Can companies keep their culture in the long-term through remote working systems?

Julian Perigo, Managing Director at specialised recruitment company Boston Link, in comments featured on the summer edition of iGaming Capital magazine, acknowledges that 2020 was an exceptional year in many ways for the iGaming industry.

“Moneyval, banks de-risking, Wirecard, increased regulation, cancelled sporting events – 2020 has thrown up numerous challenges to the iGaming industry and, for many companies, COVID-19 has been the least of their worries!”

Indeed, COVID aside, 2020 was undoubtedly an eventful year in terms of compliance and regulatory developments alone. Additionally, 2021 also had its moments with Malta's shock failure by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) resulting in increased monitoring, or the so-called greylist, which has left many in the industry question what the direct impact will be.

On the roller-coaster year that 2020 was, Mr Perigo muses that this inevitably resulted in a dip in the number of new vacancies during last year.

Mr Perigo had previously stated that during the first lockdown in 2020, there was a 25 per cent to 30 per cent decrease in the number of jobs available in the sector.

However, in 2021, the situation appears to have turned a corner.

“Business doesn’t like uncertainty, and the last 12 months have been full of it. From COVID-19 to Moneyval to the regulatory landscape, the picture is steadily becoming clearer, and this gives companies the confidence to crack on with their hiring plans.

“Malta is one of the best places in the world to progress your career in the iGaming sector. COVID-19 has not changed this – iGaming companies in Malta will continue to invest in the attraction and retention of talented people,” he adds.

Turning to industry developments emerging in 2021 within the iGaming sector, Mr Perigo says “it will be interesting to see how companies solve the remote/hybrid/in-office dilemma. iGaming is a social industry, and the office is a crucial part of company culture.

“Can companies keep their culture in the long-term through remote working systems? What is best for productivity and teamwork? We expect new trends to evolve, but it will still be important to get the fundamentals right – pay competitive salaries, create opportunities for career progression, and build the right culture.”