Exclusive: Galaxy Gaming’s Jason McCulloch on Why Better Experiences Will Define the Next iGaming Cycle
In an exclusive interview with iGaming News Today, Jason McCulloch, VP Global iGaming at Galaxy Gaming, discusses his journey across lottery, sportsbook, land-based gaming and online gaming, while sharing his views on the future of table games and iGaming.
Jason explores what online gaming can learn from land-based casinos, why operators may benefit from fewer but stronger titles, and how AI could transform development, testing and player personalization. He also explains the importance of regulation, ROI assessments and strategic market entry.
Q1. To start with, I’d love to hear a little about your journey in your own words. You’ve worked across so many different parts of gaming over the years – what initially attracted you to the industry, and what has kept you excited about it throughout your career?
Jason McCulloch:
I have been part of the gaming industry since graduating from college. I began my career in Canada with the provincial lottery, where I gained experience across traditional lottery operations, including number draws and sports games. From there, I transitioned into the sports division full time, ultimately overseeing sportsbook operations and managing a variety of roles within the business for several years.
In 2012, I joined IGT and relocated to the United States. Starting on the Analytics team, I progressed through several leadership roles and eventually became responsible for overseeing enterprise-wide data operations. The position provided opportunities to work across multiple markets and moved me from Atlantic City to Florida to Toronto and ultimately Las Vegas. During this time, I also gained early exposure to iGaming when New Jersey opened in 2015. While also still with the lottery in Canada, I helped build Canada’s first sports betting platform in partnership with OpenBet in 2009. Those experiences sparked my interest in the digital side of the industry, where the ability to scale products and reach new audiences created opportunities that were not always possible through traditional channels alone.
In 2021, I joined Galaxy Gaming at a time when the company’s online business was still in its early stages. There were limited structures and strategies in place, which gave me the opportunity to build the division almost from the ground up. Since then, we have significantly expanded the business, establishing approximately 40 B2B and B2C partnerships globally and are now producing over 4.5 billion wagers annually. I also launched Galaxy Gaming Digital, our in-house game development studio focused on creating content tailored to the North American market while supporting the company’s broader land-based gaming strategy.
Today, Galaxy Gaming is uniquely focused on table games rather than slots, allowing us to differentiate ourselves in the iGaming market. We have built strategic partnerships with leading suppliers such as Evolution, Pragmatic Play, and Playtech on the B2B side, while working with major operators overseas including Flutter, Entain, and Bet365 on the B2C side. We also partner with a majority of the operators in North America such as Draft Kings, Rush Street, and Caesars.
Having worked across lottery, sports betting, land-based gaming, analytics, and iGaming, I have developed a broad perspective on the industry and its evolution. Equally important, the relationships I have built throughout my career have played a significant role in helping us grow Galaxy’s business internationally and further establish a global presence.
Q2. You’ve experienced both land-based and online gaming. When you compare the two today, what do you think online gaming has learned from the land-based world, and is there anything the online side still has to learn?
Jason McCulloch:
From a North American perspective, I believe the online gaming industry is still evolving in its understanding of regulatory frameworks and the importance of working closely with regulators and licensing bodies. Many studios entering the market from overseas assume they can simply launch their games immediately, but highly regulated jurisdictions require a much more structured approach. There is often an expectation that an entire game portfolio can be deployed at once, when in reality certifications, approvals, and market-specific requirements frequently dictate a more phased rollout strategy.
There is also an ongoing learning curve around the differences, and increasingly the similarities, between land-based and online gaming. We are seeing much greater convergence between the two channels. Features traditionally associated with online gaming, such as random multipliers, random free spins, and bonus-buy mechanics, are finding their way into land-based products, while successful land-based concepts such as lock and respin continue to perform strongly when adapted for digital audiences.
In North America, some of the strongest examples of this crossover come from established casino brands that have successfully transitioned online. Well known land based brands have translated exceptionally well to the digital environment. The success of these products demonstrates the value of familiarity and brand recognition. I see a similar trend with Galaxy Gaming’s proprietary table-game content, including 21+3™ and Perfect Pairs™, which have become staple offerings across both land-based and online channels worldwide.
From a table-games perspective, live dealer remains one of the most compelling segments of online gaming because it delivers an authentic casino experience through RNG, Real Live Dealers and most recently AI Dealers. It also serves as an accessible entry point for new players. Many consumers may feel intimidated walking into a casino and playing blackjack at a $25 or $50 minimum bet table per hand. Online platforms allow them to learn and enjoy the same games at lower stakes, helping build confidence and familiarity before transitioning to a land-based environment or just to high stakes.
