How has the iGaming industry transformed over the past 20 years, and what does it take to lead at its forefront? This episode of iGaming Accent offers a fascinating look through the eyes of Glenn Debattista, COO at BetStarters, who has not only witnessed but actively driven much of that change.
Discover how Glenn, a seasoned leader with a proven track record, began his journey at just 24, and hear his invaluable insights on everything from the nuances of early sports trading to strategic advice for navigating the diverse verticals of iGaming today.
It’s always fascinating to hear how people end up in the iGaming industry. Vakho Mdivani, the host of the podcast, and Glenn share their serendipitous entries into the iGaming world, both at the age of 24, remarkably intertwining their passions with their professional paths. Vakho recounts, “I was playing poker when I was in student years, around the time it was gaining popularity in my country… when I was 24 years old, a notification popped up saying they were looking for a poker marketing manager.”
Glenn echoes a similar sentiment, stating, “It’s a very similar story to yours. First of all, I was 24 years old as well. Second, like yourself, who managed to mix poker with marketing, I did enjoy betting on sports, and I love sports. So I applied to be a sports trader with an operator.”
Glenn’s journey started in sports trading, a stark contrast to today’s automated systems. He highlights the manual and meticulous nature of the work two decades ago: “Back then, everything was manual. Operators were still building their platforms and websites, so we had to upload everything by hand, team by team, result by result, and so on.”
This manual process, he believes, fostered a deeper understanding of the odds and margins, preparing them to be “better traders, in the sense that we had to constantly force our brains to work to understand what odds we are seeing.”
He also touches upon the growing role of AI in trading, suggesting it will become “very big” for rapid decision-making.
The discussion then broadens to encompass the diverse verticals within iGaming. Glenn, having worked across B2C operations, B2B, affiliates, and platform providers, offers a holistic view. He particularly recommends customer care as an excellent starting point for new entrants:
“That’s one good place where I would recommend someone to kick off. Why? Because they get to speak to clients, but at the same time, they’re also learning about different aspects of their company.”
This allows individuals to grasp the operational intricacies of the business before specializing.
Glenn also advises on the different platform solutions available. He strongly recommends the White Label solution for startups due to its simplicity and comprehensive support. With a White Label, the platform provider handles most aspects, including licensing, allowing the operator to focus solely on branding and marketing. “The easiest way to get into the iGaming sector is by using a White Label solution,” Glenn explains. He emphasizes that the setup time for most White Label solutions is around “eight weeks.”
In contrast, the Turnkey solution is better suited for “already established companies,” offering more control over managed services and greater customization, albeit at a higher initial investment. This approach allows for a “lesser royalty” to the platform provider.
The podcast also touches upon the realities of living and working in Malta, a hub for the iGaming industry, vibrant networking opportunities, personal branding and many more.
Concluding the episode, he also responded to a question from a previous guest, FortuneJack’s Nugzar Ramishvili, and posed one of his own for the next guest.
To hear the full conversation and gain even deeper insights, listen to the complete podcast episode of iGaming Accent.
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