Industry journalist Orrick dead at 75; “When David shared his opinion, you listened”
David Orrick first entered the sector as a journalist editing trade title EuroSlot. Orrick also spent part of his career working for various gaming machine giants, including Recreativos Franco, Unidesa and Novomatic.
Orrick also founded and edited trade publication Casino International magazine.
From 2016 he spent over eight years with Murkur Gaming as director of industry relations. He stepped down from this role at the end of 2023 to spend more time with his family. He was also working on a novel.
At the time, Athanasios “Sakis” Isaakidis, Murkur’s international CEO, said: “With his great experience in gaming and his understanding of market needs David Orrick has fulfilled not just his job description but has also played a significant role in many differing decision processes within our group.
“He is a valuable and well-respected person who is always available to give his opinion and brings his insight to bear.”
In 2023, Orrick went on to establish a freelance company to provide communications services across the industry.
Orrick was “highly knowledgable” and “respected”
Various industry folk have paid tribute to Orrick and his lifelong career in gaming.
Orrick’s Murkur colleagues shared honoured his “tireless dedication” and pivotal role in the company’s success.
“Only a few were as familiar with the world of gaming and its protagonists as David was. He stood out with a wealth of experience and unmatched expertise in his field, which greatly contributed to strengthening our international market presence,” Jürgen Stühmeyer, management board member for Merkur Sales said.
Reflecting on Orrick’s work with Clarion through its various gaming events Clarion Gaming managing director Stuart Hunter said: “From the moment he joined the industry in 1995 he participated in our events first as a journalist and then as an exhibitor representing many of the land-based sectors’ best-known manufacturers.
“David was a formidable personality steeped in the industry, highly knowledgeable and internationally respected. When David shared his opinion, you listened and took note of his insights.
“He was a font of knowledge and was extremely kind and generous to Clarion and to me personally when I joined this industry. He was a true ‘critical friend’ and made important contributions to the success of our brands, not least ICE which he supported with passion.”
Fulwood Media publishing director Jon Bruford acknowledged Orrick’s “huge influence” on gambling media. “There’s no point in soft-soaping – David could be difficult, even obtuse, when he wanted to be. I’ve seen him no end of times in almost adversarial conversations, where he was like a cat toying with prey.
“If you’ve ever tried to get him to spend money on advertising, you’ll know exactly what I mean. But he was also extremely generous with time and knowledge, an easy conversation and great company. He’ll definitely be missed in the industry,” he said.