The SBC Summit Tbilisi 2025 made it clear: Eurasia’s unique blend of resilience, motivation, multilingualism, and adaptability is making it a global iGaming talent powerhouse. As the industry evolves, success will depend not just on finding skilled professionals but on building cultures where people want to stay, grow, and lead.
A panel, “Eurasia as a Talent Powerhouse: Shaping the Global iGaming Workforce”, moderated by Nika Gigashvili of SMH Global, brought together Lasha Gogiberidze (Brave Rave), Maja Rastovic (PWO by Lottomatica), Daria Fot (EvenBet Gaming), and Nick Laconico (Megabet Plus) for a candid conversation about the region’s strengths, challenges, and future.
The discussion opened with a look at how Eurasia has become a magnet for iGaming talent. “Ten, fifteen years ago, if you attended any global conferences, you would see mostly Western European, maybe some US guys there. And now, it’s pretty much dominated by our region,” Nika observed, setting the tone for a conversation about transformation.
Daria Fot was quick to explain why Eurasia stands out. “The Eurasia region is a really unique hub for hiring talent in our sphere,” she said. “Companies try to outsource their development and support teams to countries like Brazil or India, and it often fails because of differences in work culture, deadlines, and communication. That’s why countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Kazakhstan have become really good options for recruitment.”
As the conversation turned to the roots of this talent surge, Lasha Gogiberidze reflected on the region’s journey. “Regulation created positions, positions created competition, and competition raised new talent,” he explained. “The talent you get here has much more grit. You don’t need to ingrain new motivation—they’re motivated from the get-go and have the ambition.”
Nick Laconico echoed this sentiment, pointing to a work ethic shaped by history. “The workforce is not only talented and well-educated, but there’s a different kind of inner drive,” he said. “Eurasians want to succeed and are self-motivated more than most other cultures. This region has such a stronger work ethic and drive to succeed.”
Maja Rastovic added that this hunger is matched by adaptability and education. “There are highly educated people with good language skills, so this barrier doesn’t exist,” she noted. “We are a highly competitive market, and what we need to focus on now is retaining these people. Our people are more resilient and flexible, which is good for the industry.”
The panelists agreed that the pandemic accelerated Eurasia’s integration into the global workforce. “COVID really opened up a new opportunity for big giants, especially overseas,” Lasha said. “Suddenly, they started to look online and had to find matching or even better talent, surprised with no rent to pay… Businesses grew and became visible through shows, M&As, and this brought attention from international companies.”
Nick pointed out that Eurasian professionals are now found everywhere. “This region is very flexible and knowledgeable about so many cultures and languages. The global reach of the Eurasian workforce can be found in Brazil, South Africa, LatAm, and Asian markets.”
As the competition for talent intensifies, company culture and values have become decisive factors. Daria explained, “Candidates don’t choose just a job—they choose the team, culture, and opportunities. We discuss our values with every candidate. It’s key to build a long-term, strong relationship with employees.”
Maja described how employer branding and wellbeing initiatives are now central. “Recruitment begins even before the interview. We are building a strong employer brand. It’s not just about compensation or benefits—it’s about culture. Our wellbeing strategy is very important, and we offer education and community initiatives.”
She also noted that a strong culture helps filter candidates: “They recognize if they’re not going to be happy with us if the values don’t align. Our interviews are built on values and competencies, integrating people into the culture.”
Don’t forget to subscribe to our Telegram channel!
