Business Of Betting Podcast

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason returns after a summer break with his first solo "Office hours" episode, where he tackles questions surrounding regulation, prediction markets, bettor limits, the US presidential election, and the latest from within Smarkets.Hear him discuss:01:00 - Jason’s summer break and family reflections02:30 - Differences in French vs. American culture05:00 - Kalshi's prediction markets and CFTC regulation09:15 - Massachusetts Gaming Commission on limiting bettors15:00 - The US presidential election race, and what the Smarkets markets are saying 45 days from the election19:30 - Attending conferences like the upcoming SBC Summit and G2E23:00 - Smarkets' current projects and updates⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Watch BoB on Youtube⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Dustin Gouker, Founder of Closing Line Consulting, and Joe Brennan Jr., Executive Chairman from Prime Sports.Hear them discuss:01:35 - DraftKings' new winning surcharge announcement02:45 - The states affected by the surcharge03:20 - The stock market's reaction to the announcement04:05 - Comparison of U.S. and international tax rates06:30 - The potential impact on DraftKings' profitability07:55 - The price sensitivity of American bettors09:00 - Historical context of high tax rates in the industry10:15 - Implications for competitors like FanDuel and Smarkets12:50 - The adjusted EBITDA and financial metrics analysis16:00 - Potential impact on VIP customers and betting volume18:20 - Product comparison between sportsbooks and exchanges20:00 - Broader implications for the sports betting industry22:00 - Predictions on if DraftKings will implement the surcharge⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis ep

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Jamie Hart from Conquer Technology.Hear them discuss:1:10 - The recent UK elections and environmental concerns2:22 - Climate change and the role of government in solving big issues4:16 - Jamie's background in horse racing and initial experiences with betting7:10 - Early internet betting and its evolution at William Hill8:28 - The challenges of manual betting systems and early online betting10:05 - The impact of regulatory changes on sports betting innovation12:36 - The importance of knowing every aspect of your business operations14:43 - Jamie's perspective on technology and customer interaction in betting18:00 - Discussing the stagnation in the betting industry due to regulatory pressures20:36 - Potential future changes and innovations in the betting industry23:18 - The challenges and potential of horse racing in modern betting27:00 - The importance of making betting more accessible and enjoyable31:10 - Comparing horse racing to Formula O

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Sam Sadi from LiveScore Group.Hear them discuss: 1:52 - Sam's life after leaving Turkey, and then returning to start a sportsbook in 1998 2:36 - Understanding inflation in Turkey and historical economic comparisons3:53 - The history of how the LiveScore Group came together8:26 - How LiveScore Group is differentiate itself from other UK sportsbooks10:11 - Developing an in-house sportsbook platform, and current efforts to migrate to it11:35 - Sam's definition of being a world-class sportsbook product20:29 - How Sam think about buying versus building core pieces of the technology stack26:02 - Sam's take on the state of sports betting in 202428:18 - How Sam views unregulated markets 31:08 - Insights on the role of exchanges in the future of sports betting35:45 - Regulation, the push for transparency, and consumer empowerment42:39 - What Sam wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Joe "Tall" Bunevith from GLI.Hear them discuss: 01:25 - What GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) does and their global reach.02:31 - The presidential debate and the relevance of political debates in modern media.03:29 - Joe's take on the impact of political debates and the change in political dynamics over the years.10:11 - Poker, Joe's career shift, and his experience in the poker industry.13:16 - Joe's journey from Massachusetts to Southern California and launching a poker training company.17:41 - Insight into professional poker life, the importance of emotional control, and the rise of poker solvers.22:49 - Joe’s role at GLI and the regulatory process for sports betting applications.25:36 - The GLI 33 certification process and discusses regulatory challenges.31:38 - The difficulties startups face in the current regulatory environment and the impact on innovation.34:31 - Joe’s perspective on the lack of new entrants in the sport

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Jake Williams.Hear them discuss:02:00 -Jake’s experience in fatherhood and raising daughters as Jason shares his family dynamics.04:15 - Jason's focus on health, exercise, and therapy; benefits of a healthy lifestyle.11:15 - Jason’s reasons for not drinking alcohol and its positive impact on his life.14:10 - Jake's thoughts on drinking culture and its role in social and professional settings.16:55 - The current state of the sports betting industry and significant events.20:55 - Analysis of fluctuating GGR numbers and the impact of VIP players.23:10 - The regulatory environments and their impact on businesses.26:45 - Moral implications of operating in unregulated markets.30:50 - Jason's frustrations with the regulatory landscape and compliance challenges.32:36 - Summer plans and work-life balance with taking time off to enjoy family vacations and relaxation.⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThi

