Lifting the Lid on VIP iGaming – An Interview with Platinum Lounges CEO Steven Stone

When it comes to online casinos, most of what players see is polished marketing, not the reality behind the VIP curtain. At CasinoCommunityOnline.com, that’s exactly the kind of surface-level noise James Foster, our in-house content writer, loves to cut through. In this exclusive interview, James sits down with Steven Stone, CEO and founder of Platinum Lounges, to talk about his 20 years in the iGaming VIP vertical, how the industry has evolved, and why he’s now building a community that shares the kind of information casinos usually keep locked away.

Q1: James – “Steven, 20 years in VIP is a serious stretch. How did you first get into the iGaming world, and what pulled you toward the VIP side specifically?”

Steven:

“I started in iGaming back when ‘online casino’ still sounded like science fiction to most people. It was a tiny industry, very Wild West, but that also meant there were huge opportunities if you were willing to learn fast. I gravitated toward the VIP side early because that’s where you really see the psychology of gambling—the high-value players, the big swings, the long-term relationships. VIP was never just about big deposits; it was about understanding human behaviour, risk tolerance, and how to build trust in a space where everything is digital.”

Q2: James – “From those early days to now, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry—good and bad?”

Steven:

“On the positive side, regulation and tech have made things safer and smoother for players. Payment processing is more secure, KYC is tighter, and there’s more talk about responsible gambling than there ever used to be. On the negative side, some of the soul has been replaced by automation. VIP hosts have turned into CRM workflows, and a lot of players feel like numbers in a database now. The marketing has become more sophisticated, but so have the traps—hidden terms, predatory bonus structures, and ‘loyalty’ systems designed to keep players in one ecosystem without giving them real value.”

Q3: James – “You spent years on the inside of VIP programs. What do players usually not see that you saw every day?”

Steven:

“Players don’t see how carefully their data is modelled. Behind the scenes, casinos know your deposit patterns, your tilt triggers, your preferred game volatility, everything. That’s not automatically evil, but it becomes a problem when that data is used to maximize lifetime value instead of player well-being. VIPs might feel special with gifts and bonuses, but those are all calculated against what the house expects to earn from them over time. The other thing players don’t see is how quickly ‘special treatment’ can vanish if their value dips below a certain line.”

Q4: James – “So with all that insider knowledge, what made you decide to walk away from pure VIP operations and launch Platinum Lounges?”

Steven:

“After two decades, you either lean into the system or you start asking, ‘How do I rebalance this?’ Platinum Lounges was my answer to that question. I didn’t want to run another casino. I wanted to build a casino community that puts information and transparency on the player’s side instead of just the operator’s. Rather than quietly using insights to squeeze more value from players, I wanted to share those insights with them—how bonuses really work, how risk is modelled, how to spot bad terms before they bite.”

Q5: James – “Platinum Lounges doesn’t offer games or bets. For people used to ‘casino sites,’ what exactly is it—and what’s the endgame for players who join?”

Steven:

“Platinum Lounges is a social hub for casino players, not a casino itself. There are no games, no wagering. Instead, players get access to community spaces, strategy threads, payment method breakdowns, and honest discussions about bonuses, house edge, and risk. The endgame is simple: smarter, more informed players who are less likely to get blindsided by fine print. If someone joins, the goal is that after three months in the community, they’re making better decisions than 90% of casual players out there.”

Q6: James – “You talk a lot about ‘open and transparent’ information. What kind of stuff do you share that online casinos usually prefer to keep under lock and key?”

Steven:

“We talk openly about things like: which bonuses are actually beatable over time, how wagering requirements really play out in practice, and how VIP thresholds are set and adjusted behind the scenes. We break down tactics like loyalty traps, pseudo-VIP schemes, and psychological hooks that are baked into promotions. Casinos would rather players just see ‘big bonus’ and click. We’d rather explain why a ‘big bonus’ might be mathematically awful, and what a fair offer actually looks like. That kind of frank breakdown rarely comes from operator-owned channels.”

Q7: James – “For players who’ve been burned by VIP programs or feel jaded, how does Platinum Lounges change their experience of the industry?”

Steven:

“First, they’re not treated as revenue units. They’re treated as community members. They can share real experiences—good and bad—without fear of being muted because it hurts someone’s conversion rate. Second, they get access to tools and discussions that help them diversify where they play instead of locking into one brand. And third, they get to interact with people who’ve been inside the machine and are willing to speak candidly. That mix of honesty, education, and community tends to rebuild trust—not in any one casino, but in the idea that you can approach gambling like an informed adult, not a target.”

Q8: James – “Last one: if you could give one piece of advice to someone just stepping into online casinos today, what would it be—and how can your community help?”

Steven:

“Never confuse marketing with reality, and never confuse loyalty with value. Your first responsibility is to protect your bankroll, your data, and your mental health. Start by learning, not by chasing bonuses. That’s where communities like Platinum Lounges and CasinoCommunityOnline come in—we give you context, education, and peers who’ve already made the mistakes so you don’t have to. If you walk into the industry with your eyes open, you can enjoy the entertainment without becoming someone’s spreadsheet success story.”

If you want more unfiltered conversations like this, check out the latest guides and interviews on www.CasinoCommunityOnline.com and explore the player-led community at www.PlatinumLounges.com—where the real VIP move is information, not just status.