NEXT.io Podcast

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #197 with Karolina Pelc, VP at BEyondPlay, FanDuel 🎧 𝗛𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲? Karolina Pelc shares how she balanced intense workloads at a startup and being an entrepreneur while trying to have a personal life.   Karolina gives us the lowdown on the inspiring journey from founding Beyond Play to its acquisition by FanDuel. Don't miss this inspiring interview with Pierre Lindh and Karolina Pelc! ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction  00:36 - Sponsors 01:32 - Karolina's Journey 02:55 - Entrepreneurial Journey & the First Major Exit 06:09 - The process of Selling BeyondPlay 10:10 - Life After the Entrepreneurial Exit 16:09 - Challenges of an Intense Workload 20:39 - The Responsibility as an Entrepreneur  25:01 - The Realities on Mental Health. 31:55 - Adjusting to New Roles and Motherhood 35:55 - Reflections on Productivity and Work-Life Balance 39:06 - Different Scenarios at Entrepreneurship to Be Productive 45:39 - Coping Mechanisms for Efficiency  55:07 - Shadow work vs. Deep-Focus Work Concept 58:00 - Looking to the Future & Investing in Female Founders 01:02:07 - Advice for New Founders 01:09:11 - Investor Perspective and Building Credibility 01:16:10 - The Next Steps for Karolina  01:18:28 - Closing Marks 🔗 CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO ✩ Website - https://next.io/  ✩ Instagram - @next.io ✩ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/next... _____ This episode 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.betconstruct.com/ 

Catch this week’s NEXT.io Weekly News for a quick rundown of significant iGaming updates. Highlights include DraftKings' acquisition of Simplebet, enhancing its betting technology. We also cover Evoke's purchase of Winner.ro, aiming for growth in Romania, and BlueBet’s strategic exit from the US market. 🗞 Read the full stories: – DraftKings to acquire micro-betting specialist Simplebet – Evoke to acquire Romanian local hero brand Winner.ro for €10m – BlueBet exits US market to refocus on expanding Australian operations – Spribe and Flutter’s Adjarabet lose $330m Georgian copyright case This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ Join Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen every Thursday at 3pm CET across all our social media channels to get the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.  Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

📰 Your go-to source for the latest in iGaming! Tune in as we bring you the hottest news and trends in the industry, featuring in-depth discussions on each topic. In this week’s NEXT.io Weekly News we are delighted to have a special guest, John Gordon, Co-Founder and CEO of Incentive Games who will guide us through the Prize Matcher launch announcement, a new daily free-to-play game exclusively on bet365. This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ 📅 Every Thursday at 3 PM CET 📍 Streaming across all our social media platforms 🎙️ Hosted by Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen

🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #195 with Brais Pena, Chief Strategy Officer at Easygo. In this episode, we dive into the world of Stake 🎰 with Brais Pena Sanchez, the visionary Chief Strategy Officer. Brais takes us through Stake's meteoric rise, from its crypto casino roots to becoming a powerhouse in online gambling - trust, innovation, and strategic celebrity partnerships, like those with Drake and the UFC, have fuelled their success. Brais also shares the secrets behind their vibrant community engagement and future ambitions, including a potential leap into the North American market. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 1:49 - Welcoming Brais Pena Sanchez 02:32 - Brais's Journey with Stake 05:54 - Trust and Security in Crypto Casinos 8:24 - Reasons for Stake's Success 10:21 - Brand Ambassadorship Strategy 15:29 - Partnerships with Sports Organizations (UFC and Formula One) 17:01 - Streaming Partnerships Strategy 18:48 - Responsible Gambling 20:58 - Reaction to Twitch's Gambling Ban and Launch of Kick 23:32 - Growth and Future of Kick 25:04 - Other Ventures within Easygo 27:16 - Managing Hyper Growth 31:16 - Leadership and Company Culture 33:21 - Regulated Markets and Expansion Plans 36:31 - New Generation of Crypto Casinos 37:56 - Community Building and Player Engagement 44:09 - Trends in iGaming, Crypto, and Streaming 46:54 - Ambition for Easygo and Stake 49:05 - Potential Entry into the North American Market 🔔 LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/es/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/409DefE... 🔗 CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO ✩ Website - https://next.io/ ✩ Instagram - @next.io ✩ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/next... _____ 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/

