presumably to stiffen his resolve).

• He acted constantly safe and responsible.

• He got an outbound RG email making him aware of the services and features available.

His life could have changed beyond belief….

So why is he in this article?

Because shortly after receiving a standardised & perfectly-reasonable response from the Cashier department asking him to confirm transactional information (what payment processor he’d like, etc), ‘ST’ logged into the client and subsequently burned away the entire amount.

All of it.
Relentlessly and Recklessly.

When the fog cleared and normal service resumed - the inspiration for ‘ST’ sent a much more expletive and deeply concerning plea-email begging to have the money back; as-if those few hours could be completely undone.
This case went some very dark & distressing places, due to the lengths ‘ST’ was prepared to go to.

KK actually brought about significant changes.

As I said in the brief description about ‘KK‘ accomplished a massive feat, a time when the overall poker-ecosystem was in murky waters.

The had taken home a very large sum and done so, by their own subsequent admission, with relatively little prior experience or knowledge. They were a novice afterall and while - yes they had the WINNER title to embolden them - ultimately they lacked the accumulative knowledge and temperament that a more seasoned players had.

Naturally this gap in their poker career would lead to the email they sent and the events which proceeded it.

‘KK’ thought themselves some kind of chosen-one; a poker-savant!

They took this new-found confidence and openly challenged veterans, semi-pros to very steep Heads-Up Hold’em. As myself and the GI-team soon discovered following some sleuthing in the poker underbelly; ‘KK’ was actively calling people out in forum posts. This went as well as could be expected.
Despite receiving an instructional and (I hoped) information early intervention from myself just after their win - they blatantly ignored the lessons-therin and were very soon down a significant chunk of their winnings. This harsh skillcheck did not phase them and they continued to swim in the deep waters, all the time attracting the attention of sharks.
IIRC, after the second [less gentle] email from me about protecting their winnings and being mature; the decision was taken to intervene and force engagement from ‘KK’ by disabling their account. The damage had been done though…. and it was carnage!

The majority of the money was gone, lost to far more formidable players. They were not rungout though and still retained a few thousand - multiple times more than their accumulative lifetime deposits - but ‘KK’ did not see it this way. To them; the entire poker community (players and operators alike) had conspired to bring him down. After a very long series of back n’ forth; the best decision available was to cashout ‘KK’ and demand he take a prolonged absence from our services. I dont recall ever dealing with him again after this.
—————————————————————————————————————

AF’s case and overall situation was different to the others:

Now it is not uncommon for loved-ones to reachout and raise the alarm about someone’s gambling. It is the norm for this to be a lady referencing their man’s behaviour. On the surface; this case was not unique:
The lady had seen just over 11,000 in the balance of their fella account and (as their original email outlined) had started to imaginary-spend these monies: perhaps a holiday or new car. A deposit on a house maybe; proper grown-up stuff than such an amount could achieve.

When their email was received; it was picked-up by both Casino teams and myself in RG. This was a serious escalation and, irrespective of what action could be [legally] taken on a 3rd Party Report, it deserved to be approached with care and tact.

There was one wrinkle though - ‘AF’ himself did not see it like this.

Standard policy and best practice in cases such as these is to contact both parties separately and to make no implicit written reference to either person.

SIDE NOTE: You should never say to the account holder that ‘your spouse or child or business partner asked us to contact you’ - not without express written permission and Legal Dept approval. To do so otherwise would be a dreadful breach of trust and could have disastrous consequences. Afterall; RG do not know (nor should they) the inter-dynamics of these relationships.

I explained to this lady that: ‘appropriate action would be taken in-line with commitment to social responsibility and regulatory obligations’. I then emailed ‘AF’ under the guise of having noted large recent losses and checking-in. He was not impressed but he was very astute as I said above:
Yes - he had lost over 10,000 over a tight window of time BUT he had (more importantly) won over 400,000-combined in this recent sessions & had already requested multiple withdrawals. His partner only saw the amount he decided to leave on the site to play about it - she was completely unaware about the gigantic sum that would soon be credited to his bank account.

Engaging with ‘AF’ thought me a valuable lesson and he is actually the (along with ‘MB’) are the main inspirations for this piece. While the versions I am writing here are totally made-up; the actual cases I would use (with proper GDPR approval) in my Safer Gambling Specialist Onboarding training. Without meaning to ruin the story and skip too far ahead; I learned (and then passed on) that actually - unless these winnings are translated into a way you can use (spend) them - they are infact nothing by HIGH SCORES!

That’s right.

It was actually the realworld equivalent of AF who said something to that affect in their response to me:

‘… unless I have that amount in my account [financial] to pay bills or take out a cash machine; it’s just a really big number like a High Score. I couldn’t pay for a new couch directly from my gambling account..”

Put simply; one’s actionable fiscal position (liquidity) had not be effected by gambling winnings. They are neither UP or DOWN from their general household financial health - the money in their pocket.

This is a contentious take I will openly admit but one I firmly standby.
Over the years; I’ve encountered numerous people all lamenting and mourning their losses. Naturally you would expect these to be amounts based on:

• Deposits (money IN / bets made) minus Withdrawals (money OUT / bets won) = Total Expenditure (‘Losses’)

No - the ‘losses’ I frequently encounter were winning-losses (oxymoronic as it reads):

“I was upto 2000 but then I lost 1800 and now I am so very beaten down… its the end….”

I appreciate and understand very well how such swings can lead to ‘harm’ but speaking objectively - mourning ethereal sums you cannot actual use in your day to day life - is extremely unhealthy.

A simple rule of Sensible Gaming is to not idealise balance amounts until such time as they are in your position (digi-wallet / Revolut/ HSBC account). Unless you can ‘use’ this money - when it comes to gambling - you should try treat these amounts as High Scores until they are in your possession.

This is exactly what ‘MB’ practiced and preached.

If you have read this far then I imagine you are getting the gist’.

‘MB’-inspiration; was an independently wealthy person (AFF Checks confirmed) who loved to put a bet-on. They were well-known around Horse Racing circles apparently.

As explained in Scenario 4; on the day I became aware of ‘MB’; they were on the back-nine of a vast losing streak at Cheltenham. On that particular day; they could not have “…picked their nose; let alone a winner…”

It was this steady and unending drop which alerted the Dept Head to have a look at his activity. In the ranges that ‘MB’ bet; each bad pick could have been multiple hundreds or thousands [of Euros] gone.
Now it is a fair assumption to make that Sportsbooks want customers to lose and in the case of ‘MB’ - the money being lost was actually just early winnings coming back to the house. Even so; at some point intervention is needed to steam potential 'harm’ befalling the customer.

Think about it; who could absorb such losses and not be deeply affected by them?

‘MB’ of course….. and here is why.

‘MB’ never much Deposited or Withdrew - he didn’t need to to (his words - not mine). He had his personal finances all in the black and from the long, very candid phone conversation I had with him that afternoon; he looked at his account balance as just ‘fun money’. It was not money he needed or ever intended to take off the site [unless he was leaving for another operator] - the thrill and emotional rapids was what he was about.
It is hard to written down just what an absolute outlier ‘MB’ represents because most punters everywhere - are not in his position. They are not wealthy. They are not nonchalant about large amounts coming and going. They do not have a constant 5 or 6 figure balance.
And yet - at the heart of it - ‘MB’ represents what we [industry folks] would hope is the reason people gamble:

• For the Experience.

• For the Service.

• For Schrödinger’s Buzz

The Dept Head and I (to a lesser degree) looked at his accumulative ‘L’s that day like most PAYE folks would - ‘oh sweet mercy’ - we superimposed our own money-biases and vision of dollars n’ cents value; onto the personal affairs of someone else - and in this case, we were wrong.

But I took away from that interaction’

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and with this newfound clarify; I truly wish ‘TF’ had of taken a page…

‘TF’ did the unthinkable and then kept on doing it…

I must explain firstly that in the case of ‘TF’ - the actual person behind this fable - did not speak English. As such all the correspondence back & forth was done via the excellent language department at PokerStars. Even so - some things naturally get ‘lost in translation’.

‘TF’ had lived the dream at the start of our story. They were a very normal average family-man from a small rural-ish town; in the countryside. They had won over half a million in a short period of time. Such things can happen in online casinos although you rarely see this objectively discussed. My understanding is that the following hours were made up of cheers and shock and jubilance (in this same small town).
Then came the Facebook post inviting everyone, locally, to a party to celebrate.
By this time - my initial outbound email about Safer Gambling - had already been translated and sent to ‘TF’ registered email address. I added him to my awaiting reply watchlist and went about my shift.

Near EOD I got a ping from a native speaker saying that - in less than kind language - ‘TF’ had declined my offer of assistance or recommendations. They were a winner and nothing I or anyone else; was going to change that. I would like to say they politely declined but they didn’t [politely]. ‘Fair Enough’ I probably send and moved on.

When I cameback in the next day I had 3 emails all marked ‘FAO Finn’.

1. The first was the video of all the partygoers having a fantastic time.

2. The second was also a video (which I had to get a translation for) was of a very tender moment between husband and wife - the dreams they talked about

3. The third was an internal escalation providing an exact session-history report and a hypothesis:

   1. ‘TF’ seemingly logged in AFTER the party was over; when everybody had gone to sleep and blown the lot. The entire balance was gone. Not a cent remained.

A few hours later, after a thorough proactive investigation - the flood started:

• First; apparently we seized all his winnings (we hadn’t). This was explained to him politely.

• Next; it must have been a glitch or a ghost in the machine - it wasnt. Once again this was explained (albeit in a very ‘softcell’ manner given the obvious)

• “I must have been hacked & all my funds taken…..”. You were not ‘TP’ and I could prove it.

SIDE NOTE: Each persons individually playing pattern and behaviour tends to be very unique (consider it like a gameplay fingerprint). If you have a large enough sample size and history - Game Integrity & Safer Gambling specialists - can spot suspicious activity or ‘Unauthorised Activity’. Most often though - it’s just user’s remorse

• “Give me that money back. Please. Please. Please” - after the ‘hack’ claim failed, our subject moved onto my emotionally-exploitive methods. At this point though; things were getting disquieting.

‘TF’ eventually started using incredibly inappropriate tactics (I wont divulge but I am sure you can guestimate). When it had gotten to this stage; Local Authorities were notified. ‘TF’ was removed from the site for their own* good.

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There is one more Scenario to examine but it is the outlier and probably less applicable to readers not actually from within the industry.

1000/2000 Play Money ‘Omaha 8’

‘HR’ was a play money player. Never deposited a single cent in their entire history (legally they count not given their location). Despite this - they behaved and interacted with Staff in a manner which was ‘entitled’.

They were repeatedly offensive and rude; whenever requesting Hand Histories or Tournament information. They were report anyone who challenged their ‘table chat’ but would immediately balk if someone else did likewise.
The person who ‘HR’ is framed-off; was a notorious table bully and deeply crass when engaging with other players.

I dont think I have to go into too much detail here given everything that else. How else can you look at a 9 figure balance made up of play chips than as a high score???

DISCLAIMER: This particular article has gone through a number of re-writes and culls. More than normal.
I have not been happy with it or how it was coming together; which is why it’s been pushed back a week.
Honestly; it’s still not exactly what I originally envisioned but it’s closer

Before I properly begin and attempt explain the basis for this essay or the sentiment therein; let’s please do some totting-up:

• I was a Special Circumstances teaching instructor for just over 2 years.

• I was a poker-trainer for nearly 18 months.

• Global safer gambling trainer for TSG [PokerStars] over 7 years.

• Suicide Crisis Handling Instructor/ POC for more than 6 years.

Without ever meaning to - it turns out I have been Mentoring and Coaching individuals for an accumulative 16 years. Pedagogy is my thing seemingly (Im shocked too; I was not keen on school) and it’s this milage that has lead me to an inescapable conclusion that, regrettably,:

‘Scary Stories’ don’t work like they used-to*

Now what do I mean by this;

Over the past few years; I have seen first-hand how the tendency to focus on the worst of the worst/ ‘HARM’ (we all know what I am referring to here); when trying to onboard students and young men-especially; is all too often just ignored or dismissed:

“Yeah that wont happened to me bro!”

“That’s just you though innit”

“Just ‘GitGud‘ and you wont have a problem….”

This is not a specific ‘THIS GENERATION thing’ either.

Be honest - when did any of us listen those wiser-heads around us; when we were 18;

Young and oh so DUMB!

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ROLLBACK ABIT NOW:

When I finished working with GG Poker in summer 2023; I believed I was done with Gambling providers once and for all. At that point I’d be working exclusively in the #playerprotection field for well over a decade and thought it time for a change.

So I took 6 months off.

When my extended-holiday was over; I thought really long and hard about what to do next.

I did not seek out to go back into gambling but I’d soon learn anyway - there exists a palpable ick against those from the industry.

Multiple variables & rationales went through my head and I became deflated often (yet preserved nevertheless) that there was not going to be an opportunity out there for me, outside of gambling.

It was not until a very candid conversation with the actual owner of a niche recruitment firm that I understood:

“You are immediately dropped due to your past with the gambling industry”

“It wont matter what you say or do or how you try to reframe it - there exists a very negative perception of gambling folks here and no field really wants to…”

I’m sure you can get the idea from this.

