Martin Lycka's Safe Bet Show

Are tighter gambling regulations always better for player protection or could they push players towards the black market? In this episode of The Safe Bet Show, Martin Lycka is joined by Scott Burrows, Director of Technical Compliance at Super, to discuss UK regulatory changes, black market risk, technical compliance and the future of safer gambling. The conversation explores the mood at the Ethica...

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 predictio...

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...

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 expl...

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...

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 currentl...

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....

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...

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 re...

🎙️ In this episode of Martin Lycka's Safe Bet Show, we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Shatley, Executive Director of Roga (Responsible Online Gaming Association), for a conversation on the future of responsible gaming. With a unique academic background—especially her communications degree rooted in research and statistics—Dr. Shatley brings a data-driven mindset to her work. She reflects on her tenure...

In the latest episode of Martin Lycka's Safe Bet Show, Martin chats with Monica Shafaq, CEO of Gordon Moody, delving into her extensive charity sector background spanning housing and mental health. Monica shares her journey, including her 14-year tenure as CEO of Kaleidoscope Plus Group, a mental health support organisation.  A crucial part of the conversation explores the significant interplay be...

Join Martin Lycka on another episode of his Safe Bet Show as he welcomes Simon Vincze, Head of Sustainable and Safe Gambling at Casino Guru.  In this insightful conversation, Simon shares his experiences growing up in the post-Czechoslovak environment, reflecting on the unique dynamic between Czechs and Slovaks and his personal connection to both cultures. He provides an in-depth look into Casino...

In this episode of the Safe Bet Show, Martin Lycka is joined by Sarah Ramanauskas, Co-Founder and CEO of the The Game Safety Institute, to discuss her early life and career, experiences at Betfair and William Hill and the evolution of online gambling. Sarah shares her insights on why safer gambling starts with respect, the evolution of customer behaviour and the importance of community support thr...

In this episode of the Safe Bet Show, Martin Lycka interviews José Francisco Manssur, a key figure in the regulation of the gambling industry in Brazil. The duo discuss the realities of Brazil beyond common myths, Manssur's journey in sports law and the challenges he faced in regulating the betting industry. Also on the agenda are the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions, the importance...

 In this episode of the Safe Bet Show, supported by the Player Protection Hub, Martin Lycka is joined by Daniel Trolaro, Co-Managing Director of Education and Training Services at Integrity Compliance 360 (IC360), who details his journey from prison to gambling harm prevention educator. Trolaro speaks about how he used gambling as a coping mechanism after witnessing the terror attacks of 9/11 and...

In this episode of the Safe Bet Show, supported by the Player Protection Hub , Martin Lycka is joined by Lou Rogacki, Deputy Director and Assistant Attorney General at the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) who talks about his background, experience working in the legal field and his role in the regulation of the gambling industry in New Jersey. The duo also discuss the NJDGE’s comm...

The latest episode of Martin Lycka’s Safe Bet Show is out and features Aaron GlynWilliams, Chief of Staff at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Martin and Aaron discussed the similarities between his previous roles lobbying for transport in Toronto and his current work with OLG, how changing consumer behaviour is shaping OLG’s offering and why the globalised nature of the gaming ind...

In the latest episode of the Safe Bet Show, supported by the Player Protection Hub , Martin Lycka returns once again to the hot seat and is joined by Valerie Spicer, Founding Partner at Trilogy Group. The Player Protection Hub is a membership-only news discussion and research hub dedicated to the global player protection and responsible gambling space. Designed to be the home of player protection...

Former professional hockey player turned broadcaster Luke Gazdic was the latest guest on the Martin Lycka Safe Bet Show, supported by the Player Protection Hub , filmed live at the recent Canadian Gaming Summit in Toronto. Gazdic recapped his time in the NHL and the minor leagues, before discussing his current role as a hockey analyst and how sports betting has changed in Canada from the start of...

Martin Lycka welcomes Mark Hicks, Managing Director of the NCAA, to discuss the NCAA’s relationship with sports betting, college prop bets and protecting the welfare of student-athletes. The pair also talk about the NCAA’s partnership with Epic Global Solutions which aims to teach students about responsible gambling and the impact of Caitlin Clark on women's basketball.

Martin Lycka welcomes Adam Warrington, Vice President of Responsible Gaming at Underdog Sports to discuss his time working in the alcohol industry at  Anheuser-Busch and the differences between problem drinking and problem gaming. The pair also discussed Adam’s time at Fanduel spearheading their responsible gambling ambassador program and Underdog’s new $1 million GuardDog fund that aims to help s...

Martin Lycka welcomes Arthur Paikowsky, President of the International Centre for Responsible Gambling to discuss Arthur's experience with the ICRG, formerly the NCRG, including growing the organisation, and their work and research in the United States and now beyond over the last 25 years.  Martin and Arthur also discuss Arthur's fundraising experience and the challenges charities face in this ar...

Martin Lycka returns once again and joining him in the Safe Bet Show hotseat is Paul Burns, President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association.  In the latest episode, the duo talk about Paul's career before entering the gambling sector, comparing the two different environments, key objectives of the CGA and the Associations partnership with SBC regarding the Canadian Gaming Summit. 

The Buckeye State's Amanda Blackford of the Ohio Casino Control Commission talks about how the state has adapted since the launch of sports betting one year ago, including expanding education at all levels.  Blackford also delves into how the OCCC has developed a process that integrates stakeholder feedback at every level and how that has improved the industry in the state.

The latest person to enter the Safe Bet Show hotseat is Michael Auer, the Founder and Managing Director of Neccton.  Joining Martin Lycka, the duo discuss the importance of statistics, the UK White Paper consultations and its key priniciples, while also reflecting on the future of the UK market.  Later on in the show, Lycka quizzes Auer on which responsible gambling tools he believes to be the mos...