Understanding the C-Level vision and frontline reality in iGaming

Differences of perspective are common between leading decision-makers who shape the trajectory of a business and those on the front line who are responsible for turning such visions into reality.

Like all sectors, iGaming is not immune from such internal contrasts and potential conflicts. Indeed, many believe that incorporating a variety of opinions into strategic planning ultimately pays dividends.

However, while clear points of alignment between C-level leaders and operational staff can ensure a cohesive and coordinated approach, some discrepancies can prove problematic.

Software development provider EvenBet Gaming’s  ‘iGaming Future 2026: Core Trends and Challenges’ report lifts the lid on such issues.

The latest edition of the in-person survey gathered the thoughts of more than 700 iGaming professionals – and uncovered some key takeaways for enterprises in the sector to consider as they navigate strategic, regulatory and operational tasks.

Unearthing marketing discrepancies

Within this complex landscape, the findings relating to marketing were particularly eye-catching, according to EvenBet Gaming CEO Dmitry Starostenkov, who highlights the information sources being used by respondents to gain iGaming industry insights.

“While the general picture might look somewhat similar, with social media and in-person networking and events leading for both the C-suite and general public, the devil is in the details,” he says.

“For example, while generally social media serves as the most important channel for 54% of respondents with significant leverage on everything else, for CEOs, the difference between social media, in-person networking, and events and conferences is barely noticeable.”

“Digital and personal connections are equally important at this level.”

Interestingly, the survey found that C-level executives in mature markets lean more on traditional information sources with, for example, 32% of European CEOs using email newsletters and 47% relying on online media. Conversely, in Asia, the share is only 24% for both channels.

Meanwhile, there are signs that iGaming leaders are ramping up their efforts to retain their top talent.

Decision-makers are paying significantly more attention to talent retention, innovation adoption, and market adaptation than before. In the previous edition of the report, all respondents ranked recruitment above retention, but in 2025 the focus appears to have shifted.

Facing regulatory challenges

However, for the third year in a row, across all those surveyed, one issue stood above all else as the most important challenge in the sector: gambling regulations.

Understandably, C-level executives were more likely to consider such issues as severe than other employees (23% versus 19%), while both segments ranked the second-greatest challenge – competition – with almost exactly the same degree of importance.

Starostenkov acknowledges that it is “no wonder” regulatory concerns appear “even more pressing” than before.

“The changes in regulatory policies are forcing them to reshape company strategies and invest in flexible business models,” he explains. To underline his point, Starostenkov cites the scramble from operators and providers to comply with India’s ban on real-money online gambling, the decline of POGOs (Philippine offshore gaming operations), plus numerous advertising and bonus restrictions, as well as tax increases, across Europe.

“These developments reinforce that success in today’s iGaming environment requires not only localization, but also proactive investment in compliance, technology, and stakeholder cooperation,” Starostenkov adds.

“The winners will be those who anticipate regulatory shifts – and this burden falls on the executive suite.”

Similarly, player safety and user experience are under increasing scrutiny. With this in mind, the results of the survey show that the pressure related to responsible gaming and compliance norms is shared across all operator and vendor teams.

Indeed, in her commentary for the report, Kimberley Broad, Chief of Public Affairs at Games Global, highlights the ever-growing risks of mistakes, from fines and reputational damage to losing a licence.

“This is a concern not just for the leaders, but for the operational staff in marketing, financial, legal and even technical departments,” Starostenkov says.

Finding alignment on innovation

Despite the complexities of the space, there is a further degree of alignment when it comes to innovation.

“In our research, we focused on the innovations that companies actually implemented instead of measuring general interest, and the results were similar for all levels of respondents,” Starostenkov adds.

However, on this issue, there were some differences between industry verticals. For instance, affiliates led in terms of practical AI adoption, 5-6% above all other respondents, while payment providers topped the standings in terms of personalised customer experience (28%) versus 18-22% for others.

“Perhaps the most interesting finding lies in the contrast between Europe and Asia,” Starostenkov says. “In Europe, the innovations are customer-centric: personalised experience leads the way. Meanwhile in Asia, technology rules, with AI and machine learning being the most common.”

Addressing different perspectives

While the impact of innovation appears to be broadly acknowledged, discrepancies in opinion can lead in some circumstances to a damaging breakdown in understanding between colleagues.

In this context, surveys such as the one conducted by EvenBet Gaming help to address vital issues head on. This is particularly important given that gaps in perception between C-level executives and general industry professionals have grown across some areas year-on-year.

“Reports like this can help identify small inconsistencies which, taken together, could hinder the growth of the company, and build data-based strategies that would be aligned with both industry evolution and their teams’ challenges,” Starostenkov says.

For instance, there are contrasting opinions about what makes a company attractive for a potential employee – a vital factor contributing towards whether an entity will fulfil its growth potential. Executives appear to underestimate the importance of a competitive salary, while some groups, including tech professionals, rank it as a top-three factor.

Additionally, although leaders cite events as one of the main channels to get information about the industry, they do not prioritise such gatherings as marketing channels for their companies – and pay more attention to such tools as SEO (search engine optimisation).

Managing future expectations

However, expectations regarding whether relatively small differences of perspective may become chasms in the future are challenging to predict, and contingent on a cocktail of internal and external contributing influences.

“It depends less on the evolution of the industry in general, and more on the stage of the company’s growth,” Starostenkov says.

“Naturally, in the structured market, following expansion and M&A, more companies will face the problem of the internal informational gap. However, every organisation will do it in its own time.

“In a startup where literally everyone is involved in decision-making and strategic planning, there are zero perception gaps. The more complex the structure, the more indirect the information transfer within the company.”

Understanding the goals

This transition – from fast-growing startup to larger enterprise, where connections are naturally more disparate – is a challenge that resonates with Starostenkov.

“As EvenBet Gaming has doubled in size over the last five years, we faced this problem ourselves,” he admits. “We needed to create new resources for internal communication to make sure everyone – from the C-suite to office managers, accountants, and programmers, each working in their specific domain – understood the main company goals and position in the market.”

Such reflections and experience help to shape future strategies. However, the survey suggests that general iGaming strategies are now focusing more on a defensive rather than an aggressive approach.

“There is a clear shift from expansion into new markets and active user or customer acquisition to strengthening the position in the existing markets and focusing on retention and lifetime value,” Starostenkov says.

In such a landscape, it is more important than ever to ensure executives and frontline staff members in the same iGaming business are on the same page.

And what of the mindset shift needed in facing this landscape head on? “The iGaming industry has entered into the stage where there is no simple way to avoid competition,” he concludes. “The markets get saturated, the regulation tightens, and new opportunities become rare.”