Month: June 2023

Tabled today (16 June) – weeks after Fanatics announced plans to acquire the business – the unsolicited non-binding indicative proposal is worth $195.0m (£152.2m/€178.5m). It states DraftKings would purchase the business on a debt-free, cash-free basis with no financing conditions.

PointsBet said its board will now assess the proposal. The group added that the proposal does not constitute a binding offer or commitment from DraftKings to place a firm bid.

The group did not set a date as to when a decision would be reached.

Fanatics’ Rubin: ‘They are trying to block us’

Responding to news of the DraftKings proposal, Fanatics CEO Rubin said he was “skeptical” of the move. He added that it was a “desperate” attempt to slow progress on Fanatics’ own deal with PointsBet.

“We are skeptical of the DraftKings proposal, which seems like a desperate move to slow down Fanatics and PointsBet from completing the deal,” Rubin said in a statement issued to iGB.

“The purchase price and other financial commitments will total more than $500.0m, so they are using the majority of their projected year-end cash just to try to block us.”

The offer comes after PointsBet last month reached an agreement for the Fanatics Betting and Gaming (FBG) arm of Fanatics to acquire the division.

Should FBG’s initial deal go through, it would grant the business access to 12 states. Among those are major betting and igaming hubs, such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

However, should PointsBet opt for the DraftKings proposal, FBG would need to seek other routes to these and other markets.

Rival proposals

FBG’s proposal is worth $150.0m and would see PointsBet keep its Canadian and Australian business and operations and continue as an Australian Stock Exchange-listed company.

The FBG offer also included PointsBet retaining its proprietary sports wagering, racing and igaming platform and be granted a royalty-free licence to exploit Banach technology assets.

PointsBet would also retain its teams in Australia, Canada and India, as well as its Australian-based technologists, traders and quants. In addition, PointsBet would provide services to FBG prior to closing of the deal and be reimbursed for the cost of this by FBG.

Should FBG’s initial deal go through, it would grant the business access to 12 states. Among those are major betting and igaming hubs, such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

However, should PointsBet opt for the DraftKings proposal, FBG would need to seek other routes to these and other markets.

Shareholder value

In assessing the DraftKings proposal, PointsBet said its board would weigh up whether this would be superior to the already-agreed FBG deal.

PointsBet said this will include assessment of value to shareholders and if terms of the new proposal would be more favourable to shareholders. In addition, PointsBet would consider if DraftKings’ proposal could be completed in a timely and certain manner.

Subject to the outcome of this review, PointsBet said its board continues to recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the FBG transaction. A vote on the FBG deal had been due to take place at a shareholder meeting on June 30.

Losses mount in Q1

The latest proposal comes after PointsBet in April confirmed the business was in talks with “multiple parties” regarding the sale of its North American business.

The company also said that it had terminated previously reported talks to sell its Australian business to the News Corp-backed gaming venture behind the Betr brand.

Despite this, PointsBet said it remained in discussions with “other third parties” who have expressed interest in acquiring the business.

This came on the back of a first quarter in which PointsBet post a 39% year-on-year rise in revenue to AU$106.6m.

The Australian arm saw a 3% to $50.7m compared to the $52.3m PointsBet achieved in the same period the previous year.

However, expansion in its North American operations drove the growth, with revenue rising 103% year-on-year to $49.8m. PointsBet’s Canadian business also experienced rapid growth over the period; growing 21% on a quarter-on-quarter basis to $6.1m.

Despite this revenue growth, the company is expecting to make an EBITDA loss of between $77.0m and $82.0m for H2 FY3.

Additionally, the business expects that cash outflow, including movements in player cash, to be approximately 30% lower than in H1 FY23. Due to these pressures, the company has attempted to cut costs in order to drive the business towards profitability.

According to Spillemyndigheden, the land-based casino breached several sections of the country’s Money Laundering Act.

The regulator said that the casino made insufficient identification and risk assessment of customer types, including foreign politically exposed persons (PEPs). Spillemyndigheden also noted a lack of identification and risk assessment of people subject to financial sanctions. 

Danish law states that when risk assessments do not sufficiently describe factors associated with their guests, the assessment does not cover all areas of a business model. As such, this is deemed in breach of regulations.

Specific breaches of the Money Laundering Act included Section 7 (1) on risk assessment; Section 8 (1b) for business processes; and Section 8 (1c) on controls.

