NEXT.io Podcast

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #263 with Kevin Mullally, CEO, International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR)

In this episode, Pierre sits down with Kevin to break down the current state of the UAE's iGaming market, the global battle against the black market, the fracture inside the American Gaming Association, and why prediction markets may be gambling's next regulatory crisis.

Kevin Mullally built one of the most closely watched new gaming regulators in the world from scratch, in under six months. As the former CEO of the UAE's General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) and now CEO of the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR), Kevin brings a rare perspective on what modern regulation should look like and what the global industry is getting dangerously wrong.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:42 - Sponsor messages

02:01 - Introduction: Kevin Mullally & UAE market overview

02:59 - Building the UAE regulator from scratch

05:31 - Rethinking regulation: compliance vs enforcement

08:46 - Policy goals: why the UAE regulates gaming

10:13 - UAE strategy: ecosystem over revenue

13:43 - Land-based market structure (Emirates approach)

16:47 - Licensing progress: Wynn, lottery & early milestones

18:32 - Online market structure & licensing model

22:25 - B2B opportunity: “technology should lead”

25:02 - Case study: Yolo & entering the UAE market

30:14 - Relationship-first approach to market entry

33:29 - IAGR: global regulation & role of collaboration

37:06 - The black market problem (global perspective)

39:14 - Regulation vs illegal markets: growing tension

44:43 - What works in fighting the black market

46:04 - Need for global collaboration

48:25 - Prediction markets vs regulation

50:01 - State rights, consumer protection & policy conflict

53:03 - Future of regulation: need for global dialogue

56:00 - Closing thoughts

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nextdotio/podcasts

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website: https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Hard Rock Games: https://www.hardrockgames.com/

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #262 with Savvas Fellas CEO and Founder of MrQ.

UK Tax Shock, Black Market Risk & The Future of Operators

In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Savvas Fellas, CEO of MrQ, breaks down the real impact of the UK’s upcoming gambling tax changes and what they mean for operators, players, and the wider industry.

With tax increases expected to reach up to 40% of revenue, this conversation explores how operators are adapting, where margins are being squeezed, and why the next 12 months could reshape the UK market.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:26 - Sponsors message

01:48 - Welcoming Savvas Fellas

03:48 - Building MrQ & company philosophy

07:40 - Impact of the 40% tax increase

12:17 - Crisis vs opportunity: how companies respond

16:20 - Cost cuts across the industry (RTP, suppliers, structure)

19:18 - Acquisition, affiliates & marketing challenges

22:00 - Black market risk and player behaviour

25:16 - Trust vs value: why players choose operators

30:09 - Market consolidation & economies of scale

33:59 - Survive vs thrive: strategy for MrQ

36:31 - Focus vs expansion: staying in the UK

39:05 - Regulation, UKGC & industry responsibility

44:43 - The future of the UK market

48:44 - Consolidation: fewer, larger operators

51:50 - How to build a strong gaming brand

53:49 - Final thoughts: winners vs losers

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nextdotio/podcasts

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website: https://next.io/

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 #261 with Jesse Learmonth from The Betting Startups.

In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Jesse Learmonth joins us to discuss the current state of the iGaming startup ecosystem, what investors are actually looking for today, and why building new companies in gaming has become significantly harder.

As the founder of Betting Startups, Jesse works closely with early-stage companies and investors across the industry. In this conversation, we explore how the funding environment has changed, why distribution and partnerships are critical for growth, and what skills founders need to succeed when launching new gaming businesses.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:28 - Jesse Learmonth returns to the NEXT.io Podcast

