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PODCAST

MaxBet Podcast

Whether you"re deep in the game or just gaming-curious, this podcast is for you. MaxBet is the #1 podcast in gaming and the longest running B2B show in the industry. Hosted by Hillary McAfee, the podcast brings you real conversations with the people shaping this business; executives, insiders, and the occasional legend. It"s not formal, it"s not scripted, and it"s definitely not stuffy. Just sharp takes, bold ideas, and behind the scenes stories from the gaming world. You"ll hear from industry

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All Episodes

29:32

The Truth About M&A in Gaming with Marcus Yoder

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/11/26

Marcus Yoder showed up with clear opinions on M&A in gaming and did not dance around any of them. We talked through a bit of the IGT and Everi merger, how leaders should think about integration, and what actually builds culture once the dust settles. This one leans into people more than deals. How they react. How they stay connected. How you keep a team steady when everything around them is shifting. If you work with humans in any capacity, this one is for you.

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31:59

From Black Market to Bill Signed: The Road to Legal...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/11/12

The unregulated U.S. gaming market is worth hundreds of billions, and states are finally starting to realize what they're leaving on the table. This week on the MaxBet Podcast, Shawn Fluharty joins us to talk about how iGaming legislation actually gets passed, who's shaping the conversation behind the scenes, and why education and relationships are the real shortcuts to getting things signed. We cover the gap between lawmakers and operators, the federal vs. state debate, and how regulation could

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46:51

Global Gaming: Cultural Progress, Consulting, and...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/10/30

Julia Weygandt came ready with stories about gaming culture, consulting, and one very weird German regulation about free fruit. She's been in this business for more than twenty years and has seen it all; the cultural curveballs, the boardroom dynamics, and the kind of conference stories that only make sense if you've worked in gaming. The industry has grown up a lot in recent years, and we talk about what progress really looks like from the inside. If you've ever smiled through a networking event

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45:09

Inside iGaming: Grey Markets, Regulation Pressure,...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/10/16

Online casino is changing and not everyone agrees on where it is headed. Ben Clemes and Seth Young from High Roller Technologies join the podcast to talk honestly about regulation, grey markets, sweeps, prediction markets, payments, and what responsible growth should look like in iGaming. Seth brings a sharp perspective on how legal gaps drive product evolution, and Ben explains how operators can balance business goals with player trust. If you are into the business side of iGaming, this one is for

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30:11

From Double Double Bonus Poker™ to Ultimate X Poker™:...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/10/01

IGT has shaped video poker for more than 40 years with games like Double Double Bonus Poker™, Triple Double Bonus Poker™, and Ultimate X Poker™. In this episode of MaxBet Podcast, Hillary McAfee talks with Darnell Johnson and Shannon Bloom about how multi-hand play changed the game, why volatility and configuration matter to players, how bartenders influenced the design of the PeakBarTop™ cabinet, and what makes video poker different from slots. It’s the inside story of why video poker remains one

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30:09

The G2E Survival Guide + The Stories You Won’t Hear...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/09/18

Four days. A million steps. Zero chicken tenders. Hillary sits down with Korbi Carrison to talk about what really goes into pulling off the biggest show in gaming. From live animals on the floor to security guards you’d never spot, Korbi has seen it all in her 25 years at G2E, and she's spilling the tea with us. We also cover how to actually survive the week- like for real: keeping your body moving, making networking worth it, and avoiding Hillary’s infamous Uber Eats order fail at the Venetian

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35:00

True Persistence Slots and Advantage Players: The...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/09/04

Ari Mizrachi is back and standing on business in this episode on true persistence games and advantage slot play. His first appearance in October was one of our most successful and most controversial episodes. Now, Ari returns to share where we are at now and break down why he believes advantage play is detrimental to every facet of the slot economy: operators, suppliers, and players alike. From the economics of advantage slots to the ripple effects across casinos, Ari does not hold back. To close,

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31:55

5 Years of MaxBet with Mike: Favorite Guests, Moments...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/08/26

Mike is officially signing off after five years behind the MaxBet mic. In this farewell episode, we cover it all. Favorite guests, biggest learnings, funny moments, and the interviews that still get talked about years later. Before he steps away, we talk about what is coming next as Hillary takes the lead and continues building the MaxBet brand. It is a sendoff packed with stories, laughs, and a proper MaxBet vibe from start to finish.

