Dmitry Belianin’s journey through the iGaming industry is a testament to the power of passion, risk-taking, and relentless ambition. He started his journey by building affiliate websites and has since grown into an experienced marketing strategist and industry leader.
Belianin answered SBC Eurasia’s 10 questions and reflected on his career’s defining moments, challenges, and lessons. He shared key insights on succeeding in a fast-paced industry and what the next generation of leaders should keep in mind.
– What was your first job and what led you to pursue a career in the iGaming industry?
– My first job wasn’t exactly conventional. At 17, I was building affiliate websites and playing online poker while studying software engineering at university. But during my first internship at one of the country’s biggest IT firms, I quickly realised that software development wasn’t for me.
Affiliate marketing, on the other hand, let me combine everything I loved: poker, marketing, sports, and coding. That naturally led me into the iGaming industry, where I built my own affiliate websites and took my first steps in business. Looking back, I was already an entrepreneur, learning the industry from the ground up while growing my own affiliate sites.
– What was the single biggest turning point in your career?
– The biggest turning point in my career came when I sold my first company at 19. The money was life-changing, but I knew it was too early to slow down. While my peers saw it as an opportunity to take a step back, I reinvested nearly 90% into building new businesses, supporting others, and pushing myself further.
Taking that risk at such a young age changed my mindset completely, making me comfortable with responsibility, not just for myself but for the people I worked with. Even when I later worked for a company, I still approached everything with an entrepreneurial mindset, and that decision shaped everything that followed in my career.
– What have been the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
– Staying focused has always been one of my biggest challenges. I’m naturally drawn to new opportunities and ideas, but chasing too many things at once often leads to a lack of direction.
Time management has been another struggle. While I enjoy meeting new people, networking, and having great conversations, too many meetings started taking time away from actually building and creating.
I haven’t completely overcome these challenges, but I’ve made changes to improve by restructuring my calendar to allow for more deep work and fewer distractions. It’s still a work in progress, but recognising the problem is the first step.
– Who has been the key mentor in your career, and what is the best piece of advice you ever received that still drives your work today?
– For many years, my mentor has been Jeffrey Haas – someone who has greatly impacted my life. He always told me to focus on building great things and delivering value to people and companies, and the money would come. That advice has shaped my approach ever since. My priority has always been to help people, build meaningful businesses, and create real impact. Financial success is simply the result of doing those things well.
– What advice would you offer to those just beginning their journey in the industry?
– Be humble, grind hard, and spend as much time as possible networking. Talk to people, ask questions, and don’t be afraid to look silly – learning matters more than appearances. Forget about work-life balance, at least in the beginning, because it doesn’t exist the way people think it does.
Success in this industry comes to those willing to put in the time. This is why we created the 15M Mastery show – to give back, share insights, and help build the next generation of leaders.
– You’ve seen the iGaming industry evolve over the years. What are the biggest changes you’ve witnessed, and where do you think the industry is heading next?
– Regulation has been the biggest change in the iGaming industry. I still remember when Black Friday hit the US online poker scene at the start of my career – it was a turning point that reshaped the industry. Since then, regulations have tightened worldwide, pushing many operators offshore, especially in Europe.
While regulation is crucial for player protection, the way it is being enforced today is making it harder for operators to deliver the best experience. Until regulators find a better balance, offshore markets will continue to grow.
– You’ve made bold moves throughout your career. Do you have a personal mantra or philosophy that guides your professional decisions?
– I’ve always worked hard, focusing more on the people and businesses I work with than on myself. I never made money the priority because I believe that if you build great things and do meaningful work, the money will follow.
My approach has always been to focus on what I enjoy the most, give it my full attention, and not overthink the outcome. I also think it’s important to spend time with people who uplift and inspire you. The right environment and the right people can make all the difference.
– What accomplishment in your career are you most proud of, and why does it stand out to you?
– The last five years at one of the world’s biggest operators were an incredible experience that I’m extremely proud of. I built an international, highly talented, and self-driven team that generated substantial revenue for a global operator. For me, the real achievement wasn’t just the business success – it was the people. Mentoring, supporting, and watching my former colleagues grow into new roles and bigger challenges is what stands out the most.
Right now, I am also proud of the new path I’ve taken with my partners – building a fund that supports founders, invests in companies, and helps them grow.
– iGaming is known for its fast-paced and innovative environment. How do you stay inspired and maintain your creativity amidst the industry’s rapid evolution?
– I limit my time on social media and consume content in a controlled and thoughtful way. I don’t randomly scroll but instead follow specific people and read content that adds value.
I also make it a priority to read at least 20 books per year (though last year, I only managed 18). Beyond books, I read newsletters and essays, write as much as possible because writing is the best form of thinking. These habits help me stay informed, inspired, and continuously learning.
– Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in your career? What lessons have you learned from any missteps or regrets?
– If I could change one thing, I would have been more aggressive and taken more risks earlier in my career. There were projects I hesitated to start, and looking back, I wish I’d moved faster on them. For example, despite the common belief that SEO was “dead,” in 2016, I ignored that advice and helped build some of today’s most successful SEO-driven media companies, including Already Media.
I also wish I had asked more questions, reached out to more people, and attended more conferences early on. That said, I have no regrets about where my career has taken me, and I am grateful for everything I have accomplished so far.
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