E272 - Adam Small from Third Planet Media

On this year-end episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, host Jeff Edelstein is joined by Adam Small, Co-Founder of Third Planet Media. Adam shares candid insights into the evolution of affiliate marketing, the challenges facing media and SEO-driven businesses, and why Costa Rica holds a special place in his heart. Hear them discuss:

01:00 – Adam Small’s background, his role at Third Planet, and joining the Business of Betting Podcast for the first time 02:30 – The current state of affiliate marketing and how the model has changed dramatically over the past decade 04:30 – Fragmentation in U.S. gambling media: regulated markets, sweepstakes, prediction markets, and offshore resurgence 06:30 – Why SEO and search traffic are becoming less reliable and what that means for media businesses 08:30 – Lessons from building PocketFives with $50 and why that era of affiliate marketing is gone 10:30 – Why modern gaming media companies must diversify beyond pure affiliate revenue 12:30 – Expansion strategies: tools, horizontal growth, and why major affiliates are moving beyond traditional models 15:00 – The rapid rise of InGame and why high-quality, trusted reporting filled a critical industry gap 18:00 – Building credibility in gambling journalism and earning trust from operators, regulators, and executives 21:00 – Adam’s entrepreneurial origin story, PocketFives, trivia nights, poker, and founding a company with friends 25:00 – The importance of relationships, networking, and long-term reputation in the gambling industry 28:00 – The reality of bad actors in gaming and hard lessons learned about trust in business 31:00 – Media independence vs. advertiser influence and why smaller outlets face unique pressures 35:00 – Costa Rica culture, relationships, and why the country leaves such a lasting impression 39:00 – Balancing business ambition, family life, and future plans across the U.S. and Costa Rica 41:00 – What’s next for Third Planet, lessons from working at a public company, and building for long-term impact

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--- This podcast is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Since 2012, Optimove has served iGaming Operators from startups to industry leaders. Today, 4 out of the Top 5 US Operators Personalize Player Experiences with Optimove. iGaming operators know their growth journey begins and continues with Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry.