The End of the Gatekeepers: How Journalism’s Collapse Is Changing the Game for Gambling

_{Journalists have opposed proposed limitations on reporting from the Pentagon. (Image: Zuma Press.Inc/Alamy)}

In an age where algorithms decide what news you see, and influencers beat correspondents to the punch; traditional journalism is fighting for survival. What was once a top-down system of editorial control, the so-called gatekeepers of truth, is now a free-for-all of competing voices, where trust is fractured and authority up for grabs.

This isn’t just a theoretical problem. In industries where public harm is real and regulation matters, like gambling, the collapse of legacy media has made truth harder to find and harder to prove. For a massive global industry like gambling with land based casinos and hotels providing massive revenue and large scale employment opportunities, feeding into the economy it can feel like the good news is often overlooked.

The Pentagon Showdown: A Symbol of the Times

Casinos.com reported that Gallup’s recent data painted a grim picture: only 28% of Americans trust legacy outlets to report fully, accurately, and fairly. This collapse spans party lines and generations. We interviewed an award-winning newsroom leader Jill Manuel who warned of waning trust in news, rigid routines, financial pressures, and outdated delivery models that prevent adaptation. She said: “If you do not innovate, your survival is in peril.”

Even as institutional journalism fights for relevance, it faces new threats. At least 20 major U.S. media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, and Fox News, rejected a proposed Pentagon document that would limit reporting to only government-approved information.

Lawyers warned the policy could criminalise routine reporting. Critics saw it as a return to censorship, an effort to reassert the top-down control that the digital age has torn apart.

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to the complaints on social media with a goodbye hand-waving emoji.

It’s a perfect metaphor: journalists defending not just what they report, but their right to report it at all.

The Stakes in Gambling: Who Tells the Truth Now?

The gambling industry offers a stark case study in why journalism still matters, and what happens when its authority slips. Today, big money, aggressive marketing, and political lobbying shape the gambling landscape. Without robust journalism to investigate, verify, and challenge, important stories get buried or spun.

In the UK, media coverage of gambling has become sharply polarised. Some outlets frame the industry through a lens of moral panic, focusing heavily on addiction, crime, and harm, often overlooking reforms like affordability checks, self-exclusion tools, and tighter advertising rules. Others, such as The Sun, present gambling as mainstream entertainment, emphasising tips, promotions, and big-win stories tied to sports culture. While critics argue this glosses over the risks, supporters say it reflects the experience of millions of responsible players who gamble socially and safely within limits.

Investigative outlets like the European Investigative Collaborations have shown how international gambling operators use shell companies and digital marketing to skirt oversight. And on the media side, sites like Casinos.com have raised concerns over impartiality in gambling journalism, particularly when affiliate revenue or promotional partnerships are in play.

In short, the stakes are high. And the media’s authority crisis has a direct impact on whether these stories break through, or fade into spin.

A Brief History of Control: From Wartime Narratives to Institutional Trust

Legacy journalism wasn’t always free or neutral. During wartime, media in the U.K. and U.S. was heavily censored. Bad news was buried, images of destruction withheld, and the press became a tool for morale. But in doing so, governments also cultivated public trust.

That trust extended into the post-war period. Institutions like the BBC, The New York Times, or ITN weren’t just news outlets, they were voices of national authority. With only a handful of broadcasts or print options, the public had few reasons to doubt what they were told.

But this trust was built on scarcity, not scrutiny.

Generational Fractures and the Entertainment Turn

By the 1980s and 1990s, things started to change. Gen X grew up with cable TV, tabloids, and early internet forums. Journalism collided with entertainment. Coverage of disasters like the famine in Ethiopia prompted responses such as the Live Aid concert. MTV made music newsworthy. The paparazzi made gossip profitable. Celebrity became currency.

By the time Millennials came of age, digital platforms had overtaken the morning paper. News became content. It was shared, sliced, remixed, often stripped of context.

And with the death of Princess Diana, and the internet’s rise shortly after, institutional narratives started to erode. Trust broke. Conspiracies thrived. Authority, once assumed, had to be earned. Global events like the Covid-19 Pandemic were given mass coverage by news outlets but equally questioned by online outlets who opposed the narrative.

The Avalanche: From Blogs to TikTok

The 2010s exploded traditional models. Blogs, citizen journalism, and YouTube channels made publishing possible for anyone. Smartphones turned every user into a potential reporter. The result? Speed increased, but so did noise.

Traditional outlets were no longer just competing with each other; they were competing with the infinite scroll.

And now, TikTok influencers and livestreamers can outrun legacy reporters in speed and reach. Presidents mock the press on social media. ‘Fake News’ has become a regular exclamation mark for those who disagree with the mainstream presentation of facts. Algorithms, not editors, decide what trends. 

And Then Came AI

Artificial intelligence now adds another layer. It can summarise complex events, translate foreign news, or fabricate convincing lies. AI tools are already producing news-style content. Some media companies embrace it. Others fear it.

For readers, the impact is the same: increased doubt. If anything can be faked, how do you verify the truth?

In industries like gambling, where transparency is already fragile, this is a dangerous trend. Editorial integrity becomes a rare commodity, and the need for investigative, independent reporting becomes more urgent than ever.

Cuts to Journalism Jobs and Concerns Raised in Parliament

Grahame Morris MP raised the mass redundancies affecting members at Reach and “continued erosion of our media landscape” in the UK parliament on October 16th. 

Grahame Morris MP said: “Mr Speaker, despite previous reassurances from Reach PLC, owner of the Mirror, Daily Record, Express and many regional papers, they have announced that they have announced redundancies that put 600 journalists' jobs under threat. Many of us, indeed on all sides of the House are concerned about the continued erosion of our media landscape, particularly about the loss of experienced and professional journalists that risks driving people towards fake news and misinformation on social media. So can I ask, will the Minister meet with the National Union of Journalists and concerned MP's from the All Party Group to discuss this pressing issue?"

Lisa Nandy MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, committed to meeting the NUJ and a parliamentary group to protect quality journalism.

She said: “I thank him for his work in supporting not just local journalism, but local journalists as well.  And they're an essential part of our democracy. And it wasn't lost on me during the disorder last summer the way in which local newspapers helped to counter the mis and dis information that was spreading. Like Wildfire online, it's why we're developing a local media strategy, working with many of the organisations that he mentioned. But I'd be delighted to meet with him, other members of Parliament and the end NUJ to discuss this further.”
 

Journalism Can’t Go Back

Legacy media won’t recover its old dominance. But it can evolve. It must embrace transparency, accountability, and audience engagement. It must find new models that combine authority with openness.

For sectors like gambling, where money, harm, and secrecy intersect, journalism may be the only line of defence between truth and spin. The gatekeepers may be gone, but the need for guards has never been greater.