Spillemyndigheden also flagged Section 8 (6d) in relation to education; Section 11 (e) for implementing customer due diligence procedures; and Section 11 (f) on enhanced procedures for guests from high-risk third countries.

Breaches of regulation

Breaking down the six orders, the regulator said the first related to insufficient identification and risk assessment of the use of cash as a means of payment. It said as mitigating measures were considered too early, this factor was not properly assessed and the assessment did not cover all areas of the business model.

The second order said the casino did not have sufficient written business procedures. The regulator said the venue lacks sufficient procedures for customer due diligence on high-risk customers, PEPs and their close and close business partners.

An order was also issued over the casino not complying with its own business procedures. These relate to internal controls of procedures for customer familiarisation, investigation and listing, as well as procedures for notification and storage.

The fourth order accused the casino of not having sufficient educational material regarding enhanced customer awareness procedures. Spillemyndigheden said the material currently available to staff would not cover all relevant areas of the Money Laundering Act.

The regulator also issued an order over a failure to carry out sufficient player familiarisation procedures. The casino was accused of not properly carrying out customer verification in line with the Act.

The final order referenced a failure to conduct sufficient customer due diligence procedures for guests from high-risk third. The regulator said the casino did not obtain knowledge as to source of funds or the player’s wealth. 

Further action

“Spillemyndigheden notes that the rules on risk assessment, business procedures, training material and customer awareness procedures are absolutely fundamental in the Money Laundering Act,” the regulator said. “Violation of the rules leads as a clear starting point to injunctions or prosecution or, in gross or repeated cases, to a police report.”

Royal Scandinavian Casino Århus must now submit an updated risk assessment, business procedures, controls, training material and customer due diligence procedures.

The casino will have three months from the date of the orders (14 June) to comply. If it does not provide this information, the casino could be subject to further sanctions.

The ruling also comes after Spillemyndigheden this week issued two charges against Danske Licens Spil. The regulator ruled that the operator did not provide adequate anti-money laundering checks on a player.

Stephen Parry will take on the role of chief operations officer and oversee a newly created hub covering retail, trading, and business operations.

Parry joins Superbet after a spell as chief executive of William Hill International, while he also spent time as COO of William Hill Group and chief integration officer at Flutter.

Meanwhile, Superbet also appointed Andrei Dușu as chief business development officer. In the new role, Dușu will lead mergers and acquisitions, international expansion, business intelligence and strategy.

An experienced senior executive, Dușu is the co-founder of Flawless, an AI powered, real-time support application for business operations teams. Dușu also held leadership roles in strategy, product, data and commercial teams across companies like Google and OLX Group.

Elsewhere, Glyn Hughes will move into the role of chief financial officer. Hughes previously held the same position at both International Workplace Group and Mothercare, while he also spent time in executive roles at the Jardine Matheson Group and Dairy Farm Group.

Parry, Dușu and Hughes will all report directly to Superbet CEO Johnny Hartnett.

International expansion

“As we embark on the next stage of our growth journey, it is incredibly exciting to add experienced and capable leaders like Stephen, Andrei, and Glyn to the Superbet management team,” Hartnett said. 

“Their experience across a range of sectors and geographies means they will be a critical part of executing our ambition – to take the business from our home in CEE to the rest of Europe and beyond.” 

In other news, Superbet also announced the appointment of Adam Lamentowicz as vice president of its new Superbet International division.

Previously CEO and country manager for Superbet Poland, Lamentowicz will supervise all international operations under the Superbet brand, with the exception of Romania. 

Strengthening leadership team

The latest series of hires comes after Superbet in February appointed Hans-Holger Albrecht as its new chairman.

Albrecht is currently chairman of online real estate platform Scout24 Group and audiobook and e-book streaming service Storytel. He is also a member of the board at communications and digital services platform Veon Ventures.

Prior to this, he was CEO of music streaming service Deezer and spent time as president and CEO of telecom and media group Tigo/Millicom International.

In addition, Albrecht had a spell as president and CEO at Modern Times Group MTG AB, a media business active in Scandinavia and East Europe.

This is a far cry from Lottery.com’s revenue growth in full-year 2021, which was up by 813.3% from Covid-hit 2020.

The year had been tumultuous for the operator, with multiple management reshuffles and legal woes. In March, Lottery.com shuffled its senior management team, beginning a trend that would continue throughout the year.

In July, it “terminated the employment” of Ryan Dickinson, Lottery.com’s chief financial officer, treasurer and president after the business admitted that it had overstated its cash balance by $30m. Also in July, Lottery.com’s CEO Lawrence DiMatteo resigned and the company stated that it owed employees $425,000 in outstanding payroll obligations.

