GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 34 - February 2016

What online gaming conference do you look forward to the most? And what’s your best memory from an online gam- ing conference? Absolutely without a doubt it has to be ICE and LAC. My best memory was exhibiting with NetEnt last year, and the excitement building up to the big reveal of Guns ‘N Roses. What do you wish you could change about the industry? The perception that the industry isn’t well managed and that players are treated unfairly. While I know that this can sometimes be the case, I hope that between stricter regulation and more communication between players and ca- sinos on forums such as Casinomeister that this perception will disappear in the future. Where do you think the industry will be in five years? Wow, it’s hard to even imagine. The industry has changed at such a rapid pace over the last five years that it’s hard to know where we will all be in 2020. The gaming experience will no doubt become much more immersive, and with increased gamification I think the world of online casinos will be opened up to a more diverse and varied customer base. It will take a lot of hard work and innovation for all the current players in the market to remain on the map in five years’ time. You went to school in Dublin, and as you mentioned earlier, you recently moved back to Dublin. Did you grow up there as well? What’s the best thing about liv- ing in Dublin? Yes, I’ve lived in Dublin for most my life. Work brought me to Sligo in the northwest of Ireland for six months and also Malta, as I mentioned before. I would say that I grew up in Dublin but Marion might argue that the growing up never actually happened. I love Dublin and I always have. It’s a vibrant, friend- ly, diverse, pocket-sized city with noth- ing too far away, and I love being close to family and friends again. My favorite thing? Hard to name just one, but there is a little restaurant called the Larder that does the most amazing ribeye steak. If someone from out of town were to vis- it you, where is the one place you would have to take them? The Larder is pretty small so I would send them elsewhere to make sure I get a table. I don’t think you can beat Johnny Fox’s for a pint, and sit- ting outside on a good day with live mu- sic is magical! What is the last book you read? Did you enjoy it? And did you read it on an e- reader, or do you need to have a copy of the physical book in your hand? Princess: A True Story of Life Behind the Veil in Saudi Arabia . An incredible read. Kindle all the way! What’s your favorite movie? I plan to travel to Salzburg this weekend and one of my favorite movies is The Sound of Music . I am just so impressed that a nun understood the mechanics of an automo- bile. I can’t even change a tire. What do you use for most of your Web surfing: A desktop computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone? In this line of work, you’re pretty much always “on.” It’s impossible to quantify the amount of time spent on the phone. Is it more than the eight hours I spend on a laptop? Very possibly. As it’s something I love, I don’t mind at all. iPhone or Android? I would go with Newton and pick the Apple, but it’s all relative.  If you could go anywhere on vacation, where would you go? My family has an apartment in Calahonda in Spain, and I love getting away there for a break at least once a year. It’s nice and chilled out with great food and wine in high supply. For something a little more exciting, though, you can’t beat New York. If you could have dinner with three peo- ple, living or dead, who would they be? First and foremost, Lady Colin Campbell. I recently watched her on “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!” and I think she’s hi- larious — as long as you stay on her good side! Graham Norton for the laughs and Nigella Lawson to cook the food. Name three things that people reading this magazine don’t know about you. I hope there are more than three things people won’t know about me! 1. I am a classically trained pianist, hav- ing spent 10 years learning the piano. If you ask me to prove this, I am more inclined to show you certificates rather than tickle some ivory. 2. I am a sucker for Xbox and love a couple of hours spent on Call of Duty. 3. I once slept outdoors, overnight, in the middle of winter just to get tickets to a U2 concert — and when I got to the counter they were sold out. 69 Affiliate Manager Interview Series