Interview: Bob Goodoien. CEO of Emory Advisory .Gaming & Gambling Industry Veteran Media Man

Interview: Bob Goodoien. Founder and Principal Consultant for Gaming and Gambling. - Emory Advisory
September 2022

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The Media Man Group made the acquaintance of Bob Goodoien via long time sports, gaming and digital publisher and associate, Christopher Costigan of Gambling911. The internet and social media channels such as LinkedIn has made the world small for the business community and beyond. Media Man is watching the sports, sports betting, gaming and online gaming space very closely, and when we realised there may be a change to hear from this industry authority we leaped at the opportunity. Read and learn with Bob Goodoien.

1. When, why and how did you develop your passion, interest and expertise in the sports, sports betting, gaming and casino sector?

I wrapped up a 15 year career with AMEX in 1997. Returned to my native California and essentially laid on the beach for a year. One afternoon a good friend asked me to take a meeting with he and his father to "look at some internet software". 3 months later I'm building out one of the first internet sportbooks and casinos. Since then I've worked in almost every segment of the Industry either as an Operator or a C Level Executive. 25 years on I still love the Industry. It's been fascinating to watch the growth of technology supporting Gaming and Gambling. I can't wait to see what the next decade holds.

2. What do you see as the main pros and cons of betting in sports?

I believe folks should be able to do with their money what they wish. Let's face it, Gambling is a part of every culture on the planet. Our mission as Gaming professionals should be to offer platforms, services and appropriate protections to make that experience enjoyable and safe.

25 years in the Industry and you see a lot. This includes people, families and businesses destroyed by problem gambling. The big downside for me are those folks that are unable to gamble responsibly.

3. Has the sports betting sector in the United States and beyond become too saturated, or not? explain....

The repeal of PASPA came with a pretty short fuse. I was fairly certain that Sports Wagering would become legal stateside at some point but I'm not sure more than a few folks on the inside knew it would come when it did. We had the Fantasy Sports guys already in licensing modes and so the ramp up was fairly quick. I'd like to see less domination by the Big 4 and more support for local operators. Is it saturated? I think it's too early to say definitively. This NFL Season will tell us a great deal.

4. What's the elements that a good casino game should contain?

For me? It's all about UI/UX ... is the game relatively easy to navigate? Is it sticky? Are the stakes clear? Are the jackpots attractive? We see a lot of "games within games" now and I think that trend will continue. The next generation of games will address the so called "Metaverse". It's going to be fascinating to watch what plays out in that space.

5. What's the biggest and best gaming and casino companies you have worked for before establishing your own firm, and what were the highlights and best elements of each, and any not so strong areas of each you are prepared to disclose?

I guess the most recent would be Penn Entertainment. I sourced a few positions for them as they were developing the Barstool App and got to interact with C Level folks. All I'm prepared to say is I think it's still going to be a while before those 2 corporate cultures are fully integrated.

6. Has the gaming and casino sector done enough over the past few years to protect the youth and even adults from going too far and betting what they can not afford to loose? aka betting over their heads?

Not enough, clearly. Not by a big stretch. I'm watching Compliance Violations/Fines get handed out every week to operators that surely know better (I mean, they DO have Compliance folks, yea?). So, until the lip service stops and real player protection policies are embraced we're going to continue to see Operators violating Compliance as a cost of doing business. The sad thing is we have the technologies (Geo Location, Scrubbing, ID Verification and Self and Organizational Exclusion systems) to really help identify and assist Problem Gamblers.

I'm a big proponent of a "3 strikes and you're out" policy for Compliance violations. Pull a license or 2 and you'll get their attention.

7. We became aware of your good self via our positive media dealings with Gambling911. Who do you consider your main trusted associates, brands,, partners, and any mentors or guides of sorts that helped you achieve the success you enjoy?

