GreedyGirl
Pickled Onion
For anyone who had any association with GoneGambling, be it as a member, a sponsoring casino or a webmaster in the online gaming industry, the name John Abbott should come straight to mind.
I’m incredibly crushed to be posting that John lost his 5-year, hard-fought battle to cancer, yesterday.
John was a true pioneer in the industry, beginning GoneGambling in 1999. He had no idea what he was doing, but his creative genius and sheer determination brought about a website unlike any other. This was not just an online gambling website—GoneGambling was a true community…and a giant at that! In its glory days, no other site could compete with the sort of traffic and membership GoneGambling had.
John’s newsletters were legendary, telling tales of his wife (The Ball and Chain) and his two daughters (Precious and the Rodent). These newsletters were hysterical…anyone reading would be treated to a weekly sitcom and you just KNEW the Abbott family by his writings.
Because of John, I’ve been able to enjoy more than 22 years in the online gaming industry. I was a member at GoneGambling and during one of his member chats, he learned I had a background in marketing and advertising. I wasn’t working at the time and one day I received an email from John asking if I’d come to work for him as a ‘links manager.’ I had no clue what a links manager was and John had no clue either, for that matter. He just knew that he needed some help…and I knew I needed a job. John lived in Australia and I was in the U.S.. We’d never met or even had so much as a phone call. We both went into this with blind trust and well, the rest is history. I had the great fortune to work for John for 5 ½ years and then later (when I had taken over GoneGambling), he came back to work for me for a few years.
John could be gruff and some would find him abrasive. Anyone who felt this, simply did not know the man that John was. Without a doubt, John was at his core, kind, hard-working, loyal and incredibly generous. When he’d hear of a member in need, he’d blindly help out. I can’t count the number of times when John would send substantial donations to varying world disasters…anonymously. He never wanted any accolades for helping others.
I could go on and on about what a special man John Abbott was. For me, he was a mentor…a best friend…a bitter enemy…a father-figure…a pesky little brother…all rolled up into one very big guy. I will forever be indebted to him and will treasure him always. RIP, John Abbott. You did good.
I’m incredibly crushed to be posting that John lost his 5-year, hard-fought battle to cancer, yesterday.
John was a true pioneer in the industry, beginning GoneGambling in 1999. He had no idea what he was doing, but his creative genius and sheer determination brought about a website unlike any other. This was not just an online gambling website—GoneGambling was a true community…and a giant at that! In its glory days, no other site could compete with the sort of traffic and membership GoneGambling had.
John’s newsletters were legendary, telling tales of his wife (The Ball and Chain) and his two daughters (Precious and the Rodent). These newsletters were hysterical…anyone reading would be treated to a weekly sitcom and you just KNEW the Abbott family by his writings.
Because of John, I’ve been able to enjoy more than 22 years in the online gaming industry. I was a member at GoneGambling and during one of his member chats, he learned I had a background in marketing and advertising. I wasn’t working at the time and one day I received an email from John asking if I’d come to work for him as a ‘links manager.’ I had no clue what a links manager was and John had no clue either, for that matter. He just knew that he needed some help…and I knew I needed a job. John lived in Australia and I was in the U.S.. We’d never met or even had so much as a phone call. We both went into this with blind trust and well, the rest is history. I had the great fortune to work for John for 5 ½ years and then later (when I had taken over GoneGambling), he came back to work for me for a few years.
John could be gruff and some would find him abrasive. Anyone who felt this, simply did not know the man that John was. Without a doubt, John was at his core, kind, hard-working, loyal and incredibly generous. When he’d hear of a member in need, he’d blindly help out. I can’t count the number of times when John would send substantial donations to varying world disasters…anonymously. He never wanted any accolades for helping others.
I could go on and on about what a special man John Abbott was. For me, he was a mentor…a best friend…a bitter enemy…a father-figure…a pesky little brother…all rolled up into one very big guy. I will forever be indebted to him and will treasure him always. RIP, John Abbott. You did good.