In Episode 97 of the Smart Betting Club Podcast, I am joined for the third time by Anthony Kaminskas, founder of AKBets and a former professional punter turned bookmaker.

Nearly three years on from the launch of AKBets, this conversation takes stock of how the business has grown, how the betting industry has shifted, and why life as a modern bookmaker is far tougher than most punters realise - including a healthy discussion on betting restrictions.

AK speaks candidly about operating under UK regulation, handling restrictions, managing compliance risk, and absorbing rising costs at every level of the business. He also lifts the lid on the real economics of running a sportsbook, sharing hard numbers on payroll, data feeds, duties, levies, payment processing and platform fees.

This is not a marketing interview. It is an honest look at why betting markets look the way they do, why margins are tightening, and why both punters and bookmakers are being squeezed by the same pressures.

Topics covered include

• The early chaos of launching AKBets just before Cheltenham and surviving the first year 
• Growing from a one man operation to a licensed bookmaker with close to 30 staff 
• Why compliance now outweighs trading as the biggest business risk and team 
• How and why bookmakers limit or restrict certain betting patterns 
• The reality behind social media narratives around account closures 
• The impact of rising UK betting and casino duties on prices and offers 
• Why higher taxation almost always leads to worse odds for customers
• The true monthly cost of running a UK sportsbook 
• Why horse racing is becoming harder and harder to offer sustainably 
• The growing risk of black market operators as regulation tightens 
• Whether the future still holds opportunity for sharp bettors 
• Why professional gambling skills transfer well outside betting

If you want to understand how bookmakers actually think, why markets behave the way they do, and where the pressure points now sit in UK betting, this is essential listening.

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Resources & Mentions

• AKBets
• Smart Betting Club