The Economist.
Hello and welcome to The Intelligence from The Economist.
I'm your host, Jason Palmer.
Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.
As part of our World Ahead series,
looking at what 2026 has in store for countries, trends and industries,
we take a look at the business of gaming,
having fairly well saturated the markets that it's in, new regions and demographics back in.
But first, to Venezuela.
What a weekend it was for Venezuelans and for one Venezuelan in particular.
First, surprise airstrikes.
Then, a daring night-time raid by American special forces to seize President Nicolas Maduro.
After a stint on an amphibious warship, a blindfolded plane trip to the U.S., Mr.
Maduro was photographed expressionless during all of this.
Then, when Perp walked through the halls of the Drug Enforcement Agency in New York,
He had an incongruous holiday message for onlookers.
For weeks, America had been assembling its largest force in the Caribbean in decades,
sinking alleged drug boats, seizing Venezuelan oil tankers,
and generally making dark threats against Mr.
Maduro.