Even though it was awful to hear - I appreciated the brutal honesty.

It was vindicating to know that the situation was beyond my efforts.

So what did I do?

I took a position as a Teaching Instructor for highly Vulnerable & Diagnosed adults; funnily enough where my background was seen as a STRENGTH and not a source of taint!

WHERE AM I GOING WITH THIS?

Harm happens.

Despite an ever growing industry & plethora of Resources, Awareness, Supports, Mindfulness, Apps, Signposting, etc; HARM still happens.

I’m mainly focusing on gambling here but you can apply the same verdict to:

• Drugs

• Alcohol

• Financial

• Marital

• Mental

• Societal

• Social Media

• Environmental

Literally whatever you want!

Why?

Why is in the 21st century when we are more self-aware and tuned-in than any generation before us; do we experience more negative effects each and everyday?

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments. I REALLY want to understand more.

Maybe it’s time for a change in approach?

I raised this question on LI last week and got a decent amount of responses. I wanted to set the mood for this article by subtly highlighting a very tightly-held belief within #my(professional)space and the wider public.

That same very tightly-held belief that I kept smashing into not so long ago:

GAMBLING IS A NET-NEGATIVE* FOR SOCIETY.
It’s BAD and anyone engaged with it is therefore Complicit.
We must only emphasis how BAD it is and that will deter/protect at-risk peoples.

I’m believe that because of this belief; most efforts regarding gambling and it’s influence in our society; is conceived from a rather dark starting position.

The above is a collection of search-results and headlines I got from typing ‘gambling +’ into a search engine.

Anyone would be forgiven for holding a negative bias based on this alone.

Gambling must be the devil…

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SO what am I getting at?

I fully believe it is time to try something new.

Take a different approach towards Education regarding Gambling and hope I’m not alone in this believe.

For too long (not without cause obviously); the majority of the narrative towards gambling has been about frontloading the possibility of harm.

NOTE I said POSSIBILITY rather than PROBABILITY.

Based on the latest figures I could find; the WHO estimates that globally gambling harm sits at 1.2%.

Strangely enough I cant find corresponding figures for non-gambling harm globally. I cant even find a reasonable approx. as to how many people gamble globally!

Odd that.

Now to be VERY clear here; I know first-hand just how destructive gambling can be for some. Throughout my adult life; I have been meet with harrowing and truly soul-wrenching accounts of people who have had everything taken away from them due to gambling (directly or otherwise). Even when I no longer worked in the sector; I would occasionally have people sent-my-way about their relationship to gambling…. even though I’m admittedly not a Clinician or Therapist.

Please do not think me Ignorant or Blind.

I have dealt with people who’s story would shock you grey!

A New subject to the curriculum: ‘Gambling Literacy 101’

How would I frame ‘gambling literacy’ differently than focusing on the Worst.Case.Scenarios.

Well I would hope that all my articles upto this point would serve as a kinda ‘proof of concept’. My humble attempts to take complex topics and present them in a disarming and (hopefully) humorous way….

…. while still making sure that the learning outcomes and messages are delivered.

I am wondering lately if the primarily focusing on ‘Scary Stories’ and ‘Negative What-Ifs’ within the gambling culture, is becoming a closed-loop for outcomes.

This approach; somewhat akin to ‘Recidivism’ (according to one of my teaching colleagues); may be having diminishing returns….

…. and this is what prompted me to write this article in the first place….

How many teenagers and young people, take zero heed when given first-hand stories about HARM?

I tried the traditional approach (mercy knows how many other educators tried before me) to address:

• Young Adult Wellbeing

• Anxiety and Stress

• Online Safety & Usage

• Bullying, etc

• Social Acceptance and Inclusion

I failed with the traditional approach.

Badly.

So I changed and instead leaned into my strengths.

Anywho; let me know your thoughts and if you’d like me to discuss further.

Let’s face it: it’s likely time to try something new and exactly that’s what I hope to do with the Sensible Gaming in 2026.

The ROI isn’t pulling up trees….

Therefore it’s time to take stock of what this little venture of mine was supposed to be and what it has become.

In the past 12 months I’ve published 24 separate articles:

• There are No Angels in Hell.. or so they say!

• Who’s the guy in the Megadeth T-shirt?

• GAME OVER ... or the Death of Games

• You are selling Deposit limits wrong. Stop it.

• “... it was Ghosts!” (Pt.1)

• “... it was Ghosts!” (Pt.2)

• Black Friday Remembered.

• Black Friday Remembered Pt2.

• Black Friday Remembered Pt.3

• ‘Prevention’ is a HARD SELL.

• The rest

Being honest and upfront (with the exception of 4) most have performed just OKAY.

Perhaps this is to be expected considering this is a very small publication, covering a very niche subject and done so in a deliberately smartarse-aloof way.

It was never going to have a particularly wide ranging appeal.

This is compounded by the fact that I steadfastly refuse to use:

• Any form of recreational Social Media

• Any form whatsoever of AI or VI input

Why?

Cause I don’t want to.

Simple

Anywho; all the factors combine means that this was never going to be a #BigHit or #selfsustaining.

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I now Recognise and Accept that things are going to have to change.

Change significantly in order for me to balance the time and resource costs.
(Shocking enough; it takes alot more to put these out that the lack-of-polish would suggest)

“Why?”

Because I have a new full time role which is back in the gambling-space and I’ve been working on a proposal to take the core learning outcomes of these writing and turn these into sometime more credible. Something I can properly build from and (hopefully) deliver what I have been envisioning since Day 1.

So what does this mean?

Well I have a few articles left to release which will follow the current format of Irreverent & Scattergun:

1. UNPOPULAR OPINION: ‘Scary Stories’ don’t work like they used-to*

2. UNPOPULAR OPINION: ‘High Scores’

3. The Rube Goldberg road to riches

4. And now for something COMPLETELY new (Part 2)

5. METAL probably saved my sanity (B-side)

After these few go live though; that will probably be that.

I will cease releasing sporadic pieces here n’ there; instead looking to deliver more scheduled, grounded offerings in the vein of You are STILL selling Deposit limits wrong!

This is my best performing article so clearly there must be something to a more instructional approach

“Okay but REALLY why?”

When I first thought of writing anything about Safer Gambling, it was because it interested me. Genuinely.

I thought that because so many different outlets covered gambling from either an Industry-slant (B2B / B2C) or PG (Harm); that there would be appetite for something different.
No one writes about working on the side of angles so I thought; that’ll be my think.

And I’ve enjoyed it.

I’ve enjoyed it immensely.

TO BE CLEAR:

I never thought writing about my experiences in Safer Gambling would make my fortune.

I never thought I’d have a bestseller on my hands. Sure if I’m being completely honest with all of us - I wouldn’t want that level of traffic anyway.
I’ve already had one online stalker for my troubles….

No, I write this because it makes me laugh and smile when I think back to all that has been done-before but if I am going to use this publication as the mechanism I originally intended it for; it must have a more palatable feel and be far more professionally-structured.

MORE the International SG-Expert and LESS the Local SG-folklorist.

Preventative SG Education of-course. In-person and Online.

That is what I am proposing and that is what I want to use Sensible Gaming to showcase.

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The above picture was drawn for me on my last week as a Teaching Instructor.

It was a very kind and thoughtful ‘thank you Ciaran’ gift from a student I had gotten to know very well.

Serving as both a Physical and Mental Health FAR; I assisted them (and many others) while executing my responsibilities across the last 2ish years.

This was the perfect gesture for me because it was sincere, personalised and most of all...

It’s Batman.... and I’m not (yet)!

Everyone who knows me is acutely aware of how much of a Batman enthusiast I am.

My classroom door had the Bat Symbol. My staff lanyard is Bat symbols (the same one I had at ‘PokerStars’ & ‘GG Poker’ too)

Every place I have lived has been tastefully and elegantly adorned in Batman pieces like this:

• I own 1000s of Batman comics (physical and digital).

• I celebrate Batman Day every September.

• I regularly wear Batman-branded garb like Tshirts, Socks and Runners.

• I even wore my lucky Batman socks on my wedding day

To my mind - Batman is genuinely the greatest hero ever created and self-awareness-idol worth considering.

It’s no overestimation to say that the Batman character means something significant to me.

It has since I was a child and I wont ever stop being a fan....

So why, am I writing an article about a superhero cartoon character?

I’m not a stunted; immature, 30-something ‘prince-of-nerds’(I promise)

This article is being written because Batman served as one of the best educational tools and resources I had; when helping vulnerable individuals with:

• Literacy

• Anxiety

• Self-Esteem

• Self-Awareness

• Emotional Regulation

• Observation & Planning

• Discipline

• Ambition

• Objective Reasoning

• Perseverance and Determination

• Resilience

• Everyday Maths

• Personal Development

• ‘Pigeon’ Psychology

• Understanding Copywriting

• Worth and Value (of your efforts)

Most importantly I used Batman [as reference material] for:

• Coping with ‘The Cost‘ of Harm and Abuse, that comes with life in the Digital Age. If you stick your head-up and create an online persona then you are going to get singed from time to time. That’s The Cost & it is unavoidable.

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I can fully appreciate how juvenile (and borderline unprofessional) much of the above must seem.
Here I am; an accomplish Special Needs Teacher & renowned Online Gambling Expert; waxing lyric about how I took a fictional, pop-culture creation and forged ad-hoc learning outcomes around it.

Sounds ridiculous....

....it is…

…but it is also wonderfully Engaging. Stimulating. Enjoyable.

Lesson 1: Re-learning the joy of the written word.

How do you get a young adult interested in reading physical pages when they:

• had a torrid time in school (upto that point).

• have an underlying difficulty (physical or otherwise) that has hampered* them

• just plain been raised on flashing images on their ever-present idiot box (smartphone)?

Esteemed and more-accomplished educators that I, have tried to meet the digital generation and stuttered.

I just brought in a stack of my older Batman comics and told each student to get to it.

It worked (after some ‘cajoling’) .

Why: because these are small bursts of text; familiar language, accessible fonts and imagines to help compliment the words (the graphics help clarify the sentences). Typically short overall so as to prevent burnout, educational exhaustion.
‘Comicbook zeitgeist’ and the MCU-effect”.

Outcome: students who were previously denounced as ‘too dyslexic’ slowly started to enjoy reading. Individuals who resisted reading (because of the negative attachment to ‘school’) were agreeable because ‘Batman comics are not for kids’ so there is no shame/ embarrassment attached.

Misc: one participant with no education completed their first book report on Year One; at the age of 63.

Conclusion: if used strategically; certain comics can bolster some peoples literacy-confidence/ capability.

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Lesson 2: Get control of yourself!

I love that definition.

Admittedly I took it from someone else (they know who they are) but I think it translates what we all feel (with Anxiety and Panic and Self-Doubt) in a way that anyone can understand.

We all know these feelings - even if we don’t know the underlining scientific tapestry underneath.

Do you know who else has to battle with bouts of Self-Esteem/Awareness, Despair, Rage and Doubt?

Have you ever heard of The Batman Effect?

The premise is pretty simple; invent a character in your mind that can do all the things you cant:

• Talk to the opposite sex

• Speak in public

• Power through difficult physical or social situations

• Preserve despite significant challenges

• Braving another day on the bus or out amongst the masses…

For me personally - this meant stomaching everyday tirades disgusting threats and abusive hate directed to me.

At first - I thoughts I could rise above it. I’d ignore it. It’s only words on a page afterall….
But you know that after the 200 death threat in a month - you start the take it inwards.

Eventually it started to properly get me down and I dreaded dealing with outburst cases….

…that was until I re-read Batman & Psychology and decided that from now on; I’d take on a new ‘identity’ when interacting with customers:

Why: By creating a psychological strawman or character-to-play; that can take the burden on our behalf; affected people can detach from the uncomfortable emotions of a particular situation.
For example; I asked one learner do a presentation for me on a topic of their choosing but they would have no prep-time. I would simply say ‘NOW’ and they would have to perform.

Stomach churning!

The first attempt went as-expected.

A few weeks later though; after more prep-time and inclusion of the right equipment (a John Wick style jacket) - when the time came (again without any forewarning); they rose to the occasion and just ‘did da ting’

Outcome: Most students found something interesting or beneficial from the printouts I made from the battered copy of Batman & Psychology.
While the trials we all face (behind our eyes) tower over the fantasy world of Gotham; the core principles of being open to your own current Strengths, Weaknesses, Limitations along with learning the impact we each have; can help mitigate negative internalisation.

Misc: If a batman vest under your ‘interview shirt’ gives you that extra 10% of Comfortable in daunting situations; anxiety be damned!

Conclusion: Using the pop/culture personification of ‘just a man’ to navigate difficult situations and encounters. Having something to take influence from (directly or otherwise) can make all the difference.

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Lesson 13: Ever heard of Bill Finger?

Yeah - when one of the students asked me about Trademarking, Copyright and Plagiarism; I thought of the incredible story (and lessons) that was the relationship of Bob Kane & Bill Finger….

I wont go into each and every juncture where I used ‘Batman’ or the lesson plans I created (with him featuring prominently) but at this point I hope the basic sentiment has been conveyed.