🎙Welcome to episode #14 of Vested Interest, with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig & Benjie Cherniak and special guest, Erik Hession, Co-president Caesars Sports & Online gambling - Caesars Entertainment, Inc. Dive deep into the latest trends shaping the iGaming industry, focusing on the evolving build vs. buy strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and the growing interest in micro-betting. The episode features a special interview with Eric Hession, who shares insights into his career journey, the transition from retail to digital operations, and Caesars' strategic approach to growth and innovation in the competitive online gaming market. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:42 - Welcoming Guests 02:23 - Build vs. Buy Strategies 05:21 - Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in the Industry 07:09 - Micro-Betting and Pricing Trends 09:00 - Impact on B2B Suppliers 14:11 - DraftKings Pricing Surcharge Discussion 31:21 - EriK Hession's Professional Journey 34:34 - Transition from Retail to Digital Operations 37:18 - Build vs. Buy Strategy and Zero Flux Acquisition 43:13 - M&A Integration Challenges 46:10 - DraftKings Pricing Surcharge Reaction 48:10 - Growth Opportunities for Caesars  50:50 - Exploring International Expansion 52:57 - Closing Marks 🔗 CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO ✩ Website - https://next.io/  ✩ Instagram - @next.io ✩ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/next... _____ 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/

Join us on NEXT.io Weekly News for a concise update on key iGaming developments. In this episode, Conor and Nico take a look at Flutter Entertainment's reported bids for Betnacional and Snaitech. This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ Join Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen every Thursday at 3pm CET across all our social media channels to get the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.  Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

Join us on NEXT.io Weekly News for a concise update on key iGaming developments. In this episode, Conor and Nico analyse Thailand's draft regulations for land-based casinos, Wynn Resorts' ambitious development in the UAE, and India's focus on real money gaming companies. Nico's Five in 10 also covered the biggest iGaming stories of the week, including DraftKings' new surcharge on winnings. 🗞 Read the full stories here: - Thailand’s draft regulations set casino licence fees at €129m: https://next.io/news/regulation/thailand-draft-regulations-casino-licence-fees/ - Wynn bullish on UAE progress, buys more land amid strong Q2 results: https://next.io/news/results/wynn-bullish-on-uae-progress/ - India considers simplifying RMG foreign investment rules: https://next.io/news/investment/india-considers-simplifying-rmg-investment-rules/ - DraftKings announces winnings surcharge in high-tax states: https://next.io/news/betting/draftkings-announces-winnings-surcharge-high-tax-states/ This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ Join Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen every Thursday at 3pm CET across all our social media channels to get the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.  Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

Join us on NEXT.io Weekly News for a concise update on key iGaming developments. We discuss Stake's acquisition of Idealbet and its potential to reshape the betting industry. Also, we explore New Zealand's plan to regulate online casinos by 2026, aiming to enhance market access and consumer protection. Additionally, we touch on DraftKings exiting the NFT marketplace and Third Planet's acquisition of Props.com, assessing their impacts on the respective companies and markets. 🗞 Read the full story here: - New Zealand to launch online casino licensing regime by 2026: https://next.io/news/regulation/new-zealand-licencing-system-online-casinos-2026/ - DraftKings ditches NFT marketplace following class action lawsuit: https://next.io/news/regulation/draftkings-ditches-nft-marketplace/ - Third Planet Affiliates acquires Props.com for an undisclosed sum: https://next.io/news/investment/third-planet-acquires-props-dotcom/ - Stake expands into Italy with Idealbet acquisition: https://next.io/news/investment/stake-acquires-idealbet/ This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ Join Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen every Thursday at 3pm CET across all our social media channels to get the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.  Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

This week on NEXT.io Weekly News, we spotlight a significant legal development as a case involving player losses in Germany escalates to the European Court of Justice. We’ll explore the background of the lawsuit, where a German player is contesting significant losses, arguing that they were incurred through an operator not fully compliant with local regulations. Special Guest: Dr. Jörg Hofmann, Partner Melchers Law Firm This week's sessions are brought to you by: Playson: https://playson.com/  Sponsored by:  Hub88: https://hub88.io/ Join Conor Mulheir and Nico Jansen every Thursday at 3pm CET across all our social media channels to get the freshest iGaming news and explore the most captivating stories of the week.  Be cool, be curious, be in the know!

🎙️ Welcome to episode #13 of Vested Interest, with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig & Benjie Cherniak. Benji and Lloyd explore the evolving online gambling and sports betting industry, the shift of several operators from the US market and prompting investors to seek opportunities internationally and in less regulated spaces. The episode highlights recent deals like C-15 Studio and Lync, and a case study on Betty, an Ontario-based, female-first operator led by CEO Justin Park ⏰ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 0:24 - Sponsors 1:43 - Introduction to the episode.  2:02 - Regulated online gambling and sports betting space in the US Updates  6:08 - Emphasis on ROI and adding value. 9:28 - International Companies Expansion.  13:06 - Repeal of PASPA and its changes in investment strategies over the years.  17:06 - Venture capital dynamics and founder focus.  22:23 - Doubling down on existing investments 28:51 - Case study on Canadian operator Betty.  36:28 - Financial performance and achievements of Betty.  45:34 - Rapid fire questions. 🔗 CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO ✩ Website - https://next.io/  ✩ Instagram - @next.io ✩ Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/next... _____ 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/