About Scott Roeben
Prior to Vital Vegas, Scott got an insider's perspective of Las Vegas by writing the Pulse of Vegas Blog for Caesars Entertainment, the largest gaming company in the world. During his tenure, the Pulse of Vegas blog was named the "Best PR Blog" in the country in PR Daily's Digital PR & Social Media Awards and Scott was voted the "Most Valuable Las Vegas Blogger" by CBS Local/KXNT. Most recently, Scott worked in digital marketing at Fremont Street Experience, one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. There, he wrote the venue's blog and gained an exhaustive knowledge of the casino industry. Scott also spent several years on staff at LasVegas.com. He worked at the Writers Guild of America in Los Angeles for nearly a decade. He's also a published author, photographer and humorist.
What makes Scott an expert?
Scott has been writing his entire life, and may have been holding one of those adorable sportsbook pencils during his birth. Scott has immersed himself in Las Vegas and the casino industry, gleaning insight from both inside and outside the industry. His network of sources is second-to-none, and consistently breaks news before other media outlets.
Experience
Vital Vegas
- Founder and writer - July 2013 - Present
Caesars Entertainment Corp.
- Community Leader (Manager of Content and Social Marketing – Sep 2009 - July 2013
- Internet and Social Marketing Specialist - January 2007 - August 2009
LeoVegas.com
- Content and Communications Manager - Jan 2003 - Jun 2005
21+ years in iGaming
Scott knows the industry inside and out
17+ years
He's been a professional writer and editor for over 17 years.
Winner of numerous awards
Scott's won 'Best Las Vegas blog' and the 'Groundbreaker Award'
Best Twitter account
Vital Vegas won the award from Best of Las Vegas
Q&A with Scott
What got you into writing about casinos?
"My passion for casinos is reflected in my writing, and my love of casinos started with my first visit to Las Vegas. I stayed at a classic hotel, the Stardust. I love the thrill of casinos, and also enjoy sharing photography and jokes (I created a humor site, Dribbleglass.com, back when the Internet was in its infancy). Creating a Las Vegas blog was a natural progression of my love for writing, gambling and humor."
What's the first thing you look for at an online casino?
"I've never played on an online casino. That's one of the benefits of living in Las Vegas. The things I look for in a brick-and-mortar casino are the vibe, my favorite games (video poker, Top Dollar, Wheel of Fortune and Pinball), the food and the strength of the drinks."
If you could only play one casino game forever, what would it be?
"That would have to be video poker. It's mindless and repetitive, but in a good way as it allows you to really switch off and zone out."
The collective noun for casino dealers should be a 'hover,' because they're all over it.
Scott's casino memories
Best gambling experience
- "My best gambling experience was probably a $10,000 win on a new slot machine at Golden Gate in downtown Las Vegas. I was playing the machine because I was doing a story about the fact a jackpot on that machine didn't require any IRS paperwork, because it paid in $1,000 increments (beneath the IRS reporting threshold). I was so happy I caught it on video, and I was able to verify no paperwork was required."
Worst gambling experience
- "My worst gambling experience was probably being kicked out of Hooters casino (before it became Oyo). I may or may not have been drinking, and may or may not have been playing craps, and may or may not have juggled dice, something frowned upon by casino management. That's the day I learned casinos often switch liquor brands in their "comped" drinks, and that my Captain Morgan wasn't Captain Morgan. I was ill for several days."
Some of Scott's media appearances
"I've never had a media appearance I didn't like, so there are too many to name here. Vital Vegas has been quoted and referenced by virtually every publication in America and beyond."
