🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #236 Sam Sadi, CEO of LiveScore GroupSam Sadi sits down with Pierre Lindh to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the online sports betting industry, emphasizing the need for innovation and strategic advantages to compete with established brands, particularly in regulated markets.⏰ Timestamps 00:00 - Intro00:17 - Sponsors message01:38 - Sam’s 30-year journey03:31 - Building Bwin Interactive Entertainment06:07 - The origins of LiveScore09:58 - Why LiveScore launched its ...
Jun 12, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 236
The rules of online marketing are changing fast, and the iGaming industry is feeling the impact like never before. In this episode of NEXT In-Depth, ShieldHub founder Ulrich Gilot dives into the seismic shift away from traditional SEO and affiliate models driven by Google’s evolving search landscape, where zero-click results and AI-driven answers are reshaping player acquisition. We’ll explore what this means for iGaming marketers, the rising importance of brand building, and how new measurement...
Jun 12, 2025•55 min
🎙NEXT.io Podcast #22 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig and Benjie Cherniak.From summer slumps to AI disruption, the trio returns to unpack three high-stakes themes shaping the future of gaming startups:👇 Here’s what they cover:- How to keep growing through the summer slowdown- Why skill-based games are booming (again) and what’s different this time- The state of affiliate businesses and how AI, SEO, and chatbots are reshaping the model⏰ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:18 - Sponsor ...
Jun 11, 2025•42 min
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #236 with Kyle Welcher, CEO of TESTA Kyle Wiltshire has spent over 15 years embedded in Asia’s iGaming infrastructure. In this episode, hosted by Pierre Lindh, he shares what it really takes to succeed in Southeast Asia, a region full of opportunity, complexity, and massive cultural nuance. ⏰ Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:33 - Sponsors message 01:48 - Welcoming Kyle Wiltshire 04:44 - Kyle’s background & the origin of TESTA 08:41 - How iGaming evolved in Asia 10:22 - Cultural...
May 29, 2025•56 min•Ep. 236
M&A activity continues to have a huge impact on the iGaming sector, and acquisition news never fails to grab people’s attention. But what happens after the negotiations are finished, the money is handed over, and the deal is complete? The truth is, that’s when the real work begins. In this episode of NEXT In-Depth, host Conor Mulheir asks EveryMatrix CEO Ebbe Groes to explain how his company has integrated recent acquisitions — like FSB Technology, Fantasma Games and DeepCI — in order to del...
May 16, 2025•37 min•Ep. 2
🎙NEXT.io Podcast #21 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig and Benjie Cherniak. In this episode, Pierre, Lloyd, and Benjie break down the biggest questions facing iGaming investors today: -How do you invest during uncertain, disruptive times? - Is AI in gaming hype or truly transforming the industry? - Has the classic B2B “picks and shovels” strategy held up or is it time to rethink? ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:39 - Sponsors message03:33 - Investing in iGaming during uncertain t...
May 16, 2025•44 min•Ep. 235
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #235 with Jason March, VP of Gaming at DraftKingsJason March built DraftKings' iGaming division from scratch and in this episode, hosted by Pierre Lindh, he takes us behind the scenes of how it's become a tech-first, content-driven casino powerhouse.⏰ Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:18 - Sponsors message01:38 - Welcoming Jason March02:10 - Why Jason joined DraftKings and built the iGaming division04:58 - How DraftKings became a tech-first casino operator07:36 - Trends in U.S. iGami...
May 13, 2025•35 min•Ep. 235
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #234 with Erik Nyman, President EveryMatrix Americas What does it take to double your revenue, double your EBITDA, and break into some of the hardest gaming markets? Pierre Lind sat down with Erik Nyman, President, North America at EveryMatrix, to uncover the strategy behind their global growth. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 00:38 - Sponsors message 01:58 - Welcoming Erik Nyman 03:05 - The incredible growth numbers of EveryMatrix 05:36 - Erik’s career journey: from NetEnt to Eve...
May 06, 2025•58 min•Ep. 234
In this episode of NEXT In-Depth, Conor Mulheir invites Regulus Partners’ Paul Leyland to explain how he approaches the analysis of publicly listed companies’ financial reports. With Q1 reporting season now upon us, the pair will explore the best ways to understand what public companies are telling us – and what they aren’t. As an example, they will take a closer look at Evolution’s Q1 report, which bucked the firm’s trend of consistent growth as it showed a sequential decline in quarterly EBITD...
May 01, 2025•48 min•Ep. 2
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #233 with Akhil Sarin, CMO of Stake. Akhil Sarin, the marketing mastermind behind Stake, breaks down the blueprint behind Stake’s viral rise from streamer-led growth and global sports deals to launching KICK and going head-to-head with Twitch. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:34 - Sponsors 01:51 - Welcoming Akhil Sarin03:35 - Akhil's Journey to CMO 05:57 - The Early Days of Stake 08:54 - The Streaming Strategy 13:31 - Key Partnerships and Brand Elevation 15:22 - The Drake...
