Alexandre Tomic: Black markets, Supplier API hacks, Aliens, AI world dominance & psychedelics

🎙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/

19 Aug 202452min

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!

16 Aug 202449min

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!

8 Aug 202440min

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!

1 Aug 202446min

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!

25 Juli 202430min

🎙️ 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/

25 Juli 202452min

Tune in to this week's NEXT.io Weekly News for important updates from the US iGaming scene. We focus on Washington DC's newly competitive betting market going live, alongside significant job cuts at Penn Interactive. Additionally, we discuss the recent redundancies at Penn Interactive, examining the impact of these job cuts on the company and its employees. We explore the reasons behind the reductions and what this could mean for Penn Interactive's future strategies and market position. 🗞 Read the full story here: - Washington DC’s competitive online sports betting market goes live https://next.io/news/regulation/washington-dc-competitive-betting-market-live/ - Strategic changes drive wave of layoffs at Penn Interactive https://next.io/news/people/penn-interactive-redundancies/ 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!

18 Juli 202431min

Join this week’s NEXT.io Weekly News for crucial updates in the iGaming industry. We cover the strike at Evolution's Georgia facility involving 500 employees, examining its causes and potential impacts on operations. Additionally, we discuss Betway’s parent company, Super Group, shutting down US sportsbook operations, exploring the reasons behind the exit and its broader implications. 🗞 Read the full story here: - Fewer than 500 Evolution employees now expected to strike in Georgia https://next.io/news/people/evolution-georgia-strike-500-employees/ - Super Group joins industry exodus and shuts down US sportsbook

12 Juli 202436min