01:15 - The role of Betting Startups in the ecosystem

03:10 - The current state of iGaming startups

07:45 - Why building startups is harder today

11:10 - Funding environment & investor expectations

14:00 - What makes a startup investable

18:00 - Innovation in iGaming

22:30 - Where startups can still win

27:00 - Scaling challenges for gaming startups

31:00 - Partnerships, distribution & market access

35:30 - The biggest mistakes founders make

40:00 - Why distribution is everything

44:30 - The role of networks & industry relationships

48:30 - Advice for founders entering iGaming

52:30 - The future of gaming startups

55:30 - Closing thoughts

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G826Guf8uHM&list=PLo43Fota-gt1sMzujpavaGmRbTiRXETKE

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

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website: https://next.io/

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

Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technologyhttps://pragmatic.solutions/

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content providerhttps://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #260 with Congresswoman Dina Titus | US Gaming Policy, Prediction Markets & The Fair Bets Act

In this episode, Congresswoman Dina Titus — Representative for Nevada’s 1st District (home to Las Vegas) — discusses the growing regulatory battle around prediction markets and sports event contracts in the United States.

As co-chair of the Congressional Gaming Caucus, Titus recently introduced the Fair Markets and Sports Integrity Act, a bill designed to prevent prediction market operators from offering sports-based contracts outside established state gaming frameworks.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

00:26 – Sponsors message

01:45 – Welcoming Congresswoman Dina Titus

02:37 – Titus’ background and representing Las Vegas

03:49 – The Fair Markets and Sports Integrity Act

05:29 – Prediction markets vs regulated sportsbooks

06:42 – Why the CFTC shouldn’t regulate sports contracts

08:26 – The political fight over prediction markets

09:53 – Real risks for players and the industry

11:12 – Could prediction markets expand across gaming?

13:09 – Industry divisions and the role of the AGA

16:07 – Innovation vs regulation debate

18:03 – The Fair Bets Act and the 90% tax deduction issue

20:31 – What happens next in Congress

22:16 – Engagement with prediction market operators

23:01 – Closing thoughts

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nextdotio/podcasts

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website: https://next.io/

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 #259 with Wojciech Stellmach, CEO of BugsyEmpire.

In this episode, Wojciech Stellmach CEO of BugsyEmpiere, explains what’s actually working right now across emerging verticals: from sweepstakes (sweeps 2.0) to prediction markets and why “easy money” is a myth.

We unpack the shift from talking about grey markets to “grey products”, why payments + marketing access can create real advantage, and what operators must get right in marketing tech, tracking, and foundations before spending big.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:31 - Sponsors message

01:50 - Welcome Wojciech

04:15 - Why BugsyEmpire moved into sweepstakes and emerging verticals

06:55 - The real USP: platform relationships + deep product/tech checks

09:23 - “Grey products” vs grey markets

10:53 - Sweepstakes hype vs reality

11:17 - What “grey products” means

14:43 - Other emerging verticals: prediction markets, DFS, pari-mutuel + more

20:41 - Ad rules tightening (Google/TikTok)

23:28 - Why emerging verticals can beat black market brands

28:53 - Why most operators fail at paid media

39:13 - Paid media breakdown: social vs search vs brand/programmatic

01:06:10 - Winning operators checklist: focus, tech, payments, lean teams

01:07:49 - NEXT New York + Emerging Verticals Summit (9 March)

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nextdotio/podcasts

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website: https://next.io/This episode of NEXT.io is brought to you by:

Pragmatic Solutions – Leading iGaming platform technologyhttps://pragmatic.solutions/

Pragmatic Play – Industry-leading content providerhttps://www.pragmaticplay.com/en/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #257 with Sargis Poghosyan, CPO at CreedRoomz

In this episode, Sargis Poghosyan, CPO at CreedRoomz, joins Pierre Lindh to unpack how one of the industry’s most ambitious live studios is pushing innovation through show games, in-house R&D, and flagship productions like Road to El Dorado.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Meet Sargis Poghosyan from CreedRoomz

