About
Scott Tom is an entrepreneur and private investor best known as the founder of Absolute Poker, one of the pioneering online poker platforms of the early 2000s. Under his leadership, Absolute Poker grew into one of the largest online poker operators serving the U.S. market prior to the 2011 “Black Friday” crackdown on online gaming, as reported by Fortune.
Following the collapse of the online poker industry in the United States and the resolution of related legal matters, Tom transitioned away from gaming operations and into private investing and asset management. Today, he is primarily focused on private investments, real estate, aviation-related ventures, fintech opportunities, and cross-border business development, working through privately held interests, strategic partnerships, and advisory relationships that guide entrepreneurs, investors, and private companies pursuing growth and expansion.
Raised in the small rural community of Frenchtown, Montana, Tom developed an entrepreneurial mindset early in life and launched his first company at the age of 21. He earned a dual degree in Finance and Business Management from the University of Montana, where he built the business foundation and professional relationships that helped shape his career.
His investment activity centers on identifying long-term opportunities and building strong business relationships across sectors and markets, with particular interest in private investments, international real estate projects, family-office-style asset management, payment processing and fintech-related businesses, and opportunities throughout Latin America. Based in San José, Costa Rica, Tom is fluent in English and Spanish and maintains personal and professional connections throughout the region, with longstanding ties spanning real estate development, hospitality projects, aviation, and international business ventures.
Tom's professional background is also catalogued on Crunchbase and about.me.
Areas of Focus
Tom's current work spans private capital, property, and cross-border ventures — advised with the same discipline he applies in the cockpit.
International Business
Cross-border ventures and relationships built throughout Latin America and beyond.
Private Investment
Long-term capital deployed through private holdings, family-office-style asset management, and fintech and payment-processing opportunities.
Real Estate
International real estate and hospitality projects as part of a diversified private portfolio.
Aviation
A licensed discipline of preparation and decision-making that carries directly into business.
Strategic Advisory
Guiding entrepreneurs and privately held companies on strategy, growth, and opportunity evaluation.
Beyond Business
Preparation, disciplined decision-making, and continuous learning — the principles that keep a pilot safe are the same ones that build a durable business.
Tom holds that the habits of safe flying translate directly into entrepreneurship and investing: methodical preparation, clear-headed decisions under pressure, and a commitment to continually learning. A longtime aviation enthusiast, he has a particular interest in aviation operations, aircraft management, and the role aviation plays in supporting business and travel in remote and developing regions. Outside of business, he enjoys travel, fitness, outdoor living, and padel, and spends much of his free time exploring Costa Rica's natural landscapes and coastal communities.
- AviationAircraft management and pilot's discipline applied to business decisions
- FitnessRegular training and padel
- Outdoor LivingTravel and exploring Costa Rica's coastal communities
- PhilanthropyChildren & families, animal welfare, education, wellness, and local community causes across Latin America
Writing & Insights
On Medium and his personal blog, Tom writes about entrepreneurship, long-term investing, international business, decision-making, and leadership — drawing on cross-cultural lessons from building and investing across markets, with an emphasis on enduring principles over short-term trends.