🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #267 with Martin Martirosyan, CEO of Imagine Live Group & Nadiya Attard, Chief Commercial Officer

Imagine Live has grown from 7 tables in 2022 to over 150 today — with studios in Armenia, Romania and Spain. But the bigger story is what's coming next. In this episode, Martin and Nadiya break down the AI dealer debate, the operator dependency trap, and why quality is the one thing they refuse to discount.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Sponsors

01:41 - Meet Nadiya Attard & Martin Martirosyan

02:14 - Nadiya's move to Imagine Live: what impressed her

03:24 - Imagine Live's origin story: from 7 tables to 150+

04:33 - AI live dealers: hype or the future?

06:18 - Will AI replace real dealers? Martin's honest take

08:30 - Are players actually asking for AI dealers?

09:44 - How Imagine Live uses AI: infrastructure, not a gimmick

16:30 - Localization in live casino: why one Spanish doesn't fit all

24:00 - The Armenia advantage: talent, speed and studio quality

31:00 - Breaking into new markets: the operator relationship challenge

38:00 - The operator dependency trap: why 40%+ from one supplier is a risk

41:15 - The Playtech monopoly lesson and what's repeating now

44:25 - Transparent commercial pricing: Nadiya's philosophy

46:21 - Imagine Live's USPs: quality, speed and technology

50:31 - Predictions: where is live casino in three years?

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

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

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:

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

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

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #266 with Way Yuhl, Entrepreneur, Investor and Geopolitical Analyst

Are we really living in unprecedented times or have we just forgotten our history?

In this episode, Pierre sits down with Way Yuhl, entrepreneur, investor and geopolitical analyst, for one of the most wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversations we've had on the NEXT.io Podcast. Way brings a 100-year historical lens to the chaos of 2026 and makes a case that is equal parts sobering and surprisingly optimistic.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Sponsors

01:34 - Welcoming Way Yuhl

02:49 - How cultural geography shapes geopolitics

04:30 - Why prediction markets beat expert analysts

07:07 - The wisdom of the crowds: how it actually works

10:27 - The limits of prediction markets

12:28 - Way's method: how he reads where the world is heading

16:09 - Are we really living in unprecedented times?

19:20 - The 100-year cycle: where does 2026 fit?

26:15 - Trump vs Iran: a culture clash

33:10 - Prediction markets and geopolitical forecasting

39:28 - Putin's endgame: does he want all of Europe?

47:31 - The dragon theory: why China is not the enemy

55:00 - The US-EU relationship and what comes next

01:11:30 - Why World War 3 won't happen

01:13:58 - The nuclear red line that collapses Russia

01:16:00 - Way's optimism: what the next 10 years actually look like

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

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:

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

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

NOTE: This episode was recorded before the US-Iran MOU was signed on June 17, 2026. Way's read on the conflict proved accurate.

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #265 with Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution.

Todd Haushalter, Chief Product Officer at Evolution, sits down for an unfiltered conversation covering everything the industry is talking about — lawsuits against Light & Wonder and Playtech, why he thinks AI deepfake live dealers are "dead on arrival," and what Evolution's monster 2026 game roadmap looks like.

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Sponsors

01:34 - Todd & Pierre: back together

03:28 - Two years at Evolution: what's really changed

04:46 - Suing Light & Wonder over Lightning Roulette

06:25 - The Playtech dossier: how industrial espionage works

13:55 - Is Evolution becoming a value stock?

19:12 - AI-generated games: threat or noise?

20:34 - Deepfake live dealers: why Todd calls it a catastrophic failure

36:20 - Brands vs. AI slots: who wins when games are infinite?

44:26 - The Hasbro deal and the brand-first strategy

52:19 - Competition in live casino: is the iron grip loosening?

58:48 - Aviator: the most impressive success story in iGaming

01:03:51 - Acquisition rumours and Evolution's M&A strategy

01:14:01 - The $2 billion share buyback explained

01:19:18 - Cybercrime in Asia: what can actually be said

01:22:10 - European regulatory headwinds and revenue pullbacks

01:28:01 - Prediction markets: where does Evolution fit?

01:34:13- The investment case for Evolution right now

01:42:20 - Todd's 3 predictions for the next 3 years

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhXvQfFm7GE&list=PLo43Fota-gt1sMzujpavaGmRbTiRXETKE

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/⁠

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

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #265 with Alexander Kane, CEO and Founder of Sporttrade

In 2017 - a full year before the US Supreme Court even legalized sports betting - Alex Kane was already building something nobody asked for: a sports exchange.

Now, prediction markets are valued higher than Flutter, the world's biggest gambling company. So was Alex just early, or did he see something everyone else missed?

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro & Sponsors

01:33 - Who is Alex Kane and what is Sporttrade?

02:28 - The Robinhood moment that sparked the idea

04:40 - Why Betfair failed and why the US is different

08:11 - The early years: building a sports exchange before it was legal

11:35 - Where Sporttrade fits in the prediction market boom today

16:56 - Why the boom happened now and not before

22:06 -The impossible debate: is this gambling or a financial tool?

28:21 -Both things can be true

31:46 -Exchange model vs. house model and responsible gambling

37:08 - Market manipulation: the hardest unsolved problem

41:18 - Kalshi at $22B vs Flutter: bubble or breakthrough?

45:00 - What are perpetual futures and why do they matter?

49:31 - Prediction markets as a top-of-funnel product

56:08 - What happens to DraftKings and FanDuel?

01:01:44 - Alex's 3 predictions for the industry in 3 years

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhXvQfFm7GE&list=PLo43Fota-gt1sMzujpavaGmRbTiRXETKE

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/

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

🎙️ 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

🔔 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/

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

🔔 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 #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

🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST

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/