The outsider advantage: Viewing iGaming through a different lens

The first time I walked into an iGaming conference was daunting. I knew next to no-one in the industry and, as far as I knew, no one knew me. I was an outsider in every sense, representing an unknown product in an industry I believed would be resistant to change.

While this initially seemed terrifying, I quickly discovered that this outsider status was a gift. It has allowed me to view the industry through fresh eyes. I do not have any preconceptions about companies or products. This has become my superpower, allowing me to analyse the industry without bias and, hopefully, help shape its future.

An unexpected entry

iGaming was not the industry I set out to work in. Before 2021, I worked in finance and business – agro companies, management consultancy and investment funds, none of which were remotely linked to the industry.

In 2021, I joined an investment fund focused on startups harnessing AI and machine learning. In the process, I had a chance encounter with an iGaming investor. This sparked a conversation that would change the course of my career. He pointed out that iGaming was dramatically underutilising its data potential. There was an opportunity here, and once we began exploring it, the thread just kept unravelling.

I started out as an adviser with the Playa, but was appointed the company’s CEO in 2024, a position I did not expect to find myself in, but an opportunity I have embraced with open arms. As a company, we provide AI personalisation solutions to businesses, something that was totally new to the market.

Coming from the outside, I needed to gather a team to help steer the ship. In the two years since I took on the role, I have been blessed to work with some of the sharpest minds in the industry and I couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved so far.

Challenging perceptions

I won’t lie, when I first entered iGaming, I had my concerns. Aspects of the industry felt stuck in a state of stasis. People were making money, and as long as that continued to happen and margins were healthy, why innovate? Just keep doing the same things over and over, with marginal improvements when necessary.

As someone with a naturally curious mind, I found this frustrating. However, in a short period of time, I have seen positive changes. Recent regulatory shifts and an increasingly competitive landscape are pushing companies to innovate, and those unwilling to adapt are being left behind.

Not only has this made the industry a hotbed of innovation, but it’s also created an ideal environment for growth for those with cross-industry experience. Ideas from outside are now being welcomed, with companies finally embracing proven concepts from other sectors.

Finding a community

I may have started life in the industry as an outsider, but that is far from the case now. Those initial conferences were frightening, but they pushed me to meet people, and what I discovered was an industry built on community.

Now, when I attend conferences, I look forward to seeing people I genuinely consider friends, not just business contacts. One such friend is Gali Hartuv, CEO and co-founder of WarriorLab. We met at a conference and immediately hit it off. We now host regular monthly webinars about the iGaming industry,

I have also been impressed with the number of like-minded, empowered female CEOs and leaders I have met. I was recently added to a WhatsApp group exclusively for C-level women in iGaming. When I joined, there were already 150 women in the group, and I was told it started at just 20.

This community has become invaluable to me. Being in a C-role is isolating. You have to make difficult decisions and, unfortunately, you can’t be everyone’s friend all of the time. In fact, a lot of the time, it’s quite the opposite.

Having a community of women who understand that exact feeling, who have experienced these challenges themselves, and who can offer support without any judgment has been transformative. Finding that kind of space in a professional setting is challenging and I couldn’t be more grateful to the women in these communities.

Leading without expectation

Entering iGaming from the outside was nerve-racking, but it has actually turned out to be my biggest advantage. I have no preconceived ideas about how things should be done, and I’m not playing anybody else’s rulebook.

I believe that the industry needs more outside voices. People who come in and look at problems from a different perspective, and who are not constantly worrying about past mistakes.

Technology, especially AI, is impacting all industries, and the more we can learn from one another, the better.

So, in many ways, this is a call-out to the outsiders and to those within the industry who want to shake things up. Ask questions, challenge assumptions and don’t be afraid of ignoring conventional wisdom. By doing all of these things, I’ve found a place that has welcomed me and that champions inclusion.