In August, Lottery.com was warned with a delisting from the US Nasdaq Stock Market after it did not file its Q2 report in time.

September brought more employee troubles. During the month, two board members quit after they said Lottery.com did not look into “red flags” that were allegedly raised by a new Lottery.com investor.

Days later, the business was handed a deadline of 5 October to fill all remaining seats, which was met – with the additional appointment of a new CEO, Sohail S. Quraeshi.

The business appointed new auditors later in October.

In November, Lottery.com’s chair Richard Kivel stepped down from the role, claiming that Lottery.com had fostered a difficult working environment and adding that chief compliance officer Dennis Ruggeri was facing an FBI investigation. A new chair was appointed days later.

In December, once again, Lottery.com received a warning from Nasdaq over filing its quarterly results – this time Q3 – late. The year finished out with another Lottery.com director exiting the business after less than two months.

Financial results

Lottery.com’s revenue costs added up to $4.3m for the year, down by 47.1% year-on-year. The brought the gross income for the year to $2.4m, a significant drop of 70.0% yearly.

Total operating expenses for the year hit $58.2m, another 70.0% loss year-on-year. This consisted of $37.1m in personnel costs, $8.9m in general and administrative fees, $6.6m in professional fees and $5.6m in depreciation and amortisation.

The expenses brought the loss from operations to $55.7m for the year, $25.9m more than in 2021.

Other expenses, consisting of interest, reserve loss of prepaid advertising credits and other expense totaled at $4.4m. This brought the pre-tax loss to $60.2m.

Following income tax expense at $104,356, the total net loss for the year was $60.3m, 14.1% more than in 2021.

Handle for the month stood at $12.5m, which was 27.3% lower than $17.2m in May 2022 and also 17.2% down from $14.5m in April this year.

However, gross gaming revenue in May amounted to $2.0m, level with the same month last year and double the $1.0m generated in April.

Caesars Entertainment claimed top spot in revenue terms after collecting $818,817 from a $4.6m handle.

Read the full story on iGB North America.

Animal Rising made the claim earlier today (16 June) at a press conference. Julie Harrington, CEO of the BHA, said that the association will not be made to conduct “any activity by threats of protest”.

“At a press conference today, Animal Rising said they will cease their protest activity this summer if British racing agrees to take part in a public debate about “the morals of horseracing,” Harrington said. “We will never allow British horseracing to be coerced into any activity by threats of protests.”

Harrington said that Animal Rising’s protests at the 2023 Epsom Derby – which the BHA hailed as “reckless and dangerous” last week – shows that their public declarations are not trustworthy.

“Animal Rising have shown by their reckless actions at the Epsom Derby that their public promises cannot be trusted,” she continued. “They have demonstrated they are prepared to commit potentially unlawful acts and to directly threaten the safety of horses and people to generate publicity around their wider aims.”

Harrington added that horseracing spokespeople had taken part in “well over an hour of televised debate since April,” and had communicated their belief in continuing to facilitate and promote horseracing.

“Once again I call on Animal Rising to end their reckless acts against a sport legally enjoyed by millions of people every year.”

The group said its new name will reflect the business’ position as a multi-brand gambling operator and B2B technology solutions provider.

BVGroup will also launch a new logo and corporate website to reflect its name change.

Alongside its flagship B2C BetVictor brand, BVGroup also uses in-house technology to service and manage several partner brands. 

“During our 75-plus years in business, we have established ourselves as one of the most reputable gambling companies in the world,” BVGroup chief executive Andreas Meinrad said. “Our new identity, BVGroup, helps us define ourselves more effectively, highlighting how far the company has come from its bookmaker beginnings. 

“While we remain intensely proud of our heritage, our focus is always on the future and how we can continue to innovate and grow to best serve our customers and partners. BVGroup is an exciting development in the progress of the company.”

Evolution

The rebrand marks the latest change for the business, which has been known by a number of names over its history.

In 2012, the group rebranded from Victor Chandler to BetVictor and retained this brand for the past 11 years.

A change in management followed shortly after the initial rebrand when Michael Tabor, a major shareholder in Victor Chandler International, purchased the business in May 2014.

This led to Victor Chandler, the grandson of founder William Chandler, leaving the group. A few months later, Meinrad, formerly of Bwin-party, joined the business as CEO and has held the role ever since.

