Ambitions

2019 Tech Talent

iGaming &

Insights Report
For Ambitions 2019, we asked professionals in iGaming and
tech to share their career ambitions, plans, hopes and dreams.
More than 1,000 people took part, offering answers on a wide range of issues.
The result is an in-depth view of the talent market, with insights including skills
forecasting, job satisfaction and interest in key trends.
Exclusively sourced directly from professionals, Ambitions 2019 presents a clear
picture of what matters most to people in our industries.

PREPARED BY
IN CONJUNCTION WITH

Inspiring careers in digital Experts in payments and

pentasia.com fintech recruitment
head-count.com
igamingbusiness.com
 OVERVIEW
By Alastair Cleland
Managing Director - Pentasia
Businesses must look constantly to the future. To understand what shape that
future may take, it is valuable to view it through the eyes of the people within
those businesses; the people who’ll lead, innovate and deliver results.
Pentasia is proud to have inspired and organised Ambitions 2019, a survey of
more than 1,000 professionals working in iGaming and tech.
The results offer a fascinating insight into the thoughts, hopes and concerns of
the people who will be crafting the landscape in our industry over 2019, 2020
and beyond.
It may not come as a surprise that Artificial Intelligence figures highly as an
inspiring trend among professionals in iGaming and tech. The possibilities for AI
are extraordinary; it seems certain to be a game-changer in the ways in which we
use data to streamline processes and interact with customers.
The people who responded to our survey offered a plethora of possibilities as to
how iGaming and tech could evolve in the era of AI. Similarly, there is a clear
appetite to learn the new skills that will keep the current generation of
employees relevant and valuable.
Inspiring Careers in Digital
pentasia.com
Indeed, the desire to learn is even stronger than the wish to earn more money.
Personal success and professional growth through learning are key motivators for
the modern workforce.
Professionals are keen to embrace change and to thrive on it – even in the way
they carry out their daily business. The benefits of flexible working, in particular
the capability to work remotely, are becoming clearer and are a main attractor
for those investigating their next opportunity.
More and more organisations are looking into flexible working. They understand
that fewer hours spent in a company’s headquarters can lead to enhanced
productivity and engagement.
However, businesses in iGaming and tech should take note of a significant sense
of frustration among ambitious staff who feel they are being restricted in their
current roles and want more opportunities to advance and achieve.
The level of job satisfaction among our respondents has declined by almost 10%
since last year. While looking ahead to the possibilities of the future, we must
never lose sight of the realities of the present.
A SURVEY RESPONDENT OVERVIEW
01 CAREER PLANS & AMBITIONS
Key Trends | iGaming Professionals’ Opinion
Career Goals | Planned Next Steps
02 CURRENT JOB SITUATION
Ability To Achieve | Blocks To Career Progress
Job Satisfaction | Best And Worst Departments
03 JOB ATTRACTION FACTORS
New Opportunities | Motivations For Change
Remote Working | Definitions And Interpretations
International Relocation | Willingness To Move
QUICK INSIGHTS
▪ iGaming professionals inspired
by A.I. and new markets
▪ Money counts – but learning
still beats earning
▪ Professionals less happy in 2019
▪ Professional growth is the
biggest motivator of change
▪ Flexibility of location and hours
is key for remote workers
1000+
RESPONDENTS
The Ambitions 2019 survey was promoted publicly and open to
submissions from tech professionals from May to July 2019.
75% respondents were employed full or part-time, with a further 16% self-employed,
contracted or in education. The majority 68% respondents were located in Western Europe
with a further 32% in the Mediterranean, USA & Americas, Scandinavia or Asia-Pacific.

Professional backgrounds ranged from 20% Professional Operations: Management, HR,

Finance, Legal; 17% IT Development: Software, Apps, Games; 17% Marketing Media; 14%
Business Development, Sales & Account Management; 13% Product & Project and 8% Data,
Analytics & Business Intelligence.
01
We asked professionals what’s on their career plan,
and what’s motivating their next steps
1.1 KEY TRENDS

iGaming Professionals Inspired by AI & New Markets

The future is here, and people are excited by
the possibilities iGaming presents in 2019-20 What trend(s) in iGaming most excites you?

