Michael Andrew Rosenfeld, born in Las Vegas in 1982, was raised in the very heartbeat of the gambling world. The slots machines, the buzz… all of it became the background music of his life long before he turned his eye toward journalism. After earning a BA in Journalism from the University of Nevada, and later a Master’s in Investigative Journalism in Columbia, Rosenfeld built a career out of doing what few dared: specializing in the gambling industry. 

Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash

Question. Michael, being born in Las Vegas, did you ever have a choice not to write about gambling? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. (Laughs) Probably not. It’s in the air over there. My dad worked security in a casino, my mom was a hotel clerk… I think I was hardcoded to make it. But instead of playing, I got curious about the system behind it… I think that was the smartest choice. 

Question. Did you always know you wanted to be a journalist? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. I wanted to be a poker player, but I’m terrible at bluffing… Then journalism became an option. And it was better for my finances than being a poker player. Not by much, as every journalist knows (laughs). 

Question. What made you decide to focus on the gambling industry specifically? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. When I was at Columbia, I did a thesis on how state governments depend on casino revenue. The deeper I went, the clear it became that gambling wasn’t being reported seriously enough. It was either moralized or sensationalized, That’s when I realized that was the niche I wanted to cover. 

Question. Do you think mainstream media still treats gambling as a second-tier topic? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Absolutely. They think it is an entertainment fluff, when in reality it’s a major economic engine. However, the gambling sector deserves coverage on par with other major topics. It touches politics, economics, mental health, tech… But it doesn’t get the same journalist respect. 

Question. Why do you think that’s the case? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Stigmatization. People associate gambling with vice. And yeah, it’s an issue, but it’s not the whole story. You can’t understand modern economies without understanding how gambling fits into them. 

Question. You’ve reported from Macau, Madrid, and Monte Carlo. Do all gambling cultures feel the same? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Not at all. Macau is like Wall Street with slot machines. In Madrid, the casino scene is more social, like an extension of nightlife. And Monte Carlo is pure theater. The thrill of risk is universal, though. 

Question. Has the rise of online betting changed how you cover the industry? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. As everything else. Now it’s a borderless industry. The data trails, the regulation gaps, the social implications… Now it’s a global phenomenon, and journalism has to catch-up. 

Question. Do you think journalists are afraid of covering gambling deeply? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Some are, and not without reasons. It’s a complex topic. But complexity should encourage us, not scare us. It should challenge us to get better at telling those stories. 

Question. What’s the biggest misconception about casinos you’ve encountered? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. That the house always wins. If you only follow statistics, no doubt, but that’s not the only thing. Casinos are built on hope. And hope can’t be measured in numbers. That’s what fascinates me. 

Question. How do you keep empathy from compromising objectivity? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. You don’t separate them, you balance them. Empathy helps you ask better questions; objectivity helps you tell the truth. You need both, or your work becomes sterile. 

Question. You’ve written about regulation. Do you think governments are keeping up with the industry? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Not even close. Technology moves faster than policy. Regulators are playing catch-up in a digital casino that never closes. It’s the same disruption and legal loopholes that made social networks so popular and misunderstood back in time. 

Question. What role does data play in your investigations? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. A massive one. Data is like a map of human behavior. It shows you patterns: who’s betting, when, on what, and how often. But it only matters when you connect it back to people’s lives. 

Question. You’ve said before that journalism should treat gambling like economics or politics. Is that the future you see? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Yeah, and I think we’re getting there slowly. Betting, gaming, regulation… These aren’t “side” stories anymore. They’re shaping economies and media ecosystems. Journalism just has to stop pretending it’s taboo. 

Question. What would you tell young journalists who want to explore this niche? 

Michael Andrew Rosenfeld. Learn the language of numbers. Understand probability, economics, and regulation. But also hang out in casinos, talk to people, smell the air. You can’t write about this world from a distance. Follow specialized social media accounts, as they have some interesting insights on the field.