An engaging episode of iGaming Accent, hosted by Vakho Mdivani, features Dainis Niedra, Chief Operating Officer at Entain, offering a deep dive into the intricacies of one of the iGaming industry’s largest organizations.
The discussion covers Entain’s unique structure, its strategic approach to mergers and acquisitions, the importance of local market understanding, as well as Dainis’s personal journey, lessons learned, and how education and the first job can shape one’s work DNA.
The podcast begins with Dainis sharing his entry into the iGaming world, which started nearly two decades ago in retail poker. He describes how poker was a “big thing” around 2006, with “big budgets that poker stars were coming in” and major offline events broadcast on “classical TV channels”. This boom continued until “Black Friday,” when major operators exited the US market, leading to a decline in liquidity.
Dainis also clarifies Entain’s structure, explaining that it’s “not like the vertically built company” but rather a “puzzle built of many different companies” formed through multiple acquisitions. Regarding the acquisition strategy, he explains it as “it’s all about buying the market leader or the top three players on the market.”
“For example, we took Crystalbet [in Georgia] when it was number two on the market. After the acquisition happened, and it was time, they became number one on the market. By being part of Entain’s family, the guys agree to the business and become the market leaders.
“Because like the organic market entrance takes more time, more resources. You need people, you need a product, and you need technology. You need a lot of things, and on the other side, if you have cash, understand how to run the business, you can evaluate and calculate the fair price, that’s how you end up with the acquisition.
“And then you try to bring additional value on top of the existing business — offering know-how, improved products, and financial support if needed — all to improve the bottom line. It’s about working on the profitability of the business. As part of a larger company, you also benefit from better supplier contracts and other advantages. Ultimately, it’s about finding synergies in markets where you’re not yet present.”
He also delves into the critical aspect of cultural fit within a large organization like Entain, which employs “27,000 people”. Dainis emphasizes the understanding that “the business should be local”, particularly for marketing and operations. He states that “the people sitting, for example, in London or Las Vegas, they most probably are not the right ones who will tell you how to run marketing in Tbilisi”, advocating for local talent running local marketing “for Georgians”.
During the conversation, Dainis shares valuable insights when working with employees. In particular, he noted that when recruiting talent, he pays attention to education and the first job “because to my mind it’s what creates your DNA”.
“My first education is in civil engineering, and my mindset is very engineering — I try to make everything super logical, simple, clear. And in civil engineering, if you do your job poorly, the consequences can be severe — people could die. That’s why my mindset is to triple-check everything.
“And my first job was during my studies — I worked as a bartender, and the bartender means that I like communication.”
The podcast also explores the prospects of working in the Eurasian (CIS) markets, noting that “Ukraine remains a very big and interesting market.” He emphasizes the importance of clear and frequent communication with colleagues, and advises against trying to do everything — “you can’t be good at everything.” Instead, he encourages listeners to “find your superpower” and set clear priorities.
Concluding the episode, he also responded to a question from a previous guest, BetStarters’ Glenn Debattista, 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.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
