Opinion

EXCLUSIVE: TALKING OLD SCHOOL NUANCE & HIGH TECH SKILLS WITH JAMES WALSH OF iGAIN RECRUITMENT

Published

8 years ago

April 11, 2019

We talk about the state of the iGaming and blockchain talent market in Malta and Gibraltar with James Walsh, co-founder of recruitment startup iGain.

With the iGaming, blockchain and cryptocurrency industries booming in Malta, and Brexit uncertainties plaguing Gibraltar, we caught up with James Walsh, Co-Founder of Malta-based specialist recruitment startup iGain, to find out more about the current state of the talent market.

What made you decide to start am iGaming recruitment company, given its quite a crowded market?

It is a crowded market but there is also significant growth in iGaming right now throughout Europe. While we focus on iGaming we also see an increasing number of candidates we work with moving to emerging markets such as Blockchain and Cryptocurrency. iGaming has always been cutting edge in terms of technology, payments and fraud management and we see these skills are in high demand in other industries.

We have also recognized that there is a gap in the market for a more ‘old school’ and hands on recruitment consultancy to enter the market. We have very quickly built some solid partnerships with some of the largest global operators who have been looking for a more reliable recruitment partner. We believe in quality over quantity and always strive to introduce highly qualified candidates with the right cultural fit to our partners.

At AYO.NEWS we’ve repeatedly heard both recruiters and employers warn about a skills gap and the crisis of unsuitable education. Do you have any thoughts on this?

This is certainly a narrative that you repeatedly hear in the industry today. However, you can also notice that there are some companies out there that never complain about the skills gap or unsuitable education.

The question you need to be asking is what are these companies doing differently? From our experience, they hire from the same talent pool but often take the time to build career progression and educational upskilling to existing staff members to fill their internal vacancies.

In a candidate driven market such as Malta it is common to jump between jobs relatively quickly and in iGain’s experience it is common to see candidates looking for moves after just several months in a role. Perks such as gym memberships and free food are no longer cutting it and investing in staff development is really where companies are differentiating themselves today.

With rocketing living costs and completely inadequate infrastructure, are you finding it tough to tempt people to relocate to, and more importantly, stay in Malta?

Tempting people to move to Malta has always been relatively straightforward, the food, laid back culture and 3,000 hours of sunshine is enough for most people. Getting people to remain in Malta however has become more difficult in recent years especially for more entry level or junior roles.

At a recent meeting with a HR manager for one of the largest iGaming operators in Malta we were informed that the average term for an entry level position has fallen by 40% in the last 2 years. The main feedback from exit interviews with these staff is that they simply cannot afford to live in Malta due to rising rental costs. We are seeing corresponding salary increases to counter this and at iGain we work closely with our partners to inform them of changing market rates and to benchmark roles.

Gibraltar-based businesses have, quite understandably been glossing over Brexit, but with the chaos and uncertainty now playing out, and big operators making contingencies to leave the rock, are you finding it difficult to fill vacancies in the territory?

The uncertainty of Brexit has left a lot of business both large and small with uncertainly and questions about what is coming down the line. We have seen very large operators such as Bet365 announce their decisions to relocate to Malta and decide not to take any chances.

For smaller business however they may not have the cash-flow or finances to make such a move until they are left with no choice. This places them at a distinct disadvantage. For the jobs market in Gibraltar we have seen a slowdown in recent months, but this really seems to be a short-term pause while business evaluate Brexit. Some of our clients have new roles ready for iGain to advertise but we have been asked to hold off until April 12th.

On your blog you promote diversity, but how are you finding things on the ground? Is the igaming industry, which for so long has been white male dominated, finally catching up with the rest of the world?

As iGaming continues to grow, move into new geographies, offer new products and increase in mobile adoption we are seeing a shift in the demographics of players. This will naturally change the balance in terms of who decided to move into iGaming and we are already seeing a big increase in Women in the industry.

More and more companies such as PaddyPower Betfair also manage diversity programs and the industry in general has really gotten behind these initiatives. This is replicated in the candidates that we work with and in fact most senior positions that iGain have filled in 2019 have been women.

Malta is definitely taking a global lead in blockchain and cryptocurrency, but it is a fact that most blockchain companies employ relatively few people. Are you finding any issues with oversupply or undersupply of blockchain and crypto skilled talent?

As a still relatively young market we have not noticed an oversupply of talent in the industry. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency are still trying to find their place with mainstream consumer adoption, and this does bring uncertainty to the market. We see this with the candidates that we work with and some trepidation at times for people to make the jump.

At the same time, we have worked with some Blockchain companies who are really growing quickly and snapping up talent in Malta and beyond. Overall it is not showing any signs of slowing down and as Blockchain technology continues to evolve we will continue to see growth in this sector, and it is an industry that iGain will focus considerable resources on.

Are you concerned about the increasingly hostile public and political attitude towards the gambling industry across Europe? Do you think it puts people off from entering the industry?

I think the reality is that the gambling industry has always suffered from a negative viewpoint. While operators and regulators have made huge strides in preventing problematic gambling there is always going to be more work to do. This is something that larger operators understand very well and actively canvas for increasing regulation.