00:22 - Sponsors

01:41 - Global studio expansion: Armenia to Brazil

03:58 - Why CreedRoomz is betting big on show games

05:14 - Road to El Dorado: The flagship title

08:24 - Boom Blast: Volatility, risk & strategy

12:00 - Marble Race: Physical tracks meet gamification

14:14 - 100+ people for one game? Behind the scenes

17:05 - Dice Fight: RNG, multipliers & hardware

20:00 - Bonus feature: Pyramid pick game

21:44 - What’s next: Lucky Colours, Rock Paper Scissors

24:13 - Crash mechanics in live casino: AVA & crypto

26:21 - The Choice: Turning childhood games into iGaming

27:44 - Why instant games are exploding in popularity

28:43 - New twists on blackjack and classics

31:51 - Future plans: Studios, mechanics & markets

33:23 - Blending live casino with sportsbook and slots

35:06 - CreedRoomz’s advantage: R&D and experimentation

36:31 - Final thoughts ahead of ICE Barcelona

28:43 - New features in classic titles: Gambling side bets in blackjack

31:51 - Vision: Expanding to new studios, markets, and mechanics

33:23 - Merging live casino with sportsbook and slots

35:06 - CreedRoomz’s edge: R&D culture and relentless experimentation

36:31 - Final thoughts and looking ahead to ICE Barcelona

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

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

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

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Creedroomz - https://www.creedroomz.com/

NOWPayments: https://nowpayments.io/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #257 with James Curwen, CEO of Yggdrasil.

The slot industry is producing more games than ever yet standing out has never been harder.

In this episode, James Curwen joins Pierre Lindh to explain why the era of reskinned slots is coming to an end and what will replace it. From rising production costs and algorithm-driven distribution to player fatigue and creative stagnation, James breaks down why the traditional slot development model no longer works.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:43 - Sponsors message

02:08 - The 3-part journey of transforming Yggdrasil

05:03 - Rebuilding tech: Platform, back office, AWS, scalability

06:59 - The cost of game production and the reskin problem

09:08 - Game in a Box: From 10-month dev cycles to 1 month

12:03 - How the business model is shifting

14:55 - €22K Game in a Box offer

16:04 - Studio in a Box: The €60K turnkey solution

18:06 - Target customers: studios, streamers, affiliates, operators

20:33 - Why this isn’t AI gimmickry

24:22 - Building and refining games faster with full creator control

27:00 - Lower costs, faster ROI, and a new model for suppliers

29:08 - AWS collaboration and scaling without service sacrifice

31:59 - Commercial growth expectations

34:52 - Tool capacity vs. support limits

37:19 - Flooding the market vs. empowering operators

39:59 - Is this killing small studios or saving them?

42:02 - Unity, player data, and creative freedom

43:28 - Going niche

46:40 - Game in a Box available launch

48:02 - Become the world’s biggest game producer

50:01 - Competing with Pragmatic, Play’n GO, and levelling the field

51:21 - Getting visibility and operator positioning

53:44 - New service: Dedicated sales support for small studios

54:36 - Final thoughts

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

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

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

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Creedroomz - https://www.creedroomz.com/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #256 with Phil Pearson, iGaming Consultant.

Another year. Another cycle of hype, pressure, pivots, and hard lessons.

In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Phil Pearson joins Pierre Lindh to unpack what really happened across iGaming in the past 12 months beyond the headlines.

Together, they explore the widening gap between innovation headlines and real progress, the pressure leaders are facing behind the scenes, the growing importance of focus over scale, and why many companies are quietly reassessing their priorities.

