The Playbook: Sports Betting Sector Roundtable

The NFL season is the premier event for the sports betting industry, serving as both a massive revenue driver and a crucible for new technology and fan engagement strategies. This year’s kickoff, with a match up between the Dallas Cowboys and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, will be the first major test for many new products and platforms. With technological advancements, a dynamic regulatory environment, and evolving consumer behavior shaping innovation in the digital gaming landscape, the industry is transforming how it operates, engages fans, and manages risk, and companies are not just competing for a share of the betting wallet; they’re competing for a share of the fan’s attention. The ultimate question for many is: how are they securing a defensible and dominant position in light of these forces to achieve success during the crucial NFL season? 

Please join us for our newly renamed “The Playbook,” our 2nd annual sports betting roundtable as we speak to 31 leaders in the sports betting ecosystem, across the innovative DFS/Fantasy, Betting Tools, Media/Affiliate, RegTech/Payments, B2B, and Social/Staking/Prediction Markets verticals. In this exclusive comprehensive discussion, these key industry players explore the biggest trends and forces shaping the industry in 2025 and beyond; sharing how they’re adapting to these crucial changes and uniquely positioning themselves for explosive growth through the NFL season.

The Attention Economy ⚡️

Competition in the modern sports betting landscape has transcended vying for a fan’s wallet, shifting to a more fundamental battle for their limited attention span. As the digital ecosystem becomes increasingly fragmented, the most successful platforms are those that can make every second of a game an active, engaging experience. This involves a mix of gamification, personalized content streams, and real-time interactive features that keep the fan locked into the action from the pre-kickoff buzz to the final whistle.

  • Kenneth Bean (Pick The Odds) on product development strategy: “Our goal is to be the best, fastest, and most comprehensive betting tool platform on the market. When our users make money, our business grows. So when we’re considering tools and features, we ask ourselves “Will this actually contribute to a user becoming a more successful bettor?”
  • Dylan Robbins (Lucra) on gamification: “In today’s world, where eyeballs are going to a million different places at the same time, there’s so much saturation in advertising and media spend, and short-form content is getting so good on TikTok and Instagram, there are just so many places where users can spend their time. Differentiation is going to be critical, and gamification has been a proven way to build habits and capture attention from fans.”

The AI Edge 📊

The next frontier of fan engagement is driven by the sophisticated use of data and artificial intelligence. By leveraging AI to process vast amounts of historical and real-time data, companies are moving beyond one-size-fits-all platforms to create bespoke, hyper-personalized experiences. These AI-powered systems can tailor content, betting recommendations, and in-game insights to an individual’s unique preferences, making the product feel like it was designed just for them.

  • Chris Shreeve (Vokol) on the use of AI: “Our product adapts to the brand’s voice, tone, and approach, ensuring it remains authentic to both the brand and the fan. It connects in ways generic, mass-market content simply cannot.”
  • Ben Howard (EdgeSports) on the AI opportunity: “While many of the “easy” opportunities are vanishing, we believe beyond the basics is where the real frontier lies. There’s still massive potential for those willing to innovate — to create novel machine learning techniques, tap into overlooked data, and improve latency.”

The Integrity Playbook 🛡️

In a landscape defined by an evolving and complex regulatory framework, technology is becoming a critical partner in building trust and ensuring long-term sustainability. The roundtable highlighted how companies are not just reacting to regulations but proactively using regtech solutions and advanced security protocols to ensure consumer protection and responsible gaming. This strategic use of technology demonstrates a commitment to integrity that is essential for gaining market credibility.

  • Eric Frank and Scott Sadin (IC360) on evolving threats to integrity: “Access to inside information is a consistent and evolving vulnerability for “insiders.” As regulated sports betting continues to proliferate, the need for active and contextualized inside information alerting has never been more relevant.”
  • Kevin Winters (Almond Digital Health) on responsible gaming: “We don’t believe gambling is inherently harmful and it shouldn’t be treated as such. But as gambling becomes more seamlessly embedded in digital platforms and everyday life, we have to acknowledge the risk: without thoughtful design and responsible stewardship, it can fuel behavioral addiction, mental health challenges, and long-term societal and economic costs, especially among youth.”

The Ultimate Team 🤝

The inherently social nature of sports fandom is now being integrated directly into the core functionality of platforms. Participants discussed how the most compelling new products are moving away from the solitary act of placing a wager or managing a team. Instead, they are creating communal spaces where fans can connect, share insights, compete with friends, and celebrate together, fostering a sense of community that drives engagement and loyalty.

  • Cooper Lycan (SoBet) on the advantages of social betting: “We only grow when people have fun, compete, and want to come back. We want people to win. We want them to do it publicly. The best players on SoBet are the face of our brand, not a liability like they are to a sportsbook.”
  • Matt Peterson (Tallysight) on engagement trends: “We’re seeing more sophisticated engagement needs emerge – fans want to follow creators long-term, build social proof around their predictions, and participate in betting culture without necessarily risking significant money every time.”

Read the full Playbook here: What’s NXST