Gaming Insider
Wendeen’s interest in gaming began at home with board games; acquiring high priced hotels in Monopoly, taking down the queen in chess, finding "BINGOS" in scrabble letters, and shooting the moon in hearts — but Wendeen's poker exploits came much later.
Elizabeth Gilbert the GQ writer and author and screenwriter of "Eat, Pray, Love" wrote hilariously about her journey into the poker world with Wendeen as her "shrewd" poker guru.
In her early twenties, Wendeen was fascinated with mainframe computers. After reading “Beat the Dealer” by MIT professor Edwin Thorp, she became enamored by the possibilities of creating a computer-based blackjack "counting system" of her own.
A chance meeting with Kenny Usui (Uston) led to their teaming up, at and away from blackjack tables; they earned big bucks together while each made major headway in a new life - she in her legal search business, he as a professional blackjack player - before going their separate ways.
In the early 70's Wendeen took advantage of her Vegas trips with Kenny to make friends with casino executives, and picked up several clients, including Caesars where she became a special advisor to the Board of Directors on vetting of legal counsel.
Over the next decades she represented 34 casinos, hiring legal counsel, she worked in government on casino regulatory issues, and she became an internationally recognized poker player - in her free time.
Gaming Guru
Wendeen Eolis brings to the table multidimensional knowledge of the gaming industry; as a legal consultant, attorney search specialist, counsel reviewer, insider with corporate boards, and consultant to casino operators on legal affairs crises.
She has advised clients in the gaming industry since the late 60s; initially as a legal consultant to the Dunes Hotel, the Sands and the Riviera in Las Vegas and then as a legal head hunter for Caesars in the early 70s. At Caesars, she also counseled the Board of Directors on legal talent and counsel costs which led to introductions and assignments for casino C-Suites and boards in America, Europe, and Asia over the next four decades.
As a New York State government official, Wendeen's portfolio included commercial and tribal gaming issues. She has prepared “white papers” for law firms advising federal and international agencies.
And, she was a customer - counting cards expertly at blackjack tables - before taking down pots at poker tables against the very best players in the world!
An internationally recognized lecturer at gaming conferences, from Las Vegas to Vienna, Wendeen has been a keynote speaker, moderator and panelist at numerous gaming events, including an engagement at Sportel in Monte Carlo, at the invitation of Prince Albert, on the future of i-gaming in America.
Wendeen is a supporter of licensed, taxed, and regulated gaming with suitable protocols to protect the integrity of the games; controls that effectively exclude minors from the gaming tables; and active programs to discourage addiction and encourage responsible gaming.
Gaming Space Thought Leader
Nominated as Leader of the Year at the Women in Gaming Awards, in 2014, Wendeen has been at the forefront of the i-gaming debate in America through her representations, articles and speaking engagements. She has a memoir in the works.