Hey, I’m Tyler Grant, a Toronto-born writer, reviewer, and iGaming enthusiast who’s spent most of the last decade trying to make the world of online casinos a little clearer — and a lot more honest.
I grew up in Toronto 🇨🇦, where winters were long, coffee was essential, and my family treated poker nights like national holidays. My dad was in marketing, my mom taught English, and I guess I landed somewhere in between — fascinated by how people think, communicate, and take risks.
Even as a kid, I was curious about how games really worked. I wasn’t the “luckiest” player, but I loved breaking things down — what made people win, what made them lose, and what made the game feel fair. That curiosity never left me; it just evolved from the kitchen table to the online casino world.
My experience
After finishing high school in 2012, I went on to study Media, Journalism & Digital Culture at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). Those four years gave me more than just a degree — they gave me a framework for thinking critically about content, persuasion, and trust. I learned how stories shape decisions, how information can be both powerful and manipulative, and how to spot when something “doesn’t smell right.”
During university, I started writing small blog posts about gaming and entertainment. One of my professors once told me, “Good writing is when people stop noticing the writing and start feeling the truth behind it.” That stuck with me — and I carried it into my iGaming career.
Right after graduation, I began freelancing for Casino.org. I still remember my first assignment: “Top 10 Canadian Online Slots.” I spent days testing demos, writing notes, and trying to sound like I actually knew what I was doing. Over time, I did — mostly because I played, failed, won, and lost enough to understand the real user experience behind the marketing copy.
By 2018, I joined Better Collective as a content editor. That role was a crash course in compliance, affiliate ethics, and responsible gambling messaging. It’s where I learned that a “casino review” is not about convincing someone to deposit — it’s about giving them the facts to make their own informed choice.
From 2019 to 2020, I worked with AskGamblers.com and CasinoGuru as a reviewer and QA tester. My job was to actually test casinos: how fast they paid, how support responded, how terms were written. I learned to read between the lines of every “bonus offer,” and I also learned how frustrated players get when those lines are blurry.
In 2021, I completed the Introduction to iGaming course at IG Academy. It helped me connect the dots between regulation, psychology, and user behaviour. Around that time, I started following updates from AGCO and iGaming Ontario closely — not just to stay compliant, but because I genuinely believe Canadian players deserve clarity and protection.
Why I built Hammerting.com
By 2022, I’d seen enough of the industry from the inside to realize one thing: most casino “reviews” weren’t reviews at all. They were SEO fluff written by people who never played the games, never requested a withdrawal, and never dealt with support on a Sunday night when their payout got stuck.
That realization annoyed me — and motivated me. I wanted to create something different.
That’s how Hammerting.com was born: a site where every casino is tested, every bonus is verified, and every review feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.
My goal wasn’t to build a massive affiliate empire; it was to build trust. I wanted readers to feel like they were talking to a friend who actually played — not a bot or a brand.
It started small: a few reviews, a couple of guides, a lot of late nights. But it grew fast. By 2023, Hammerting had become a recognized voice in the Canadian iGaming space. I was invited to attend the Canadian Gaming Summit and SiGMA Europe, where I met industry experts and regulators who shared that same vision — making gambling safer, smarter, and genuinely entertaining.
What I’ve learned
If there’s one lesson I keep coming back to, it’s this: transparency builds trust faster than any bonus ever could.
Players can forgive a lost bet — but they don’t forgive being misled.
I’ve tested hundreds of casinos now, and I can tell within minutes whether a site respects its players or just chases deposits. What separates good casinos from bad ones isn’t luck — it’s integrity.
I try to bring that same principle into my writing: honesty first, humour second, SEO third.
Because at the end of the day, I’m not writing for algorithms — I’m writing for real Canadians who work hard, play smart, and just want to know where their money’s safest.
Year-by-year timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Born in Toronto, Ontario 🇨🇦 |
| 2012 | Graduated from Northern Secondary School (Toronto) |
| 2012–2016 | Studied Media & Digital Culture at Toronto Metropolitan University, graduated with Honours |
| 2016 | Started freelance writing for Casino.org |
| 2018 | Joined Better Collective as a Content Editor |
| 2019–2020 | Worked with AskGamblers.com and CasinoGuru |
| 2021 | Completed Introduction to iGaming certification |
| 2022 | Founded Hammerting.com as an honest casino review hub for Canadians |
| 2023–Present | Editor-in-Chief at Hammerting, speaker at Canadian Gaming Summit and attendee of SiGMA Europe |
What I believe in
I believe gambling should be treated the same way we treat craft beer or hockey — with passion, humour, and respect for limits.
It’s entertainment, not income.
And it’s only fun when it’s fair.
That’s the philosophy behind every review I write and every recommendation I make on Hammerting.
Fun facts 🙂
- Favourite slot: Book of Dead — because sometimes nostalgia pays.
- Most played table game: Blackjack (“because math doesn’t lie — most of the time”).
- Best casino snack: poutine. Always poutine.
- Coffee order: Double-double, every morning ☕.
- Favourite quote: “Play smart. Walk away smiling.”
How to reach me
- Email: [email protected]
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tyler-grant-igaming (placeholder)
- Twitter/X: @TylerGrantCA (placeholder)