Ep. 211: Building the AI-native orchestration layer for payments in gaming w/ Filip Michalsky from Soap Payments

Ep. 214: Combining responsible gaming with player retention to fix a leaky safety net w/ Alec Gehlot from PlaySignal

Ep. 214 features Alec Gehlot, Founder of PlaySignal, a responsible gaming platform helping operators intervene earlier, reduce self-exclusions, and create healthier player experiences.    Hear them discuss: * The inspiration behind PlaySignal and why rising self-exclusion rates reveal a growing industry challenge * How PlaySignal’s traffic-light system helps identify at-risk behavior and intervene before players reach a crisis point * Why Alec believes responsible gaming should move from a back-office compliance function to a player-facing experience * The concept of “RG 3.0” and how behavioral science, player psychology, and real-time engagement can reshape responsible gaming * Balancing player protection and retention by helping operators act proactively rather than reactively * The pressures facing regulated operators, including higher taxes, tighter regulations, and competition from offshore markets * Why responsible gaming may become the strongest differentiator for licensed operators in the years ahead * How prediction markets and platforms like Kalshi are approaching self-exclusion and responsible participation * Alec’s decision to bootstrap PlaySignal and his approach to building a lean startup in the gaming industry * The entrepreneurial lessons he’s learned from boxing, resilience, and getting “punched in the face” while building a company   Catch the video version of this episode here [https://youtu.be/WU-33_4_0NQ].   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Play Signal website [https://playsignal.app/] ➡️ Alec Gehlot on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecgehlot/]   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/ [https://news.bettingstartups.com/]

Ep. 213: Meet the intelligence layer for the outcome economy w/ Gregory Tolmochow from Trendline Labs

Ep. 213 features Gregory Tolmochow, Founder & CEO of Trendline Labs, a startup building what it calls the “Bloomberg Terminal for prediction markets.”    Hear them discuss: * Gregory’s journey from sports betting analytics and The Betting Insider to founding Trendline Labs * Why prediction markets represent a major evolution beyond traditional sports betting * The pivot from an AI-powered sports analytics tool to a unified prediction market terminal * Building a platform that aggregates pricing, liquidity, and data across multiple prediction market exchanges * How Trendline’s Optimus AI model helps users understand market pricing and identify opportunities * The company’s vision to become the trusted information source for prediction markets * Monetization plans through premium subscriptions and transaction-based trading fees * Regulatory considerations, including obtaining an Introducing Broker (IB) license to enter the U.S. market * The ongoing debate around prediction markets, sportsbooks, market makers, and retail traders * Trendline’s roadmap, fundraising plans, and long-term goal of democratizing access to market intelligence   Catch the video version of this episode here [https://www.youtube.com/@bettingstartups/videos].   Learn more 👇 ➡️ Trendline Labs website [https://trendlinelabs.ai/] ➡️ Gregory Tolmochow on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-tolmochow-522ab6229/]   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/ [https://news.bettingstartups.com/]

Ep. 212: Meet the First Pitch finalists competing for $100k in prizes

Ep. 212 is the official First Pitch preview episode, where we will meet the 5 startups selected to present at SBC Summit Americas on June 11 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.   In this episode, you will hear from the five finalists: * Javier Troncoso, InsightPlay.ai [http://insightplay.ai/] * Matt Bresler, Odditt * Matt Paulton, OddsBlaze  * Andrew Gonzalez, ParlayX * Robert McCall, The Sharps   SBC First Pitch brings together some of the most exciting startups within the betting and gaming industry to compete for a chance to win an exclusive prize package, valued at over $100,000 to assist in the winner’s development and growth plans.   Listen to Business of Betting, the premier podcast covering the business of the sports betting industry featuring host Jeff Edelstein, on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3CSw5mj9tprfhhGTs1hNq8], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-of-betting-podcast/id1223927895] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@businessofbetting]   If you don't have a ticket for the event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for 30% off your pass. Grab your ticket here: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-americas/ [https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-americas/]   Catch the video version of this episode here [https://youtu.be/FRjg3_dNOfs].   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/ [https://news.bettingstartups.com/]