Really too numerous to mention without leaving out somebody important. Our Industry is full of exceptionally bright people and great brands and I've had the great pleasure of working and forming relationships with many of them. The best mentor I ever had was an ex "Full Bird" Air Force Colonel back in my AMEX days. He instilled in me some core values around how we conduct ourselves in business and really helped me lay my foundation in Product Development and Project Management.

8. What's your take on the likes of Facebook and YouTube getting heavily involved in gaming i.e: online gaming etc?

I'm not a big fan of Facebook although I will give them credit for really pioneering "Social Gaming". I mentioned their "Metaverse" initiative earlier. Although I don't think they'll enter the real money gambling space anytime soon, I do think they will pioneer some tech that our Industry may adopt or license. (eg an immersive "Live Dealer"/Casino environment.)

YouTube is a great marketing channel, obviously. There's tons of gaming and gambling content out there and its Production Value is getting better and better as time goes on. Again here, I don't think they will enter the space as an operator or platform provider but you never know. Stranger things have happened. What I don't understand are folks that sit around all day watching someone else play slot machines. More power to em' though.

9. What's your pick for the NFL SuperBowl this year and who is the smart money on and why?

I've zero interest. Oddly enough while I am passionate about the Industry? I don't gamble. As in "never". My first 7 years in this Industry was spent as CTO of a Sportsbook. If I never watch another NFL game cover to cover? That would suit me just fine. If I had to pick a favorite NFL team I'd go with the Montana era 49rs or the Staubach era Cowboys. The dark horse this year seems to be the Eagles. I love an underdog.

10. How easy or not is it to bet on MMA, boxing or even pro wrestling and win these days?

"Pro wrestling" isn't a sport. There, I said it. MMA and Boxing have their own followings. We live in an Information Age unlike any other. There are tons of analytics out there that cover every aspect of condition that might affect an outcome. People, now more than ever, bet with their head and not their heart. At the end of the day it comes down to 2 people trying to knock each other unconscious. On any given day given relatively equal skill sets? Flip a coin. It's as easy to bet on an MMA match as it is to place a straight bet on an NFL game.

11. Does the house always win, or is their an exception to the rule ala 'Casino', movie, 'Rounders' and / or 'Molly's Game'?

Given enough time and lack of discipline? The House always wins. Sure, there are exceptions and Winners are actually more important to the Industry than losers. With that said, back in 1998 I was in Vegas with a sports betting legend. We somehow got into a conversation about this very subject. After a few minutes he turned to me, pointed across the Strip where there were several new resorts going up and said "Bobby? They don't keep building these things because folks are winning".

12. Your favourite casino and sports betting related movies of all time, and why?

Not really a fan of the genre.

13. Is sport too dependent on sports betting revenue these days, and is their a legitimate concern of the house of cards collapsing at some point?

I think it's a bad idea for Pro Sports organizations to be tied at the hip with Sports Betting companies. The reason for this is obvious. We can allow, sanction and promote mobile micro betting on a game in Stadium but we still can't forgive Pete Rose? Sorry, Pete's a friend but I think you catch my drift here. We could very well be putting the foxes in charge of the hen houses. IMO, it's a bad idea. Somebody is going to violate trust at some juncture and that's going to hurt everyone.

14. Other than sports betting and big media rights deal, what other areas of revenue do you think sports teams and such should focus on?

I think they should stick to what they know.

15. What's a typical day for you like these days?

Up early, Coffee, Feed the parrot, check email, Hit the gym. Work day begins promptly at 8 AM and ends when the work is done for the day.

16. When not focusing on gaming, casinos and sports betting, what do you do to relax?

Relax? What's that? ... Seriously, I keep myself pretty busy and am starting a new position in the next few days after a 6 month hiatus. I do enjoy a weekly doubles tennis match once a week with some good friends.

17. What's your motto?

"Service is our Highest calling"

End.

Ed. Now you know alot more than you previously did about gaming, casinos, sports and sporting betting. Keep watching this space to follow developments in one of the world's most lucrative and often controversial business sectors. Ah, the game of business!