The Gambling Files

In this episode, Greg Knight, CEO of Jenningsbet, a popular British high street bookmaker, discusses the challenges faced by independent bookmakers, the rising costs of media rights, and the broader issues affecting the UK high street and retail betting industry. Discover insights into the economic pressures, industry dynamics, and potential future directions of betting shops and racing. This episode, no Fintan, so there’s much better quality questions and less nonsense. Things we talk about, in list form:Rising costs of media rights and their impact on independent bookmakersThe decline of high street betting shops and community impactIndustry dynamics between media rights providers and bookmakersThe effect of online gambling on retail bettingIndustry responses to economic and regulatory challengesChoice quotes:"Nobody's really talking about the cost of media rights""Content is bundled and we can't pick what we want""Racing is underfunded and costs are rising faster than revenues"Chapters, but add some time because of our beautiful music, used with permission from Mara Carlyle:00:00 Introduction to Greg Knight and Jenningsbet01:59 Overview of Jenningsbet and UK retail betting03:08 Sponsorships and industry partnerships03:59 The cost of media rights and industry impact10:06 Comparison of media rights costs over five years15:12 Content quality and package issues for bookmakers19:57 Competition and cooperation among media rights providers25:03 The effect of media rights costs on industry sustainability29:49 The state of the UK high street and retail challenges40:01 Community role of betting shops and social impact50:09 Industry regulation, government policy, and future outlook – I’m not sure why this list ends here though, because there’s a good 20 minutes more of this episode after this point…Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg~knight/ Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/

In this episode Fintan and Jon welcome back Keith O'Loughlin, now a best-selling author! Of course he’s also an expert in sports betting and gaming, and in this episode he tells us about his new venture, shares insights on transforming the betting industry, making sports betting more accessible, and the importance of trust and fun in gaming. We explore innovative betting technologies, responsible gambling, and the future of sports and media integration.Stuff we talk about, in a list: The evolution of sports betting over the last 20 yearsThe importance of trust and simplicity in betting platformsInnovations in media integration for sports bettingThe role of responsible gambling and protecting playersThe concept of 'fun' in betting and sports engagementThe impact of technology and AI on betting experiencesThe story behind the name 'Funteron' and its missionThe future of sports rights and viewer engagementThe challenges and opportunities in expanding betting to new marketsKeith's insights on the importance of experience over trophies Choice quotes: "The medal is just a piece of metal.""Life is about experiences, not trophies.""Your scoreboard in life is not about money."Chapters, but add 30 seconds or so because of the music which we use with permission by Mara Carlyle:00:00 Introduction to Keith O'Loughlin and the episode's focus02:16 Keith shares his recent experiences and insights09:21 Keith discusses his book about Eddie Jordan11:48 Upcoming book 'The Medal Is Just Metal' and its themes16:13 Personal stories about achievements and trophies18:07 The true scoreboard of success in life19:29 Challenges in the current global landscape25:59 Keith's new betting business and industry insights34:19 Simplifying sports betting and making it fun40:17 How integration with media works in betting platforms48:17 Future vision for responsible and fun bettingKeith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keitholoughlin/Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/

In this episode of the industry's shiniest five-year-old podcast, Robert Lenzhofer discusses the innovative Hizi platform, a self-service operating system for iGaming studios that simplifies game development, deployment, and management, aiming to revolutionize the industry with cloud-based solutions. Hosts Fintan Costello and Jon Bruford welcome Robert – a returning guest! – as they discuss the usual mish-mash of topics alongside Robert’s innovation.As ever, we thank our superb sponsors – you can find out more about Optimove, World Gaming, and GLI further down this page…Choice quotes: "This is more like an operating system for studios""Allows you to create any RNG game directly in the back office""It's like AWS for the gambling industry"“The RGS all grown up. The operating system for studios.”“If you still have to code into the backend, then it’s not self-service.”“We just give you the best tool that possibly can be built.”Chapters (but add 30 seconds or so because of our beautiful music, which is copyright Mara Carlyle…)00:00 - Opening banter and the challenge of recording multiple episodes 01:02 - Moving house, lampshades, and the magnetic knife rack 03:18 - Holiday talk, hustle culture, and the death of downtime 04:04 - The world’s best theme park in Devon: Diggerland, and possibly the best jingle for a theme park ever. 10:29 - Robert’s summer chaos and building a point-and-click adventure with his daughter 12:20 - Introducing Robert Lenzhofer and the move beyond Holle Games 13:01 - What Hizi means and why it is about more than an RGS 14:43 - What the platform is for in practical studio terms 15:48 - Why RGS infrastructure should be treated like a commodity 16:29 - Self-service signup and instant dedicated instances 18:14 - Pricing tiers and what’s included in the basic package 19:20 - The no-code, AI-assisted Hizi engine 21:02 - Early traction, partner growth, and game deployments 23:36 - What studios actually do inside the platform 24:34 - Why billing and back-office tooling matter for small teams 26:15 - Migration paths for existing studios and hybrid deployments 27:40 - How Hizi compares with Stake’s model and game-upload systems 29:00 - The “end of RGS” idea and B2C engine support 31:12 - Could a simple card game or pub machine be built on Hizi? 33:15 - How the platform reduces startup friction and contract pain 35:07 - What onboarding looks like and the learning curve 36:06 - Why Hizi’s challenge is broader than a single-operator system 37:43 - Scaling with a lean team and moving from beta to wider onboarding 41:39 - Distribution as the bottleneck for smaller studios 44:05 - Starting a game studio and the “Doctor Hour” joke 45:16 - Bamboo Guerillas arrives 47:56 - Closing thanks and an invitation to revisit the project in 12 monthsRobert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertlenzhofer/Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/

In this episode, Jordan Lea from Deal Me Out discusses the evolving landscape of gambling regulation, black market impacts, prediction markets, and industry challenges. We explore how regulation, industry reputation, and consumer safety are interconnected and what future steps are needed.This episode is brought to you thanks to the auspices of our Mighty Sponsors: GLI, Optimove, and World Gaming. More on their magnificence after the bit where you can see what’s in the podcast.Things we talk about, but in a sexy list:Gambling regulation and its evolutionImpact of black market gambling on the industryPrediction markets and their perception as safer alternativesIndustry reputation and media portrayal of gamblingRegulatory challenges and government engagementBlack market gambling's influence on consumer behaviourStrategies for industry self-regulation and public trustThe role of education and community engagement in harm preventionFuture trends in gambling technology and regulationThe importance of industry unity and advocacyChoice quotes: "The industry has improved significantly over the years""Illegal gambling is a growing problem we must address""Prediction markets are being mistaken for safer alternatives"Chapters – but add 30 seconds or so because of our beautiful music, which the rights holder – Mara Carlyle – has allowed us to use: 0:01 — Intro and film chat 1:10 — John’s cinema rundown 3:09 — Nirvanna the Band, the Show, the Movie 5:52 — Catching up and sponsor banter 8:00 — Fintan’s podcast charts success 9:39 — GLI sponsor read 11:00 — Guest intro: Jordan Lea from Deal Me Out 14:06 — What Deal Me Out does 15:19 — Funding changes and shifting priorities 16:17 — Pivot to illegal gambling 19:15 — Offshore vs licensed markets 23:57 — First report findings 27:12 — Youth gambling, gaming, and Roblox 31:12 — Second report findings 34:09 — Regulation, taxation, and industry politics 37:11 — Why the industry isn’t the only messenger 42:24 — What the industry should do differently 46:29 — Grassroots brand building and good causes 48:15 — Media narratives and image change 52:25 — Prediction markets and investment behaviour 57:49 — What young people are seeing 60:29 — What Deal Me Out is doing next 64:31 — Parliament and industry representation 66:01 — Where to find Deal Me OutJordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-l-6160391b9/ Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/

Just Jon in the driving seat this episode, so what could possibly go wrong? He’s joined by Ryan Robey from Staicy.win, who shares insights into AI-driven sports betting, community building, and the US gambling landscape. Discover how data, human oversight, and community engagement are transforming betting strategies and industry perceptions.This episode is brought to you by the titans at Gaming Laboratories International, Optimove, and World Gaming, plus the letters X and T, and the number 28.Stuff we talk about, in list form: AI-driven sports betting modelsCommunity building in betting platformsData sources and analytics in sports predictionsHuman oversight and AI collaborationUS gambling laws and market dynamicsArbitrage betting and market edgesCommunity engagement and social aspects of bettingImpact of sports events like World Cup on betting trendsChoice quotes: "We identify where Vegas is lagging behind""Our community is what sets us apart""All the colour in bourbon comes from the wood"“The reason that people go to sports bars is not because they have this burning desire to go spend money to do something they could otherwise do for free. They do it because they love community.”Chapters, but add 40 seconds maybe because of our beautiful music:00:00 - Fintan’s new podcast and today’s sponsor rundown02:27 - Why Optimove and GLI are supporting the show05:00 - Introducing Ryan Robey and Staicy.win06:38 - Why the company spelling includes an “I” for AI07:35 - How Staicy.win builds betting predictions from data and models09:40 - Arbitrage betting versus finding real edge in player props11:40 - Where the data comes from: Stat feeds, betting lines, and APIs15:08 - Why human oversight still matters in an AI betting platform17:08 - Building guardrails around a custom betting LLM18:24 - The team behind Staicy.win and why Ryan avoids “goobers”24:12 - Strange office interactions and the Delaware mailbox story26:11 - How the subscription model works and where the revenue comes from28:09 - From crypto community project to a real betting business31:21 - Transparency, ROI, and why community is the core differentiator36:03 - World Cup betting, Spain futures, and soccer learning curves39:01 - Leicester City in Vegas and the power of sports fandom43:40 - Scottish supporters, St. Patrick’s Day, and sports-bar chaos45:18 - Ryan’s day job as a trial lawyer in Lexington, Kentucky49:28 - A courtroom case involving a horse-drawn carriage in a Christmas parade51:35 - Bourbon, Kentucky, and the difference between whiskey and bourbon56:27 - Why lawyers hate John Grisham and legal fiction gets law wrong61:17 - How Grisham may have changed the portrayal of lawyers in media64:14 - Gambling stigma, legal betting, and the US college sports problem67:44 - College player props, integrity concerns, and Kentucky’s rules69:05 - Getting into the Apple App Store and coming back during football season70:19 - Closing thoughts on disappointing your family and trial catchphrasesRyan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-robey-3b092356/Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/