About Martin Backhouse
Focusing on North American markets, he has a player’s mentality to ensure you get the most out of your online casino experience. With a lengthy background in sports betting, casinos, and slots, he’s seen the good, the bad and the ugly over the years that helps shape his honest reviews.
What makes Martin an expert?
Martin began his iGaming career in 2007 and has worked with notable brands and affiliate sites such as Betfair, The Sun, and Online-Slot.co.uk. With experience in journalism, blog writing, and marketing, he’s added many strings to his bow that displays experience, knowledge, and trust in what he produces.
Experience
Casino.org
- Content Editor – Jul 2024 – Present
Gentoo
- Content Team Lead – Mar 2024 – Jun 2024
- Senior Content Manager – Aug 2023 – Feb 2024
- Content Manager – Jul 2018 – Jul 2023
Protipster
- Content Specialist – Sep 2017 – Jun 2018
The West Ham Way
- Football Content Writer – Aug 2016 – Sep 2017
Betfair
- Social and Market Operations – Jul 2013 – Oct 2016
Genius Sports
- Head of Data Services – Jun 2010 – May 2011
- Product Manager – May 2009 – Jun 2010
- Content Administrator – Dec 2007 – May 2009
Education
Martin’s university degree included marketing and business modules, which helped him gain the understanding and skills needed to forge a long and successful iGaming career.
- University of Bedfordshire, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sport Management
15+ years in iGaming
Martin has in-depth knowledge of the industry.
Honest advice
As a bettor himself, Martin’s reviews and guides can be trusted.
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1,000+ articles
From sports betting to casinos and slots, Martin’s portfolio is extensive.
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Varied experience
Martin has worn many hats from customer service and marketing to writing for top industry websites.
How does Martin stay up to date?
Martin is always staying on top of news and the latest stories by reading popular industry publications. Here are three of his top picks:
iGB North America
iGB North America is a trusted source for daily industry insights, news, research, and analysis.
iGamingFuture
iGamingFuture focuses on future gaming trends to help industry experts stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing environment.
SBC News
SBC News is a reliable news portal that regularly covers the biggest stories on the global iGaming scene.
Q&A with Martin
What got you into writing about casinos?
“I fell into it initially years ago after spending a lot of time in sports betting. My old boss asked me one day if I’d ever considered switching to casino. They were short in that department at the time. I hadn’t thought too much about it previously, but I did enjoy a visit to a casino and I’ve always loved the plethora of games on offer from roulette and poker to live gameshows and slots.
My passion for playing and thoroughly enjoying those games turned into a passion for producing content about them and the casinos they’re available at. The rest, they say, is history.
Writing for Casino.org allows me to give honest and helpful advice from a player’s perspective, which I think really helps when decisions need to be made on where to play.”
What's the first thing you look for at an online casino?
“You may think that my answer would be promotions and bonus offers, but you’d be wrong. Yes, that may be fairly important for many new players, but I tend to look at the games on offer first. Once I know the casino is safe and legal of course.
I love slots, so I personally need to make sure an online casino has the most popular games from the leading providers in the industry. If my favorites aren’t there, I’ll move on and find a legitimate operator who has them.
But let’s say I find a casino that does have my top games listed. It’s also of paramount importance to me that the customer support is good, it has my preferred payment option with quick payout times, and the mobile experience is up to scratch. It’s also nice to see a fair and attainable welcome bonus as a new player.
These are the pre-requisites for me and it should be the same for any player looking for a top casino to play at.”
If you could only play one casino game forever, what would it be?
“OK, If you twisted my arm and I had to pick just one, it would be Tarasque by Print Studios. I enjoy the Cluster Pays mechanic as there’s always plenty of chaos on the reels. The medieval theme with superb visuals and an upbeat soundtrack makes it one of the best releases of 2024.”
If you enjoy playing slots with progressive jackpots, keep an eye on the top prize value. Some jackpots have a maximum limit and will payout before it’s hit. If it’s approaching that limit, it could be a good time to play compared to playing when a jackpot has recently been awarded.
Martin's areas of expertise
With so many years in iGaming, Martin's expertise is widespread. He's especially knowledgeable in these areas:
Online slots
Martin’s played thousands of slots and understands all the intricacies that come with them from Return to Player (RTP) rate to volatility. He keeps an eye out for any innovative mechanics or bonus features in new releases.
Casino reviews
Martin’s 15+ years of industry knowledge and experience as a player himself allows him to give unbiased and detailed reviews on casinos that will help you make an informed decision on where to play.
Martin's favorite iGaming influencer
Tim Myers
“Known as Tim Naki on socials, there’s nothing overly strategic or philosophical about the way he plays blackjack. But his journey is entertaining to watch. To go from $0 to $1 million profit while recording every single hand is pretty impressive.”
Follow Tim Myers’ Instagram
What iGaming events does Martin recommend?
You always come away from iGaming events learning something new. They're also great for networking. Martin recommends ICE and Sigma Europe.
ICE London/Barcelona
“I attended my first ICE conference back in 2009 and have been to many more since then. It’s arguably the best event in the iGaming calendar. From 2025, it’s officially moving from London and will now be known as ICE Barcelona.”
SIGMA Europe
“I’ve never had the pleasure of attending this event, but everyone talks about how amazing it is. If you can’t make ICE, SIGMA Europe is a brilliant alternative.”
Martin's casino memories
Best gambling experience
- “This actually came in 2002 when I had to go into a bookies to place an accumulator. I had a 12-fold weekend bet on football teams in England and Scotland. I wanted to place a bet on the 3pm kick offs but I accidentally added Celtic to the slip who didn’t play until Sunday. All 11 on the Saturday won, and it was an agonizing wait until Celtic played. Thankfully they won and I landed a very nice payout. Cash Out in those days would have been nice.”
Worst gambling experience
- “It came at the races at Newmarket. As someone with experience in horse racing through work, I thought I’d enjoy a day as the resident tipster among my friends. Not one horse I tipped won that day. I blame the weather and the change in the going. It was still a fun day out, though.”
“I love gambling. Responsibly of course. I love writing too, so it’s great to be able to merge the two and guide players through their own online gambling journey. With so many online casinos available, it’s not easy choosing the right one. That’s where I can help.”
It's not just Martin doing the research...
Our devoted team of casino writers, editors, and fact checkers verify everything to ensure we only ever recommend secure and safe casinos. Meet more of our team below:
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Martin's also featured in...
Online-Slot.co.uk
The Sun