Apr 10, 2025•54 min•Ep. 233
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #231 with Justin Park, CEO & Co-Founder of Betty. How do you build a successful casino gaming brand in a highly competitive market? Justin Park, CEO & Co-Founder of Betty, shares his insights on launching and scaling a challenger brand in the regulated iGaming space. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:46 - Sponsors 02:06 - Welcoming Justin Park 06:09 - Betty Initials: startup journey & early ventures 12:19 - Raising capital: relationships vs. pitch decks 16:38 -...
Apr 03, 2025•47 min•Ep. 232
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #225 with Tom Light, Co-Founder and Group CEO at FIRST - Best in Sports In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Tom Light, CEO & Founder of FIRST - Best in Sports, breaks down five major industry trends. These include the decline of easy profits in iGaming, the power of gamification, and the rise of AI-driven odds-making. ⏰ Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction 00:36 - Sponsors 01:54 - From SBTech to First – Best in Sports 04:53 - Building a New Platform From Scratch 07:54 - Analysing ...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 225
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #230 with Jake Dovey, CEO & Founder of PayModum. What’s next for payments in the iGaming industry? Jake Dovey from PayModum, explores the current state of payment innovation, emerging trends, and the impact of evolving financial technologies on operators and suppliers. ⏰ Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:38 - Sponsors02:08 - Why payments and innovation aren’t always connected04:26 - Lessons from Apple Pay, Klarna & adoption timelines08:30 - The real reason innovation s...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 230
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #229 with Martin Collins, Chief Business Development Officer at Soft2bet. Martin Collins, joins Pierre Lindh to discuss why the U.S. iGaming market is still full of untapped opportunities, despite recent operator exits. Martin shares why Soft2Bet is entering the U.S. now, how they plan to disrupt the market with a fresh UX approach, and what the future holds for tribal operators, iCasino expansion, and alternative betting models. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:50 - Spon...
Mar 13, 2025•43 min•Ep. 229
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #228 with Robbie Bressler, CFO at Bragg Gaming Group. In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming , dives deep into why the U.S. iGaming market remains one of the biggest opportunities in the industry. Despite slow state-by-state regulation, Robbie explains why Bragg Gaming is betting big on the U.S., the role of sweepstakes in shaping future laws, and whether new challengers can compete with FanDuel & DraftKings in online casino. ⏰ Timestamps: 00...
Mar 10, 2025•47 min•Ep. 228
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #227 with Roger Ehrenberg, Managing Partner at Eberg Capital In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Pierre Lindh welcomes investor and venture capitalist Roger Ehrenberg for a deep dive into money, success, leadership, and investing. Roger shares insights from his Wall Street career, his transition into venture capital, and the mindset needed to build and back successful businesses. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:49 - Sponsors 02:09 - Roger Ehrenberg’s Background 03:07 - The ...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 227
🎙NEXT.io Podcast #20 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig, Benjie Cherniak & Special Guest, Justin Park. In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig and Benjie Cherniak explore the rise of challenger brands in iGaming, questioning whether new players can still break into a market dominated by giants like FanDuel and DraftKings. They also dive into what makes a great leader, from startup resilience to scaling with strong teams. Special guest Justin Park, CEO of ...
Mar 03, 2025•50 min•Ep. 226
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #225 with David Carruthers, CEO at David Carruthers Consulting Limited. In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, David Carruthers shares his extraordinary journey in the iGaming industry. From leading a billion-dollar company to serving time in federal prison, David shares his rise, fall, and ultimate reinvention of himself. As the former CEO of BetOnSports, he built one of the most dominant online sportsbooks, until a U.S. crackdown changed everything. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduct...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 225
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #22 4 with Nigel Eccles, Former FanDuel CEO In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Nigel Eccles, Former FanDuel CEO shares his incredible journey in the company the challenges faced during its growth, including legal battles and regulatory scrutiny, and the eventual exit to Flutter Entertainment. He reflects on the lessons learned from raising capital, the importance of ethical investors, and his current venture into the crypto casino space with BetHog, emphasizing the need f...
Feb 20, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 222
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #223 with Jesse Learmonth , Founder of Bettingstartups In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Pierre Lindh and Jesse Learmonth dive deep into the evolving landscape of gaming startups in North America. They also discuss the importance of solving pain points for operators, and the resilience of bootstrapped entrepreneurs, current investment trends, and the launch of The Starties, an award show dedicated to celebrating startup success in the gaming industry. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 223
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #222 with Sarah Robertson, CCO at Kambi. In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Pierre Lindh sits down with Sarah Robertson, CCO at Kambi, to discuss the company’s shift from a turnkey sports betting provider to a modular approach. They dive into how AI-driven odds are shaping the industry, the role of traders in an evolving landscape, and Kambi’s latest product innovations, including the Tzeract AI-powered trading platform. The conversation also covers emerging markets, with a focu...
