Prediction markets, sports betting regulation and responsible gaming are reshaping the future of the US gaming industry.

At SBC Summit Americas 2026, Martin Lycka sat down with Brandt Iden, VP of Government Affairs at Fanatics Betting & Gaming and former Michigan State Representative, to discuss the biggest issues facing the industry today.

The conversation explores the rapid rise of prediction markets, the importance of consumer protection and why regulated gaming remains the key to sustainable growth across the United States. Brandt also shares insights from his time helping to legalise online sports betting and iGaming in Michigan, one of the most successful regulated markets in America.

In this episode:
✅ The future of prediction markets and sports betting
✅ Why regulated gaming works
✅ Responsible gaming and consumer protection
✅ The evolving role of the CFTC and regulation
✅ How Fanatics is leveraging its sports ecosystem
✅ Lessons from building Michigan's iGaming market
✅ The battle against illegal operators
✅ Why states are increasingly looking at gaming expansion
✅ The opportunities and challenges facing the US industry

Can prediction markets and traditional sports betting coexist? And what does the next chapter of regulated gaming in America look like?

#iGaming #Fanatics #PredictionMarkets #GamingRegulation #SBCSummitAmericas #GamblingIndustry

In this episode of The Safe Bet Show, Martin Lycka is joined by one of Canada's most respected gaming industry experts, Troy Ross, President of TRM Public Affairs.

The conversation explores the rapid evolution of Canada's regulated gaming market, including Alberta's upcoming iGaming launch, Ontario's continued success, responsible gambling initiatives, and why more provinces could soon follow the regulated model.

Troy shares insights from more than three decades working across Canadian gaming regulation, public policy and industry affairs, offering a unique perspective on where the market is heading next.

Topics include:

🎯 Alberta's upcoming iGaming launch
🎯 Lessons learned from Ontario's regulated market
🎯 Responsible gambling and centralized self-exclusion
🎯 Anti-money laundering (AML) developments
🎯 The future of Canadian gaming regulation
🎯 First Nations' growing role in the gambling sector
🎯 Federal vs provincial oversight of gambling
🎯 Which provinces could regulate next

Plus, Martin and Troy discuss another serious Canadian institution: hockey, including the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

If you're interested in gambling regulation, sports betting, responsible gaming or the future of Canada's gaming industry, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

#ResponsibleGambling #iGaming #SportsBetting #PlayerProtection #GamblingRegulation #SafeBetShow #Compliance #BettingIndustry #GambleAlert #GamingPolicy

The Safe Bet Show is sponsored by the Player Protection Hub, the industry's leading source and community for player protection, compliance and safer gambling professionals. News, discussion, an exclusive newsletter and more. Apply for membership today https://playerprotectionhub.com/

Is responsible gambling actually holding the industry back… or is it the key to its future?

In this episode of The Safe Bet Show, Martyn Lycka sits down with Fisayo Oke (Founder & CEO of Gamble Alert) to break down one of the biggest debates in the global gambling industry: player protection vs profit.

From the rapidly evolving US market to African regulatory innovation, this conversation explores how gambling is being reshaped in real time — and why responsible gambling is no longer optional.

We dive into:
Why responsible gambling is NOT an obstacle to business
The shift from individual responsibility → structural responsibility
How Africa is leading innovation in player protection
The reality of fragmented global regulation
Why community-driven approaches are key to safer gambling
The story behind launching Gamble Alert
The balance between revenue vs player safety
What the rest of the world can learn from emerging markets

This is a must-watch for anyone in:
iGaming
sports betting
compliance & regulation
gambling policy
player engagement & protection

Responsible gambling isn’t about limiting the industry, it’s about making it sustainable.

#ResponsibleGambling #iGaming #SportsBetting #PlayerProtection #GamblingRegulation #SafeBetShow #Compliance #BettingIndustry #GambleAlert #GamingPolicy

In this episode of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, Martin is joined by Dr Mary Donohue, CEO of the Digital Wellness Center, for a powerful conversation on how neuroscience, technology, and behavioural science can reshape the future of responsible gambling.

Dr Donohue shares the personal story behind founding the Digital Wellness Center after surviving a life-threatening illness caused by stress, and explains how that experience led her to develop digital tools that can reduce stress in under three minutes. The discussion explores how mood management affects player decision-making, why proactive mental health support is critical in gambling environments, and how technology — including AI and behavioural data — can help prevent harm before it happens.