Under Meinrad’s leadership, the business has expanded outside of its initial remit into new areas, including supporting media brands launch online.

UK radio station Heart partnered with BVGroup to launch Heart Bingo, while UK commercial radio station Talksport worked with the group to launch Talksport Bet. In Germany, BVGroup also linked up with newspaper Bild to roll out BildBet.

In terms of its reach, BVGroup holds licences in the UK, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Malta, Gibraltar and Ontario in Canada. The group is yet to break into the US market. 

In the role, Bloor will work closely with Pariplay’s leadership team to support the growth of the Fusion and Ignite product offerings. Bloor will also manage and maximise relationships with the provider’s partners and seek new relationships.

An experienced industry professional, Bloor was most recently head of operations for RGS at EveryMatrix.

Prior to this, she spent four and a half years working for Gaming Innovation Group, serving in roles such as head of gaming solutions and game relations manager.

Earlier in her career, Bloor also had spells with William Hill, Gala Coral Group and Bet365.

“I am excited about this new opportunity with Pariplay, a company I have followed from the sidelines and been very impressed with,” Bloor said. “I look forward to building on our existing partnerships and creating new synergies as we continue on this journey.”

Pariplay’s chief commercial officer, Enrico Bradamate, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Ashley to the team. We know she will play a crucial part as we execute our growth strategy and expand our global partner network of studios and operators, cementing our position as the number one gaming aggregator.”

The advertisement in question took the form of a promoted tweet, which the ASA saw in January 2023. The image attached to the tweet featured Eubank Jr, with the caption reading: “It’s fight week! Chris Eubank Jr and Liam Smith will be Unleashed in Manchester. Click here for latest odds”.

The authority questioned whether the ad would appeal to minors, due to the inclusion of Eubank Jr. If so, this would mean the ad infringed upon the ASA’s code of non-broadcast advertising, sales promotion and direct marketing – known as the CAP code.

Bet365 response

In response, Bet365 said that its social media channels were age-restricted to users aged 18 and over. It further explained that where it is not possible to age-verify, it ensures campaigns only target over-25s. In addition, all of Bet365’s social media channels have options to self-exclude.

For the complaint in question, it said that the ad was only displayed to users over the age of 25 and to those who had expressed interest in related content.

The operator said that it conducts live monitoring of individuals it uses in marketing material. This is to ensure that their featuring in an ad would not be high risk. This excludes, for example, top-flight European footballers.

Upon assessing Eubank Jr’s social media profiles it found that on Facebook 0.1% of his followers are registered as being under 18. This number was 0.3% in Twitter and 0.4% on Instagram.

Bet365 also pointed out that Eubank Jr’s appearance in the ad would be considered low to moderate risk by the CAP code, which defines boxing as an adult-oriented sport.

ASA ruling

The ASA ultimately ruled that the complaint not be upheld and no further action should be taken.

As well as considering Eubank’s overall appeal to under-18s, and concluding that there was very little, the ASA said that boxing is a more adult-oriented sport and that the ad was not presented in a way that would appeal to under-18s.

The ad was investigated under CAP code rules 16.1, 16.3 and 16.3.12.

In April, the ASA banned an ad from BetVictor on the grounds that it would have a strong appeal to under-18s. The ad featured Spanish footballer Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

The 2022 iGB-Pentasia salary survey identified ongoing talent shortages and the impact of a maturing industry on staffing as significant themes. These factors continue to exert their influence on the talent market today and are driving conversations around recruitment and retention at the C-suite level.

Our latest surveys indicate that talent shortages across multiple functions remain a major factor driving trends such as remote, flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

These shortages have also prompted more igaming companies to take proactive steps to foster a more diverse and inclusive environment. This is evidenced by the 56.7% of respondents in our survey stating that their companies are implementing inclusive recruitment practices.

As the industry matures, it is clear that the “churn and burn” model of employment of the past is no longer sustainable. Companies are recognising that to innovate and grow, they need to retain staff.

As a result, there is a new emphasis on training and development both to attract candidates and for employee engagement. Investing in employees equates to investing in the future of your company, so these trends are a clear sign that the igaming industry is coming of age.

In addition to these trends, the ever-increasing demand for tech talent and rise of salaries continues to create problems for the industry.

It all points to the same conclusion: to successfully recruit in the current market, companies must provide employees with what they want.

Finally, Latin America. The LatAm market is opening up and as well as offering opportunities for growth it may also offer a solution to some of the talent challenges currently facing igaming companies.