Ep. 211: Building the AI-native orchestration layer for payments in gaming w/ Filip Michalsky from Soap Payments

Ep. 211 features Filip Michalsky from Soap Payments, an AI-native orchestration layer designed to simplify the complex payments stack for real-money gaming operators. Hear them discuss: * Filip’s path from professional squash in the Czech Republic to Harvard AI data science and Fidelity Investments. * The "iceberg" of payments: Navigating the hidden layers of issuing banks, acquiring banks, and convoluted funds movement. * Using AI agents to slash payment onboarding times from months to a single week. * How unified stablecoin rails enable "instant settlement," allowing operators to receive funds in five seconds. * Protecting operators against "bad actors" with specialized defenses that maintain a 0.2% chargeback rate book-wide. * The "vibe coding" vs. review approach: Scaling to 30+ customers with a lean, seven-person team. * Moving beyond gaming: Early traction and expansion into the massive online health vertical. * Strategic funding from Antler, AeroPay, and Astralis Capital ahead of an upcoming larger seed round. * The five-year vision: Becoming a global payment orchestrator alongside category leaders like Stripe.   Listen to Business of Betting, the premier podcast covering the business of the sports betting industry featuring host Jeff Edelstein, on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/3CSw5mj9tprfhhGTs1hNq8], Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/business-of-betting-podcast/id1223927895] and YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@businessofbetting]   Catch the video version of this episode here [https://youtu.be/1NCvaK84RIw].   Learn more 👇 ➡️ SOAP Payments website [https://www.paywithsoap.com/] ➡️ Filip Michalsky on Linkedin [http://linkedin.com/in/filip-michalsky]   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/ [https://news.bettingstartups.com/]

Ep. 210: Building DFS 3.0 to prioritize "less spreadsheets and more friends" w/ Matt Kelley from Fast Draft

Ep. 210 features Matt Kelley from FastDraft, a fantasy sports platform recently merged with FantasySpin that focuses on high-velocity, mobile-first gameplay. Hear them discuss: * Matt’s transition from building a million-dollar stats business to launching a platform for the 60M+ fantasy gamer market. * Why the "attention deficit economy" needs 5-minute drafts instead of the traditional hour-long commitment. * The origin story of FastDraft and how it grew out of the underserved dynasty and rookie draft subcultures. * Details on the merger with FantasySpin and combining skill sets to create a "Voltron" marketing and product team. * How they built and licensed a regulated gaming app for $2M by leveraging "OG entrepreneur" experience. * The philosophy of "DFS 3.0" and why prioritizing social play over spreadsheets is the industry's next frontier. * Integrating a unified wallet and cross-app features to optimize for wallet velocity. * Their long-term vision to become the "go-to second screen" for sports fans through a blend of stats and gaming The dedicated Startup Zone at SBC Summit Americas gives real-money gaming startups a platform to showcase to 10,000+ attendees — including investors, operators, suppliers, media, and key industry players. Spaces are limited, secure yours now through https://www.bettingstartups.com/sbc-americas-2026 [https://www.bettingstartups.com/sbc-americas-2026]   If you don't have a ticket for the event yet, use discount code BETTINGSTARTUPSVIP for 30% off your pass. Grab your ticket here: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-americas/ [https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-americas/]   Catch the video version of this episode here [https://youtu.be/WrIDlxlH_jo].   Learn more 👇 ➡️ FastDraft website [http://draftfaster.com/] ➡️ Matt Kelley on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewtkelley]   📩 Get the top headlines from the industry's most promising growth-stage companies every week—totally free! Subscribe to the Betting Startups newsletter here: https://news.bettingstartups.com/ [https://news.bettingstartups.com/]