This article will serve as the opener for the other modules I created and delivered:

1. ‘The Cost’

2. ‘Pocket Rich’

Condensed versions* will be released in the coming months

I appreciate the above is unusual and a departure from my normal outings but I started a new adventure recently so why not…..

I’ll start all of what follows with a simple bit of insight.

Last year (in the UK); the UKGC passed a new law which required the immediate implementation of Max Slots limits for all active customers.

Other jurisdiction; notable Germany & Greece; also have these stipulations in-place but in the case of the UK - there was significant pushback and sector discourse regarding this new law and the rationale / motivations behind it.

Some voices were vehemently opposed to it; sighting that it would backfire (‘Cobra Effect’) and actually drive vulnerable players to illicit operators (‘The Black Market’).

Others claimed it was a vast over-reach on the part of the GC and that such an action would adversely impact the business operations of legitimate; tax-paying companies.

Lived Experience spokespersons also raised concern that such a feature actually would not stem the problem.

My own position (which I made widely-known) was that such a limit was a good thing BUT enforcing it upon customers was not:

Requiring operators to built and release these features was in everyone’s interest but then they should be voluntary for the customers to avail of. This is the same position I take with DEPs and it’s born out of incalculable number of customer interactions. I’ve heard what the [gambling] public want and think - I spent 12 years of my life listening!

Anywho….

LONG BEFORE any regulator had mandated maximum wagering caps on Slot games; I lead a project within PokerStars to introduce an industry-first to the market.

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In late 2014; Full Tilt & PokerStars rocked (and somewhat disappointed) the established Online-Poker ecosystem by introducing Casino games. Followed a year or so later by a fully integrated Sportsbook platform.

The days of the poker-purest playground was over.

The months leading up to the launch (originally on Full Tilt as a soft launch) and then into PokerStars fully fledged; were fraught.

Extremely fraught.

The Full Tilt launch [Casino games] went decently IIRC. By that time remember; Full Tilt had lost most of it’s prestige and shine.

The entire FTP Scandal and the Sojourn was still recent enough that the odour of BAD PR was still firmly-set.

Rest assured this is not another Black Friday story.

Now this is going to be the story of how; empowered by my then-department head and ‘Joe’ (previously-mentioned IPM Director), I set about doing something that seemingly no-one else in the Online Casino sector had attempted (or released):

Self-Imposed Max* Casino Wager Limits.

That’s right….

And even though I am one of those true poker-purest; surely if Poker players can be offered functionality and features to tailor their own gaming experience then why shouldn’t there be parity for Casino players in the game clients [Full Tilt & PokerStars]

I have been asked before:

“What is your proudest accomplishment in RG/SG?”

“I dont know really but one of them was creating the self-imposed casino game limits.”

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I want to start this piece by clearly stating; the majority of my thoughts and insights are taken from the Online Poker industry.

While I have amassed alot of experience with the other major verticals (Sportsbetting & Casino games); Poker is where the lion’s share of my time was spent.

This obviously creates a bit of a disparity with what I Know and what I Expect [from the industry]

This article is a culmination of two things that have been on my mind recently:

1. Lately I have received increased engagement due to my last Deposit Limit article and the information I shared. This is surprising as none of what I wrote was innovative or revolutionary (to me atleast)

2. In the past two weeks; I’ve seen a big increase in content regarding SG in-client systems and how they are viewed by Stakeholders.

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1. “POKER ISN’T GAMBLING” (well… not really)

This is one of the most hotly debated and contentious takes in online gambling. Where you stand on this is entirely upto you and everyone’s milage will vary.

The reason I bring it up though is that, from what I have seen over my working life; Poker players behave differently than other punters when it comes to their expectations [of an operator].

Allow me to explain:

The online poker community know that Safer Gambling mechanics and technical systems have been around for years.

That’s right:

• Deposit Limits.

• Loss Limits.

• Reality Checks

• Max Wager Limits

• Self Exclusions

None of these are NEW*.

As far back as I can recall and probably even before I ever got into the industry; there have been RG/SG Features (I dont like the term ‘SG/RG Tools’) available within game-clients.
When I started in FTP in 2009; ‘Self Exclusion’ mechanics were already in full swing and was widely* used by a portion of the customer base.

On PokerStars and Absolute Poker too; use of rudimentary SG systems was common-enough. With the advent of Regulated Markets; like France & Italy, player protection mechanisms became mandatory requirements for licensing. Usage naturally followed suit.

But here is the crux: amongst Sportbooks users and Casino players; from veterans of those fields; customer uptake was/is low (by comparison to poker players)

Why?

Well I have a few theories but nothing concrete or solid enough for me to publish. One possible reason though is Customer-Expectations.

Poker players expect more for their money. They seek a better user-journey. They see their vertical as more polished and cerebral than Casino or Sportsbook.

It’s simple enough to understand - in Poker, you can influence what happens.
You have much more command over the behaviours and outcomes of each hand.

By contrast in Casino & Sportsbooks; you are an observer* and witness the outcome with little to no input on how things shakeout (big oversimplification I appreciate).

The above is an example of a common enough request that customers would send my fmr team.

Certain players would expect such a high level of admin control and customisation from us [‘WeCare’] that they thought we could build one-off restrictions just for them.

These kind of requests perfect encapsulated one of my famous lines (and a soundbite I am know-for from within the industry):

‘…tailor your own gaming experience….”

While it’s true that, my former employer, could offer players alot of personalisation and customisation - the above is just ridiculous.

But what about something more practical:

'Please block my account from anything above 0.25/50 for 30 days & completely disable Spin&Gos.’

or

‘Set a monthly deposit limit of $50 so I can test my skills and try build my bankroll. I’m a SnG player so can you also shut-off MTTs and CASH”

All very double and straightforward.

Why would players want these?

“Well clearly it’s because they are suffering Gambling Harm…”

…someone said to me during a presentation I gave in my last company.

NOPE

It’s because they were paying customers and wanted to tailor their own gambling experience towards just the formats they enjoyed (actually used) and wanted nothing to do with the variants they didn’t like.

I do this myself all the time.

Whenever I try out a new site; I check what SG features they offer and I contact CS Support to see what they can offer me. If they dont have the ability (or wont) block CASH games then I simply wont play there.

This is not because I have some harm-related susceptibility to Cash games. It’s because I’m rubbish at them and want nothing to do with them.

I am, potentially, a paying customer afterall. Why shouldn’t I expect more for my custom?

Looking across the sector; I rarely see the same feasibility in Casino or Sportsbook providers.

Is it because they Operators don’t want to do this or is it because customers don’t look for it?

I’m sure if I asked for an extra boost on my ACCA or a Free Bet/ Spin; I’d get it but what about being asking to be blocked from Slots or to have Horse-racing removed from my UX?

2. “Try our Safer Gambling tools”

“These help you stay IN-CONTROL and IN THE GAME”

Ah bless…..

The above is a paraphrase of a few different Sportsbetting companies here in Ireland/UK.

They have switched their outreach comms now to promote safer gambling and I really do think that’s a step in the right direction but…. few [companies] offer anything unique or special to the public.

In fact, alot of larger outfits only provide rudimentary versions of the same handful of mechanics expected by their licensing body:

• Deposit Limits (Often Dropdown or Zero-Point)

• Reality Checks (Akin to a Stop Watch)

• Time-out & Self Exclusion (frequently listed as separate offerings to imply more options)

I did a quick check across 8 of the largest UK/Ireland based businesses for reference.

In comparison to what you can avail of in Poker; does this not seem abit cheap?!

Sure you sometimes find the option to set ‘Loss Limits’ & a ‘Bet Calculator’ to help manage your spending and ensure you never loose too much but really; is this the best the sector can offer?

When I worked at PokerStars; Casino games and Sportsbook would become fully integrated parts of the business (all 3 could be accessed via the game-client). As such; the edict came down that these verticals should have the same* functionality as the Poker platform.

That’s right folks; now not only could people users set ‘Reality Checks’ and ‘Deposit Limits’ [INPUT FIELDS] but they could also voluntary assign their own thresholds for separate casino-variants and a max spend/stake cap for betting.

Imagine as a customer being able to regulate individual game types to suit your particular playing style & preferences?

Consider as an operator; promoting to your customer base that not only do XYZ Bet offer the same basic entry level options (that everyone else does) but more creative features than empowers you to prioritise the game you enjoy (and potentially are most profitable at) and can be protected from those you suck at!

What I’m talking about isn’t novelty new-features for the sake of it.
This is not vapid-dressed-innovation just to blush up some headlines and hype.

What I’m trying to get at is this:
iGaming is an incredibly saturated market place and gaining genuine (& ethical) competitive edges; are rare [often short-lived too]. There are frequent announcements and PR carousels about this new AI Implementations and Ground breaking Insights to help stem Gambling Harm yet actual player-assessable features to assist remain very Generation One.

I wish to challenge this paradigm.

3. “Choice Paralysis & Customer Confusion”

Have you ever heard about the Jam Study? It’s a genuinely fascinating piece of research that I have been referencing for years.

I won’t spoil it for you but the gist is that ‘offering more and more occasionally causes less and less’.
Now many would argue that more variety and optionality is great for customer empowerment. This can be a double-edged sword though when it comes to Safer Gambling features.

To illustrate this; please try out a particular central European licensed ‘gambling site’.

On this specific license; operators are required to provide plenty of options for players:

• Mandatory Deposit Limits (D/W/M)

• Mandatory NET Loss Limits (D/W/M)

  • Online Games

  • Skills Games

• Game-Vertical Stake Limits (Casino, Poker & Sports)

• Number of Total Monthly Logins

• Login Duration (D/W/M)

• Session Time Display

• Accumulative Buyin/Spend Limits (D/W/M)

• Self Exclusions (incl ‘Panic Button’)

There are more but I hope you get the idea.

On the face of it; you would imagine that such a plethora of features would be just splendid.

You would be wrong (in my experience).

The friction here is that so many different systems (many of which are obligatory) actually can conflict with each other, frequently causing disruption for the user.

Any would-be customers must navigate these systems and balance them at all times. Operations staff are not permitted to admin-adjust these in any case.

On many occasions; related-customers would contact my fmr team agitated & upset that, unintentionally, they have actually gridlocked their account or restricted themselves in such a way as to make actual gameplay impossible.

With all the best of intentions; so many options caused choice paralysis.

And that’s the real challenge here; implementing variety and accessibility to potential users without overwhelming them.

It’s a very tough equilibrium to achieve (the Goldilocks Zone)

Other licences require multiple mandatory limits and features to assist players so please do not read the above as disparaging towards this specific Gambling Authority. I have the utmost respect for them and the work they do.

4. “Safety CAN Sell. You just have to believe”

I said at the start of this article that I’ve noticed a very recent shift in the gambling discussion (mainly from the company side) towards adding more user options and accessibility.

While I am one of the biggest voices in this discussion; I am not alone and welcomely joined by some fantastic thought-leaders.

This past week, one of these authorities announced that they have been working on a new interpretation of something akin to a Withdrawal System for the UK market. I think it’s an inspired idea and something which the punter-public would flock to.

That same person & I have had long discussions over the years about reframing Safer Gambling from a protective (and unfortunately often maligned/ stigmatised) perspective to something that can actually attract players. A means of driving business.

Why shouldn’t it be? Afterall as a customer; you should be greeted with lots of functions and options to tailor your own gaming experience & play ‘your way’.

• You do not like Casino games? No problem; we’ll disable them for you without any judgment or preconceived assumptions.

• Looking to grind your skills at micro-stakes? Fair play to you and rest assured; we can lock your account in such a way as to meet your specific wants.

• As a novice blackjack player; you want to start low and test the waters? That’s what we like to see; sensible gaming so we’ll set a 60 day cap for you.

• A winner at Hockey bets but couldn’t pick a winning horse to save your life? Sure thing, you’re the customer afterall so let’s amend your UX so you only see what you like.

In all other areas of our customer life; we are thought to look for more and expect better from our service providers - why shouldn’t the gambling public do the same?

I believe in PREVENTION before all else.

If you Educate, Support and Empower customers at the beginning then you instil good patterns before potential harm starts.

In this way; not only do you foster a health(ier) relationship with gambling (in all it’s facets) but you might also awaken some people to realise ‘actually this is not how I want to spend my money’.

It’s better than someone stop gambling early then struggling through until it’s too late….

Jen Barber is one of the best sitcom characters ever created, one of my all-time favourites and she is serving as probably the perfect allegory for this piece: ‘OVERsight is not the same as INsight’, I could think of.

Jen, played by Katherine Parkinson, knows her stuff! She has a recognised background and accredited skillset as a ‘Relationship Manager‘; when she is assigned the ridiculous burden of leading the wary, uncivilised and deeply misunderstood misfits from the IT Department.

Jen thinks this will be easy.

Jen thinks her skills* will translate.

Jen even massages her CV a little to compliment her new sector and illustrate she is the right person for this role. Afterall, one department is just the same as another. It’s leading people and making decisions at a seniorish position so it doesn’t matter that she knows exactly ZERO about the source-material (Information Technology). That wont be a problem, right?

