As ever, the accolades go to our benevolent sponsors Optimove and Clarion Gaming. We love you in a big, real kinda way. Thankfully this episode’s intro is considerably less fanciful than last; Jon has new neighbours, and some hedgehogs have had a dodgy meal in his back garden [0:00 – 14:07]. Then our hosts are joined by Brett Smiley, Chief Content Officer of CasinoReports.com, a publication focused on comprehensively covering the US iGaming industry. They aim to offer quality journalism and unique perspectives in a crowded marketplace. Brett brings us up to date on some of what’s going on in the US right now, including the current legislative season, with Maryland and Maine failing to legalize casinos. How the industry is facing negative blowback from scandals and oversaturation of advertising is discussed too, then tangents might be gone off on, including Jon’s experiences working at QVC in the early 2000s. Online drunk shopping mishaps also come up [14:08 – 1:10:03]. In a nutshell: CasinoReports.com aims to provide quality journalism and unique perspectives in the crowded US iGaming and online casino industry. The current legislative season has not resulted in any wins for the industry, with Maryland and Maine failing to legalize casinos. The industry is facing negative blowback from scandals and oversaturation of advertisements. There is still potential for growth and opportunities for independent media outlets to provide in-depth reporting and differentiate themselves. Online shopping can lead to unexpected purchases and regrets.   This podcast is presented by Optimove, which is used by 56% of the EGR Power50 to personalize player experiences. Visit Optimove here for more info, not least because it helps to support independent podcasts like ours. Go on, click it! Find out! It’s awesome.