Jon Birch

Cardmates CEO & Senior Casino Reviewer

Howdy! I’m Jon, Cardmates CEO and a long-standing iGaming expert. Being in charge here, my key role is to ensure the all-around development of the project while bringing my expertise in casino reviewing and industry analysis to the table. From driving the team toward strategic goals to ensuring the quality of our casino content, my reigning hands are everywhere.

Not to brag, but there are over 8 years of experience in the UK online gambling industry behind my back, backed by an earlier career in financial writing and analysis. This has given me a rigorous, data-first approach to iGaming and a profound understanding of what UK players should expect from online casinos.

My Experience

My professional journey started outside the iGaming world. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh with a BA (Hons) in English Literature in 2012, I spent four years working as a financial writer at Goldman Sachs. There, I produced research notes, compliance documentation and client-facing reports across equity and fixed-income desks.

In 2016, I transitioned into the iGaming space, initially consulting for two operators under NDA before joining Cardmates UK full-time. Over the years, I’ve developed particular expertise in:

• UK online casino reviews
• iGaming industry analysis
• regulatory compliance
• casino T&Cs and payment policies
• responsible gambling
• creating trustworthy, data-driven content

What I Bring to the Table

Primarily, create a strong and trustworthy ecosystem around the brand and a space where UK players can find transparent, useful information about online gambling. My financial background taught me to look beyond marketing claims and focus on the details that actually matter.

When reviewing casinos, I personally test platforms from sign-up to withdrawal. This includes assessing game catalogues, payout speeds, T&C transparency and customer support quality. The goal is simple: readers should know exactly what to expect before creating an account.

I’m also working to ensure that the team is perfectly coordinated and the content is up-to-date, comprehensible, and valuable for UK-based readers. Following industry news and regulatory developments is a major part of my work – particularly UKGC enforcement actions and policy updates. For me, trustworthy casino content starts with compliance and responsible gambling.

My Work at Cardmates

A CEO’s role doesn’t limit my responsibilities to management alone. My work combines strategic development with hands-on casino analysis and content oversight. Activities are quite diverse and cover several directions: strategic growth, casino reviewing, regulatory monitoring and content development. Here’s what I precisely do as a driving force behind Cardmates:

• Shape strategic direction. Set short-term goals and define a long-term vision that helps boost performance and secure the project's overall growth. My analytical background plays an important role here – decisions should be supported by data rather than assumptions.
• Oversee content quality. Ensure that all content published on the site is valuable, transparent and relevant for UK readers. Particular attention goes to casino reviews, where licensing, payment conditions, T&Cs, customer support and overall player experience all need to be properly assessed.
• Personally review casinos. Test UKGC-licensed platforms from registration through gameplay to withdrawal. This hands-on approach allows me to assess payout speeds, game catalogues, customer support and the transparency of bonus and general terms.
• Monitor regulatory developments. Keep a close eye on UKGC enforcement actions, policy changes and regulatory updates that may affect UK players or operators. Ensure our content reflects the current regulatory environment.
• Promote responsible gambling. Make sure responsible gambling remains an integral part of our content rather than an afterthought. Casino entertainment should always go hand in hand with player protection and informed decision-making.
• Coordinate cross-team efforts. Ensure smooth collaboration between the editorial group, SEO specialists, illustrators and tech department. My role is to keep different parts of the project moving in the same direction while maintaining high standards for the information we publish.

For me, Cardmates.co.uk is not just a website, but a platform where UK players should be able to find clear and trustworthy information about online gambling. My task is to combine analytical thinking, hands-on casino experience and regulatory awareness to make the project useful, transparent and reliable. While so, my sharp perception is that gambling should be responsible before it is entertaining.