Content Editor
Active in the gambling space since the mid-2000s, both as a freelancer and in full-time roles, Martin has reported on many of the industry’s defining eras. His coverage spans the height of the “poker boom,” the emergence of daily fantasy sports, the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting, and the continued evolution of social and sweepstakes gaming platforms.
Over the course of his career, Martin has served as both writer and editor for a range of leading industry outlets, including multi-year tenures with PokerStars and PokerNews. Alongside his industry roles, he brings more than 25 years of experience teaching college courses in writing, literature, and film, experience that informs his analytical approach and editorial standards.
Martin’s book "Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game," an in-depth exploration of poker’s history and its portrayal across film, television, music, and popular culture, earned the Global Poker Award for Media Content of the Year.
Beyond his work in gambling journalism, Martin has written extensively on horror and science fiction cinema, producing both scholarly works and creative fiction, including two novels. His most recent essay collection, "Horror and Science Fiction Cinema and Society," was published by Routledge in late 2024.
Martin Harris is a veteran gambling writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering the industry. Early in his career, he traveled extensively to cover major poker tournaments across the United States, including regular stops at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. His assignments have also taken him internationally, with on-the-ground coverage of events across Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. He has covered several events in Canada, too, including at Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino de Montréal.
In recent years, Martin’s work has expanded beyond poker to encompass the broader world of legal gambling, including online and retail casino games, sports betting, prediction markets, and social and sweepstakes platforms. He frequently tests sites firsthand, and has been trying to build up Sweepstakes Coins while playing blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and a rotating selection of favorite slots.
Martin earned a Ph.D. in English and has authored numerous academic works and books, including the award-winning Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game, which makes a brief on-screen appearance in the 2021 film The Card Counter. He lives on a horse farm in North Carolina with his family and enjoys sports, music, reading, writing, and teaching part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte.
Catena Media
Content Editor
2020-present
PokerNews, PokerStars, World Poker Tour
Poker Reporter
2008-2019
UNC Charlotte, American Studies program
Adjunct Professor
2011-present
University of Indiana at Bloomington
Ph.D., English
2000
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A., English
1994
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., English
1990
UNC Tar Heels, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Hornets
DOOK (i.e., Duke)
The Cincinnati Kid, California Split, The Sting
Short-Stacked Shamus
Global Poker Award, Media Content of the Year (2019)
for Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game
While online poker is my first love, I also enjoy blackjack, baccarat, and video poker for their mix of strategy and structure. I find games like Dice and Limbo really interesting, too, when they are available, for how they allow you to test out wagering strategies and learn about probabilities.
I appreciate platforms that include a “vault” feature to separate part of a bankroll from active play, since it’s a simple but effective tool for discipline and tilt control.
The industry is constantly evolving — from regulation to technology to player behavior — and that ongoing change makes it endlessly interesting to follow and analyze.
My academic training encourages me to look beyond headlines and trends, focusing instead on context, history, and the broader cultural significance of gambling.
A trustworthy site is properly licensed, transparent about its terms and policies, and committed to providing clear information and responsible gambling tools for players.
I treat gambling as entertainment, set firm limits, track my results carefully, and make sure I’m always playing within a predetermined bankroll.
Winning a poker tournament in Kyiv, Ukraine, stands out as an especially memorable moment.
I always tell people to keep detailed records, be honest about their results, and remember that there are no shortcuts to smart decision-making.
