Just like the bets that are placed or the hands that are played, selling, and implementing infrastructure in the world of iGaming has to be carefully considered. Which is why the role of iGaming Sales Executive - despite what it says on the tin - is far more a consultative role than a sales one.
I’d like to say that I wake up at 5am and meditate under a cool waterfall in an unknown location until I go to work. That’s my dream scenario. In reality, my morning routine is much less exotic.
I’m up at 6am with my new Samoyed puppy (think small, domesticated polar bear). As he’s still too young for walks, we have a quick cuddle and then I head out to the gym for a fasted morning cardio. Then it’s back home for a shower and breakfast before the most important decision of the day takes place - which hat I’m going to wear.
Numbering 35+, my hat/cap collection is my pride and joy. If we are ever at the same event together, I can guarantee that you’ll never see me in the same hat twice.
Providing iGaming infrastructure isn’t just about spinning up servers. It’s about getting to know what drives iGaming companies and the people behind them. What goals are they trying to meet? What are their challenges? What does success look like for them?
Our business is a relationship business so I would describe myself as a global relationship manager in the iGaming space. That doesn’t mean I simply take a list of infrastructure requirements from an online casino or a casino aggregator and put them into action.
It means I ask the important questions, talk through the answers, and then conduct the orchestra of highly skilled people here at servers.com who create and provide a reliable, secure and flexible service that meets the specific needs of that iGaming customer.
Just as no challenge is the same for iGaming clients, no day working in iGaming hosting is the same.
I regularly check in with existing clients to ensure that they’re happy with the service we’re providing and to discuss any new projects they have in the pipeline to start planning changes in infrastructure requirements that are coming down the line.
I also talk to potential new customers who are at the very start of their work with us to chat through their requirements, as well as work closely with the various teams that are involved with delivering client solutions to ensure that they’re going to be delivered on time and as promised. This includes my own team and ensuring we have ongoing discussions about how I can best support them with their customer conversations.
iGaming is a hugely sociable industry so throughout the year I spend a lot of time attending events around the world to meet new people and learn from others in the industry. Preparing for the events to make sure that I am meeting the right people and having the most valuable discussions is often a key part of my day.
We’re lucky enough to have Deliveroo lunches in the office every day, which I do my best to steer clear of in favor of a healthy salad but it doesn’t always work. I make up for it with a walk after lunch to make the most of the Surrey countryside on our doorstep.
I always make sure to dedicate some time throughout the day to my other important roles of entertaining the office and playing with whichever dog has come to visit that day.
Aside from the thrill of the game?
iGaming is growing, it’s exciting and there is an incredible amount of innovation in technology and player experience that we help enable. Without our infrastructure, slots wouldn’t spin, and hands wouldn’t be dealt.
iGaming is ripe for new technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and perhaps even the metaverse. These technologies bring huge opportunities and new challenges for infrastructure providers to continually review how we can best support our customers now and for what’s to come.
It’s also full of entrepreneurial, driven people. I get to work with and meet people who are constantly looking at what’s next? How can we improve on the experiences we provide? Vegas may be the city that never sleeps but iGaming is an industry unburdened by physical borders meaning that demand will and can only grow.
I also love that no challenge is the same when working with iGaming clients. Each has their own unique infrastructure needs and requirements - driven by geography, regulation, and compliance, and even the games themselves. It’s what makes it such an exciting industry to be a part of.
Navigating new geographies is up there with one of the biggest challenges and opportunities for the iGaming industry currently. It is due in large part to online gambling regulations changing and expanding throughout the world. Particularly in the US where we are seeing an increasing number of individual states legalizing online betting over and above just online horse racing betting.
The growth of iGaming in the US and other online gambling jurisdictions brings with it specific regulation and compliance requirements, and they are very specific about how infrastructure needs to meet those requirements. We are working closely with customers to help them understand how to host in these new jurisdictions.
We are also working with customers migrating to the latest generation hardware. One of the key benefits of working with a hosting provider is that you don’t have the big capital outlay and stress of having to upgrade your ecosystem to the latest technology - we do it for you and we can make it happen very quickly.
Just the other week, we hosted some big names from the iGaming industry in a private box for the final day of Ascot’s September Racing Weekend.
With seven competitive contests, lots of food and drink, and the opportunity to network with peers, it was a fantastic day and a great chance to get to know people outside of the work environment.
Being part of an industry that is only going to continue to grow and innovate. There is never a dull moment in the iGaming industry.
I also love the opportunity to see so much of the world. This month I’m heading to SBC Summit Barcelona 2022 to catch up with connections and meet some new faces. They always throw a great party.
And, as much as I’m embarrassed to admit it for someone who works in the online gambling industry, I am heading to Las Vegas for the first time in October to attend Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2022.
Give it everything because you get out what you put in. But be patient - decisions in our world don’t happen in a day.
Get out there and meet people. Some of the best conversations happen at 1am over a cocktail.
Find a job where you can be yourself. You are far more likely to thrive in an environment where you don’t have to mould yourself to fit other people’s expectations.
I eat, gym again, eat again, spend time with the puppy and then lock myself away in my dedicated games room to play computer games or binge watch the latest series with my girlfriend. Any excuse to put off house renovations for another day.
The last thing I do before I go to bed is tuck my hat collection in for the night and then try to get some much needed sleep before I’m up again at 5am to sit under the waterfall.
If you'd like to connect with Jamie, contact him here and find out more about our iGaming solutions.
Jamie Daniel is our iGaming expert and understands the unique challenges faced by the industry. When not cultivating a magnificent beard, he’s working from our UK office.