Looking ahead, I believe the industry will continue finding ways to better connect online and land-based experiences. Operators increasingly want players to move seamlessly between channels while maintaining a consistent level of familiarity and engagement. The pace of that convergence will vary by region, however. Online gaming is significantly more mature in Europe, while markets such as North America and South America are still earlier in their development cycle and continue to establish their own player behaviors, regulatory structures, and commercial models.
Q3. Players have more choice than ever, and suppliers keep adding new titles. Do you think the industry sometimes focuses too much on having more games rather than making fewer games better?
Jason McCulloch:
I don’t believe that having on average 85 vendors and 5,000 games on a single platform is necessarily the ideal model, particularly when many of those titles are built around similar mechanics and themes. The industry is gradually shifting away from a pure volume-based approach and toward greater personalization, engagement, and player interaction.
Creating a slot or table game is no longer the challenge. The real challenge is finding ways to keep players engaged over time. As a result, we’re seeing operators invest more heavily in ecosystem-driven experiences that extend beyond the game itself. Features such as progression systems, rewards programs, collectible currencies, achievements, and customizable avatars are becoming increasingly more prevalent because they provide players with a greater sense of participation and long-term engagement.
The same trend is emerging within live dealer gaming. Vendors are exploring ways to give players more control over their experience, whether through personalized environments, dealer avatars, tailored content, or other customizable elements that create a deeper connection between the player and the brand.
I believe that is where the future of the industry lies. Rather than continuing to flood the market with increasingly similar games, the focus will shift toward delivering differentiated experiences that foster engagement, loyalty, and entertainment value across the entire player journey.
At the same time, operators and suppliers are facing growing pressure from changes in taxation, regulation, and RTP requirements across various jurisdictions. As player returns become more scrutinized and economics potentially become less favorable, the industry’s ability to create value through the overall experience becomes increasingly important. Today’s players have access to more information than ever and can easily compare games, features, and RTPs. As a result, long-term success will depend less on the size of a game library and more on an operator’s ability to deliver a compelling, personalized, and engaging experience that keeps players coming back.
Q4. AI is becoming increasingly important across gaming. Where do you think it can make the biggest difference for gaming companies?
Jason McCulloch:
From a game development perspective, I believe AI’s biggest impact will be on accelerating time to market. Historically, developing a casino game could take anywhere from 18 to 24 months, but AI has the potential to significantly reduce that timeline by assisting with coding, artwork generation, content creation, quality assurance, and other production-related tasks. By automating routine and repetitive processes, development teams can focus more of their time on innovation and game design.
Testing is another area where AI can deliver substantial value. AI-driven tools can execute far more test scenarios than traditional manual processes, helping developers identify bugs, performance issues, and compliance concerns earlier in the development cycle. This not only improves efficiency but also increases the likelihood that games reach certification laboratories with fewer issues, resulting in a smoother path to market and a higher-quality end product.
On the operator side, AI is already creating opportunities for more sophisticated player analysis and personalization. Rather than relying solely on traditional VIP managers and segmentation methods, AI can quickly identify players tendencies, analyze their gaming preferences, and uncover behavioral patterns across broader player populations. Operators can then use those insights to deliver more relevant promotions, tailored rewards, and personalized experiences that improve both player engagement and retention.
AI can also help operators optimize their content strategies. Many platforms now offer thousands of games, yet a significant percentage of those titles generate very little player activity. AI can provide a clearer understanding of which games drive engagement and which do not, enabling operators to streamline their portfolios and focus on the content that delivers the greatest value. This creates a more curated player experience while reducing the complexity of maintaining an oversized game library.
Looking ahead, I see AI playing an increasingly important role in product customization. It can help identify opportunities for premium or focused game variants, recommend personalized wagering limits for responsible gaming purposes, and support the creation of tailored experiences that better align with individual player preferences. As competition continues to intensify, the ability to deliver highly personalized experiences on a scale will become a key differentiator.
Q5. When a supplier is looking to enter a new regulated market, what are the things you think they need to understand before making that move?
Jason McCulloch:
The first consideration when evaluating a new market are the regulations defined by the market. Suppliers need a clear understanding of how the market is structured, what the regulatory requirements are, and the true cost of operating within that jurisdiction.
For every market I evaluate, I conduct a detailed return-on-investment analysis to ensure the opportunity justifies the investment. That assessment goes beyond licensing fees and includes technology requirements, certification costs, game rules and whether key systems and servers must be hosted locally or can be managed remotely, to determine scale of the market. Understanding those operational realities is essential before committing resources.
It’s equally important to determine whether the features that have made a game successful in other markets can be offered within the target jurisdiction. Responsible gaming regulations can also limit or prohibit certain mechanics, bonus features, or promotional tools. If too many of the core elements that drive player engagement must be removed or modified, suppliers need to carefully assess whether the product remains commercially viable in that market.