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Scott Sadin from US Integrity.Hear them discuss:01:00 - The recent conviction of former President Donald Trump, and how that will affect his current candidacy 05:27 - What it means to have 'integrity' in professional and collegiate sports, and how US Integrity is ensuring it08:37 - How insider information can be used for nefarious purposes10:32 - The role that sports properties play in ensuring integrity of their events and stakeholders13:32 - How US Integrity responds to alerts of anomalies or irregularities17:37 - Public perception of betting-related scandals, the role that media plays in it, and conflating 'outrage' with 'surprise' 23:55 - Scott's perspective and experience as a "picks and shovels" business within the regulated betting industry25:54 - The consolidation of B2B companies within the industry, including US Integrity's recent merger with Odds On Compliance 27:15 - Additional verticals that US Integrity is considering expandi

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Adam Bjorn from Plannatech.Hear them discuss:01:11 - Adam's recent travels throughout the US03:37 - Adam's past experience in the offshore betting industry, and how it's similar/different to regulated markets 06:30 - The difficulty for regulators and prosecutors to enforce action against offshore operators11:15 - What made Adam want to push for moving the unregulated to the regulated14:03 - The jurisdictions that Adam sees as having the most favorable operating models17:16 - Whether Adam sees himself as a professional bettor first or sportsbook operator first19:16 - The relationship between Plannatech and Prime Sports20:19 - What changes and innovations Adam is trying to bring to the industry 23:29 - Adam's take on the role that exchanges play, and what the future of them looks like28:14 - Whether the low margin model can work in the regulated US market30:33 - What Adam wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Fol

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Joe Asher from IGT.Hear them discuss:01:35 - The background of IGT, Joe's role at the company, and where sports betting fits within the IGT business07:12 - Nevada's head start with legal mobile betting, and how its model is different from other states10:45 - The dynamic between brick-and-mortar and online operators, and the threat of cannibalization 14:36 - The state of horse racing, and whether track owners should benefit from legislative protections 18:20 - The role of government subsidies in regulated gaming, and in private industry more broadly 20:11 - Morality and ethics for operators of real-money gaming products 25:14 - Joe's appointment by President Biden to Chair of the Wilson Center31:00 - Remaining non-partisan when debating policy matters34:10 - What Joe wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Joe Dunnigan from ALT Sports Data.Hear them discuss:01:22 - The genesis of ALT Sports Data, and the problem they set out to solve in the market05:25 - Why alternative sports don't historically have a culture of betting despite their popularity 07:21 - The target customer persona for betting on alternative sports09:12 - How alternative sports are segmented, and which are the most popular ones13:15 - Why ALT Sports Data is securing official data rights instead of aggregating data themselves16:25 - Why they are building an owned B2C media platform in addition to provisioning odds on a B2B basis17:29 - Funding background and team composition of ALT Sports Data19:36 - The future of the relationship between data rights holders and sportsbook operators, and the sustainability of the existing model23:47 - The appeal of live sports content with younger generations and demographics 26:07 - Being an entrepreneur in the later career sta

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Matthew Trenhaile. In a bit of a twist on the standard format, the guest is the one asking the questions to our host!Hear them discuss:02:14 - The Smarkets origin story, and why Jason thought an exchange was needed08:32 - How Smarkets almost became a social betting platform, and the role that social features play in the exchange experience 13:03 - The Betafir API, developer ecosystems, and why Smarkets currently operates as a "closed garden" platform21:44 - The backstory of how Smarkets came to be its own market maker, and the challenges that came with that29:22 - Whether the value proposition of exchanges will ever become broadly appealing to recreational bettors37:31 - The allure of pivoting to B2B for exchanges and syndicates47:18 - The challenges of offering political betting markets52:23 - Trading on Betfair in the early days60:58 - What Matthew wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Dillon Borgida from Betonu.Hear them discuss:01:42 - NCAA basketball talk03:20 - Breakdown of sportsbook VIP programs and how they work08:26 - The role of VIP hosts10:35 - Why Smarkets doesn't have a VIP program (so far)15:00 - Why VIP players aren't necessarily price sensitive 16:04 - The different tiers of VIPs, and what perks each tier can expect20:23 - The role of credit and offshore sportsbooks with VIP players23:28 - VIPs, responsible gambling, and affordability checks30:10 - What the next 10 years look like for VIP players in the regulated US market33:29 - What Dillon wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Greg Kajewski from BettorEdge.Hear them discuss:01:00 - March Madness check-in02:30 - Jason's collegiate wrestling career05:38 - Introduction to BettorEdge09:18 - Mechanics of transactions on BettorEdge, and how they are structured to ensure compliance14:08 - BettorEdge's peer-to-peer betting model16:32 - The different ways that BettorEdge monetizes its platform20:21 - Attracting liquidity to the exchange23:45 - Greg's opinion of Smarkets' strategy in the US market25:34 - Marketing a betting product in a loud and crowded landscape26:52 - BettorEdge funding and company backgrounder28:49 - What Greg wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Chris Grove from Acies Investments Hear them discuss:01:43 - How Chris became so good at doing PR03:31 - What Chris sees as his "north star" for his work in the betting and gaming industry09:29 - Chris' thesis on why the future is "not so much gamifying sports betting as building games that are powered by sports outcomes"15:33 - Where Chris sees opportunity for startups and challenger brands in a duopolistic US operator market21:00 - The role and relative importance of price as a differentiator for sports betting operators26:18 - The significance of exchanges, where they sit within the landscape, and why they're not bigger35:01 - A debate on whether online sportsbooks are 'technology companies' or 'gambling companies'43:51 - What Chris wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming ind

