He founded NJ Online Gambling, a dedicated news platform covering New Jerseys online gaming landscape.
Now, as the CEO ofThird Planet Affiliates, Adam continues to expand his influence in gaming media.
What inspired you to start PocketFives back in 2004?
Did you anticipate how quickly it would take off?
What was the biggest challenge you faced in growing PocketFives into one of the most recognized poker communities?
The hardest part was building and maintaining credibility.
Once enough people knew about us, growth was almost inevitable for some period of time.
What led you to transition from poker to casino and sports betting?
Was there a specific moment or industry shift that influenced your decision?
So I poured myself into learning as much about these other verticals as possible.
What were some of the biggest differences in player behavior and engagement between poker and casino or sports betting?
In casino and sports betting, the content is more geared around having fun with the product.
NJ Online Gambling was launched as New Jersey became one of the first states to legalize online gambling.
What was your strategy in entering this market early, and how did you position the site for success?
And within a year of launch, wed hired a highly experienced NJ-based journalist to head up our content.
We didnt have a national approach at that point.
This included buying the website SportsHandle.com in late 2018, which ended up becoming our flagship site.
When we sold, the sale was actually preceded by the merger of three separate companies.
But all the people involved were good to work with, and we got there.
So overall, I was there just a bit over four years after we closed the initial sale agreement.
What motivated you to launch Third Planet Affiliates, and how does it differ from your previous ventures?
So thats part of it, just seeing the opportunity to come back in with a news-focused product.
How did the acquisition of Props.com fit into your vision for Third Planet Affiliates?
The site was up for sale, and the seller needed to move quickly.
What role do CasinoReports.com and LotteryGeeks.com play in your broader affiliate strategy?
As a practical matter, it may still be some time before its highly productive economically.
But we expect it to be our top site in the long term.
Wed like to build out a diversified company and run it for many years to come.
Setting aside the next 5 years, the gambling industry is already going to have a very interesting 2025.
Thank you for the great interview, I look forward to following your progress in the industry.