A well-defined go-to-market strategy is also critical. I don’t believe suppliers should enter a new jurisdiction by simply launching their entire portfolio and hoping a few titles gain traction. A more effective approach is often to identify a small number of flagship games and build a focused launch strategy around key operator partnerships. Working closely with a major operator to create visibility, marketing support, and player awareness can generate far greater impact than a broad but unfocused content rollout.
The reality is that entering regulated markets requires significant investment, and competition is often intense. Game certification, compliance, integration, and ongoing operational costs can add up quickly. For that reason, suppliers need to be disciplined in evaluating the size of the opportunity, the competitive landscape, and the likelihood of long-term success. The most successful companies are typically those that take a strategic approach to market expansion, investing where they have a clear competitive advantage rather than simply following the latest industry trend or market opening.
Q6. From your experience, what makes a supplier-operator relationship work really well over the long term?
Jason McCulloch:
Trust. It always comes back to trust.
While commercial success is important for both sides, I’ve always believed that transparency and honesty are what create lasting relationships.
There have been many situations where I’ve advised partners against pursuing a particular game concept because from my experience I didn’t believe it would resonate in their target market. That may not always be the answer one of our partners wants to hear, but I’d much rather provide an honest assessment than encourage someone to invest significant time and capital into a product with a low probability of success. Long-term partnerships are built on credibility, not short-term sales.
A key part of that process is recognizing that not every game succeeds in every market, and that’s perfectly acceptable. Player preferences vary significantly across jurisdictions. In Asia, for example, Baccarat remains the dominant table game, while Blackjack generates a substantial share of online table-game revenue in North America. Understanding those regional nuances is critical. Success comes from aligning products with local player demand rather than trying to force the same content strategy across every market.
That market knowledge can often uncover opportunities that partners may not initially recognize. Several of our B2C partners, for example, had never seriously considered launching a Craps product because it wasn’t a priority within their European operations. However, as they expanded into North American jurisdictions such as Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ontario, and Alberta, the demand profile was very different. By partnering with us to launch Craps with our IP, many of those operators introduced a product that went on to become one of their most successful recent table-game releases.
Ultimately, strong partnerships are built on trust, expertise, and a shared commitment to long-term success. When partners know you’re providing honest guidance and acting in their best interests, rather than simply trying to sell the next product, they are far more likely to continue investing in the relationship. In my experience, trust is what drives sustainable growth and creates opportunities for both sides over time.
Q7. When you look at 2027 and beyond, what do you think could have the biggest impact on online casino and table-game content?
Jason McCulloch:
I believe the future of the industry will vary significantly by market. Regulation is becoming increasingly important across jurisdictions, and while I am a strong advocate for regulated gaming, there needs to be an appropriate balance. Effective regulation protects players, promotes responsible gaming, and creates a sustainable operating environment. However, if regulations become overly restrictive or taxation levels become too burdensome, there is a risk that players will migrate away from regulated channels, undermining the very objectives those frameworks were designed to achieve.
We’ve already seen examples of markets reassessing their approach after implementation, as regulators, operators, and suppliers work to find the right balance between consumer protection and market competitiveness. As new jurisdictions continue to regulate online gaming, similar conversations are likely to emerge regarding tax structures, product restrictions, and overall player experience.
At the same time, competition among content providers continues to intensify. The industry has seen a wave of new studios enter the market over the past several years, but I believe we’re approaching a point of saturation. For operators, managing relationships with dozens of suppliers is not always efficient, particularly when a relatively small number of providers generate the majority of player engagement and revenue. As a result, I expect operators to become increasingly selective about the partners and content they prioritize.
Within table games and live dealer specifically, technology will be one of the most significant drivers of innovation. We’re already seeing advances in areas such as AI-assisted dealer experiences, virtual production environments, green-screen technology, and other tools that provide greater flexibility in how content is created and delivered. These innovations have the potential to improve scalability while creating more immersive and dynamic player experiences.
Perhaps the most important trend, however, will be personalization. Whether driven through an operator’s PAM platform, CRM tools, or directly through B2B content providers, the industry is moving toward experiences tailored to individual player preferences. As technology, analytics, and AI capabilities continue to evolve, operators will be better equipped to customize content, rewards, promotions, and gameplay experiences at scale.
Ultimately, I believe the future of gaming will be shaped by a combination of balanced regulation, technological innovation, and personalization. The companies that succeed in these areas will be the industry leaders.
About Galaxy Gaming
Galaxy Gaming is a global gaming company specializing in proprietary casino table games, side bets, bonusing systems and technology solutions for land-based and online casinos.
Headquartered in Las Vegas, Galaxy Gaming develops, distributes and licenses table-game content across multiple markets, including North America, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and other international regions. Its digital portfolio includes well-known titles such as 21+3, Perfect Pairs, Lucky Ladies, Buster Blackjack, Lucky Lucky and Caribbean Stud Poker.