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by James McLoughlin from Stirling Mac.Hear them discuss:01:53 - Are US sportsbook product companies or marketing companies?05:44 - The importance of price as part of the betting product experience 09:30 - Lean marketing tactics for operators without billion dollar marketing budgets12:00 - How to successfully market betting apps using app store optimization 15:17 - Acquiring users and customers organically 20:27 - James' experience working at Betfair, and why exchanges are on the retreat in sports betting23:05 - The popularity of political betting markets24:51 - Examining the current prediction markets for the 2024 US presidential election 29:00 - Critiquing Smarkets' marketing strategy 30:31 - What James wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Aca

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Antonino De Rosa.Hear them discuss:01:50 - Magic the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, and chess06:06 - How Antonino found his way to the Pinnacle trading floor07:44 - Why the low vig sportsbook model isn't more popular12:09 - The reason that sportsbooks screwed up the 2020 US presidential election markets15:10 - Antonino's thoughts on exchanges, and why he doesn't use them17:57 - Running a basketball betting syndicate, and how it operates21:25 - The difference between PPH and an agent system23:54 - Building a model to create an edge25:00 - Betting at scale using a network of runners30:48 - How Antonino would like to see the betting industry evolve 32:46 - Stake factoring versus guaranteed minimum bet limits⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Matt Restivo from OddsJam.Hear them discuss:01:00 - Life in Boulder, CO02:46 - The recent ruling on the 14th Amendment in CO04:45 - Introduction to OddsJam07:07 - Overview of arbitrage and value betting10:48 - Preserving betting account longevity13:30 - 10-year vision for OddsJam14:52 - Sourcing pricing data to power OddsJam's tools17:06 - OddsJam founding story18:55 - Company size and traction⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Will Martin from LiveDuel.Hear them discuss:01:22 - The Irish political landscape04:20 - Origin story of LiveDuel, and why Will felt a new exchange was needed in the market08:15 - How LiveDuel is differentiating itself from the incumbent exchanges09:54 - Will's opinion of what Smarkets could have done differently with its exchange13:02 - How LiveDuel is utilizing blockchain technology, and why it is the right technology for sports betting18:19 - The mechanics of DAO's and how that governance model can be applied to exchanges21:02 - Benefits of blockchain technology for transaction processing23:19 - How blockchain helps with liquidity provisioning through automated market making27:19 - Using oracles to resolve markets through consensus31:49 - Challenges of fundraising to build an exchange business 35:37 - Regulatory licensing strategy for LiveDuel⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ App

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Manu Gambhir from Xpoint.Hear them discuss:02:24 - Introduction to Xpoint03:45 - The geolocation provider landscape in the US market05:20 - Primer on geolocation regulatory requirements 07:50 - Competitive dynamic of geolocation providers in the US11:26 - The technical complexity of building geolocation solutions18:04 - Lawsuits and legal challenges around IP rights20:27 - The regulatory complexities of operators building their own geolocation solutions internally23:38 - Xpoint's commercial traction in the US market25:56 - Manu's view on the state of the industry in the US29:06 - Enforcement (or lack thereof) of offshore operators serving the US market33:07 - What Manu wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of the Business of Betting Podcast, Jason is joined by Paul King from OddsMonkey.Hear them discuss:01:45 - a primer on matched betting & Paul's background with it05:30 - the background and origins of OddsMonkey07:50 - Paul's view of the sports betting industry10:30 - bookmakers' attitudes towards matched betting12:30 - the change over time in the value of bonus offers, and Paul's outlook for the future of bonusing16:20 - the role that exchanges play in matched betting19:55 - the ethics and legality of stake factoring and restricting customer accounts27:07 - what Paul wants to be when he grows up⚡️ Follow BoB on Twitter/X⚡️ Follow Jason on Twitter/X⚡️ Apply to be a guest hereThis episode is presented by Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing solution for the iGaming industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.