Publisher’s Letter  
The Office Next Door
By Glenn Fine 

This is a Publisher’s Letter that I never thought I’d ever have to write. Publishers aren’t even supposed to write, which makes this “Letter” that much more difficult. Last month’s 20th Anniversary celebration represented a very special milestone for Casino Player, the sister publication of Strictly Slots. It also marked a monumental loss. On August 25, Adam Fine, my younger brother and our editor-in-chief, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. He was only 39 years old.

Adam was greatly loved by a huge number of friends, and highly respected and admired by his colleagues. His passing is a tremendous loss not only to those who loved him, but to the gaming industry as a whole. Adam was one of its greatest supporters and most thoughtful writers. He could also be a incisive critic when the situation called for it, as he held this industry to extremely high standards, and felt a deep personal responsibility to you, our readers.  

Those who’ve followed Casino Player since our humble beginnings know that Adam was its editorial voice and driving force since day one. Even people who knew him for all these years were stunned to learn (or to be reminded) that he was only 39—not only because he died so tragically young, but because it’s simply astounding that he had two decades under his belt as our editor-in-chief.

Actually, Adam was only 17 years old—barely out of high school—when he plunged into the industry and joined my upstart company. (I was dealing blackjack at Resorts International in Atlantic City at the time. After watching so many people lose so many “chips” at my table, I had the simple idea to create a magazine for people who wanted to learn how to play better, and win more often.)

By 1988 we published the first issue of Casino Player. Adam, not yet out of his teens, but with an astonishing ability to write and edit the work of other writers, took the reigns as editor. Over the next two decades his passion, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and encyclopedic knowledge gave both Casino Player and Strictly Slots a voice and a vision that resonated with millions of casino enthusiasts around the world.

Despite his influential position, Adam shied away from the limelight. He was far happier sharing a meal and a good bottle of wine with friends than turning up at a red-carpet event. (He’d send other writers to cover that type of assignment.) But few people knew more about this business, its attractions and amenities, and all of the behind-the-scenes developments than my brother, Adam. Even fewer could report on it all with such a clever, articulate, and engaging style, which made readers feel as if they were savoring the shows, hotels, restaurants, and gaming right beside him.

This larger-than-life industry was the perfect fit for my brother’s talents and lust for life. He was a self-taught Renaissance man who loved the finer things, and Casino Player gave him the ideal platform to explore them. A wine connoisseur, Adam was on a first-name basis with every sommelier in Las Vegas. As a gourmet, Adam took great joy in discovering new restaurants—whether it was at a glamorous casino he was covering during his cross-country travels, or a family-owned restaurant in his neighborhood. He loved nothing more than to share these experiences with friends, and with you, his readers.

For me, Adam will always be in the next office, yelling out some comment rather than use the intercom. Or walking into my office hunched over with laughter, after speaking to a writer, friend or casino executive. Adam was truly an old soul, well beyond his years.

With Adam always in our hearts, I can only imagine the new heights our magazines will reach in the coming years. We'll do our best to follow his philosophy and build upon the foundation he laid through his tireless work and boundless talent. As our reader, I know you’ll let us know if we fall short of what you know Adam would expect. 

In Memoriam

Adam A. Fine

1969-2008