It’s a grounded conversation about what moved the needle, what didn’t, and what lessons are worth carrying into the year ahead.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:41 - Sponsor messages

02:04 - Welcome Phil Pearson

04:06 – Yolo’s move into regulation: why it matters

06:38 - Personal reset: health, sabbatical & perspective

11:55 - Biggest industry stories of the year

14:19 - Charity, Dar Bjorn & responsibility in iGaming

16:17 - Investigative journalism

33:27 - Game Studio Awards: overview

33:33 - Best studio of the year

39:29 - Best newcomer studio

40:39 - Worst studio of the year

44:01 - Most underwhelming game releases

49:56 - Live game of the year

51:21 - RNG game of the year

52:36 - Best industry freebies & swag

57:23 - Grey products explained

58:12 - Sweepstakes, prediction markets & loopholes

01:12:56 - The defining trend of 2026: grey products

01:30:02 - Events review: what worked, what didn’t

01:49:00 - Final outlook: where the industry is heading

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

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

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

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Creedroomz - https://www.creedroomz.com/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #255 with Valentina Diaco, Founder at Profit Matches.

AI has officially moved beyond hype. In 2025, it’s reshaping iGaming in real, tangible ways — from CRM and engagement to compliance, marketing, content creation, safe gambling, and game development.

In this episode, Valentina Diaco, one of the industry's most respected marketing and AI strategists, breaks down 10 AI companies that are already transforming iGaming today.

⏰ Timestamps:00:00 -

Intro00:23 - Sponsors message

02:09 - Welcoming Valentina & Profit Matches

04:52 - What AI Match is and why she built it

06:00 - Where AI in iGaming stands today

09:12 - AI: the real value is what you do with it

11:17 - Why AI fails in companies

12:30 - AI-to-AI economy & the future of data infrastructure

15:14 - AI agents & conversational interfaces

18:10 - The 10 AI companies reshaping iGaming

19:09 - Golden Whale: AI for UA, retention & bonus orchestration

23:40 - Field Stream AI: profitability engine for marketers

27:51 - Text.com AI: customer support & proactive assistance

33:15 - Let’s .IO: regulatory intelligence for compliance

38:11 - Gamblitude: AI-powered BI & data warehouse

41:58 - MaxFusion: AI content & UGC generation

46:47 - Mindway AI: responsible gambling detection

51:00 - insightplay.ai: conversational betting assistant

53:37 - Xenia AI: game development & personalisation

56:28 - Bettor Faster AI: development & automation agency

58:20 - Why companies resist AI adoption

01:00:16 - Biggest blockers: lack of capacity & too many tools

01:07:01 - The real cultural barrier

01:10:16 - The future: smaller, smarter, AI-native companies

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo43Fota-gt1sMzujpavaGmRbTiRXETKE&si=R7VbrUspVkL1Jyox

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Creedroomz - https://www.creedroomz.com/

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #254 with Emilie Jirsch, CMO at Dabble.

Dabble has become one of the fastest-growing betting brands on the planet — not by outspending competitors, but by out-innovating them with community, culture, and entertainment-first marketing.

In this episode, Emilie Jirsch, CMO at Dabble, reveals how the purple brand went from a small NSW startup to 1 million+ active customers, explosive US growth, and global expansion across Australia, the US, and the UK.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:29 - Sponsor message

01:50 - Welcoming Emilie Jirsch, CMO at Dabble

02:21 - How Dabble started

04:45 - Launching in Australia & hitting 1M active customers

06:03 - Product differentiation & brand awareness

07:09 - The “purple cow theory” explained

08:32 - Dabble’s growth strategy

11:23 - Creating talkable moments that build brand memory

13:22 - Moderators, culture, and self-policing communities

15:10 - $1M Hole-in-One PGA activation: the story behind it

17:00 - The true definition of disruptive brand marketing

20:49 - The “cool sh*t budget” explained

24:01 - Launching in the US through DFS

29:08 - Why the US embraced Dabble instantly

33:00 - Competitors

36:25 - Inside Dabble’s internal culture

40:06 - What’s next: UK launch, Ireland license, expansion

41:54 - Final thoughts

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo43Fota-gt1sMzujpavaGmRbTiRXETKE&si=jDpUksylKP-4_8T0

CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO

✩ Website - https://next.io/

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/

Sponsored by:

Creedroomz - https://www.creedroomz.com/