***SPOILERS***

Jen hasn’t a clue and it is Timeless. Comedy. Gold.

____________________________________________________________________________

Before I ever started working in Gambling, I worked in retail (specifically Games). It was a small standalone entity which was part of a much-bigger countrywide juggernaut (FUN FACT: they went to-the-wall a few times since 2008). In this small shop, all the staff were serious gamers and we Knew. Our. Product. [KYP is a serious factor with me and it is a theme we will return to so pay attention folks.]

The overall gaming-aspect of this juggernauts retail portfolio was lead by a man we’ll call Mr. ‘G. Raf’! G. Raf had been in business for 30 years by the time I meet him. He had extensive experience in Finances, Retail & Publishing. He had more qualifications that anyone could ever need & had a black book of contacts to die for!

On-paper, Mr G. Raf was the guy you wanted overseeing a small segment of this companies overall empire.

Mr. G. Raf was an utter disaster as Head of Games. His ignorance and mismanagement of this area; were grave. I cannot emphasis just how little he actually understood about the gaming sector; the customer-base, the industry and even the very game titles themselves.

____________________________________________________________________________

In both of the above examples; very capable and accomplished people are assigned to the oversight of entities they do not understand. At all.

Why does this matter you may ask?

Well, just like ‘Bobby‘ deciding to buyin to their first live PLO Tournament or ‘Rachel‘ trying our Double Exposure Blackjack; having atleast a basic; glance-level understanding of these formats and how they differ from garden variety variants; would seem the simplest of expectations or entry-requirements.

Would you ever take a job or responsibility in an area you didnt know deeply?

So now that all that faffing-about is done; let’s get down to the heart of this article:

Oversight is not the same as Insight.

Gambling is a unique sector and, behind the curtain, unlike many others. It is one of the few massive global industries where (very often) the decision-makers don’t have a background.

What?

It’s true.

I’ve worked for different operators and been subject to extensive Audits, new license Proposals and Organisational Restructures. Frequently (and maybe this is just my experiences colouring my perception) I have be faced with authority-figures who have little-to-none prior-knowledge of this sector.

‘So what‘ you may be wondering? A fresh, untainted set of eyes is exactly how you keep the gambling industry honest*.

Well.... no! Believe it or not; in order to be truly effective in a position of authority (within the gambling industry); you must Know Your Product.

Sure you can employ 3rd parties to do extensive audits (I went through one of these in 2015; helmed by PwC - it was.... interesting & fraught with complications). You could seek the Best Practice advice from external partners and interest-groups but this isn’t ideal either as; the interests of these organisations may not entirely match the objectives of the Regulators.

You could take pre-existing frameworks and legislation from other sectors like Trade or Manufacturing and super-impose these onto the gambling sector.

Obviously this will lead to teething-issues.

A few weeks ago, I raised the following Poll. The intention was to see what people thought about the requirement of a ‘Stake Limit’. There was a good level of engagement and this is something I will circle-back to in a few months with a separate article.

My intention was to highlight that often, requirements are made and imposed but without not clarification as to WHY:

1. Why do you, the Regs, want this particular tool or restriction?

2. What is the intended or desired outcome from this tool or requirement?

3. Where did the idea or rationale for this tool or requirement come-from?

4. Do you know (and can you advise us better) as to what exactly you want this tool or requirement to achieve?

• In Portugal, there exists a rule within the SRIJ requirements that registered customers can end their voluntary self-imposed exclusion periods early. Any operator who objects can be sanctioned. Why? Cause supposedly there is a common-law for the Right to Admittance (as a Portuguese solicitor explained to me)

• In Czech Republic, customers were subject to 8 mandatory ‘safeguard’-restrictions they had to avail of (whether they liked it or now) in order to be granted full verification. These included Daily, Weekly and Monthly thresholds for Net Losses, Wager Amounts, Login Times, Durations between Logins and Deposits limits... plus a few more. Customers did not why they needed so many and neither did most Operators.

• In May 2020, a new regulation was imposed within the UK domain to completely prevent Withdrawal-Cancelling. While I know where my thoughts on this come from and even though I think it’s actually a good idea on the balance; I would deal with 1000s of customers a week who were left scratching their head as to Why it was introduced (and also why it was publicly announced)

• During the first version of the French Regulators, (previously known as L’Arjel) a requirement was brought in for a Mandatory Withdrawal Limit on all accounts. Now, this one sounds like a masterstroke and a really well-conceived idea for player protection and to mitigate harm.... unfortunately it wasn’t.

Spain required an entirely novel version of the classic Self-Imposed Deposit Limit for all customers. When I once had the opportunity to speak with a member of the .ES Regulators, I asked politely WHY [did they ask for this version] - I didnt get an illuminating answer.

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The title to each entry in this series poses a question to everyone reading so I thought it best-fitting if I start this final segment with my own personal answer:

I stand WITH Regulators. I always have.

Believe it or now, I’m (in my own way) a very strong advocate for gambling-regulation and licensing. Now I appreciate that everyone in the industry and adjoining-fields will say the same thing (it’s expected behaviour and the party-line) but I say it with sincerity. Anyone who knows me awhile can attest to the fact I’ve been calling for Ireland to be regulated for years and years and years. Why? Because it is what’s best for everyone

Much of what I have written throughout these articles could be construed as me being a malcontent about different licensing bodies & going down a historical grievance list. That wasn’t actually my intention. What I have been trying to do is highlight for anyone interested what I think are important milestone events on the path from industry self-regulation to widespread legal-regulation. The crux though is that (and I know ALOT of parties would like to deny this outright) - in many instances; there are major operators who enact self-regulation policies way above what their license issuer requires.

They are deliberately and actively ahead of the line.

Believe me (doubt me if you will) but while the overwhelming public perception may be that ‘major gambling companies just want to grab you by the heels, shake you out and toss you on the heap‘ - this is not the reality for serious organisations in 2025.

Even arguing the fact that many international operators have adopted regulated procedures (as of the UK or Ontario) and imposed them on - as of yet - not regulated customers as standard policy; probably wont be accepted by many anti-gambling persons.... and that’s OK.

From my own experiences; 3 of the companies I worked with all subjected Irish-registered customers to the exact same level of scrutiny as UK-based players:

Aff Checks on Transaction behaviour or patterns

Recorded Interventions

Client-action Processing Times

KYC Screening

Robust Staff Training

Detailed AML and Treasury

Numerous RG features and Tools

Segregated funds

Guidelines for Closures, Suspensions and Investigations

The above and more; was the norm from about 2018 onwards - a full 4 years AFTER I first saw a draft Irish regulation and a full 7 years BEFORE anything has come to pass.

On March 5th, the GRAI opened it’s door and I for one - wish them all the very best in the execution of their duties.

I have also (and will continue to); raised an eyebrow about some of their appointees and the seemingly sparse sector-knowledge they have.

Anywho - this is just my opinion and a mere week into operation; I couldn’t fairly start poking holes especially when this article is actually about looking for and the wins available.

Last week I had to pleasure of being involved in the Black Market Prevention Summit in Manchester. There was an overwhelming sentiment from all the speakers and attendees that while harm does happen within regulated operators - the alternative is much worse. Wild-West worse.

So let’s wrap this up and get to the point - strong and robust regulation (with accompanying officials) protects us all:

They give us confidence in the products and services we choose to spend with.

They act on our behalf and make sure the contents matches the label.

They give us an avenue to seek recompense.

They also give companies confidence in their daily operations

They should safeguard business & staff and employment

Lastly, this entity should act as an irrefutable endorsement of good practice that anyone can trust.

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BONUS ADDition: Black Markets

I was not planning on writing another instalment of this series. I thought I had said all I wanted to in a very basic and introductory fashion but then I checked my LI feeds and day after day; I see material about how the perpetual To & Fro between Authorities and Illegal operators continues endlessly.

Then I realised I had not implicitly touched on the Cobra-Effect so here goes.

We all know what the Cobra Effect is; even if we don’t know the exact name - it’s unforeseen consequences to government policy changes. It essence; bringing forth new ideas to curb a societal problem potentially makes the problem worse. Nowhere is this dynamic better expressed in 2025 than in the field of gambling regulation and illicit operators (the Black Market).

By now I would hope that most people reading this article will have see the startling report that Deal Me Out publicly released on April 9th.

There are many stark data points in this report and for those unprepared; it could be the stuff of nightmares but as Jordan has said himself on many occasions - everyone* could see this coming a mile off! And here is the heart of the matter and the balancing act that all stakeholders find themselves wrestling with:

• “How do you build and manage a safe* sector while ensuring not to overstep?”

Short Answer: I don’t know (but I do have some thoughts if you’ll indulge me)

A lot of very inciteful people have spoken at-length the past few years about the pitfalls that burden-laden regulations will bring to the gambling-ecosystem. Deal Me Out have been very forward-focused on this issue, given their professional insights, by sounding the alarm for years already.

To begin, we must understand what The Black Market actually is and how these entities deviate from their reputable counterparts. In-essence; Black Market (’BM’) is a blanket term for companies which chose to offer gambling-services to a specific customer base without adhering to the regulations and checks-balances of that nation.

• They may not meet specific taxation regulations such as Corporate Tax on earnings.

• Frequently Anti-Money Laundering polices such as Customer/ Business Due Diligence and Segregated Funds; are not meet

• Requirements on Customer Documentation; such as KYC & AFF Checks, are omitted

• The Functionality and Legitimacy of the services on offer (like independently verified RTP & RNG on games of chance) cannot be confirmed.

• Employment Provisions and Protections may not be in-effect for staff*

• Safer Gambling stipulations are few and far between.

When listed like this; many of the safeguards potential paying customers would expect from a business taking their money; are MIA. In an age when everyone* is clued up on Customer Rights, Data Protection, GDPR, Financial Crime and Copyright Infringement; it seems baffling that so many people would chose to take their gambling to offshore back-alley outfits rather than go with the piece of mind that a licensed firm offers.

Yes; you might loose on your wager and that can suck... but you know that someone is watching the watchmen on your behalf - the Regulator! It might not happen today, tomorrow or even a year from now but each and every company that is licensed; while face the microscope of a regulator and serious fines can follow.

That thought should bring you solace.

If you are the victim of dubious practices from an offshore entities; who can you turn to? Unfortunately no-one* quite often.

If that doesnt give you reason to pause before signing up to the promise of ‘Not on Gamstop‘ or ‘No KYC checks‘ then consider this:

You have to pay tax on everything you earn. Your company must pay tax on everything* they earn. Even the 6-figure Execs who sit on-high must pay tax. Sure even that small bit of inheritance that Great-Uncle-Bulgaria left you; is subject to TAX!

Often these BM Dealers pay none!

Let that sink in.....

So what do I think can be done to mitigate and stem the growth of this pervasive interloper on our gambling shores...

• First we need to look at what they are offering. What does XYZ-Casino have that appeals to potential users more than what Upright and Honest Casino Emporium does.

Is it generous bonus schemes and sign-up incentives? Free Bets & Spins have long been a source of discussion (and how they might coerce extended activity) amongst legislators. There are numerous anecdotal and data-driven evidence sources which imply that such practices can encourage jaded or effected-punters into trying their luck one more time! While the industry could and has argued that bonuses are not inherently harmful (they are after all a gesture on behalf of a company to acknowledge repeat custom & build brand loyalty) I have seen first-hand thousands of customers stating they needed a free bet or spin; they couldn’t stop as the opportunity to win [due to a free bet] was too appealing.

Countries like Sweden, India and now Brazil; have all brought in conditions which prohibit bonuses. Given my own experiences above; you might think that such approaches protect players. Protect them from whom though; the operators or themselves.

• Documentation requests, within legal markets, are now too severe. Who really wants to send in Photographic ID, Bank Statement, Proof of Address (dated within the last 60 days), Source of Wealth material, Tax Fillings, Crypto Portfolio and Transaction Summaries just to bet $100 on the Champions League final?

“So I spent (and lost) £2000 within the last 11 months? I have spent more on Amazon orders, Temu junk for the kids...” “Sure 2K and I need to give you all my info? I spent more than that at a weekend stag’s in Dublin!”...”I dont need to send this much to get a van loan!”

I have seen all the above and much more over the years while conducting investigations in SG. Guess what - the public do not want to send their personal information just for the privilege to wager! I have never liked conducting Affordability Checks on players. I am not regulatory-over liberal by any means; I just find the whole process invasive. I would not comply with one myself if pushed - does that make me a hypocrite!

They are very long investigations (when done correctly and thoroughly). They require multiple interactions back/forth with customers and the resources required for each; especially with larger scale players, are noteworthy. For context; in 2020 during the Second Great Poker Boom brought about by lockdowns; my former team faced a vast workload and so a request was floated that staff from another sister-site; could be deployed to help carry the load. It’s all safer gambling afterall (legal concerns aside). The response I was given was ‘NO’. That other-team couldn’t spare anyone cause they were flat out doing 10 investigations a week - across 20 staff. Now people consider the burden and headache a customer feels to compile the documentation requested.... and then also factor in that spending your most confidential info, via email, to a private service company flies in the face of 25 years worth of PSA’s about Internet Safety!

