From Poker Pro to iGaming Advocate: Jordan Conroy’s Journey in Shaping the Future of iGaming with Casino of the Kings

In an exclusive interview with Abigail Welch, Editor of iGaming News, Jordan Conroy—former professional poker player turned iGaming expert—shares his fascinating journey from high-stakes poker tables to becoming a leading voice in the online gambling industry. Drawing on years of firsthand experience, Conroy offers unique insights into player behaviour, the importance of responsible gambling, and the future of iGaming. From leveraging his poker expertise to crafting educational content, Conroy is on a mission to empower players while championing a safer, more transparent online casino experience.

How has your experience as a professional poker player shaped your perspective on online casinos and the gambling industry as a whole?

“Poker is unique in the online gambling world in that it’s perfectly rational to believe that you have a positive edge in the game. We like to think that all gamblers are rational, understanding that the house always wins and that they’re playing for fun and entertainment rather than to make money. Playing poker has taught me that this isn’t the case.

I’ve watched many customers sit down across from me at the table and think they’re a winning player, only to demonstrate that they show little to no understanding of the game. If a player can be so confidently incorrect about their chances of winning in poker, why couldn’t the same apply to other casino games?

Part of my motivation for content creation is to help educate players on the realities of online gambling. I want people to enjoy playing at online casinos, and to do that, I believe that they need to be protected. By providing my expert insight and offering helpful tips, I like to think that I can make a difference.”

What inspired you to move from competing in the games to analyzing and guiding others?

“What I love most about poker is talking strategy; breaking down a hand with another player, analyzing how ranges interact, and determining what the optimal decision is could entertain me for hours! After discussing hands and going over the basics with friends who were just getting started on their poker journey, I discovered what I really loved was sharing information and helping people learn new things.”

What were the biggest challenges you faced while transitioning from playing professionally to becoming an expert and content creator in the iGaming industry?

“The biggest challenge I faced was finding the confidence to believe that people would want to read what I write. While I consider myself knowledgeable about poker and other casino games, it’s a big leap from teaching your friends to writing for professional organizations with high standards and expectations.

Another challenge I faced was finding my voice as a writer. At the start of my career, I wrote as I would speak in a conversation, but soon realized that I would need to condense my thoughts into concise sentences that people want to read.

Having a background as a poker player helped strengthen my credentials early on and, I believe, allowed me to get my foot in the door with companies that otherwise wouldn’t take on someone as green as I was.”

What drew you to Casino of the Kings, and how does your role there allow you to leverage your extensive knowledge of poker and betting?

“As a casino player, content consumer, and creator, I regularly browse iGaming websites to keep up with the latest developments in the industry. Among the mass of generic content, I regularly found myself coming back to Casino of the Kings, as their content stands out as informative, expert-written, and legitimately useful. Their commitment to player-first values was particularly appealing in this industry, as I felt the site’s content always had the reader’s best interest at heart, which sadly isn’t the norm.

Once I had the opportunity to work with the site and provide my input, I jumped at the chance. Getting to work alongside like-minded experts who genuinely want to inform the gambling public was a huge motivation for me, as was the size of their platform. Being able to share my strategies and opinions on a site that would reach so many people made me feel like I was able to make a difference.”

How does Casino of the Kings differentiate itself from other iGaming sites in Canada, and what unique value does it bring to its players?

“In my opinion, Casino of the Kings’ dedication to providing real-world experiences is what separates their content from the bog-standard articles you find elsewhere. Having real casino players conduct their reviews provides players with insights that only experts would pick up on. Our honest, impartial reviewers evaluate all aspects of a site to ensure we provide our readers with an objective rating. 

To ensure we provide value to our readers, the team closely examines the features that specifically impact Canadian players, such as bilingual support, localized payment methods, and CAD transactions. While these features seem trivial, they have made a real difference to the online casino experience. 

This attention to detail is evident across their entire site and allows Casino of the Kings to create next-level content that offers actionable insights to our readers.”

You’re known for creating insightful content for online casino players. What kind of information or strategies do you focus on to help players make more informed decisions?

“When creating online casino content, my biggest concern is player safety. This concern is at the heart of all the content I create; I want my readers to see the enjoyment that online gambling can offer while being mindful of its risks.

To help my readers stay safe, I endeavor to provide practical advice that the average player can remember and implement when they next play. Whether it’s highlighting the importance of playing at licensed and regulated gambling sites with adequate security features during my casino reviews or providing tips for bankroll management and responsible gambling best practices in my game guides, I ensure that each reader walks away with advice that they can use to stay safe when they next gamble online.”

The Canadian iGaming market has seen significant growth recently. In your opinion, what sets this market apart, and how is Casino of the Kings positioning itself in this space?

“The Canadian iGaming market is in a really exciting position. The launch of Ontario’s independent licensing system has been a huge success, bringing in millions of dollars in tax revenue and providing its residents with a choice of safe and licensed gambling sites. Within that success, the operative word, for me, is choice.

Other provinces only offer one provincially-licensed gambling site, essentially forcing their residents to play at that casino or look overseas. The success of Ontario’s licensing and the variety of big names they’ve been able to attract will likely see other provinces follow suit in the coming years, creating a mini-boom in places such as Quebec, Alberta, and B.C.

With such an exciting possibility on the horizon, Casino of the Kings has positioned itself as a standard-setter for transparency and player safety. As an established, respected source of iGaming information, players will naturally turn to the site for information relevant to their province. This allows us to inform players with our specialized Canadian reviews, highlighting the key features while keeping a focus on responsible gambling.”

Where do you see the industry heading in the next few years, particularly in terms of player education and responsible gambling initiatives?

“The iGaming industry has made huge progress in its safer gambling efforts over the past decade; more people than ever are aware of the importance of responsible gambling, and I think that’s only going to increase in the coming years. I believe that we’re going to see a more natural integration of player education into iGaming content; players will not just receive tips on how to gamble safely, but they’ll learn how it can enhance their gaming experience and why it’s so important.

I also feel like there’s greater collaboration on this subject amongst the entirety of the gambling industry, as affiliate sites, casinos, and regulators are all pulling together to protect players. This will lead to greater transparency surrounding responsible gambling tools and stricter verification that ensures players have the means to gamble.”

What trends do you see having a significant impact on the industry in 2025?

“I think the next big thing in the online casino industry is gamification. We’ve slowly seen entire genres of video games mimic the online gambling experience via loot boxes as well as the success they’ve brought those companies. I believe we’re going to see more online casinos adopt this model in the coming years.

Rather than simply providing a platform that hosts games people want to play, the casinos themselves will become the game. By offering missions and challenges that provide rewards via unlockables, people will be motivated to log on each day, just like they do with their favorite video games.

In such a world, responsible gambling will take on even greater importance, leading to an increase in player education and safer gambling initiatives.”