NEXT.io Podcast

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #245 with Brian Christopher Slots, Casino Gaming Content Creator and Founder & CEO at VC Venture.

Brian Christopher, a prominent gambling streamer, discusses his journey from uploading casual casino videos to building a multifaceted brand with a strong community focus. He emphasizes authenticity, transparency, and responsible gambling as key elements of his success and future plans.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:27 - Sponsors

01:47 - Welcoming Brian Christopher

03:32 - Turning viral YouTube videos into a career

05:58 - What BC Slots is today: media, cruises, team

07:16 - Big milestones: MGM, Carnival, SportsGrid

09:31 - Building a strong and loyal fan community

14:40 - Best win ever and the power of authentic play

17:19 - Group pulls & playing with fans

18:28 - Thoughts on RTP, volatility & Vegas trends

20:41 - Favorite slots and game features

22:29 - Content creation tips for new streamers: thumbnails and branding

25:41 - Changing viewer habits & competition

28:47 - Why Brian turned down crypto casino deals

32:19 - Real numbers: how much Brian wins & loses

34:41 - What’s next: TV shows, SportsGrid & future goals

35:59 - Brian’s Maltese roots and future travel plans

37:04 - Wrap-up and final thanks

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✩ 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 #244 with Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO, Immense Group and Pontus Lindwall, CEO, Betsson LIVE at NEXT Summit Valletta 2025.

In 2022, they shared the stage for the first time at iGaming NEXT Valletta. Now, we’re bringing them back for round two.

This power-packed session reunites these industry stalwarts for a straight-talking, no-nonsense discussion on the biggest forces shaping iGaming today.

From M&A shake-ups and industry consolidation to shifting regulations, they’ll break down what’s happening, what’s next, and most importantly what it means for operators, suppliers, and investors.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Big picture thinking and leadership

00:43 - Sponsors

02:10 - Welcoming Jesper Kärrbrink and Pontus Lindwall

03:19 - Icebreakers: DJs, spandex, and roulette pit bosses

08:26 - The rivalry between Betsson and Svenska Spel in the 2000s

10:58 - How Betsson disrupted the monopoly system

13:46 - Guerilla tactics, market pressure, and industry transformation

15:06 - The founding of Betsson and NetEnt

18:42 - The Betsson Ibiza trip: when culture clashes with leadership

23:01 - Personal style and individuality in the iGaming industry

26:46 - Leadership philosophies from two industry veterans

30:33 - Why work-life balance makes better leaders

33:44 - Most overrated companies in iGaming today

36:40 - Are European regulations hurting the industry?

39:47 - Mutual respect and reflection on decades of impact

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✩ 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 #243, Magnus Carlssen, World Chess Champion LIVE at NEXT Summit Valletta 2025.

Live from NEXT Summit Valletta 2025, Pierre Lindh sits down with Magnus Carlsen for an unfiltered conversation about obsession, mastery, and staying on top.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro: Mastery, mindset & loving the game

00:43 - Sponsors

01:47 - Welcoming Magnus Carlsen live on stage

03:20 - What it takes to be the best out of 600 million players

05:55 - Talent vs. training: where real chess mastery begins

06:59 - Magnus' early years: flags, Legos & concentration

08:12 - From beating his sister to studying chess at every meal

10:02 - When did Magnus realise he could become world #1?

12:44 - Becoming #1 in the world: how it really felt

14:46 - Magnus’ interest in poker: could it have replaced chess?

17:02 - Staying motivated after reaching the top

18:49 - Looking back: any sacrifices or regrets?

20:12 - Finding his own path in chess

🎥 Recorded live in partnership with Betby at NEXT Summit: Valletta 2025

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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 #242, Mathias Larsson, Commercial Director in Europe at Awager.

Live slot machines are here: how Awager is changing online casino? Is this the next big leap in real-money gaming?

In this episode, Pierre interviews Mathias Larsson, Commercial Director at Awager, the company turning physical slot machines into live-streamed online games. It's not just innovation it could be the future of online slots, live casino, and omni-channel iGaming.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:43 - Sponsors

02:08 - Welcoming Mathias Larsson

03:20 - The story behind Awager and its evolution

06:16 - Is Awager the next Evolution-style disruptor?

08:25 - Why players prefer live-streamed slot machines

11:33 - Can the model scale if it’s one player per machine?

13:50 - Why FanDuel and U.S. operators backed Awager early

16:07 - Choosing markets with strong land-based culture

18:39 - The real roadblocks to innovation in iGaming

23:26 - The innovator’s dilemma in iGaming

25:15 - Cracking the sales cycle for a product no one knows

29:57 - Biggest challenges: logistics, regulation & timing

32:57 - Awager’s business model explained

36:29 - Superstition, trust & the psychology of land-based play

38:40 - Target markets for 2025–2026 expansion

40:42 - Where Awager will be in 3 years

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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 #241, Johan Strand, CEO of Zimpler.

Johan Strand, CEO of Zimpler, discusses the company's journey from startup to a leading payment provider in the Nordics, emphasizing the importance of focusing on a specific niche and building strong relationships with customers. He also shares insights on leveraging AI and adapting to the evolving payments landscape, particularly within regulated industries like iGaming.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:43 - Sponsors

02:03 - Welcoming Johan Strand

03:04 - From startup to leading Nordic Payments Providers

09:03 - Why size doesn’t matter and how focus beats scale

11:23 - The importance of finding your own niche

16:24 - The next wave: payments innovation and AI

20:42 - Back-office automation and AI

23:26 - How Zimpler is embracing AI internally

28:14 - Could the payment landscape could be at risk?

