GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 9 - June 2009

52 Fender lizardsare people, too You’veposted that yourfirst onlinegam- bling site,onEzboard,wascalled“Insom- niacs Lounge.”Whenwas that? How did you get from there towhere you are to- day?Andwhat’s the storyon your battle with a casino pitboss? I started Insom- niacs Lounge on September 21, 2003, mainly due to the battle with the “pit- boss,” and I needed something to keep mymindbusy. In March of 2005, I decided to buy my first domain,OnlineCasinos andPlayers, and I made a site with a forum. Then a second–Gamblers-Lounge, a fourth do- main– Insomniacs Lounge, and added a fewmore. InOctober 2007, amedical is- suehit,andIstartedsellingall sites.Since my condition began improving, the itch cameback. Ibegan tobuymoredomains. I have 3 sites live now (therewere four – soldonenot longago)– tworegularsites, and the third is a communityboard. About the pitboss . . . Long story, but I’ll detail part of it.It started in January of 2003when I was refusedmywinnings. I finally just let it go, forgot about it. Then in May of 2003 I began getting several bank notices of overdrafts onmy check- ing account. I checked the account and I was completely shocked. 72 “unauthor- ized” charges from a gaming site (same place that refused my winnings) with 17 more charges sitting as “preauth,” wait- ing tohitmyaccount inJune. Icontactedthemabout itnumeroustimes, first getting nothing but the runaround, then hanging up the phone, refusing to talk once I told themwho was calling. I was told it was one of the “pay” services doing it. Icalled that service; they toldme itwasnot themand informedme that the gaming site had done it. I contacted this gaming site, again! They then said it was theotherpay service. Icontacted thesecondoneand found that I hadbeen lied to again. So itwasGoogle time, and that’s when I found my first gambling board, Casinomeister. I posted aboutmy issue, and thepitbossappeared. PoorMeister, his board became a battle- ground. The pitboss and I did not just butt heads, we locked horns! They sent a “contract” forme to sign. Imade changes within it, and theydidn’t like thechanges. Casinomeister agreed to advocate, but due to a hard-drive crash, I didn’t have theproof Ihad saved, or so I thought. Lateronmyroommateput thehard-drive in another computer, and found all my saved files, etc. By that time I was worn out, nerves shot. I told Casinomeister I was sorry, but just let it go. I posted that I had lied about everything.Whydid I do that? Who knows? I just wanted it over and forgotten. My mother’s death happened just a few months before this all started. Going through that, running every day and night to take care of my father, dealing with the bank, dealing with the pit- boss,workingatgettinga loan tobringmybank account out of the red – I couldn’t take anymore, at that time. That’s when the Ezboard came about. The late Lanidar andIstartedsearchingforany and all information on this casino, and posted it on the Ezboard, including the main company behind this casino. We posted something they did not like, and theymade theirway into thebackend anddeleted theentireboard. Just ablank screenwas all thatwas left! Doyougambleonline? If so,whatdoyou play? Yes, I gamble online, but not as of- ten these last couple of years. I am ad- dicted to the slotmachines. Your sites,startingwith theirverynames, unapologetically target American play- ers.Why did you decide to go this route in the aftermath of UIGEA? First, I do not agree with the way the U.S. govern- ment continues to control our “personal” lives. Second, I do not like beingwitness to democracy being slaughtered in this country. I suppose it is one ofmyways of rebellingagainst theUIGEA. What are the biggest problems you face in marketing to U.S. players? Finding good, reputable gaming sites to promote that accept theU.S. players. How long was it before your sites start- ed earning you money? The Ezboard site began earning an income within the first three weeks of going live. The late Lanidar, the administrator andmy great friend, actuallymade thefirst income.We bothowned Insom. In your opinion, does the fact that all of your sites are GPWA approved make any difference to prospective players? I would need to have a survey on that be- fore I would know. Personally, I like the GPWA seal on a casino portal, for the webmaster has earned it, and thatmeans a lot tome. How did you discover the GPWA? Has membershiphelpedyou inanyway?De- scribe thedifference foryoubetweenbe- ingapublicmember andaprivatemem- ber. Mrracetrackwas theveryfirstperson to mention the GPWA to me, and then during my issue with Prism Casino, Sly- Cinoffered tohelp. Shewasowner/presi- dent of theGPWAback then. GPWAmembershiphashelpedmeinmeet- ingandmakingnew friends, and infinding enough information, positive or negative, about casinos and affiliate programs to decide if Iwill promote themornot. To be honest, Ifindmorehelpful information in the public area of GPWA; I seldom ven- ture into theprivateareas. INTERVIEWWITH Debi | jinnia GPWA Times | GPWA Affiliate Interview Series