If you'd like to get a firm grasp on the basics of journalism, NBCU Academy's Fundamentals of Journalism course is a pretty good place to start. It covers all sorts of topics, from newsgathering and reporting to ethics, storytelling, insights from top journalists and pitching. Best of all, it's free.
Joanna Osborne
iGaming Consultant
LinkedInIt is fascinating to think of all the facts that are out there that neither you nor I have knowledge of. And while this can certainly be somewhat amusing in everyday life - did you know that bananas are actually berries? - it's quite another story in industries like crypto and iGaming, where too much vagueness and a big fat lack of transparency can land us in hot and troubling water.
We might as well face it: The online space is a wild, wooly beast. There is no such thing as an airtight online crypto encyclopedia, no universally accepted playbook, and certainly no good enough "iGaming for Dummies" that you can discreetly pull off your dusty shelf. It's a mix of raw data, theory, and a lot of "figuring it out along the way". So here I am, picturing online gambling and crypto walking down the street together, hand in hand, kicking up a cloud of dust and rewriting the rules as they go - leaving room for a little chaos, even more creativity - and me joining this uncoordinated party. But where exactly do I see my role in all of this? The answer is easy. In helping to write the missing manuals for these industries, filling in the blanks and backing it all up with ironclad facts.
About Author
I've always been drawn to the art of finding patterns in the midst of chaos, and my background reflects that. Journalism gave me the tools to dig, philosophy taught me the depth to think, and law trained me in the discipline to deliver with precision.
Then, three years ago, good old Covid came along and dropped me into the unruly world of iGaming - a field naked of structure but full of ideas. I honed my skills at two of the industry's powerhouses before striking out on my own. Shortly after, I found myself in my current role as a consultant, fact-checking articles for the CryptoCasinos team and learning more about the intersection of crypto and online gambling along the way.
In case you were wondering how I got into crypto, well, it was pure coincidence. A side gig client once refused to pay in anything but crypto, so I reluctantly opened a crypto account - and the rest is what you might call history.
If it is not the patterns that have my undivided attention, my dog certainly has it. Or you might find me sprawled out on the couch, book in hand, peppermint tea on the side, the trumpet of Miles Davis in my ears, or the swooning vocals of Billie Holiday for company.
TOP TIP FOR READERS
Always dig, and when you do, dig deep. Never be swayed by flashy headlines or grandiose claims, be it choosing a casino or researching the next crypto to invest in. Rather, focus on transparency - clear terms and conditions and vetted sources. In short, trust but verify.
Joanna answers
What do you consider a trustworthy website?
What's the most important thing you do when fact-checking?
According to you, what does a good website need in terms of responsible gambling practices?
Since research is a huge part of Joanna's job, she relies on more resources than she can count. However, these would be her top go-to sources: