GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 16 - May 2011

addiction and is bipolar, so we are under a lot of stress 24/7. Shortly before the earthquake and tsu- nami struck Japan, your country was hit by a large quake. What is the situation now in New Zealand in the aftermath of that disaster? This is a very sad time for New Zealand. Although it is nowhere near as bad as Japan, we have suffered in our own way. Our home was one of the lucky ones. So many people have suffered a huge loss and some lost their entire families. We have 10 to 20 minor quakes a day now, and it still scares us each time they hit. Where do you weigh in on Grand Privé’s re- cent initiative to bring affiliates back into their program? I would say stay the hell away from them. They owe a lot of affiliates money and yet they expect to come back in and expect people to promote them. What do your friends and family think of your work as an affiliate? To be honest, they think it’s a joke. But the good thing is seeing their faces when checks come in! What’s the most difficult thing about op- erating your sites? For me, it’s writing. I am not the best writer, which makes it hard to work with my sites. I do my best and try to correct mistakes I make as I go. What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the industry? I recom- mend that they read a lot about SEO and site building, and read forums before they launch their sites. I also recommend that they write their own content. The more you write, the better your chances of turn- ing up in search engines results. So, make your sites interesting, imagine that you are a player, look at your sites through play- ers’ eyes and you will see what you need to add, and what you need to improve. What do you wish you’d known about the online gaming industry before you started in it? How nasty some people can get. It blows me away. I have been attacked per- sonally and seen others verbally threatened in this industry. It’s actually amazing the lengths to which some people will go. As for the personal attacks on the forums, it needs to stop before it destroys this industry. How did you discover the GPWA? How has the GPWA helped you in your work as a gamblingportalwebmaster? I found them once again via my partner. The GPWA has helped me make many friends and get re- ally good advice from people who have been in the industry longer than I have. How do you like to spend your time off? Relaxing with the kids and my partner. We have two dogs, a cat and a bird and enjoy maintaining our home and running our own little zoo at home. If someone were visiting you, what’s the one place you would definitely take them to see? I would take them to our Sky Tower in Auckland, the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand, and then to the casino, of course! What’s the first concert you ever attended in person? Michael Jackson. If you were directing and starring in a movie, who would you cast as your ro- mantic interest? Hmmm, I would have to say I have too many to list! 49