Two trends in particular are capturing the imagination of the iGaming world. One is 50%
the impact of innovative technology such as artificial intelligence – which is set, as 45%
one respondent put it, to “revolutionise the gaming world”.
40%
The other is the potential opportunities offered by emerging markets, both
35%
geographical and technological. Many highlighted the excitement felt throughout the
industry over growth in areas such as Asia and Africa. 30%

25%
The United States, in the wake of the overturning of PASPA, patently has the
potential to become a massive driver of investment and interest as betting becomes a 20%
more mainstream activity there.
15%
eSports is another area of activity that is clearly full of intriguing possibilities, as 10%
professionals in the intensely competitive world of iGaming look for the next chance
to explore new ways in which to engage customers. 5%

0%
Artificial Emerging eSports US Market Payments & Blockchain Live
“We’re shuffling the cards again in the US market and the Intelligence Markets Betting (Post-PASPA) Cypto Technology Streaming &
emerging verticals are a great opportunity for existing (AI) VR
and new operators” – Project Manager

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 7 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

1.2 CAREER GOALS

Money Counts – But Learning Still Beats Earning

Professionals more motivated to expand
Which of the following career goals are
their knowledge than their bank balance you hoping to achieve in 2019-20?
Of course, wanting to be paid more for what we do is a natural instinct. We all
wish to feel we are being recognised for our skills and effort in a way that makes Complete A Project
it easier to take care of ourselves and our family.
Change Job Role
But while 45% of our respondents said they would like to earn more money in
the next 12 months, nearly 52% of the professionals surveyed have their sights Lead A Team
set on improving their skill sets by learning something new.
Get Promoted
The selection of areas and subjects in which people hope to expand their
knowledge was impressively broad. But the clear conclusion is that those who are Change Company or Employer
happy to stay in their current situation are in the minority.
Relocate: Live Somewhere New
Indeed, nearly a quarter of respondents said they plan to relocate to live and
work somewhere else in 2019-20, while a similar proportion have their sights set Earn More Money
on a move away from their current place of work.
Learn Something New
“Keep on learning and improving to become the best
version of myself” – DevOps 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 8 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

02
We asked professionals to what extent they can
achieve ambitions and career plans currently, or
what’s holding them back
2.1 ABILITY TO ACHIEVE
To what extent can you achieve your ambitions in your
current job?
Give Us A Chance To Grow
Lack of opportunities to advance is the biggest
obstacle to realising ambitions 6.3/10
While a majority of people in our survey have learning as their major
Average
priority for the next 12 months, many of our respondents worry they will
not achieve the career advancement they seek.

Fewer than one in six feels emphatically they are able to reach their
ambitions in their current role. Across the board, the sense that they are in
the right place to attain their goals is running at only 6.3%.

There is a broad range of reasons why people fear they are being held back What would hold you back from achieving ambitions at work?
from achieving their professional ambitions. Chief among these are a lack of
opportunities for career advancement and unclear or poor leadership.
Poor Quality Technology
The lesson for business leaders in iGaming and tech has to be to pay more Quantity of workload
attention to the aspirations of ambitious, talented people within their
organisations. Team Collaboration Issues

Investment limitations
“I want to work with a team I admire, for a company I Work / Life Balance
trust, on a product I am proud of” – Creative Director Unclear or Poor Leadership

Lack of Career Progression

“There’s so much potential in the industry, but I’m
just looking for the next step” – Country Manager 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 10 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

2.2 JOB SATISFACTION
People Are Less Happy In 2019 – But Tech Bucks The Trend
Happiness level falls by almost 10%
year-on-year
The level of job satisfaction felt by members of a team, employees of a
business or workers in an industry is an extremely valuable metric. How happy are you with your job or
Sadly, our respondents are less happy in their job or situation than those situation at the moment?
surveyed a year ago. The average mark out of five in 2019 was 3.2, down from
3.5 – a fall of 8.5%.

People working in data, analytics and business intelligence expressed a greater

degree of dissatisfaction than those in IT development.
If you work in software, apps or games, it seems, you have a higher chance of 3.2/10
being happy where you are. Average
However, you are more likely to be dissatisfied about your prospects if you
work in your company’s marketing or media teams.