• These limits and restrictions are for your own good! £2 max slot for Under 24s. What happens when you tell someone, especially a younger and more digitally-native person that they MUST do something?

It’s now national law that you cannot spend more than €350 this calendar month because we [the government] are trying to protect you. That position is working so very well in the Netherlands.

You cannot play stakes over €10 if you want to play legally. Why you ask - because we are protecting you from harm.

Enforcing thresholds and limitations on someone is draconian. I get the rationale and reasoning behind introducing new safeguards. I actually agree with the introduction of new limits and features to enhance player’s toolkits but they should be voluntary. Players should want to use these features to tailor their own gaming experience.

....flies and honey.....

The above example has been part of the public-discourse regarding gambling; for years and years now.

It was, until recently, visible on every gambling advert (Television, Print, POS) out there.

Millions and Millions of people have heard these 5 words.

There have, of course, been others such as:

‘Please Be Responsibility’

‘Take Time to Think’

Have these worked (significantly)?

The final verdict on this is Debatable.

This phrase (WtFS) didn’t exist when I first started working in the industry.
It was released in 2015 (shortly after the launch of the UKGC) and was heavily promoted by the Betting-industry soon after.

At the time; my focus was solely on Poker (via FTP & PS) so there was much less of an emphasis on adopting this particular expression for official comms. Nevertheless though; it would be referenced often-enough by UK-based players contacting the SG team.

I’m disheartened to report that seldom were those references positive.

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From a young age, most of us have been thought Determination, Perseverance and Persistency by our elders.

The following tune has been burnt into my brain:

‘If at-first you don’t success then try and try again…”

As a teacher now and pushing 40; I find myself using this too on the younger generation. It makes sense. It’s simple. It’s even catchy.

Afterall anything worth having or appreciating is hard. You can’t and shouldn’t just quit when things don’t go your way otherwise you will never know the sense of accomplishment.

“No Shit Sherlock” I heard you mutter and you would be right of course.

As an avid gamer (someone would say more than avid) I have spent accumulative months of my life struggling and exploding and rage-quitting; trying to get past certain sections of games.

I have broken:

• Equipment

• Furniture

• Blood vessels

All in the pursuit of getting past Orphan of Kos, Tiny Toons and the Suicide Mission.

I have screamed sentences of such white-hot profanity that a sailors would weep.

At no point during any of the instances did I think; “the fun has stopped so I better give it a rest”

No.

I just kept going past the point of sense, reason and even self-respect.

I was worse in my efforts as a poker player.

Much worse!

Videos games and gambling are completely different so there is no comparison.

Wrong.

There are comparisons and when I used to train new SG Specialists at PokerStars; I would go deep into Rage-Quitting, Tilt and When the FUN Stops..

One of the first modules I would cover (when starting with the new group of Specialists) was this Myths and Facts.

I would highlight these because; even though they seem obvious sitting here-now, when someone has hit a serious DOWNSWING or OVER-indulged; it can be a very easy to put Hope before Reason.

What I mean is that; even though someone might know they have reached their limit or should cut their losses - it is much easier said that done. Especially when that same person could be in a heighted state of emotion or vulnerability.
You might want to (or have to) believe that things will turn your way…

As we all know - when EMOTIONS take over RATIONAL goes out the feckin’ window!

This all will bring me to the part of the module where I would try to explain someone of harrowing emails customers would send (usually just after a really bad session):

“How could you do this to me…”

“Why do you hate me! Do you want me to suffer…”

“Please give me the BOOMswitch; just long enough to get back…”

“I’m desperate now. I need to keep going until you let me win,…”

Now these are all perfect examples of Concerning Comments (which I briefly referenced in an earlier article) but I won’t go into that topic here.

What these exerts do illustrate is that (accompanied by playing-behaviour-data) each person possibly-knew they should log-off and get out but they couldn’t.

Perhaps it was Anxiety. Shame. Stubbornness. Outrage. Pride. Impaired Decision-making…. or just maybe it was
“…try and try again”

For the record; I always hoped it wasn’t

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Getting back to the opening segment of this article; safer gambling messaging campaigns like ‘WtFS’ -they always seemed abit at-odds with the mindset of gamblers for me.

One the one-hand; I can see what these messages tried to be:

“If you are loosing and getting upset then just walk-away.
It’s never worth it.
Do not continue spending…..”

From this perspective then you can infer that the whole campaign was geared towards combating Chasing Losses (another topic for another day). Towards lessening the blow and (hopefully) preventing Harm

Noble & Earnest intentions.

One the other-hand though; it just seems very aloof and unsympathetic*; especially to someone who has just dropped £100 on a horse that didn’t finish or who got Ratholed playing 50/100.

And again; we know from childhood that the only way we get better at something is by persevering….

If everything up to this point reads like a weird contradiction - good! I’m making my point then.

Telling someone that they should just stop because they aren’t having fun anymore would be brilliant (Inspired-even) IF we weren’t including money.

Once you involve MONEY and the notion of ‘loosing’ said-money then just stopping (walking away) becomes much harder.

Don’t believe me:

Roll-up a $50 note and through it off a large incline. I dare you not to feel compelled to go after it".

Since the end of the pandemic; a number of significant data-driven investigations have been done into the effectiveness of messaging campaigns such as ‘WtFS…’.

The result have been less-than-resounding.

So where does this leave us and what was the point all these ~1000 words so far?

In-spite of all I have written and the very understandable problems that arise when trying to tell someone to “…just walk away…” [when they aren’t enjoying gambling]

This is what we must do…. but….. just like comedy;

“it’s not WHAT you say but HOW you say it”

Since I left the gambling industry and stuck my head-up; I’ve encountered dozens of people from ‘Lived Experience’ space.

People from all walks:

• All genders.

• All nationalities.

• All socioeconomic statuses and backgrounds.

• Academics. Bricklayers. Business folk. Single parents. Civil servants. Current & former athletes.

Every category of person imaginable.

No matter who they are or what their story entails; I have been greeted with the sense:

Kindness and Warmth.

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It is, by now, no surprise to anyone reading this (either someone who stumbled upon me or sought me out) that I speak very openly about the many years I worked in the global gambling industry.

What started as a nightshift temp job in winter ‘09 evolved into my life’s work [upto now]. When I started, I was 22 and I needed a job. The opportunity came up to work for a massive poker company and I grabbed-it completely.

After only 2 months; I was promoted to being a ‘Tier 2 / Senior agent’ and then soon after an Escalation Point [within CS].

Given my personal poker background and eagerness to learn anything on-offer (Cashier, Security, Development, Sponsorship, GI); I started to raise through the ranks within my shift.

Shortly after my 23rd birthday I was asked by my then-manager

“Where do you see yourself going in this company Ciaran? You have just joined VIP….”

“I want to be the Ops Manager before I’m 30. I love it here and don’t foresee myself leaving”

I didnt like working for VIP.

It does not suit me and the sums anyone spends never matter to me - $10 or $10,000; you are still just a customer so you can wait your turn!

As I have spoken about before; by this time I was already handling most of the responsible gaming cases that would come into FTP support (creating Procedures, Templates, Acct notes, Training decks, etc) and; more than anything, I really enjoyed these types of problems. (I appreciate this is a weird thing to put in print but it’s true)

For whatever reason, the-often darker tone and subject matter of RG (‘Safer Gambling’) cases suited me. Really suited me.

My friends and mentors began to see that this was then area that I should be focusing on and not general Operations.

I was told I had a natural affinity for this type of work so, along with a Poker-centric specialist; I was empowered to divert all me efforts in RG. This was of course though; just post-Black Friday.

I became the Poker and RG Trainer for Full Tilt Poker. It was as-close to being an official role as the situation (no Operations-license, no income, global shutdown, FTP/DOJ issues) could allow.

When Full Tilt & PokerStars finally married, the machine woke back-up (November 6th 2012) & everything got back firing; I was approached to joined the PokerStars dedicated RG team (known at the time as ‘WeCare’)

I was in my mid 20s and I jumped at the chance.

That decision and the job I went onto subsequently do (all the different titles and aspects) until I left the operator-side in Summer 2023; has shaped my life.

In summer 2023, I started using LinkedIn and to be surprise; a huge amount of people began reaching out to me. Not just Recruiters and iGaming-industry folks but a lot from Lived-Experience.

Now I was aware of the Lived Experience space before this point, you cant work in SG for aslong as I have and not cross paths with LE.
Guest speakers and facilitators frequently visit gambling companies to share their insights and recommendations on how to make gambling safer/ less potentially-harmful.

What struck me then (as it still does now) is the Openness these incredible people have to listen to ‘my side of the story’.

To listen and learn about my experiences. My opinions. My thoughts on Gambling Harm.

In-fact it was one such meeting (with a global LE advocate) that originally gave me the push for writing these articles.

Now there exists a perceived friction between the Operator-side and the LE camp when it comes to the Great Gambling Debate.

Naturally both sides will have some opposing thoughts and perspective but this is to be expected and (in my opinion) appreciated.

For my own milage; LE advocates have been very eager to learn more about how the industry (especially the SG teams) work day-to-day. What efforts are genuinely being made to combat potential negative impact and what could have been done….

More than once I have been told, sincerely, that if someone like me (dedicated to sensible gaming and player welfare) have of reach-out then perhaps X or Y persons trajectory might have differed.

It is impossible to say though….

I am not pretending, watering down or deflecting from gambling harm. I know all too well the seismic damage that gambling can do to some people (and their wider circle) but equally I do not believe that interventions are meaningless, box-ticking gestures.

Throughout the years I am sure I got a few cases wrong.
I am sure I missed ‘something’ when investigating a case.
There have been plenty of cases and incidents that have stayed with me.

What I have learned though is that this dismissive-claim that LE ‘hold a grudge’ isn’t the reality. No one I have meet has pointed the finger.

Yes I have meet one or two who challenged the sincerity of how much ‘operators care’ but never the earnestness in which the actual SG specialists try.

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From when I first started responsible gaming until when I left the industry; I clocked the better part of 20,000 hours of real-case handling.

I am now greeted and addressed as an Expert in the field but I can say this wholeheartedly over the past 2 years;

I have learned some much through the amazing people from #Lived Experience.

This is my small means of saying THANK YOU to all of them and I greatly appreciate any opportunity to collaborate.

In February I wrote the opening piece of this work. It was the Introduction for my insights into Deposit Limits and how they were designed/ implemented.

During my time in Safer Gambling; I worked hands-on with dozens of international licenses (for FTP & PS).
One of the requirements of my role was a deep and thorough understanding of the entire life-cycle (backoff and end-user) for how the company operated their deposit limit system.

As I have stated many times (in many different places); DEPs should be the first serious personalisation anyone takes when registering an account with a reputable gambling site.

TIP: if your site [of choice] does not offer this function - abandon immediately.

Per my earlier piece; October 31st (16 days from now) will be the initial phase of the UKGC enforcing mandatory deposit limits as a component of initial registration:

changes which will come into effect on 31 October 2025 and require all gambling businesses to:

• prompt their customers to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit and make it easy for them to review and alter their limit

• remind consumers every six months to review their account and transaction information to help customers maintain control of their gambling spend

• offer financial limits using free text at an account level to help customers set meaningful limits

• provide financial limit setting facilities via a link on the homepage and deposit pages which are clearly visible and accessible, with the number of clicks to reach these facilities minimalised

• action all customer requests to decrease a financial limit immediately.

These requirements are something I completely endorse.

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Now I know probably abit more than most about how to design a robust and effective DEP. When I initially started in the PokerStars RG team (March 2013); my first big project was to design (and deliver) a DEP into the Full Tilt Poker game-client. Within 6 months.

No small undertaking let me tell you.

Simply Ctrl C + Ctrl V the pre-existing PokerStars version into the FTP client was not going to be possible. Despite the merger (August 2012); both companies and IT systems were intended to be unique, independent and IP of their respective organisations. Transplanting from one [game client] into another was not going to work.

Naturally this required deepdiving into every facet of how the PS and FTP back-off architectures worked from the inside-out.

I am extremely appreciative to my then-superiors for granting me that level of access - I know many RG specialists would not be.

It is from this research and many long hours that I gained the insight I know have (and subsequently shared when I was training new specialists).

Despite not having much of a background in SDLC; approx. 6 months after being tasked to create a DEP; it was deployed into the Full Tilt game-client, ~Q4 2013.
It was a massive success and one of my proudest professional accomplishments.

The recipe I used for that tool was called a 7-Day Accumulative system and it worked as follows:

• Firstly; users would need to specify their own personal amount (using a text input field - NOT a predetermined dropdown)

  • In order for these features to be effective and appealing to customers; they must present a voluntary feel which means letting the public determine their own threshold value

• The range values the system would validate was $10 → $999999

  • It is not realistically conceivable that a person (even a Baller) would be able to deposit an accumulative amount beyond 6 figures.

    • For those unaware, typically there are 2 independent deposit systems working in-tandem for online gambling transactions. Speak to someone from Cashier Security to learn more.

• The system would need to immediately validate and implement any user-request to decrease their pre-existing limit value

  • If you previous had ‘NO LIMIT’ then any amount you typed in would be understood as a Decrease and therefore would be subject to immediate implementation.