Trend 1: 100% office-based is out of the question

The shift away from 100% office-based work is a clear trend that is reshaping the workplace.

According to our recent poll, only 22% of respondents currently work five days a week in the office, while 39% never work in the office.

Many companies had hoped that 2023 would bring a return to pre-Covid days with most staff back in the office full-time. However, this expectation has not been met and it seems unlikely to happen.

In fact, companies are struggling to convince employees to return to the office and candidates are increasingly standing firm and demanding flexible work arrangements.

Insisting on full-time office-based work is driving away candidates and employees. Many believe they have proven that they are just as productive working remotely and are not interested in returning to the office.

To compete for talent, companies must embrace a flexible approach to work.

Remote or hybrid key factor in talent engagement

Many employers do recognise the benefits of remote work from a recruitment perspective, with 53.3% of those surveyed believing that offering full remote working is an effective way to expand their talent pool.

The 2022 iGB-Pentasia salary survey shows that the majority of tech roles are fully remote and many candidates in other functions expect remote or hybrid work arrangements as standard.

With talent shortages driving up competition for candidates, offering remote or hybrid has become a key factor in attracting and retaining top talent. Companies that fail to adapt risk losing out on skilled professionals to competitors who offer more flexible working arrangements.

Trend 2: Salaries continue to rise

The igaming industry is experiencing rapid growth worldwide, with more and more countries legalising online gambling and betting. This has created high demand for skilled professionals in various areas.

As a result, salaries in the industry continued to rise at an average increase of 12.5% in 2022 on top of the same growth rate in 2021. However, salaries for the most sought-after roles have seen even higher increases of up to 30% per annum.

Unexpected surprises

Compliance and legal roles have seen particularly significant salary increases, as companies seek to ensure they are operating within regulatory frameworks.

It’s important to note that many of these roles have an average tenure of 3-5 years, meaning that employers who have not hired for these positions in a few years may be surprised by the current salary expectations.

Tech talent shortages are also driving up salaries, especially for roles that require industry-specific expertise or candidates with next-gen tech skills. As competition for talent continues to intensify, companies must be prepared to offer competitive salaries and benefits packages to attract and retain top talent.

Trend 3: The emergence of alternative staffing models to address talent shortages in igaming

The ongoing talent shortages, especially for roles that require specialised expertise in areas like AI, IoT, VR and cryptocurrencies can impede the ability of companies to innovate, develop new products and grow.

To overcome these challenges, alternative staffing models are gaining popularity. They offer quick access to pre-built talent teams that possess the expertise and skills required to fulfill a company’s specific needs.

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) is one such solution that can help companies to fill positions more efficiently. It can help provide access to a wider pool of candidates with the required skills and experience. RPO providers offer various services, from candidate sourcing and screening to managing the entire recruitment process.

In the igaming industry, turnkey solutions are also becoming increasingly popular. These are pre-built teams of experts in a particular area such as software development or data analytics, with industry-specific expertise. These teams can be deployed rapidly to work on specific projects or to fill skill gaps within a company.

Blended approach to staffing

Augmented teams are another popular model that involves supplementing a company’s existing team with external talent. This approach can be adopted on a project-by-project basis or for an extended period and can help to fill specific skill gaps quickly and cost-effectively.

Companies are also using turnkey solutions and augmented teams to build their internal capabilities. An external team can be deployed to help build the tech function within a company. Permanent hires are simultaneously recruited to eventually replace the external team. This approach helps address tech talent shortages while also building internal expertise over time.

The external team can provide the necessary skills and experience to get projects up and running quickly. Meanwhile, the company recruits permanent hires to fill the necessary skill gaps in the long term.

Trend 4: The LatAm opportunity

The Latin American (LatAm) market is presenting many opportunities for companies looking to expand. The region is rich in talented software developers. This makes countries like Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina popular hotspots for tech talent.

International operators have partnered with local brands, creating high-quality tech jobs and stimulating investment in igaming.

One of the main attractions for companies is LatAm’s excellent tech infrastructure, language proficiency and cost competitiveness. Hiring tech talent in the region remains budget-friendly for overseas employers. Average salaries range between just 35-60% of those found in the US and Europe.

In addition, many governments in LatAm provide tax incentives, grants and numerous tech accelerators and incubators that support start-ups in the region.

However, despite the abundance of tech talent, the shortage of industry-specific expertise in emerging igaming markets remains a challenge. Competition for qualified and experienced tech talent is likely to intensify as the market grows.