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35:17

From PR Disasters to the C-Suite w/ Mike Trask |...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/06/25

In a MaxBet first, we were handed some top-shelf gaming industry tea. Eclipse Gaming skipped the press release and gave us the exclusive to hard launch their newest C-suite hire. A bold move. We’d say we’re honored, but that feels too mature. Newly appointed Chief Product Officer Mike Trask joins the podcast for his first official interview, sharing his vision for Eclipse and where the company is headed next. We dig into hot topics across the gaming industry like the ethics of perceived persistence

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34:25

Casino Cyber Attacks, Ransom Payouts, and Why It’s...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/06/09

What actually happens when a casino gets hacked? Do they pay the ransom? Who loses their bonus? And how do you protect your own family from cyber threats when you're in the industry spotlight? On this episode, Melissa Aarskaug joins us to talk about cyber risk in gaming, her personal playbook for online safety (complete with a family safe word… which we’re 87% sure is “MaxBet”), and why cybersecurity is not just an IT problem. We cover the GLI Bulletproof report, the ripple effect of digital

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34:06

The Slot Game That Made 1,200 Millionaires w/ Jean...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/05/20

Ever wonder what it was like behind the scenes of the very first Wheel of Fortune slot machine? Spoiler: it involved a Volvo windshield motor, a string, and some serious duct tape energy. We sat down with Jean Venneman from IGT to talk about how a project they hoped would sell a few hundred units turned into a legacy that has made over 1,200 millionaires and changed the casino industry forever. Next year marks 30 years of spinning, winning, and some truly wild jackpot stories. Mike and Hillary also

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50:20

Scammers Are Getting Smarter: Gaming Payments & Fraud...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/05/15

Diallo Gordon, President of Pavilion Payments, joins us to discuss how the gaming industry can better tackle fraud and improve responsible gaming through smarter payment systems. We explore the rise of payment fraud in casinos, why scammers are getting more advanced, and how operators and payment providers can benefit from working together. This episode highlights the connection between secure payments, compliance, and a better player experience. If you work in gaming or fintech, this conversation

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47:07

Dr. Brett Abarbanel on Gaming Research and UNLV’s...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/05/06

Dr. Brett Abarbanel from UNLV’s International Gaming Institute joins the MaxBet Podcast with dinner party facts, bold suggestions for the casino industry, and a peek at the research projects that actually get people talking. We cover the science behind dice design, how research in the gaming industry gets funded, and the success of UNLV’s student internship program connecting future talent with casino operators. She also shares how she won the biggest hand of her life with a bluff and walked away

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39:27

Casey Gonzales (iGaming Threats and Tribal Power...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/04/23

This week, Casey Gonzales from @cdcgamingconnect joins us to unpack how tribal operators are navigating the real-world impact of iGaming and sports betting. We get into what’s at stake when 10% of your floor disappears overnight, why Oklahoma’s compact strategy is still a masterclass, and how Class II games became the industry’s quiet power move. At the end, Mike and Hillary go off-script with a very scientific breakdown of the most unnecessary slot features no one asked for — including

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55:50

True Persistence: An Operator’s Take w/ Oliver...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/04/16

This week, Oliver Shoemaker, VP of Slot Operations at Cache Creek Casino Resort, joins us to talk persistence games from the operator perspective. We get into what suppliers overlook, how these mechanics play out on the floor, and what it takes to hand a guest $1.7M in cash. If you’re building persistence games, selling them, or running a floor full of them — this one’s for you.

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22:04

San Diego Was Wild (IGA 2025 Recap) | MaxBet Podcast

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/04/08

This week it’s just Mike and Hillary debriefing after a whirlwind week in San Diego at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA). Think of it as a giant family reunion you didn’t know you were invited to... If that reunion involved nightclubs full of business casual blazers and trick-or-treating booths for swag. We also crown our very unofficial winner of Best Booth 2025 and discuss why soft pretzels might be the unofficial inflation indicator of the gaming industry.

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28:57

Off the Record (But Not Really) | MaxBet Podcast

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/03/25

No guest? No problem. This week, it’s just Mike and Hillary catching up, swapping stories, and pretending there’s a plan. In this episode, we talk about: • Decoding corporate jargon • Hillary's big move & Mike's career change • Our time in NYC at Next.io • LinkedIn's most embarrassing feature • Where we're headed next

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37:13

Dan Schrementi (Incredible Technologies' comeback) |...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/03/18

Dan Schrementi, President of Incredible Technologies, steps up to the mic to talk about the company’s comeback after a few rough years and why true persistence slot games deserve more respect in the gaming industry. We also cover what IS a true persistance game vs. perceived, because some listeners (Hillary) may need to know. In true Chicago grit fashion, Dan isn’t here to sugarcoat anything. Plus, he shares how he earned the coveted title of Sausage King of Chicago.

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44:06

Doubling Down on Table Games with Light & Wonder’s...

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/03/12

This week, we’re all in on Double Down Madness, the table game shaking up the casino floor. We’ve got Matt Booth, the mind behind it, breaking down how it came to life and why players can’t get enough. Mike McKiski met Matt back in their Light & Wonder table games days, and now they’re back together talking shop. Stack your chips, place your bets, and hit play.

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20:06

Confetti, Naps, and Slot Awards

MaxBet Podcast ·

2025/03/04

Listen. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the EKG Slot Awards, it’s that a tuxedo and a pair of Jordans can absolutely coexist, confetti cannons are not to be trusted, and yes—someone did take a full-on nap mid-awards show. We’re recapping the biggest wins, the boldest fashion choices, and the moments that had us questioning everything. Plus, we’re officially volunteering for the nominating committee because we have some strong opinions on the award categories that need to exist next year

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130 results

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