Feb 06, 2025•34 min•Ep. 222
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #19 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig & Benjie Cherniak. In this episode, Pierre, Lloyd and Benjie explore the rise of prediction markets in the U.S., the regulatory grey area between investing and gambling, and the disruptive potential of new betting models. They also discuss the evolution of competitive socialization venues like Topgolf, the tech behind real-money gaming integrations, and key lessons for investors and founders in iGaming. ⏰ Timestamps: 0...
Feb 03, 2025•44 min
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #221 with David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt. In this episode, Pierre sits down with David Mann, CEO of Swintt, to discuss the evolving landscape of game studios in iGaming. David also shares insights on Swintt’s strategy, partnerships, and the impact of regulation on game providers. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:28 - Sponsors 02:02 - Welcoming David Mann 02:50 - David’s Journey to CEO of Swintt 04:35 - Swintt’s Growth and Aggregation Model 06:11 - Regional ...
Jan 30, 2025•47 min•Ep. 221
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #220 with Thomas Lefebvre, Co-Founder at Lagio Gaming In this episode, Thomas Lefebvre, Co-Founder at Lagio Gaming, opens up about the challenges and emotional journey of losing his business partner and mentor, Henri Etrillard. Discover how Thomas navigated the unexpected loss, kept the business afloat, and honored Henri’s legacy through resilience and innovation. CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO ✩ Website - https://next.io/ ✩ Instagram - /nextdotio ✩ X/Twitter - /nextdotio ✩ LinkedIn - /...
Jan 23, 2025•49 min•Ep. 220
Like so many of the people whose lives he touched, we were devastated to hear of the sudden and untimely death of our Weekly News co-host, Nico Jansen, on 9 January. Please join us, alongside a group of Nico’s close friends, as we take some time to reflect on Nico’s life, the impact he had on each of us, and the legacy he leaves behind. This special episode of Weekly News is dedicated to the memory of our beloved friend, Nico Jansen. To make a donation in support of Nico's family, please go to t...
Jan 17, 2025•33 min
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #219 with James Curwen, CEO at Yggdrasil Gaming In this episode, James Curwen, CEO at Yggdrasil Gaming, shares his journey of transforming a company in decline into a thriving, tech-driven industry leader. Discover his strategies for reinvention, leadership, and innovation in the competitive iGaming space. . ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:31 - Sponsors 01:50 - Welcoming James Curwen 02:30 - Tackling the challenges of turning a company around 04:06 - Why rapid action is ...
Jan 16, 2025•54 min•Ep. 219
This week on NEXT.io Weekly News, we’re diving into the latest legislative developments in the iGaming world, covering major updates on Maryland, Virginia, Ukraine, and Thailand. Elsewhere, Ukraine’s president opts to enact legislation to close down the country’s gambling regulator. 🗞 Read the full stories here: - Maryland legislature to debate online gambling legalization https://next.io/news/regulation/maryland-legislature-to-debate-online-gambling-legalisation/ - Virginia iGaming legislation...
Jan 10, 2025•57 min
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #218 with Shimon Akad, COO of Playtech In this episode, Pierre Lindh sits down with Shimon Akad, COO of Playtech, to explore the cutting-edge innovations reshaping the iGaming industry. From Playtech’s strategic growth in North America and Brazil to its groundbreaking partnership with MGM Resorts, Shimon reveals how the company is blending land-based and online casinos for the ultimate player experience. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nextdotio A...
Jan 09, 2025•38 min•Ep. 218
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #217 with Joris Dekkers, author of The Las Vegas Book. In this episode, Pierre Lindh sits down with Joris Dekkers to uncover the untold stories and transformations that shaped Las Vegas into the entertainment capital of the world. From its mobster roots and glitzy casino empires to today’s corporate dominance and mega-events, Joris shares insights into the visionaries who built the city—and what its future might hold. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Spotify: https://open.spotify.c...
Jan 02, 2025•51 min•Ep. 217
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #216 with Phil Pearson, Chief Executive Officer at White Label Casinos. In this special episode, Pierre Lindh and Phil Pearson take a deep dive into the biggest trends, challenges, and predictions for the iGaming industry in 2025 and beyond. From regulatory shifts and market fragmentation to the best and worst slot studios and game innovations, this episode is packed with insights, humor, and bold predictions. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/...
Dec 31, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 216
