Jacob Hirsch Head of Business Development & Growth at WagerWire focuses on expanding partnerships and driving marketplace growth across the sports betting ecosystem. As growth strategies shift away from pure acquisition toward sustainability, product-led engagement, and compliant partnerships, business development leaders are being asked to operate with greater strategic discipline than ever before.
In this CasinoRank interview, Hirsch shares his perspective on how the role of growth and business development has changed as regulation, institutional capital, and rising acquisition costs reshape the iGaming industry. He also discusses how WagerWire’s platform reflects a broader shift toward user empowerment, market efficiency, and long-term value creation in modern iGaming.
From your perspective at WagerWire, how has business development and growth evolved as iGaming has become more regulated and competitive?
Jacob Hirsch: Early on, business development in iGaming was largely about speed, acquiring users quickly, launching partnerships fast, and figuring things out in parallel with regulation. As the market has matured and the global demand for online betting continues to grow, the role has become far more strategic and disciplined. Growth is no longer just about who can acquire the most users the fastest; it’s about how those users are acquired, retained, and monetized within regulatory constraints in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven industry.
At WagerWire, this has meant shifting from opportunistic deal-making to more intentional partnerships that are compliant, scalable, and defensible. Business development today sits at the intersection of regulation, product, and distribution. Growth leaders are expected to understand regulatory nuance, operator economics, and long-term user behavior, not just top-line acquisition metrics.
As regulation becomes more central to market access and expansion, how does it influence the types of partnerships iGaming companies should pursue — and which ones they should avoid?
Jacob Hirsch: Regulation has made who you partner with just as important as what the partnership delivers. The best partnerships today are those aligned with licensed operators pursuing sustainable growth strategies in regulated markets, alongside transparent data practices and clear consumer protections. These relationships may take longer to structure, but they are far more durable.
On the flip side, companies should be cautious of partnerships that rely on regulatory gray areas, unclear attribution, or short-term arbitrage. Those deals might drive short-term revenue, but they introduce material risk, especially as regulators and operators become more sophisticated.
Customer acquisition has historically dominated growth strategies in iGaming. Where do you now see the biggest opportunities for differentiation beyond pure performance marketing?
Jacob Hirsch: The biggest opportunity lies in product-led engagement and user empowerment. As acquisition costs rise and channels become saturated, differentiation increasingly comes from offering users more control, flexibility, and transparency once they’re already in the ecosystem.
At WagerWire, we’ve found success by operating as a product-led affiliate. Our largest customer acquisition moments are driven by high-value ticket sales, proprietary tools, and content that naturally attract and convert users. Instead of relying solely on paid performance channels, the product itself creates demand and pulls users in through real utility and outcomes.
With more institutional capital entering iGaming, what new expectations are being placed on growth leaders in terms of transparency, scalability, and long-term value creation?
Jacob Hirsch: Institutional capital has raised the bar across the industry, particularly as large investments and strategic mergers reshape the competitive landscape. Growth leaders are now expected to clearly explain where growth comes from, why it’s sustainable, and how it holds up across market cycles. Vanity metrics matter less than repeatability, unit economics, and regulatory resilience.
There’s also increased scrutiny around data integrity, attribution, and compliance, requiring growth teams to operate with the same rigor as finance or legal while building systems that can scale across markets without breaking.
Looking ahead, how do you see platforms and intermediaries like WagerWire shaping the next phase of the iGaming ecosystem — particularly in terms of user empowerment and market efficiency?
Jacob Hirsch: Platforms like WagerWire are reshaping iGaming by making markets more efficient and user-centric. By introducing secondary markets and real liquidity, we unlock value that previously didn’t exist and give users genuine control over their positions.
As the ecosystem matures, the most impactful innovation will happen between operators, reducing friction, improving pricing, and creating new engagement loops without added regulatory burden. That’s where platforms like WagerWire can deliver outsized, durable value.
For Heads of Growth or Business Development operating in iGaming today, what is one strategic principle they should prioritise to remain credible and effective over the long term?
Jacob Hirsch: In a mature, regulated iGaming market, long-term credibility comes from acquiring the right users through the right partnerships, not the most users at any cost.
Growth strategies that emphasize user quality, sustainable economics, and aligned incentives will outperform high-volume approaches that break under regulatory or market pressure. The focus should be on building acquisition models that deliver lasting value for both operators and players, rather than chasing short-term spikes in traffic or deposits. Over time, the companies that prioritize transparency, compliance, and long-term player engagement will be the ones that build the most resilient growth engines.
Insights and Emerging Trends
One trend worth watching closely is the increasing alignment between product innovation and regulatory objectives. Tools that improve responsible play, transparency, and user control are no longer just “nice to have”, they can become competitive advantages. The companies that treat regulation as a design constraint rather than an obstacle will be best positioned in the next phase of iGaming growth.
With a background in digital media and a keen eye for emerging technologies, Ronaldo bridges the gap between players and platforms through clear, insightful reporting to the iGaming industry.
