Jesse Learmonth: The state of iGaming startups in 2026

About this episode

Jesse Learmonth discusses the challenges and opportunities in the iGaming startup ecosystem.

🎙️ NEXT.io Podcast #261 with Jesse Learmonth from The Betting Startups. In this episode of the NEXT.io Podcast, Jesse Learmonth joins us to discuss the current state of the iGaming startup ecosystem, what investors are actually looking for today, and why building new companies in gaming has become significantly harder. As the founder of Betting Startups, Jesse works closely with early-stage companies and investors across the industry. In this conversation, we explore how the funding environment has changed, why distribution and partnerships are critical for growth, and what skills founders need to succeed when launching new gaming businesses. ⏰ Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:28 - Jesse Learmonth returns to the NEXT.io Podcast 01:15 - The role of Betting Startups in the ecosystem 03:10 - The current state of iGaming startups 07:45 - Why building startups is harder today 11:10 - Funding environment & investor expectations 14:00 - What makes a startup investable 18:00 - Innovation in iGaming 22:30 - Where startups can still win 27:00 - Scaling challenges for gaming startups 31:00 - Partnerships, distribution & market access 35:30 - The biggest mistakes founders make…

People in this episode

Host: NEXT.io

Guest: Jesse Learmonth

Topics covered

• iGaming
• startups
• investment
• funding environment
• founder skills
• gaming industry

Keywords

• iGaming
• startups
• investment
• funding
• gaming
• entrepreneurship
• distribution

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: The Betting Startups

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