Country insights

Brazil, with its large population of 214 million, presents a major opportunity, with legislation passed in 2018 to privatise sports betting.

The market is expected to be worth $1bn within five years of regulation.

Argentina, with a population of 45 million, has an online gaming and betting industry worth $2.4bn. But the tax on gambling increased from 2% to 5%, with provincial tax ranging from 10-25% of gross gaming revenue (GGR).

Chile is also expected to regulate online gambling soon. Colombia, meanwhile, became the first to regulate online gambling in 2016, with a total NGR of $200m.

LatAm has all the necessary ingredients to become one of the most promising markets for the igaming industry. However, companies must act quickly to take advantage of the opportunity and prepare for the growing competition for qualified and experienced tech talent.

Trend 5: Diversity and inclusion in igaming

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) are essential factors for the growth and success of the igaming industry. A significant number of employers and employees view D&I as important to them.

Our survey results show that 33% of respondents consider diversity and inclusion important. And in total, 57% of companies have implemented inclusive recruitment practices to foster a more diverse and inclusive environment.

While companies promote diversity and inclusion in several ways, there is room for improvement. Only 27% of companies have clear diversity and inclusion policies and just 10% report on diversity metrics.

Additionally, only 3% of companies have a dedicated diversity manager. It is vital for companies to ensure they follow through on their promises and take meaningful actions towards promoting diversity and inclusion.

D&I boosts creativity and innovation

Companies that are committed to achieving gender and ethnic diversity within their workforce have an advantage when it comes to talent acquisition and retention.

Opening up to a wider mix of talent can help address skills shortages and boost creativity and innovation. Employees feel more valued in companies that make real efforts to promote equality. This results in higher employee engagement and lower churn.

Companies are also supporting employees through mentorship programmes, dedicated training and outreach to specific communities. Our survey results show that 23% of respondents have mentorship programmes in place. In addition, 10% offer dedicated training and 10% have implemented outreach initiatives to engage community groups.

Employee support packages

Inclusive recruitment strategies are being backed up with support for employees. 40% of companies promote pay equality, 30% offer enhanced parental packages and 20% have a return-to-work programme. Additionally, 47% of companies celebrate holidays of all cultures and 23% recognise community days.

Promoting diversity and inclusion creates a more welcoming and inclusive work environment, helping companies better serve a diverse customer base. Companies with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion can differentiate themselves in a crowded market. This leads to stronger brand recognition, greater customer loyalty and better employee engagement.

Overall, the igaming industry has much to gain from promoting diversity and inclusion, both internally and externally.

Trend 6: Training and development

The industry is beginning to recognise the importance of investing in training and development to attract and retain talent, with some companies well ahead of the curve. In the past many companies did not prioritise these areas. But with recruitment challenges and skills shortages, there is a growing need to invest in employees.

According to our survey, 46.7% of respondents believe that development programmes can help expand the talent pool and 40% said their company already has such programmes in place.

Additionally, 26.7% said that entry-level training is necessary for roles where there is a skills shortage and the same percentage reported that their company offers entry-level training.

However, some companies are taking it a step further. They are looking beyond qualifications when hiring and instead focusing on a candidate’s potential.

These companies prioritise ongoing training and development to support their employees’ growth and address skills shortages. This approach can attract a wider range of candidates and create a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Investing in training and development not only helps attract and retain talent, but it also demonstrates a commitment to employees’ careers and long-term success. In turn, it can lead to higher employee engagement, job satisfaction and retention rates, ultimately benefiting both the company and its employees.

What next for 2023 and beyond?

The igaming industry is rapidly evolving and is facing new challenges and opportunities. To stay competitive, companies in the industry must adapt to these changes and prioritise the needs of their employees.

The six trends identified in this review represent critical areas that igaming industry recruiters and C-suite leaders should focus on.

Remote work is here to stay, and companies must adapt their hiring, management and communication strategies to reflect this new reality.Salaries have not yet plateaued and therefore it is important to understand what is driving increases to avoid unpleasant surprises.Talent shortages require employers to be creative in the way they approach staffing, whether that is leveraging augmented teams, or looking to new markets like LatAm.LatAm presents exciting opportunities but companies need to move fast if they want to secure the top talent.A diverse and inclusive industry is good for everyone, commercially as well as for attracting and retaining top talent and creating a more innovative and creative workforce.Finally, investing in employee training and development is critical for addressing skills shortages and retaining top talent.