    • IMPORTANT: NO LIMIT is not the same as a limit value of ‘$0’ (it’s a coding-thing) The staggering number of times users made this mistake would melt your brain!

• The next requirement was ensuring that this user-imposed limit supersede any encompassed any deposit method the user chose: Skrill, Ukash, PayPal, Neteller, etc.

  • The dialog and in-client text had to be precise accurate but written in plain English so as to not confuse any potential user.

• Lastly (and most importantly) the system would need to be dynamic and constantly-updating [in real time] a customers transaction activity; to ensure no-one surpassed their imposed threshold.

“Why use an ‘Accumulative 7-Days’ as opposed to a ‘Zero-Point Limit’ interpretation?”

Simple: one works and does what everyone wants/ expects it to. The other doesnt’!

If we look at DEPs as the first safeguard to preventing financial and negative impact [… leading to Gambling Harm] then we must be clear on how we identify and measure gambling-related financial harm.

One of the basic principles I believe is that harm builds overtime. Financial struggle, anxiety and strain; are a compounding aliments.

As such; any guiderails intended to mitigate these negative effects must incorporate a players pattern of deposits - not just from the day the limit is applied (ie: Zero-Point).

I made extra sure that the in-game dialog did specify the above.

Here is the test-problem I used to give to all staff I was training:

• Monday - Ben deposits $50

• Tuesday Ben deposits $60

• Wednesday Ben deposits another $50

• Thursday Ben applies a $100/Weekly deposit limit

• How much can Ben deposit on Friday?

This will be a 3-Part series and in the next part I will provide both the answer to the above problem (for anyone unsure) and I will go into much more about the new UKGC requirements and different DEP systems from around the regulated markets.

This was a piece I wrote originally for LinkenIn. I didnt intend to release it here but given the past week and confirmation that the panel I pitched as part of SGW2025 has been approved; I thought why not…

….This piece though I think needs to be seen by all involved in Gambling (3rd Sector, Lived Experience, Operators, Suppliers, Regulators and the media)….

There always has been and remains to be, a disheartening tidal wave of dismissive cynicism about the work done by safer gambling specialists. Now I’m not talking about the PR Director as this-Operator or the publicity statement of that-CEO at #SaferGambling Week.
I mean the deep in the trenches specialists and customer-facing gladiators who clock on everyday to speak directly to those in-need. That small percentage of service users who are balancing in the line of gambling harm.

Every few days on this platform I will get notifications that a public body, usually governmental or regulatory, is announcing new measures or sweeping review; to protect the public from the potential risks of harmful gambling. I see photos and press releases about this panel or that conference (attended by experts from a variety of fields) and I find myself constantly thinking:

“well that looks nice but where is the RG rep? Where is the contribution from the person who actually knows what gambling harm is and how it manifests in the general population?”

All too often - and this is not just my milage by the way - it isn’t there. RG and SG specialists don’t get considered, invited or even acknowledged when it comes to conversations about safer gambling. And if they do; frequently they are under so strict disclosure orders that they might as well be muzzled.

There are some exceptions obviously but not nearly enough.

I mean I cant be the only person out there who thinks it’s rich for everyone else to talk about and form policy on safer gambling practices, public health, etc but not-get 2cents from the people who actually do the job day In/day Out.

It’s fair to say that these frequent omissions perturb me. Greatly.

Many people reading this will know my story and the angle I come at this from; I was a Safer Gambling Specialist (and Trainer, Manager, Technical Lead and Mentor) for a decade. In that time I covered just about every conceivable square on the #SaferGambling bingo-board. I worked directly with customers (via email and phone call) plus internally with different teams like BI, Development, Treasury, Security, PR and Marketing. I would often work with 3rd parties like Regulators or Accrediting organisations. Put simply: the scope of that role was huge.

It was also very daunting and draining; both physically and mentally (thank sweet-lady-Mercy for Metal)

Last year I published an article titled The Guy in the Megadeth Tshirt with the intention of putting a smartass, silly slant on my first few months as a safer gambling specialists and the scope that role came with. What I left out though (as I didn’t feel it was applicable to that story) was the incredible level of responsibility that role brought.

Here’s the thing - again my milage may differ from some - what consistently is the same with every single specialist I have spoken to since; is the sense that the greater world do not see these efforts as sincere or serious.

It’s sad but very often no-one outside of the RG team actually knows or cares; what the RG specialists have to deal with.

There is a prevailing (and snide) sentiment in many corners that Safer Gambling is just a box-ticking-exercise. That companies only operator these teams because they are forced to via regulation. This notion is found in the gambling media, the MSM, amongst some charities and service providers, parliamentary appointees, academic circles and worst of all; from within the companies themselves. Don’t even get me started on how the general public view them!

How would you feel if you did a harrowing and incredibly triggering job that so few actually believed in?

Once again; this perturbs me. Greatly.... actually it just down right pisses me off.

So why am I now writing this when I’m not even a specialist myself anymore? I’ll tell you why - a few weeks back; the brilliant pair at BetBlocker published my interview from their BetTalker series and the feedback I got from that chat has been surprising. A number of people; some of which are very close to me, have told me that they were shocked to learn what the role of a safer gambling specialist actually entailed (especially in those early days) and just the level of mental fatigue it came with. Far too many again though it was a mickey-mouse role only done to tick a box.

A few months back I meet another well-known figure from the #LivedExperience sector and they too greeted me with scepticism about how much the companies actually care. For understandable reason; they believe RG was just a PR Stunt akin GreenWashing. I hope that after 90 minutes with me; they have changed their assumption for the better.

What I am getting at here isn’t shameless self-promotion; what I am trying to do is highlight the burden that these staff members bare while doing their jobs. Frequently they are:

• Ill-prepared or forewarned for what they will encounter

• Burned out

• Insufficiently trained or onboarded

• Understaffed and resourced

• Disproportionately paid

• Not supported or looked after

Duncan Garvie FRSPH said it perfectly during our interview; this is a very triggering role. You are asked to listen and cope with some very serious stuff from some very fragile people and do so within a SLA because it’s just glorified customer services right?! Bullshit.

Earlier today I meet the fantastic Shaun Burke who shared with me his own milage from being the first body in his then-employer’s RG Team and so much of his own observations echoed my own.

In what other walk of life would you go from a Suicide Intervention call to then being excessively verbally abused about an ACCA not paying out?

Now my take on what a Safer Gambling specialist should be probably differs from most operators or lived experience facilitators. I know that specialists should be SME’s and treated as-such by all stakeholders. I know that they need to be supported and shown the appropriate level of respect they deserve because; they are often the very last line before gambling harm.

“... it’s a job few COULD do and even fewer WOULD do...”

I am a proud, card-carrying metalhead.

I have been since very young and I will be until the day I go out feet-first!

On my wedding day I got the DJ to play ‘Lateralus’ as my favourite all-time song and something special which my lovely bride indulged.

One of the earliest and best concerns I can recall was Machine Head on Hallowe’en 2003 (coincidently my wife was at that same gig - fate?).

Whenever I take interviews for podcasts or meet new connections, via Teams or whatever, I always have on a signature TooL Tshirt. It’s just my thing and everyone, by now, appreciates it.

I try to play Walk with me in Hell every Friday for my students as we wrap up for the coming weekend.

All* of my clothes are band Tshirts and even when I go to conferences or panel discussions; it’s immediately obvious that I’m the token rocker in the bunch (ask a Metalhead to dress professionally and they’ll go black on black)

Last year I even wrote about my experience of going to a Dir-level stakeholder meeting wearing a Megadeth shirt.

By now the tone is set…

I am writing this particular piece not to shameless highlight my attire or a facet of my psyche but to actually discuss something serious. So serious in-fact that some readers may wish to leave now as the next sections will cover:

• Triggering incidents

• Resilience & grit

• Professional Cognitive Disassociation

• Suicide Threats

• Stress and Anxiety

• Mental Health interventions

You have been warned

I have spoken and written many times about my experiences of working in the Safer Gambling/ Responsible Gaming-side of the industry.
Over a 12 year period I could count (on both hands) the total number of people who knew what my job actually was and moreover - what it involved.

Now to be clear - while VERY few (from within the industry and outwards) understood my role; absolutely. fucking. everyone had an opinion [on it]

Most were not favourable (you can get a taste here)

This post is not about them though. It is about the weight and toll such a responsibility (for over a decade) will take.

In this instance; I am going to just focus on the worst of the worst. The real nightmare-fuel kind of stuff. Obviously I won’t use real information related to the customers and victim’s involved but I will get as close to the genuine incidents as I can; starting with

1. How many Suicide Threats should one person handle

My record for a single shift stood at 6.

Now there is a context to this number - it was during the height of lockdowns within Europe and the UK. Unfortunately too many people had no outlets and the burdens of depression, isolation, furlough, etc just overwhelmed your average Joe/Joan.
A cry to just let it out is what many of these incidents boiled down to.

I am happy to say that none of the above resulted in the physical harm. All persons-concerned later followed-up to confirm safety.

NOTE I am certified to deliver Suicide Threat Intervention Training and have done to 100s of staff as part of Onboarding.

The reason I bring the above up is that, during the duration of the pandemic; alot of the gambling-ecosystem changed [and changed in a way that we are only* seeing the downstream affects of-now]. At the start of the initial lockdown; all Sportsbetting and Casino premise were closed.

This left only Online Casino providers and Online Poker as the really viable forms of gambling available to the masses.

During this time obviously both verticals saw massive upswings (as did Netflix, Home-drinking, ZOOM, Table quizzes, Baking, Porn-induced injury, Conspiracy consumption, Social media dependency, Console sales, etc).
In the case of Poker; the pandemic was the 2nd Great Poker Boom and seeing as I worked for, primarily, an enormous Poker Juggernaut - business was booming…. unless you were in my side of the business whereby ‘more traffic’ translates to ‘more potential harm’.

The reality of all the lockdowns and the impact on people’s normal patterns of behaviour meant that more and more people were getting into the deepwaters. While I will vehemently say that the percentage of customers we saw in the SG team was tiny in-comparison to the number of customers playing safely* - the increased volume in the gen-pop’ naturally resulted in a corresponding increase of cases for my team.

I do not know how many Self-Harm interventions I had to handle over the course of ‘20 - ‘23. I would be afraid to know the final number actually. These incidents came from every corner of the world and involved people from every conceivable demographic.

What they all share though is my full care and attention in that moment. I made sure that everyone of them was ‘OK’ when the escalation concluded (which sometimes involved the emergency services arriving to the door while I was on the other end of the call).

After each escalation I had a ritual:

• I would thank and debrief all the staff who were involved. These cases can be extremely triggering and upsetting so it would be irresponsible for me not to check-in

• Next I would write a detailed description of the incident for Reporting and Compliance. Given the very nature of these incidents; proper notation would be essential.

• An alert would be created in my calendar to follow-up with the person if I didn’t hear from them in a few days. Rarely did I ever have to chase anyone.

• Lastly; I’d blare Lamb of God & Pantera through my headphones, light a cigarette and remind myself that ‘this is the job’.

This is where the title of this piece comes in - if it wasn’t for metal music and the calming effect it has on me - I might have been in rough psychological shape.

2. PLEASE do not look at that, just leave it for me…

Whenever I was giving training to a new group of new starters (as part of their initial orientation) I would bang-on about the proper escalation procedure they should follow.

If they saw a particular email signature or account note; they should just pass to the safer gambling team. DO NOT attempt to handle our cases. Just escalate and move on.

That was the rule and the official guidelines. Do not read it. Do not reply to it. JUST Re-assign.

Simple enough to follow right?

Her name was ‘Amas’ (it wasn’t IRL) and she obviously missed that message!

One afternoon around ‘17; I got a call at my desk to go immediately to the Shift Manager’s office. Normal enough but no one usually calls me (I had changed my desk phone ringtone to ‘‘Battery’ intro years beforehand).

Anywho; I walked into the office and there was a member of HR, the onsite MHFA, Amas (in a distraught state) and her new line manager.

“Ummm… OKAY what’s going on here folks….” says I

“There has been a very serious incident. Amas has had a traumatic and severe reaction to one of our players emails…” the HR rep replied.

“Oh… I understand. As you know; I train everyone to assign to me anything really upsetting and tough. It’s my job to deal with that kind of triggering-material from players. CS staff should not have to deal with these sort of things” This was the procedure and company-line.

“See that’s the thing Ciaran - it is one of your cases. It was addressed for you. There was a note on the account which seemingly Amas was unsure about so she went through the history…” MHFA chimed in.

“Are you okay Amas? During your initial training this is why I said to leave those cases to me!” Ahhhh FFS!

The case in-question was very rough (‘triggering’ or ‘traumatising’ is how some described it)
There is no point sugar-coating this or downplaying it:

The guy was fucked and had been personally-directing all sorts of horror at me for months. He had developed a personal vendetta against me-specifically and was using yours-truly as an outline for his insanity:
He targeted my personal s/n accounts; he contacted my siblings and friends. He sent all sorts of threats to anyone and everyone associated with me. He wished me death of every possible flavour. I’m sure that over the numerous, unanswered, email tomes-of-abuse he sent me; you could probably backfill a manuscript!

