Vested Interest #21: Investing in iGaming During Uncertain Times

🎙NEXT.io Podcast #21 of Vested Interest with Pierre Lindh, Lloyd Danzig and Benjie Cherniak.

In this episode, Pierre, Lloyd, and Benjie break down the biggest questions facing iGaming investors today:

-How do you invest during uncertain, disruptive times?

- Is AI in gaming hype or truly transforming the industry?

- Has the classic B2B “picks and shovels” strategy held up or is it time to rethink?

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 - Intro

00:39 - Sponsors message03:33 - Investing in iGaming during uncertain times

06:28 - Early-stage investment strategy v.s macro volatility

08:38 - Regulatory risk v.s macro risk

10:02 - Trump presidency and prediction markets

13:24 - Lipstick index v.s lottery index

17:19 - AI in gaming – hype or commercial reality?

22:13 - Challenges: long sales cycles and limited proof points

25:26 - What’s still missing in AI innovation

26:41 - Spotlight: Blask and AI-powered black market insights

28:14 - Can AI accurately measure offshore activity?

30:22 - The problem with AI auditability

32:06 - B2B vs B2C: risk-adjusted returns and market consolidation

36:07 - The realities of bootstrapping and long integration timelines

38:35 - Why sales cycles are so long in North America

41:05 - Internal complexity and product prioritization at large operators

43:05 - Closing remarks

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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/