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.

🎙 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 crucial in a declining business

06:03 - Becoming the largest content aggregator

07:49 - Building a scalable tech platform and innovating with AI

10:46 - Balancing culture and connection

12:22 - The four pillars of transformation: Efficiency, sustainability, disruption, and innovation

18:48 - The risk of complacency: Reinventing before decline

20:08 - Why bravery and risk-taking are essential for leadership success

24:27 - Balancing being friendly vs. being a leader

27:27 - Fostering a culture of engagement and accountability

33:36 - Attributes of great leaders

40:19 - Building a high-performing, skilled team

45:02 - Letting go to move forward

50:18 - From decline to double growth

52:45 - What’s next? James’s vision for the future of the company

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE06IKPhZzhDIDpH3?si=bf60dedab34e45bc

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

✩ Instagram - / nextdotio

✩ X/Twitter - / nextdotio

✩ LinkedIn - / nextdotio

This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by:

Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology.

https://pragmatic.solutions/

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider.

https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/

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

- Virginia iGaming legislation makes its first appearance

- Ukraine President dissolves gambling regulator

- Thailand eyes legalizing online gambling

Hang out with Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen on our Weekly News live stream, every Thursday at 3 PM CET across all our social media channels. We’ll dive into the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.

Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

This episode is brought to you by:

Hub88.io

https://hub88.io/

🎙 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

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO 

 ✩ Website - https://next.io/ 

 ✩ Instagram - / nextdotio 

 ✩ X/Twitter - / nextdotio 

 ✩ LinkedIn - / nextdotio 

This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by: 

 Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology. 

 https://pragmatic.solutions/ 

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider. 

https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #217 with Joris Dekkers, author of The Las Vegas Book.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE06IKPhZzhDIDpH3?si=b3dcb04d35a84057

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider.

Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology.

🎙 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

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by:

Episode sponsored by:

This week on a festive edition of NEXT.io Weekly News, Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen take you on a journey through the biggest stories of the year, month by month. From game-changing mergers to regulatory milestones and emerging markets, we’re wrapping up 2024 with the key moments that defined the iGaming industry.

🎄 Grab a cup of cocoa (or something stronger!) and join us as we celebrate the highlights, surprises, and unforgettable stories of the year.

Hang out with Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen on our Weekly News live stream, every Thursday at 3 PM CET across all our social media channels. We’ll dive into the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.

Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #215 with Max Trafimovich, CCO at SOFTSWISS. 

We're back with the annual episode featuring the SOFTSWISS iGaming Trends Report! Pierre Lindh welcomes Max Trafimovich, CCO of SOFTSWISS, to uncover the most important trends shaping iGaming in 2025.  

Max Trafimovich shares insights on how regulatory fragmentation is shaping global iGaming, the transformative potential of AI in personalization and security, and how operators can unlock new opportunities through mergers, acquisitions, and strategic market entries. 

  Download the report here 👉🏻 http://bit.ly/49OlyIA

⏰ Timestamps: 

00:00 – Introduction 

00:23 – Sponsors 

01:42 – Welcoming Max Trafimovich back to the podcast 

02:00 – Overview of the 2024 iGaming Report  

03:08 – Purpose of the report and its goals 

05:05 – Research methodology and data sources 

06:45 – Key trends and prospects in the iGaming industry for 2025 

09:03 – Four key segments in the report 

09:24 – UK: grey market growth and its implications for global regulation 

13:18 – Preparing for fragmented regulatory landscapes 

19:32 – When is the right time for M&A or new market entry? 

22:41 – SOFTSWISS’ M&A activities and rationale behind recent acquisitions 

25:28 – The rise of sports betting as a central focus for casino platforms 

29:12 – The growing potential of eSports betting 

31:08 – Trends to avoid in 2025 and the reality of AI applications 

33:13 – Opportunities and challenges in 2025 

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST 

 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE... 

 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/ne... 

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO 

 ✩ Website - https://next.io/ 

 ✩ Instagram - / nextdotio 

 ✩ X/Twitter - / nextdotio 

 ✩ LinkedIn - / nextdotio 

This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by: 

 Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider. 

 https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/ 

 Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology. 

 https://pragmatic.solutions/ 

Episode sponsored by: 

https://www.creedroomz.com/

🎙NEXT.io Podcast #18 of Vested Interest, with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig & Benjie Cherniak.

In this episode, we dive into Robinhood’s surprising potential entry into the sports betting industry, the rise of federally regulated prediction markets, and how non-gaming giants like Amazon and X (Twitter) could disrupt the iGaming space. We also review the biggest M&A moves of 2024 and uncover the secrets behind successful exits.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and sponsors.

02:21 - Robinhood’s potential move into the U.S. sports betting sector.

05:10 - How Robinhood could disrupt the industry and potential strategies.

09:55 - The evolution of prediction markets and regulatory considerations.

17:07 - Exploring disruptive forces from outside the iGaming industry.

24:48 - Could companies like Amazon or X (Twitter) enter the gaming space?

30:12 - A year-end review of M&A activity in 2024 and standout deals.

37:15 - Lessons from successful exits: Bootstrapped vs. VC-backed ventures.

45:38 - Closing remarks and predictions for 2025.

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/ne...

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

✩ Instagram - / nextdotio

✩ X/Twitter - / nextdotio

✩ LinkedIn - / nextdotio

_____

This episode of the NEXT.io is brought to you by:

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content provider.

https://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/

Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technology.

https://pragmatic.solutions/

Episode sponsored by:

https://www.creedroomz.com/

Join us for a special episode of Weekly News exploring the findings of our new hashtag#SouthAfrica report.

Discover the South African hashtag#iGaming landscape, including emerging trends, player preferences, and market forecasts.

Check out the South Africa report here 👉 https://next.io/next-igaming-market-in-focus-south-africa-report/

👤 Special guests

Max Tesla from Blask and Sasha Boerma

Hang out with Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen on our Weekly News live stream, every Thursday at 3 PM CET across all our social media channels. We’ll dive into the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.

Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

This episode is brought to you by:

Playson: https://playson.com/

Sponsored by:

Hub88.io: https://hub88.io/