Honouring a Pioneer in Fair Gaming: Bryan Bailey
Casinomeister’s Hall of Fame was created to celebrate and honor individuals who have made exceptional and enduring contributions to Casinomeister and the industry at large — from innovators and advocates to trusted professionals and hard-core players.
And who better to open this section than the founder of Casinomeister himself, Bryan Bailey?
Bryan founded Casinomeister in 1998, and he has worked with many noteworthy people in iGaming over the following 25 years. We’ve contacted some of them, and you can see their comments below.
Comments & Testimonials
Lee-Ann Johnstone — Founder, Affiverse
“Bryan was one of the first big legend affiliates I ever got to meet in the industry back when I first started in Affiliate Marketing some decades ago. He was kind of larger than life, his presence was felt and followed as he walked about the showroom floor as a founding father of the affiliate space in the casino industry.”
Max Drayman — Casinomeister Complaints Manager
“Of course I had known Bryan earlier from my work at WinnerOnline but I joined him at Casinomeister in 2007, his first full-time team member. And here we are 18 years later! I can say without hyperbole or reservation that not only has this been the best gig of my life but it’s also been an honour and a pleasure to have been Bryan’s wingman — as he would put it — through the wild, crazy, adventure this has been.”
Dave Sawyer aka Webzcas — Casinomeister Forum Moderator
“I first heard of Bryan’s work and that of Casinomeister when I was based in Gibraltar working for Ladbrokes, in the early 2000’s. However, it wasn’t until around 2004 that I decided to join the forum on Casinomeister, when I started my own affiliate site.
Back in those days in the infancy of iGaming, the industry was the equivalent of the virtual ‘wild west’, with little to no regulation and players were at the mercy of what seemed like a vast slew of crooked and downright ‘criminal’ operators. Watching from afar on how Bryan ran Casinomeister helped me formulate how I wanted to run my own site. If my site could be even 10% as good as his, I would be happy!
Martyn Beacon — Affiliate Director, Legend Affiliates
“Bryan Bailey’s name is synonymous with innovation and integrity in the online gambling industry. With a career spanning decades, Bryan was instrumental in shaping the iGaming landscape.”
“I was lucky enough to have known Bryan since around 2006/07 and he instantly came across as a total dude, who fought for players, but he was also online gambling’s version of marriage counselling when things went bad between casino and player.”
Christine Marrah — Owner, Bonustreak.com
“🎉 Congratulations, Bryan, The Dude AKA “Casinomeister,” on being the first inductee into the Casinomeister Hall of Fame! 🎉”
“It’s hard to imagine the online gambling community without recognizing the profound impact you’ve had over the past 26 years. Casinomeister has been a guiding light in this industry—a beacon of integrity, fairness, and transparency.”
Nicky Getley — VP Marketing, Forvana Gaming
“I first crossed paths with Bryan back in 2004 at a conference where he was gracing the stage as a speaker. Two things jumped out at me right away: his vibrantly outrageous Hawaiian shirt, which could probably illuminate a dimly lit room, and his cheeky admission mid-speech of having experienced a “brain fart.” And just like that, he pivoted smoothly to a different topic, showcasing his professionalism while entertaining us all.”
Adam Barber — Owner, Jackpot.co.uk
“Always the one to be in the background, observing the room and everyone within it. Working out who is who, then without warning, firing off dry wise crack.”
“Bryan, I admire you for taking a stand against the wrongs of the industry without flinching. I value your friendship – all 25 years of it ole bugger!”
Jan Wienk — Head of Marketing and Product Development, L & L Europe Limited
“Bryan, years of running a site that started as a hobby/experiment and became the advocate of the industry.
In 2012 I joined the forum and not much later we started working together. Your critical forum members started to give us CM awards since 2018 which is a honour as they are the most critical players in the industry.
Thanks to your forum I have learned a lot. Obviously easier if you’re a player too!
Happy to have worked together and also happy I was able to assist your son through my brother with his tax question 🙂 If anything similar occurs in the Netherlands I’m at your disposal! Thanks Bryan the Dude!”
Tom Galanis — CEO, Tag Media & First Look Games
“What a wonderful opportunity to contemplate the industry Life of Bryan! He’s not the Messiah, but the Casinomeister has done more than anyone over the past 3 decades to look out for casino players’ welfare.”
“He has perpetually done so with a self-effacing, positive and fun magnetism that would always make anyone he met walk away from the conversation looking at the bright side of life!”
Sue Schneider — Co-Founder, Defy the Odds
“I’ve known Bryan since he got in the business in the late 90s. He brought an amazing background to his efforts and an emphasis on fairness.”
“I was most impressed with his advocacy for players. I had confidence that folks that submitted disputes to him as well as the operators would be handled fairly.”
Ed Ware — Founder, 32Red Casino
“Bryan was one of the first – if not the first – to spot what makes a good operator and what makes a modest one.
He accentuated and promoted excellence but also highlighted bad behaviour from players and skulduggery from operators.
An encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry coupled with his upfront, honest and likeable manner makes Bryan a highly respected person in the international remote gaming industry.”
Mark Quayle — CEO, Lottomart
“When I joined 32Red back in 2006, I worked on a sportsbook brand and didn’t fully understand the hype about Casinomeister. It’s “just a website,” my naive younger self thought, I had no idea why the senior management team thought so highly of the Best Casino awards they had accumulated in the years previous. It wasn’t until I became more casino focused that I realised the significance.”
Milorad Matejic — COO, Gentoo Media
“It has been a privilege to work closely with Bryan during the integration of Casinomeister into Gentoo Media.”
“His unwavering commitment to integrity and his visionary approach have not only made this transition seamless but also inspired our team to uphold the high standards he has championed.”