“My job is truly a passion… troubleshooting technical

issues is like a puzzle / strategy game, but with real
responsibility” – Tech Security Specialist Highest Lowest
“If automation could take away some of the boring tasks, 3.5 IT Development: Software, Apps, Games 3.1 Marketing & Media
I’d use the time to work on much more interesting
projects” – Communications Executive

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 11 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

03
We asked professionals to share how they’d consider a
new job opportunity – and what factors matter most
3.1 NEW OPPORTUNITIES

Professional Growth Is The Biggest Motivator Of Change

People are driven by the desire to add new
knowledge and experience What’s most important to you when assessing a new job opportunity?

When people consider a new job opportunity, the chance to earn more
money is naturally important. Almost 60% say it’s the principal factor they Workplace Diversity
look for.
Cutting-Edge Tech

However, that is outweighed by the chance to grow as professionals and Strength of Team
learn more in a new role. Nearly 70% rated this as their main motivation
when they have the chance to change their surroundings.
Company Ethos / Mission
It’s intriguing to note that the third most important consideration is a better
work-life balance. Maybe it’s not surprising, therefore, that the ability to Location of Office
work remotely and the location of an office also scored highly among our
Remote Working
respondents.
Work-Life Balance
This stands as further evidence that the world of work is changing. Money
and status are no longer the principal drivers of the modern workforce. The Money: Salary or Bonuses
ability to balance professional and personal needs on a more holistic basis
needs to be taken into consideration by companies and organisations Professional Growth & Learning
interested in having an engaged, motivated set of employees.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

“I want to make a material difference with my current or “It’s all about improving to become the best version of my
new employer; I want to be able to say, ‘I did that’” self” – Data Analytics Professional
– Chief Operating Officer

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 13 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

3.2 REMOTE WORKING

Flexible Of Location and Hours Is Key For Remote Workers

Fittingly, the definition of “remote working” Specifically what would you look for in a ‘remote working’ role?
is open to broad interpretation
Few Days a Month
Gone are the days when people were rigidly expected to be in their office for every
hour of the working week. But what precisely do people want when it comes to
remote working?
1-2 Days a Week

The most popular option is to be removed completely from the necessity to be “at
work” when you are at work. That could be, however, driven by the desire to meet
2-3 Days a Week
customers, to strike a more effective work-life balance or simply to avoid a long
daily commute.
Flexibility in working hours was also a strong option for many people. If you work
Flexible Working Hours
better early in the morning or late in the evening, why not play to that strength?

It’s essential for businesses to understand that remote workers are not less
Full-Time Remote
committed. Indeed, many find they work more effectively from a remote location
and can devote more time and energy to the job they do.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

“I would consider changing job if working remotely were “I’d like to be allowed to work from home sometimes
a possibility” – Chief Marketing Officer – Infrastructure Engineer

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 14 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

3.3 INTERNATIONAL RELOCATION

Working Overseas is an Attractive Option

The global nature of iGaming tech is reflected
Which region(s) would you consider?
in professionals’ desire to try new locations
Increasing numbers of businesses now have offices in more than one 12%
territory. Innovation in communication makes it easier for an organisation to
aspire to greater localisation and market penetration by running teams in a
variety of locations. 30%
11%

Professionals increasingly seek new experiences within their career. As we

have seen already, the chance to learn new skills and try new ways of working
are strong drivers when people look to their professional future. So the
opportunity to develop their careers in a completely new location while still
being able to use their existing skills is a compelling one for large numbers of
20%
workers in iGaming.

Western Europe was the preferred destination for relocation, closely 27%
followed by the Mediterranean region, while others would be keen on a
move to the United States or the rest of the Americas.
Western Europe Mediteranean USA & Americas Scandinavia Asia Pacific

“I plan to work abroad to widen my professional skills in “With new technology you could be either freelancing or
cooperation with diverse workmates” – Sportsbook Executive employed while working from different parts of the globe”
– Front End Designer

AMBITIONS 2019 | INSIGHTS REPORT | 15 PENTASIA.COM | EXCLUSIVE JOBS | RECRUITMENT SERVICES

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