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MaxBet Podcast

MaxBet Podcast

MaxBet Podcast 149 Episodes Oct 9, 2026

MaxBet Podcast is a B2B show focused on the gaming industry, hosted by Hillary McAfee. It features conversations with executives, insiders, and gaming legends, offering sharp takes and behind-the-scenes stories. The podcast is known for its informal, unscripted style and is the longest-running B2B show in gaming.

Episodes

Gaming Payments, Fraud & the Cost of Getting to Market | Chelsie Cooper, Approvely
Gaming Payments, Fraud & the Cost of Getting to Market | Chelsie Cooper, Approvely Oct 9, 2026 16:09 Fraudsters targeting gaming operators on Reddit, startups waiting a year for payment processing, and a company willing to take the financial hit when transactions go wrong. Welcome to the surprisingly complicated world of gaming payments. Chelsie Cooper, Founder and CEO of Approvely, joins Hillary McAfee to talk about what happens behind the scenes every time a player makes a deposit or requests a
The App That Predicts Sports With 78% Accuracy
The App That Predicts Sports With 78% Accuracy Sep 18, 2026 39:46 What happens when sports bettors have access to predictions that are more accurate than the sportsbooks themselves? John Hanna, co-founder of XO Sports, joins MaxBet to talk about the technology behind an app reporting externally audited prediction accuracy as high as 78%, compared with sportsbook predictions around 64–67%. And that raises a much more interesting question: what happens when the be
The G2E Survival Guide + Bluberi's Gucci Row Era
The G2E Survival Guide + Bluberi's Gucci Row Era Sep 9, 2026 52:46 G2E is a marathon disguised as a trade show, and Mike McKiski has some thoughts on how to survive it. Mike is back on MaxBet for our pre-G2E episode to talk about the advice he gives G2E rookies, dinners vs. parties, pacing yourself, getting enough sleep and the deeply suspicious people who somehow manage to do all of it and rally again the next morning.  We also get into Bluberi's "Gucci Row" era
The MaxBet Fridge Hall of Fame Awards
The MaxBet Fridge Hall of Fame Awards Sep 4, 2026 29:10 The gaming industry has no shortage of lists, and frankly, we didn't want to be left out. So Fiona Power joins Hillary McAfee to hand out honors including Best Industry Feud, Industry Badass, Best Booth, the Get Shit Done Award, Best After Party, Best Dressed, Industry Mom, Industry Dad, and several other categories of enormous cultural importance. The criteria were simple: preferably someone who
What Happened to Innovation in iGaming? | Sue Schneider
What Happened to Innovation in iGaming? | Sue Schneider Aug 19, 2026 31:28 Sue Schneider was building the iGaming industry in the mid-90s, before most people had an email address. She's watched it grow from an unregulated frontier into the highly regulated global industry it is today, and she has some thoughts about what we gained and what we may have lost along the way. Sue joins MaxBet to talk about the early days of online gaming, the rise of regulation and whether th
Building the Future of Skill-Based Gaming | Desiree Dickerson, THNDR
Building the Future of Skill-Based Gaming | Desiree Dickerson, THNDR Aug 5, 2026 21:34 What happens when you build a startup in a category most of the industry is still trying to understand? Desiree Dickerson, CEO and Co-Founder of Thunder, joins MaxBet to break down skill-based gaming, how Thunder solves player liquidity through cross-operator matchmaking, and why operators, lotteries, sportsbooks, and sweepstakes companies are paying attention. We also discuss startup pivots, prod
Why Aren't More States Legalizing iGaming? | Brandt Iden
Why Aren't More States Legalizing iGaming? | Brandt Iden Jul 15, 2026 24:59 Subtlety isn't exactly a MaxBet core value, so we start with the obvious question: Why are operators leaving the AGA? After surviving the opening question, Brandt Iden, VP of Government Affairs at Fanatics Betting & Gaming and former Michigan State Representative, sticks around to talk about why more states still haven't legalized iGaming, what's keeping legislation from moving, the tax revenue st
AI in Gaming: Where to Invest and Where to Wait
AI in Gaming: Where to Invest and Where to Wait Jul 8, 2026 39:23 AI has become the answer to just about everything. Need to cut costs? AI. Need to grow revenue? AI. Need to impress your board? AI. The problem is, very few people can explain where the ROI actually is. This week on MaxBet, Hillary McAfee sits down with Cris Kuehl, Chief Data & AI Officer at Continent 8 Technologies, to sort through the questions gaming executives are asking behind closed doors. W
"Find a Way or Make a Way" | Simon Thomas on Building the Hippodrome
"Find a Way or Make a Way" | Simon Thomas on Building the Hippodrome Jun 18, 2026 34:08 Simon Thomas owns the Hippodrome Casino, one of the most iconic gaming and entertainment venues in the world. Located in the heart of London, the Hippodrome attracts a third of all casino admissions in the city and has become known for doing things differently. In this episode of MaxBet, Simon joins Hillary McAfee to talk about building a business around experiences, why most problems have a solut
The Hottest Trends in Slots Right Now
The Hottest Trends in Slots Right Now May 28, 2026 48:22 If you care about slot floor strategy, which features are actually working, or just want to hear your favorite games and suppliers come up in the conversation, this episode is for you. Brendan Moore from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming joins MaxBet to break down the games, mechanics, cabinets, and features getting real traction on casino floors right now. Brendan gets into the suppliers, the games climbin
WTF?! Is Actually Happening With AI in Gaming??
WTF?! Is Actually Happening With AI in Gaming?? May 21, 2026 28:45 Everyone's talking about AI in gaming. Most of it sounds impressive. Not all of it is real. This is Part 3 of our WTF with IGI series where we bring the data people in to talk to the rest of us. Turns out, having an AI strategy is more than just telling your employees to use ChatGPT like Google. We break down IGI's latest research and get into what operators and suppliers are actually doing with A
Top 5 Gaming Stories this Week, According to Everyone Important (Me)
Top 5 Gaming Stories this Week, According to Everyone Important (Me) May 13, 2026 08:48 Here's what actually happened in gaming this week, minus the polished version. Top 5 Stories for the beginning of May 2026: 1. FanDuel replaces Amy Howe as CEO - What does this mean? 2. What happened with Prediction Markets - still messy but printing $$? 3. UFC betting under the microscope (again) 4. Don't F*** with Canada: a reminder that regulation is not a suggestion 5. Wynn Al Marjan announces

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