Jonathan F
“My first memory of Bryan was about 20 years ago at, you guessed it (no not a bar), an affiliate conference. He just looked like a cowboy!”
“Since that meeting, we became pretty close and I am proud to call him a friend. There are numerous stories I could tell, but my favourite is when we met up at an Amsterdam conference.”
Alexandre Tomic — Founder, Alea
“Bryan is one of the people I respect and admire the most in our industry. He has played a fundamental role in shaping its core values, so much so that he feels like part of the industry’s DNA.”
Alex Pratt — Managing Director, Clarion Events
“I first met Bryan in the mid-noughties at his legendary Meister Meet during ICE, when we launched our affiliate events and magazine.
From that moment, I was struck by his unwavering honesty, professionalism, and integrity—qualities he has never strayed from as he continued to expose rogues, support players, and remain one of the most genuine people in the industry.
Beyond that, he’s someone I always enjoyed having a beer with, especially in Vegas, where he has educated me on how to play Video Poker, although I am not sure he would rate me as A star student!”
Conker — Casinomeister Forum Moderator
“Bryan Bailey, aka Casinomeister, has always been a beacon for honesty and player advocacy in the casino industry. That is something to behold when most involved are more focused on profits and self.
Casino players all around the world need more Bryan’s looking out for them and standing their ground against the rogue operators and exploiters that exist. The example he has set will live on in the people he gently influenced.”
Dunover — Casinomeister Forum Moderator
“Well, there could only be one choice for the first inductee into the Casinomeister Hall of Fame! For over a quarter of a century Bryan has disrupted and bettered the online casino industry by focusing on the customer rather than the businesses, then bringing them together for the benefit of both.”
Jelena Isakov — Former Account Manager at Casinomeister
“The 6 years of working for Casinomeister were the best time of my life, with Bryan being the best employer, leader, and teacher one can wish for!
His iconic personality, creativity and epic contribution to the iGaming industry, make me truly honoured for having been part of the Casinomeister journey!”
Ian Sims — Founder, Rightlander
“Bryan was one of the first people I was lucky enough to meet when I joined the iGaming industry back in 2004. I had already signed up to the Casinomeister forum so when I was introduced to him at a conference in London that year, it was kind of like meeting a celebrity. Thankfully, this was in the days before selfies so I simply knelt at his feet and kissed his outstretched hand.”
Pere Martinez Ribera — Product Manager, Casinomeister
“Since 2016, I have had the privilege of working alongside Bryan Bailey, a visionary figure in the iGaming industry since its early days in 1998.
Bryan has not only been a pioneer but also a kind-hearted individual, exceptional in his demeanor, with strong convictions about his work, and a loyal friend to those around him.
It is an honor to contribute to the growth of Casinomeister and to uphold the spirit and values he instilled in this unique community.”
Neil Walker — Owner, LiveCasinoComparer.com
“I was lucky to meet Bryan when I first became an affiliate 11 years ago. He stood out then as being a man of integrity and honesty in an industry that was focused on how much money you could make.”
Elliott Resnick — Head of Commercial, First Look Games
“One lifetime achievement award is not enough! Casinomeister has always been the best online community for online casino enthusiasts to research, ask questions, raise concerns, and find some of the best online casinos to play at.”
“It’s difficult to think of a comparable community built on the founder’s principles — fairness, honesty, transparency, wit, and humour.”
“Always enjoyed the Waxy O’Connor’s Meister evenings, curries, and the occasional “one” beer in O’Neill’s. Fond memories!”
Gourdfollower — Casinomeister Moderator
“Best boss ever. What can I say that everyone else hasn’t already said? It was a pleasure to work with an honourable man in a rough-and-tumble business. You are missed.”
Duncan Garvie — Founder, BetBlocker
“Bryan Bailey has been the inspiration for so many of the projects that I’ve undertaken in the gambling sector. When I first became aware of Casinomeister in the early 2000’s, I was firmly of the belief that no affiliates were legitimately on the side of players. Bryan proved me wrong.”
Debbee Silverman
“Bryan who???
Ok, just kidding…
The truth is, I’ve been having a hard time writing this piece. Bryan was the first person I’d met in this industry and nearly 25 years later he’s been one of my dearest friends. With so much history, I’m finding it really difficult to encapsulate things.”
Sarah Blackburn — Founder, GameOn
“Bryan set the standard for all other affiliates to follow. His pioneering attitude to protecting players and creating an honest and transparent community where people felt safe to share and receive information set the benchmark for all businesses that followed that wanted to act in best practice, when it came to players.”
Renee – Affiliate Director, Rewards Affiliates
Bryan is a pioneer in the gaming industry and I believe he wholeheartedly deserves this recognition. He built a place based on integrity rather than taking money from anyone that would offer it to him. Over the years he has always stood by the essence of what Casinomeister is and I appreciate him for that.
Becky Liggero Fontana – Reporter, Producer, & Host, CoinGeek.com
The amazing Bryan Bailey was one of the first people I met in iGaming when I started working for Casino City back in early 2005. “The Casinomeister” was famous amongst my colleagues and very well respected — his industry forum was THE place to go, especially during a time when our industry was “self-regulated” and we needed industry watchdogs. I remember keeping a close eye on the “Rogue Operators” list, chuckling to myself while watching Bryan’s video updates and even participating in the forum myself as “BodogBecky” when I moved on in my iGaming career.
Michael Caselli — Chairman, Clarion Gaming
“Bryan Bailey was facilitating dialogue about iGaming before most people were even online. Advocated best practices and protecting players he helped countless people, whether by clarifying a misunderstanding or by exposing an operator’s malintent. Bryan’s work with players and operators meant his reputation quickly grew and like an old west sheriff, his Casinomeister site became the law in an industry before regulation.”
