{"id":9158,"date":"2025-04-16T09:11:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T08:11:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sbceurasia.com\/en\/?p=9158"},"modified":"2025-04-16T10:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T09:05:25","slug":"success-story-in-10-questions-dainis-niedra","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sbceurasia.com\/en\/2025\/04\/16\/success-story-in-10-questions-dainis-niedra\/","title":{"rendered":"Success Story in 10 Questions: Dainis Niedra"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dainis Niedra <\/strong>is a person whose career in the iGaming industry spans numerous transformations, challenges, and victories. From his early days in poker to creating his affiliate programs and serving as Chief Operating Officer at Entain<\/strong>, his journey inspires bold decisions and constant growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Niedra answers 10 questions from SBC Eurasia<\/em> about key moments in his career, challenges, and important lessons learned over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 What was your first job and what led you to pursue a career in the iGaming industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 It all started with poker, many years ago. First, playing in a circle of friends, then tournaments in casinos, and eventually opening and managing a poker club. The poker club had a large number of major loyal players. They always had difficulties related to playing online \u2013 rakebacks, payment systems. To solve these kinds of problems, we created our own affiliate program, which covered all the major online networks at the time. I think this can be considered our full-fledged introduction to the iGaming industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 What was the single biggest turning point in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting at the age of 20, I worked in several fields at the same time. Gambling was one of them. However, I never thought I would end up focusing solely on that path. I saw myself more in HoReCa or the entertainment industry. At one point, I had to make a choice \u2014 I was considering opportunities at Red Bull, Coca-Cola, and British American Tobacco. In the end, the stars aligned, and I became part of a growing iGaming company that later became Entain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 What have been the biggest challenges you\u2019ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 I would highlight two main challenges that are partly interconnected. The first is the very rapid growth of the business, which you simply can\u2019t keep up with. Every new quarter brings the launch of a new brand, entry into a new market, acquiring and integrating someone, or being acquired and integrated yourself. Teams grow so quickly that every year, you have to reassess the structure and job responsibilities. In offline business, everything was significantly slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second challenge, which took me some time to adjust to, is the constant and never-ending change. These changes could be of any kind, and most often were extremely unpredictable. They can be driven by both internal and external factors. At some point, you just have to accept it \u2013 not try to fight it, but learn how to live within the chaos. Focus on what you can control, and spend less energy on what you can\u2019t change or predict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 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?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 I\u2019ve met many truly talented and capable people. There are a few individuals who have influenced my perspective on the industry. Sadly, some of them are no longer with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a mentor in the industry whom I go to with questions, ideas, thoughts, and concepts. I think the main message he\u2019s drilled into my head is this: you have to see opportunity in everything and always maintain a positive outlook. It might sound a bit childlike, but more often than not, the truest insights are the most simple and obvious ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 What advice would you offer to those just beginning their journey in the industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 My advice is extremely simple \u2013 never stop learning. The moment you tell yourself that you know everything about this business will mark the end of your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 You\u2019ve seen the iGaming industry evolve over the years. What are the biggest changes you\u2019ve witnessed, and where do you think the industry is heading next?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 I\u2019ve witnessed two major shifts over time \u2013 the transition from desktop to mobile, and a sharp shift in user behavior from betting to slots. This was driven by significant product improvements, a surge in content availability, and the deep penetration of digital marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three major trends that are already clearly visible today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n