Can Social Responsibility Thrive in Gambling? Malcolm Wilkinson Thinks So: The Gambling Files RTFM 176

Three cheers to the peeps at Optimove and Clarion Gaming for helping The Gambling Files Podcast share our wisdom directly into your earbuds or onto your screens.    Today’s guest is Malcolm Wilkinson, the founder of We The Bookie, a socially responsible bookmaker. You might ask: How responsible are they? Well, at the end of each month, We The Bookie returns 50% of all gross revenue back to customers.  In a nutshell: * Jon learns that he’s got an avoidant attachment type of personality (whatever that is).  * How Clayton Christensen’s book, The Innovator's Dilemma, relates to the gambling industry and today’s guest’s business, We The Bookie.  * Launching We The Bookie in Ireland, with the intention of launching in a country that has an established betting market, including Paddy Power, the Irish gambling behemoth.  * Malcolm explains how incumbent bookmakers may struggle to switch to a new model due to their cost structure and affiliate agreements. * The challenges of raising funds for a startup in the gaming industry. Choice quotes: * Malcolm Wilkinson: “At the end of each month, We The Bookie gives half of the accumulated gross gaming revenue (GGR) back to our losing customers in direct proportion to their loss that month.”  * Malcolm Wilkinson: “There's nothing really to stop a new company coming in and doing what We The Booking is doing. But incumbents would have a really hard time switching into this model because they weren't designed that way.”  * Fintan Costello: “With punters, there's a point where odds aren't the most important thing. Convenience, service, and things like that can actually be way more important.”  * Jon Bruford: “I'm generally optimistic. Otherwise, why would I get out of bed? But I do set the bar quite low.” * Fintan said to Jon, “I wouldn't call you emotionally distant or unavailable.” And Jon replied, “I don't care.”  Thanks to Malcolm Wilkinson for being on the show!  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 astonishing. The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts. Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/ Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF  Subscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF  Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast  Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/  Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/  Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/  This episode was produced by Story On Media & Marketing: