Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #256 with Phil Pearson.
Another year. Another cycle of hype, pressure, pivots, and hard lessons.
In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Phil Pearson joins Pierre Lindh to unpack what really happened across iGaming in the past 12 months beyond the headlines.
Together, they explore the widening gap between innovation headlines and real progress, the pressure leaders are facing behind the scenes, the growing importance of focus over scale, and why many companies are quietly reassessing their priorities.
It’s a grounded conversation about what moved the needle, what didn’t, and what lessons are worth carrying into the year ahead.
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:41 - Sponsor messages
02:04 - Welcome Phil Pearson
04:06 – Yolo’s move into regulation: why it matters
06:38 - Personal reset: health, sabbatical & perspective
11:55 - Biggest industry stories of the year
14:19 - Charity, Dar Bjorn & responsibility in iGaming
16:17 - Investigative journalism
33:27 - Game Studio Awards: overview
33:33 - Best studio of the year
39:29 - Best newcomer studio
40:39 - Worst studio of the year
44:01 - Most underwhelming game releases
49:56 - Live game of the year
51:21 - RNG game of the year
52:36 - Best industry freebies & swag
57:23 - Grey products explained
58:12 - Sweepstakes, prediction markets & loopholes
01:12:56 - The defining trend of 2026: grey products
01:30:02 - Events review: what worked, what didn’t
01:49:00 - Final outlook: where the industry is heading
🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/409DefE06IKPhZzhDIDpH3?si=bf60dedab34e45bc
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333
CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO
✩ Website - next.io
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.
pragmaticplay.com/en
Sponsored by:
Creedroomz - creedroomz.com
🎙 NEXT.io Podcast #256 with Phil Pearson.
Another year. Another cycle of hype, pressure, pivots, and hard lessons.
In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Phil Pearson joins Pierre Lindh to unpack what really happened across iGaming in the past 12 months beyond the headlines.
Together, they explore the widening gap between innovation headlines and real progress, the pressure leaders are facing behind the scenes, the growing importance of focus over scale, and why many companies are quietly reassessing their priorities.
It’s a grounded conversation about what moved the needle, what didn’t, and what lessons are worth carrying into the year ahead.
⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
00:41 - Sponsor messages
02:04 - Welcome Phil Pearson
04:06 – Yolo’s move into regulation: why it matters
06:38 - Personal reset: health, sabbatical & perspective
11:55 - Biggest industry stories of the year
14:19 - Charity, Dar Bjorn & responsibility in iGaming
16:17 - Investigative journalism
33:27 - Game Studio Awards: overview
33:33 - Best studio of the year
39:29 - Best newcomer studio
40:39 - Worst studio of the year
44:01 - Most underwhelming game releases
49:56 - Live game of the year
51:21 - RNG game of the year
52:36 - Best industry freebies & swag
57:23 - Grey products explained
58:12 - Sweepstakes, prediction markets & loopholes
01:12:56 - The defining trend of 2026: grey products
01:30:02 - Events review: what worked, what didn’t
01:49:00 - Final outlook: where the industry is heading
🔔 SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/409DefE06IKPhZzhDIDpH3?si=bf60dedab34e45bc
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-io-podcast/id1515442333
CONNECT WITH NEXT.IO
✩ Website - next.io
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.
pragmaticplay.com/en
Sponsored by:
Creedroomz - creedroomz.com