The sad part and what caused Amas to freak - even though everything he penned was ridiculous, hate-fuelled nonsense; I still had to read every one before acting. I couldn’t simply bin his correspondence without first checking for ‘Concerning Comments’:

‘Deeply worrying and concerning remarks which may be said in-jest but could equally be used to illustrate a greater concern, marker of harm or problem which must be investigated per ethical and professional obligations’ (the SG specialists bread N’ better')

Amas, unfortunately, deep-dived through something she was not prepared or equipped for. She had a very adverse reaction to seeing just how relentless and vicious some humans can be and it turned her stomach.

Amas soon after resigned.

She wasnt the first (or last) to get a sense of what SG staff get subjected to and say:
“It’s not worth it”.
She wasn’t the first person to have a panic-attack either, because of email-content. It happened on the nightshift once where a Russian CSR burst into tears after working the badbeat queue for a shift. He just broke!

After the dust had settled and a few days went by; the MHFA asked me for a coffee. They wanted to know if the sort of stuff Amas saw (intended for me*-only) was common and what sort of EAP there was in-place:

“I’m it!”

“How do you handle it?” A disheartened face asked me

“Lots of decibels and headbanging. It’s the same way I always have. It’s my job!”

When something happens (a customer crosses the line with abuse); they got escalated to me. That’s all anyone, except upper-mgmt, needed to know.

The SG team was the blackhole and I was the singularity at the centre of that hole.

Simple.

Once again; blaring my headphones and listening to whatever Spotify or YT Speed Metal mix has created; is how I just let all those words wash over me.

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I’ve spoken to a number of Professionals, Doctors, MH Nurses, Lived-Experience, Wellbeing types and fellow MHFA (btw, I got my cert in this a few years ago) about the impact online behaviour can have on people.
I’ve always tried to refine my skills and improve the ways I go about my job.

Additionally, been also looking for collaboration-opportunities.

Frequently when I start telling me stories and share my experiences; I get meet with the same sentences:

“How and Why?”

“Lots of very loud metal and because it was my job”

To Be Continued…..

Before I ever worked in the gambling sector, I worked in a Video-Game shop.

I LOVED IT.

It was Cramped. Dangerously hot in the summer. Smelly. Underpaying and Overworking yet I relished it.

Games. Games. Games. All Day. Every Day.

What teenager wouldn’t?!

The shop in-question was Xtra-Game. The Yelp review doesnt do it justice but if you were a gamer (in Dublin) from ‘02 to ‘10 - you knew the store and the motley band of socially-inept pyrates that worked there.

I still reminisce about the bullshit we used to get upto behind the counter and the ridiculous regular customers we used to have (think the Rogue’s Gallery but stranger, harmless and social deprived).

One of the aspects of Xtra-Game that set it apart from our competitors, was the insistence (by the manager) that we get consent for all purchases*.

This was unheard of by many customers; especially teen lads (and their parents). Whenever a minor came up to the till with a PEGI 15 or 18 game; as staff; we would ask for the adults approval before putting the sale through:

We had a script for this it would happen that often (multiple times ever single day - the shop was open 7 days a week)

Most of the time, I am happy to say, parents would immediately stop there and explain that their 8 yrs (‘Tommy’) wasn’t getting that game. Often the adult would thank us for pre-warning them.

The child would curse us!

Fun times…

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I left Xtra-Game at Christmas 2009 (3 years of ‘Returns Day’ had permanently distorted my view of Christmas) and went to work at Full Tilt Poker.

This part of my tale is well-known.

The store itself eventually bucked and closed due to the Global Financial Crisis and truly Diabolical Exec-Management. The lads running the overall company were abysmal.

Anywho, a few weeks into working at Full Tilt I came across a new type of escalation - Underage Cases. For anyone unfamiliar Underage Cases involved legal-minors accessing gambling services through a number of means.

In-essence; a 14yr registering with XYZ Bet and going on a tear.

No matter where you stand on gambling (For. Against. Lived Experience); everyone can agree that Underage Gambling is the worst! It is terrible and harrowing for every single party involved:

• It’s incredible harmful to the minor

• It’s a well-documented gateway to future gambling harm

• It is distressing for parents and guardians

• Regulators bring extra scrutiny and thumb screws for these incidents

• Operators hate them because they are just terrible-for-business in every conceivable way

• Charities and Academics cant use these events objectively; for meta analysis.

• Financial Bodies have nothing but headaches with these.

In-summary absolutely everyone wishes Underage Cases were not a-thing…. but they are.

I won’t divulge past incidents I have had with Underage cases (of which there have been a few - I’ve handled over a million cases for context) but will just say this:

I have always had a special level of disdain for anyone who facilities underage gambling. During my time at Full Tilt & PokerStars; I took immense satisfaction (& joy) in making life incredibly difficult for anyone who Staked or Backed teenagers.

The size of the issue regarding Underage Gambling differs depending on Who You Ask:

Needless to say though, and with all the will in the world and more resources that god, it still happens.

Who’s ultimately responsible (to blame)?

I cannot answer that honestly.

While I was working at Full Tilt, one of my good friends and X/G colleagues; Alan, stayed in the videogame sector (while I went into gambling). He soon joined the CS-Office of one of the biggest game publishers around as a SL.

HINT: they used to have an office in Parnell street [beside CineWorld]

We stayed in-touch and continued to meet-up regularly.

Most of the time, as I imagine is the same for anyone reading this; when we would go for drinks - we would reminisce about some of the exceptionally odd characters that used to come into our shop.
Our regulars were made up of serious social outliers and misfits (the Rogue’s Gallery).

On this evening though; where we decided to go to O’Neills and get some grub (highly recommend their daily carvery btw); the topic changed.

Alan had just recently wrapped up a very long-drawn case involving FUT and a distraught mother. Now ordinarily we would never talk about the horrible side of what we both encountered (mainly addiction-adjacent escalations) but today was different and the whole incident clearly had taken a toil:

“Listen…. but I’ve spent the past week, every shift hour, having the same mother call up in hysterics; begging me….”

He didnt have to sat anything more than that. It was an Underage Case. The mere utterance of the two words ‘mother’ and ‘begging’ immediately told me all I needed to know….

…. it also explained why Alan was so off!

The whistlestop version of what happened was this:

1. Mam goes to pay for something in shop using Debit card

2. Transaction declined. Insufficient funds

3. Mam is understandably confused so check’s online banking

4. Dozens and dozens of transactions to an unknown descriptor

5. Mam rings banks hoping for clarify.

6. “Fifa Ultimate Team. Those transactions were made from a game’s console.”

7. BANG!!!!!! Realisation that her darling 15yr has gone on a joyride with her funds….

8. The PANIC and DREAD set in. “All my wages are gone. He blew all my wages….”

The really stark thing about this is; if I simply removed ‘FUT’ and instead put in ‘PS’ or ‘PP’ or any gambling operator it would be blow-for-blow an Underage Gambling Case.

Every aspect of it mirrors the cases I used to deal with where a parent or sibling would contact and first - they would blame me-personally for predatorily targeting their precious baby boy (rarely was it ever a girl):

“He was a good, honest lad… pure as the morning dew … until you vermin got your claw into him….”

Then I would begin by explaining to the victim, more often than not, that KYC had been provided (their License & POA) and that all the legally-prudent checks had been performed. After abit of back/forth; the cold-realisation sets in that their little darling has deliberately impersonated them; used their documentation & money (without their consent) and what they are reporting actually amounts to Fraud & Identity Theft:

“…given this information and following our investigation; how would you now like to proceed? We shall fully comply and assist if you intend to escalate this matter to your local authorities…”

Now this is how such cases are handled in the gambling industry (there is alot more to it but you get the general gist).

In the gaming industry though it’s alot less defined. For one - there is no KYC requirement when making in-client/ game purchases.

Where little-Tommy would eventually be flagged by internal controls to submit docs if he was playing on XYZ Bet; if he is just using the PSN or XBL - there are no* thresholds or checks. Theoretically; aslong as there is money in the attached payment account - Tommy can continue to spend $20 a pop to try get Gold CR7.

No one would know.

Over the next few rounds; we dissected & went over this case. The similarities to gambling cases was uncanny (and VERY unnerving truth be told).

Where I was far too used to harrowing stories of financial and usage-related harm through gambling; for Alan - the same level of detriment was something new.

That lady explained that she once gave her son usage of her card to buy something on the console. It was supposed to be an once-off and she trusted him.

BAD MOVE MOMMA!

Over the next few months (yes - this was going on for months); her pride and joy spent obsessively on packs for FUT.

She knew none of this.

By the time her card was declined; Alan explained; there was a high 4 figures-worth of transaction.

The reason all of this came to light; from Alan’s end; is that the bank would not issue a refund or proceed with a chargeback in this case. Obviously the woman was dismayed. Apparently there was such a pattern of spending behaviour (born out of months) that the financial-side couldn’t reconcile that she (the mother) knew absolutely nothing.

It just seemed too convenient and suspicious from their POV.

Her only move therefore - call up a generic customer care number and lay all her anxiety on a supervisor (poor Alan).

The next week was a complex back/forth between Alan and this lady he called ‘Pat’.

She pleaded. And cried. And pleaded. Begged. Pleaded. Threatened all sorts of legal action (baseless but worth a punt). Pleaded. And cried some more.

All-in-all; this case and Pat; took up that whole week. She told him all sorts about:

How her marriage ended.
The challenges she faced as a single-parent.
How it was so tough and paying rent, bills, etc.

The more we talked about this (and got shitfaced in the process) the more anyone could see the toll it took on him.

“…and you deal with this kinda stuff all the time?”

“Aye…. and we’re one of the better ones for it!”

When we worked at Xtra-Game; we could immediately spot the parents that gave a shit. The ones that made an effort to be informed about what their children were playing:

• was it age-appropriate? Afterall - that age sticker isn’t a suggestion

• was it just plain gore? No-one will ever be able to convince Manhunt 2 has a story.

• Did it have themes beyond their years? Existential Threats via Mass Effect.

• Were they murdering hookers for cheap laughs?

  • this is why I will always HATE “Gran Eff’d Oh-ooo”.

    • If you are not old enough to pronounce the title correctly - you are definitely not old enough to play it!

For context; there was no legal obligation for us (as staff) to tell customers about what-they-were-buying. We could very easily just: Take the sale. Print the receipt. Next….

Every time an adult would ignore our warning and just buy it for their 10yr-future-deliquent, a little part of me died (it might be akin to how staff feel about underage drinking…)

A little more of me died each and every time 4, 5 and 6 year olds (barely developed enough to wipe the snot from their checks ) would ask, brazen AF:

“… you got GTA I.V.?”

“No! Comeback in-maybe a dozen years and we’ll see!”

I staunchly believe GTA has made a complete custerfuck of an entire generation but that’s just me…

Last Hallowe’en at approx 3pm on a murky and damp Thursday; about 100 metres from the Irish Poker Tour ME; I sat on stage with 2 men and had one of the best conversations of my life. A conversation that, 12 months later, I still remember perfectly (it was recorded and streamed live so that helps my recall too)

This took place during one of the most stressful and intensive experiences of my life (2nd only to the week I got married); EDGE GAMING EXPO 2024. EDGE was an experiment which tried to marry a gambling conference with a live poker festival.

It was a VERY tall order cause poker players typically aren’t much interested (or represented) at gambling industry events.

I have always intended to publish the journal notes I kept leading upto and during EDGE but this piece is not about that. NO; this article is solely about one particular panel and the two men onstage with me in the above photo:

Mr. Luke Ivory (a local hero in Live poker and Tournament hosting) & Mr. Padraig Parkinson- a bonafede legend of old-school Poker. A true icon and a gentlemen.

While I coordinated and presented all but one of EDGE’s 28 panels (Mr. Alex Scott handled the Final Hand); none of those modules have stayed with me as much as

‘For the Good of All’

I ask that anyone reading this takes 30* minutes and actually watch the entire talk but I will summarise it briefly by saying this:

It was a panel about our shared experiences of Self-Harm and Suicide but also heart-warming community enterprises like Poker for the Homeless (which ran in 2013)

I appreciate those much of these words can be unsettling for some but please understand I do not intend to upset anyone. I know first-hand the cataphoric impact that suicide can leave. Through my adult life, I’ve handled hundreds of escalation calls and interventions with individuals, from all backgrounds, who are at a moment of crisis.

During my time at Full Tilt & PokerStars, while I was the senior safer gambling trainer - I had to call more people than I will ever be able to count and talk with people about their most personal fears; regrets, anxiety and depression.

One of the very first calls I ever had (working as a NightShift Temp on the CS phone service) was about a young man who was ready to do something awful [I have spoken about that experience many times and I actually use it today as a case-study for training Suicide Threat Handling Interventions for front-line staff].

I spoke about this during my podcast episode of BetTalker with the BetBlocker guys.

Anywho back to the heart of this: this panel and the incredibly moving anecdotes Padraig and Luke shared about the social good that poker has done for everyday people - not just the rich and flashy.

Padraig shared a particular story about a young man who he met by chance one late night and the indelible mark that left.

