“Big losses, big wins, you need time to absorb those. You should not return back to the venue after either one of those. These are life-changing moments.”
In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Checkwicz, a recent World Series of Poker bracelet winner and responsible gambling advocate, who talks about the euphoria of a big score and fighting the urge to “spin it up.”
I’ve known Mark for several years due to his advocacy for players when Massachusetts legalized sports betting. Mark’s message throughout our chat was clear: listen to and protect bettors. Understand their motivations, what messaging will land, and what messaging will be dismissed out of hand.
This was a reflective conversation with a player who admittedly struggles to control their gambling impulses. You’ll learn about Mark’s formative years and growing up around gambling, followed by his highs and lows and eventual realizations about gambling.
As I wrote in a previous feature column, Mark is precisely the type of person we need to hear from:
“I also want to hear from the recovering gambler, the casual gambler, the blackjack dealer, the family member of a gambler, the academic, the employee at a treatment clinic, the non-gambler, and so on.”
You can give Mark a follow on X on his main account and his poker account.
Why hire Steve Ruddock? Over the years, Steve has advised startups, national gambling companies, government agencies, and investment banks on a wide variety of topics.
Whether you’re looking for market research, want to raise your brand awareness, or are trying to develop responsible gaming strategies, Steve can help with honest, balanced, no-nonsense analysis of the situation.
Steve’s unique experience and insights are often the missing piece to the puzzle.
Reach out for more information: Straight to the Point Consulting.
If you’d like to sponsor the Talking Shop Podcast, delivered to 2,000 subscribers, contact Steve here.
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