The conversation also covers Dr Donohue’s work with casinos, healthcare providers, and major platforms, her educational partnership with TikTok, and why responsible gambling needs to be treated as a core business strategy rather than a PR exercise.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why stress and mood have a direct impact on gambling behaviour
How the Digital Wellness Center uses neuroscience to reduce stress in minutes
What proactive responsible gambling actually looks like in practice
Why AI and “human touch” must work together in player protection
How technology could predict and prevent harmful gambling behaviour
Why responsible gambling must evolve beyond compliance and PR

#ResponsibleGambling #iGaming #MentalHealth #AI #GamblingIndustry #PlayerProtection #Wellbeing

Marlene Warner, CEO of the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, joins the show to discuss her career path, responsible gaming (RG) advocacy, and crucial industry issues.

Warner holds a BA in sociology and an MA in women's studies/communications, grounding her approach in studying people, using data, and advocating for underserved populations.

In a timely update, she reveals she is currently pulling papers to run for City Councillor in her ward, following previous roles as student senate president.

Key Discussion Highlights:

• Career Recognition
• Council Name Change
• GameSense
• National Helpline Barrier
• RG in America
• Industry Standards

Warner concludes by stressing that putting the right safeguards in place does not hurt business, and encourages everyone to promote the helpline and eliminate barriers

Welcome to an improvised episode of the Safe Bet Show, where host Martin Lycka welcomes SBC Leaders Magazine Editor, Steve Hoare.

The discussion centres on the SBC Player Protection Hub, which Steve is also Editor of. The Hub is positioned as a, "one-stop shop" for responsible gaming resources, offering news feeds from across the SBC universe and a research hub dedicated to collecting RG studies. Crucially, the site is members-only, aiming to be a necessary "safe space" where people can talk about player protection issues and share personal stories without fear of exposure.

Martin and Steve discuss the immense power of "lived experience" stories. They highlight how these human and humane narratives, such as a story about a girl who used gambling to "turn off the noise", or the painful recollection of a Seahawks fan who lost his family’s money betting on the Super Bowl, provide critical perspective for the industry.

The conversation then shifts to Martin’s career, tracing his time at BetFair starting in 2009. This period coincided with the genesis of regulated markets in Europe (Italy, France, Spain). They analyse the failure of the dream of European harmonisation and contrast it with the rise of the US state-by-state regulation, which some prominent lobbyists initially dismissed as "madness".

Martin also shares his experience living through major industry mergers, including the BetFair/Paddy Power union (Flutter) and GVC/Ladbrooks Coral (Entain).

In this episode of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show, Martin sits down with Leonardo Baptista, CEO of Pay4Fun, to explore the evolution of Brazil’s gaming and payments industry. Leonard shares his journey from his early days at Bat Motion in 2004 to founding Pay4Fun in 2017.

The discussion covers Pay4Fun’s unique positioning in the market, thanks to its regulatory expertise, advanced API solutions, and deep understanding of local needs, as well as the complex path toward a regulated gambling framework in Brazil.

The conversation also dives into how Pay4Fun is helping to combat illegal gambling through KYC, transaction monitoring, and close collaboration with regulators.

Leonardo highlights the importance of responsible gaming, detailing initiatives like deposit limits and financial monitoring, alongside Pay4Fun’s charity work.

In the latest episode of the Safe Bet Show, Martin Lycka is joined by Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), who returns to the show after four years to share invaluable insights into the ever-evolving world of gambling and gaming.

Grainne discusses how the UK gambling industry has become "bigger, better, more responsible, and more responsive," representing over 90% of the regulated market—including local betting shops, iconic land-based casinos, online bingo operators, and major global brands.

Learn about Grainne's personal connection to gambling through family traditions like the Grand National sweepstakes and her enjoyment of horse racing, political betting, blackjack, and online roulette—showcasing the diversity of the BGC’s membership and services.

In addition, Grainne reveals the BGC's ongoing mission to modernise UK casinos, enforce the Gambling Act Review White Paper reforms, and address challenges like the new tax consultation from the UK Treasury that could unintentionally drive players to the dangerous black market.

With £4bn already staked on unregulated sites by 1.5 million Brits, the BGC’s fight against this threat includes launching global roundtables and advocating for smart, "frictionless" affordability checks that protect consumers without pushing them offshore.