31:47 - Relationships matter more than product

35:11 - Post-COVID relationships and real connection

37:53 - Sales cycles, trust, and human moments

42:01 - Final remarks: Where will Zimpler be in 3 years?

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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 #23 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig and Benjie Cherniak.

In this episode, we discuss the evolving landscape of collectibles and mystery boxes, drawing parallels to gambling mechanics. They explore the regulatory challenges these new products face, the recent shifts in the venture capital landscape, and the current headwinds for North American operators in the gaming industry.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:43 - Sponsor Messages

02:02 - Welcoming Lloyd & Benjie

03:06 - Mystery Boxes: Gambling in Disguise?

06:26 - Digital Buybacks and Market Liquidity

08:44 - Slot Mechanics in Collectibles

10:14 - Legal Risks & Regulatory Grey Zones

13:38 - Market Volatility & Platform Liquidity

15:11 - How Regulated Operators Might React

18:14 - Physical vs. Digital Collectibles Landscape

20:25 - Scaling Problems: Supply Chains & Pricing

24:12 – Why Most Gaming Funding Isn’t Broad-Based

26:19 – AngelList Trends & New LP Appetite

28:42 – The Category Leader Obsession

31:13 – Regulated Operator Headwinds in North America

35:44 – Regulatory Moats vs. Challenger Agility

38:45 – Long-Term Strategy: Fight or Join?

40:31 – Can There Be a National RMG Framework?

41:02 – Final Thoughts

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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/

In this episode of NEXT In-Depth, host Conor Mulheir explores the growing trend of reselling bets on secondary markets in the US. Guest speaker Travis Geiger, the co-founder and CXO of betting and fantasy sports marketplace WagerWire, explores the emergence of this novel vertical and the driving forces behind why US bettors choose to participate in it. From cultural attitudes towards sports betting to the kinds of bets which attract the most attention for resale, the pair explore the developing trend of bet reselling and how it’s shaping the US market today.

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #240, Kasra Ghaharian & Simo Dragicevic

Kasra Ghaharian, IGI Director of Research, and Simo Dragicevic , research at AiR Hub, discuss AI in the gaming industry, highlighting the need for trust and benchmarking. They introduce Air Hub, a research hub focused on AI ethics and governance in gaming.

Key projects include a state of AI in gaming report, consumer protection measures, and developing benchmarks for AI algorithms, particularly in responsible gambling.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Sponsors message

03:00 - Reflecting on Predictions from 5 Years Ago

05:27 - Introducing AIR Hub: The AI Research Initiative

08:42 - AIR Hub’s Flagship Projects

13:40 - How regulators can use AI benchmarks

16:45 - The full scope of AI in iGaming

22:30 - The State of AI in the Industry Today

26:30 - Generative AI and infinite content

30:02 - The Infinite Slot Era: What Wins When Anything Can Be Built?

34:00 - Explainable AI: The Next Essential Layer

35:00 - Autonomy, Agents, and the Limits of AI in iGaming

38:43 - The Risks of Poor Training Data and Output Guardrails

40:48 - Will AI Replace Your Job?

46:02 - The Future Vision for AIR Hub

49:40 - Final remarks

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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 #239, Denys Parkhomenko, CPO at GR8 Tech

More features don’t always mean more value. In this NEXT.io Podcast episode, Pierre Lindh sits down with Denys Parkhomenko, Chief Product Officer at GR8 Tech, to unpack why "less but better" is becoming the winning mindset for the next generation of iGaming platforms.

With a legacy in B2C and deep experience scaling complex sportsbook products, Denys shares a clear-eyed view on what operators really need from their platforms and what they should avoid at all costs.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:21 - Sponsors message

01:38 - Welcoming Denys Parkhomenko

02:31 - GR8 Tech’s approach: less but better

04:32 - Why sports betting platforms all look the same and how to stand out

06:11 - How to stand out in the market

09:03 - Balancing client requests with product strategy

12:07 - GR8 Tech’s “extendable platform” mindset

14:15 - What true scalability looks like in platform infrastructure

16:14 - Casino CoPilot, internal automation, and writing code with AI

18:01 - How new operators should evaluate platforms

19:33 - Why reputation, results, and transparency matter most

21:08 - Trust-building through onboarding & long-term collaboration

23:52 - Conferences vs coffee lines: where real conversations happen

27:25 - What’s next for GR8 Tech

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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 #238 Denis Romanovskiy, Deputy CTO at SOFTSWISS

In this episode, Pierre Lindh is joined by Denis Romanovskiy, Deputy CTO at SOFTSWISS, to unpack the findings from their latest 50-page report and dive deep into the technical, financial, and strategic factors new operators need to consider before launching their brand.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

02:00 - Why SOFTSWISS released a build vs buy report

04:30 - Key findings: who should build, who should buy

07:27 - Biggest mistakes new operators make

09:35 - Why testing & tracking matter from day one

12:33 - When should operators consider building in-house?

15:12 - How to choose the right platform partner

18:30 - The importance of cultural alignment & service

21:16 - Scalability: it’s not just tech, it’s people

24:00 - The advantage of ecosystem-level integration

28:10 - Products in the SOFTSWISS suite

31:04 - Time to market: build vs buy

34:06 - What’s next: SOFTSWISS roadmap & modular infrastructure

36:00 - AI-generated code and fully autonomous tech teams?

38:16 - Closing marks

🔗 Download SOFTSWISS report here: https://www.softswiss.com/reports/igaming-software-development-playbook/

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

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/