Luke spoke about the community and friends and belonging that can be forged at the poker table; even in your local for a $15 Buy-in.

I, for my part, just listened…. I hope you will too.

Poker has had it’s share of scandals, harm and casualties* (I know this better than most and will openly speak about the potential negative impact as part of my work) but unlike Sportsbetting or Casino games; Poker can do ALOT of good in some less-than-obvious ways.

I hope you after reading this and watching the video; you too will see how Poker can be For the Good of All.

A Seatbelt alone does not make Safer Gambling

“The problem is that you are advertising to bad drivers and nobody will ever admit to being a bad driver”

There is a phrase that everyone in the gambling space (myself included) use:

‘We should see safer gambling tools just like we use seat-belts in a car! When you get into a car; we all know that we should put on our seat belt. It’s a no-brainer. Seatbelts save lives and safer gambling tools protects the vulnerable and prevents harm”

This is pretty simply stuff.

One of the reasons that anyone and everyone has used this analogy is that is easily applicable and relatable. I’d wager you would be hard pressed to find a considered argument against the correlation of seatbelts and occupant fatalities. I’d double down and say you would also struggle to find someone in this sector that hasn’t mutter some version of the seatbelt line atleast once.

-------------------------------------

On Friday I had a meeting with a new connection who themselves was fresh to the industry and conversation of Gambling Ethics, Player Protection, etc. I did as I always do in these cases - I played my smartass card and used jokes throughout my argument to illustrate why Safer Gambling is a genuine concept and that the gambling-business can be done ethically. Understand I don’t use humour to devalue the importance of the subject; I do so to make people comfortable and to make this topic more palatable.

After the meeting; I went to scribble down some notes (as I always do) and found myself instead going through earlier entries from when I first started consulting, etc. I hope I have come as far as I’d like to believe....

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• February 2024 following a similar call with a very serious player in the lobbying/ legislation space but nevertheless incredible easy to speak with. In-spite of the chasm between our backgrounds and accomplishments; it turned out we’d worked on intersecting projects over the years and knew many of the same characters.

Small world.

[Bare with my rambling. Like always - I am getting to a point (promise)...]

Anywho; during that call I had noted that the soundbite of seatbelts and safer play was brought up by one of us but IIRC; I pushed back at it then.

Sacrilege!!!

“...A seatbelt alone doesn’t guarantee anything! We don’t consider that all a person needs to be safe [in the context of a car]. No one does.”

Consider that you can be disgracefully intoxicated but still put a seatbelt on. [Countless rides home from night’s out have proven this]

No; a seatbelt alone does make a person a safe driver. You also need:

1. A License (2 in some cases; provisional and full)

2. Know how to drive

3. Taken lessons and passed tests

4. Not to attempt while under the influence

5. Stay within the limit(s)

6. Obey the Rules of the Road

7. Be considerate for other road users

8. Stay in your own lane

9. Give a gap between other vehicles

10. Regularly Service and maintain your machine

11. Avoid taking unnecessary risks or gambles

12. Think of your passengers and their loved ones

13. To avoid distractions and diverting your attention

14. The Weather on your side.

15. Avoid RAGE - be it on the Road or Tilt

16. L.E.D. V.S.O.

17. “… too much machine for me!”

18. Disqualification.

19. Shake off your bad-habits

20. You are never too old to learn!

Those are only a few of the expectations for what makes a safe driver. From my list above; clearly alot more to it than just a strap across the chest...

Now I will be in the minority here but I see gambling in the same vein (yes - as Driving):

1. A License
   In many legal markets; users must be fully KYC’d. Some licenses offer grace-periods (for upto 30 days) but sooner or later; you will be obligated to provide docs. Don’t despair though. This isn’t BrotherEye/1984.

2. Know HOW-to drive
   Know Your Game. This is a common shorthand found on many responsible gaming pages for operators but I was one of the first to push it in 2015 (easy enough when you oversee poker companies).
   If you are going to spend your hard-earned money on something; it really behoves you to know what you are doing. Equally; we don’t just let ‘its my first day’ motorists free onto the autobahn!

3. Taken lessons and passed tests
   Study your patterns and results. Properly study them. Yes this is homework and no - it is not optional. Sure if you are just the type of person who backs the horse with the best name; then go for it but if wagering is something you do on the regular then you must analysis your form:

“Am I terrible at picking horses?”
“Is Croatian under 20s football really for me?”
“Do you honesty know what Crazy Pineapple is and how to play it?”

4. Not while under the influence:
   People wagering and losing (while very drunk) never ceased to amaze me.
   Every Monday morning I would be greeted with hundreds of remorseful punters begging/ threatening for their funds back because they decided to risk their pocket while completely in the bag. When was the last time anyone made a good decision while rat-arsed? It is just reckless!
   

5. Stay within the Limit(s):
   Limits are there for reasons (not to suck the air outta your balloon). Depending on Who/Where you choose to play; you will be offered a number of features to help you tailor your own play experience like bumpers in bowling.
   Motorists must adhere to limits for Legal grounds.
   Customers must avail of limits for Sense grounds.
   

6. Obey the Rules of the Road:
   When playing with (& against) others - be respectful. Allow the other participants time to make their decisions or moves properly. Show abit of consideration and class:
   Don’t jump out of turn
   Don’t splash the pot
   No string-bets
   Don’t be Caustic, Abrasive or Aggressive
   Don’t just Hit N’ Run
   

7. Be considerate for Other road users
   Just as with Intimidative Driving; there is Intimidative Gambling!
   

8. Stay in Your Own Lane:

   “I know how to drive a car so how much different can a truck be?” or “Betting on football is easy so surely Roulette will be the same – it’s all just wagering afterall”
   Crossing lanes or verticals; in the case of gambling is really easy to do – really easy especially with the number of cross-sell promotions but unless you take the necessary steps beforehand (mirror/signal/maneuverer or learn/test/evaluate); you could misjudge the transition very easily and cause yourself (and your wallet) a serious bang! You should never move-over until you are certain (and educated enough) to do so…
   

9. Give a gap between other vehicles (the 2 ^Second rule or Reality Check)
   Spacing n’ Distance for yourself and those gambling around you. Too tight a proximity leads to finer margins that most of us realise. This is why a small gap or space between wagers is crucial for everyone’s wellbeing – not just yourself.
   If you see those playing with you jumping up Spend, Stake or Speed without even a moment of pause and consideration; say something! Remember that not leaving enough of a space between [bets] doesn’t just impact one person; it can impact all those around like a ripple effect. The gambling machines can process at the speed of light – we mere humans cant!
   

10. Regularly Service and Maintain your Machine
    The brain and body (like any machine) need rest, downtown and recouperation. You have to take a break from time to time and get a decent nights sleep, give your eyes a rest from all the vibrant colours and lightning-fast flashes. Look over your spending and see whether or not you’re just leaking constantly like a burst fuel-line. That worrying rattle that happens when driving in the rain – is that any less concerning than the persistent dread or anxiety rash that comes out after a serious of losses?
    Find yourself smoking more or sleeping/eating less when your accas don’t land?
    Is every gameday lately ending in a stomach churning row or panic attacks?
    Perhaps may be it’s time then to take a look under the hood
    

11. Avoid Taking Unnecessary Risks or Gambles
    “Ah what could it…. I know I get paid next week and an extra 200 wont hurt that much especially cause I know this horse is going to come-in. No one will know….”
    Sound familiar? How about
    “…. if I bet 60; I’ll win back the 30 I just blew on first-goal-scorer, then I’ll log out” or
    “Casino after the company night out – definitely…”
    We have all been guilty of taking risks we shouldn’t have and probably wont admit to but just because there was no visible harm this time doesn’t mean damage wasn’t done. Took a dangerous U-Turn to avoid being late, tyres baulder than they should be OR missed a bill payment due to another bad session on slots… no harm no foul right?
    WRONG.
    Every small lapse in judgement or heightened risk leaves a mark and (more importantly) an impression with others – the others in your life that really matter.
    ‘Nothing ventures nothing gained’ but never forget that ‘fortune favours the cautious’.
    

12. Think of your Passengers and their loved ones
    The road to hell is paved with good intentions – that doesn’t make the suffering any more endurable! ‘If this comes in; I can pay for a new kitchen or we could get married…”
    Countless Families, Friendships, Businesses and relationships of every kind have been shattered due to dangerous driving & harmful gambling. Before you place your next bet – stop and think:
    “I am willingly to pay for this bet with my kids dinner?”
    “I could take down this pot but is it worth her walking out and never coming back”.
    “A winning horse at 300 /1 OR having to see your loved-ones when there is no money to pay the rent this month”
    Before you set out, stop and think what it would be like if not everyone made it home safely……
    

13. Avoid Distractions and Diverting Your Attention:
    ‘… is a game of limited information. Even the very best only win 2 in every 5 or 6…”.
    Even with the clearest mind, focus and preparation – you are overwhelming underdogs to win.
    Every time.
    Now try adding a day (or night) of revelry, your social-feeds going off nonstop, a snapchat spat with your other half and banter with your mates – still think you can better than the probability of 2 out of 5?
    Just as you shouldn’t set off without everyone bulking up and you shouldn’t let children horseplay in the backseat or let your passenger grab the steering wheel while you’re trying to control a moving vehicle – don’t let other’s wrangle your betting app out of your hand or shove all-in [for you].
    It’s your money you are spending & risking– there is no place here for Bravado and showing off here.
    Both hands on the wheel, head in the game and eyes on the road at all times.
    

14. You need the Weather on your side.
    The winds change and lady luck can be a cruel mistress. It doesn’t matter what system you think you have or how well you’ve studied the firm – sometimes one small gust is all it takes to ruin. A 99% favourite can be dumped by the River
    A single slip at the final hurdle and you’re horse is done.
    One poor call and suddenly it’s a wild decision that ends your parlay.
    Heavy rain. Lightning. Indian Summers and Microburst – all of these can turn a simple spin in the car into a treacherous and dangerous journey. Best to check the forecast before you go and bring a coat just in-case
    OR
    Make sure you only bring the money you are comfortable to spend. Don’t let other factors influence or cloud your judgement. Check the patterns before you go. Pay everything important first before a single cent goes on the lines and be ready to grab your coat when it’s time…

15. RAGE - be it on the Road or Tilt.
    Ever see the short clip of a Uber [driver] playing casino games while driving? Look it Up. This guy has slots running on the in-car display screen, spinning alot barely a care in the world (not least of all his passenger)…. then he explodes into a blood curling meltdown - all while still in a moving car!

    He yells, He screams, He pleads…. .
    The clip is actually a perfect encapsulation of how Anger can spill-over while also being deeply tragic.
    Emotions run deep; especially Anger. Being angry is not the problem
    Behind the wheel or wager though; and using that emotion to drive your decision -asking IS though.
    

16. L.E.D. V.S.O.
    ”A mobile casino in your pocket” - including the ceaseless flashing graphics, on-screen popups and notifications from far corners of the world offering you free bets and welcome bonuses… and of course your Insta, Whatsapp and Telegram messages going off nonstop.
    Visual Sensory Overload

    Trying to keep track of everything without getting blinded-by-the-lights, thata’s hard.
    Do you remember the first time you tried a fully electric car? Same LED overload!
    

17. “… too much machine for me!” Know your limitations.
    A Fiesta and a F1 car are similar in that they are both cars:

    4 wheels. An engine. A steering wheel and a pair of axes.

    $2 spins in WildThunder is similar to a $2000 spin on a roulette win in Monte Carlo - both our wagers on wheels and possible outcomes.
    No one though we conflate these two examples as being ‘the same’.
    There is no comparison being the emotional and physical toll of going 190mph around a track and parking in your driveway. Just-as $2 is half a cup of coffee and $2000 is an entire months rent.
    It’s okay to admit when something is beyond your ability….

18. Disqualification.
    Break the rules too often and you’ll get fines & points. Eventually they will add up until; regretfully, you could be reprimanded and officially disqualified from driving.
    Such an outcome could have devasting affects on your Mobility, Employability, Insurability (not to mention your personal commitments).
    What do you think happens to your credit score if you have to take out loan after credit card after overdraft? Mobility, Employability, Eligibility (not to mention your personal commitments).
    

19. Shake off your bad-habits before they escalate
    Riding the clutch in first [gear] around a corner; is a bad-habit. First thing you do on a Saturday is look at the odds for the upcoming fixtures - even before opening the curtains - a bad habit.
    
    Lean down to your right to check Instagram while you drive - that’s a really bad habit. Placing a bet at 2am outside a nightclub is also a really bad habit.
    
    Cutting In/Out at 100KPH with no indicators - that’s just reckless and inexcusable.
    Joyriding a shared bank account for March Madness and Cheltenham - for the 3rd time - how do you comeback from that?
    

20. You are never too old to learn…… safely.
    There is no age restriction for getting a license just as there is no age restriction for signing up for a crypto casino.
    
    18 / 29 / 39 / 50 / 65 / 80 - it does not matter what age you begin at. Poor decision-making is timeless but so is prudence and preparation.
    
    _______________________________________________________________________

Two weeks ago; I publicly launched the framework that grew out of the above article.

Please use this link to pick-up a free teaser guide to Beyond the Seatbelt