As more markets become regulated and more controls are put in place to ensure gamblers are sensible and enjoy the fund side of the industry there will be no problems. We are also seeing increasing requirements for legal and compliance and other regulatory roles to go along with the traditional cutting-edge technology in the gambling industry which is continuing the trend of attracting top talent.

Its certainly a fascinating and exciting time to be involved with iGaming, blockchain and cryptos, and nowhere is more central to the action than Malta, and James seems to have a very good handle on this, so iGain looks set for a bright future. Thank you to James for taking the time to chat with us, and we look forward to catching up with iGain to see how things are progressing again soon.

If you’re looking for that perfect new iGaming, blockchain or crypto career move, check out iGain today at http://www.igainrecruitment.com/

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GIGLABS RAISES $4.5 MILLION TO HELP BRANDS LAUNCH NFTs

Published

5 years ago

October 28, 2021

AYO News Staff

Blockchain company GigLabs has announced a US$4.5 million seed round led by Dapper Labs and Panoramic Ventures.

Other investors participating in the round include Collab+Currency, Red Beard Ventures, Eterna Capital, Alumni Venture Group, Gaingels, and Amino Capital. The caliber and variety of investors participating in this round demonstrates broad support for GigLabs to be the leading provider of infrastructure for brands, creators and collectors to build memorable experiences through NFTs.

“At GigLabs, we firmly believe that every brand will have an NFT strategy in the future,” said Douglas Dimola, CEO and co-founder of GigLabs. “This funding enables us to expand the talent of our team to continue expanding our offerings to meet current and future demand, while also working with the best and brightest partners to continue to push this new innovation forward.”

NFTs have increased in popularity with the market reaching billions in trading and sales volume. As NFTs continue to rapidly see mainstream adoption, with major sports leagues, media outlets and prestige auction houses participating in projects, brands are increasingly seeking to get involved—but they need reliable partners to navigate the significant technical complexities when integrating NFT projects into enterprise level organizations.

GigLabs’ technology is championed by some of the biggest names in entertainment, giving customers access to emergent Web3 innovations. GigLabs’ solutions enable brands and creators to launch new NFT projects with customizable branded storefronts and marketplaces, as well as metaverse experiences for their communities. In addition, GigLabs has pioneered transferring NFTs to fans while at live events, all through a QR code.

GigLabs’ platform allows enterprise brands to build lasting relationships with consumers and create customized and personalized experiences through NFTs that live on the Flow blockchain. Major brand partners supported by the GigLabs platform include CNN, Turner Sports, Bleacher Report, Speedway Motorsports’ RaceDay NFT—the first-ever NASCAR-related NFT, University of Miami’s Canes Vault, Athletes Unlimited and others. This funding round will allow the company to build out its team and scale to accelerate customer growth.

“GigLabs continues to impress through the team’s ability to develop the technology solutions needed for any brand to build a powerful NFT experience,” said Roham Gharegozlou, CEO of Dapper Labs. “It’s awesome to see the world’s leading brands building on Flow and supercharging their connection to consumers.”

“Sometimes the magic is making it simple to do something complex. GigLabs takes a transformative technology and makes it accessible to companies, organizations and brands of all sizes,” said Paul Judge, Managing Partner of Panoramic Ventures. “We believe in the power of NFTs to combine content, culture, and community and we’re enthusiastic to back GigLabs on this journey.”

GigLabs has built multiple solutions to not only bring brands into the world of NFTs but also to provide onramps into the much broader metaverse. These include NFT Bridge, which is the company’s whitelabeled solution for brands and creators to launch customizable NFT marketplaces directly on their own websites.

The platform also includes a solution that allows for frictionless claiming of NFTs via a QR code while attending live events, a novel way to blend fandom in the physical and virtual worlds. GigLabs has also built RareRooms, a 3D/VR enabled metaverse that allows collectors to curate and showcase their NFTs as well as allow brands to have amazing virtual storefronts and customizable spaces that allow their fans to truly experience their NFTs. Nearly 10,000 RareRooms have been created to display unique, curated sets of NFTs by collectors.

Esports

ONCHAIN STUDIOS RAISES $7.5M TO DEVELOP NEW NFT PLATFORM CRYPTOYS

Published

5 years ago

October 25, 2021

AYO News Staff

OnChain Studios has announced a US$7.5M seed round led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from Draper & Associates, CoinFund, Sound Ventures, Dapper Labs, Collab + Currency, WndrCo, and other notable investors.

The NFT studio’s flagship project, Cryptoys, will be launching soon on Flow, and will offer the first-ever fully interactive NFT (non-fungible token) digital toys. In addition to being able to buy, sell, and collect Cryptoys, consumers will also be able to play with them inside an immersive world built on the blockchain. To add depth, each Cryptoy can gain more capabilities as it’s played with more often, continually unlocking new experiences.

Will Weinraub, CEO and Co-Founder of OnChain Studios, explained: “What started off as a side project for my daughter has turned into this amazing company, and I feel blessed to be building it with such an incredible team. The rise of NFTs and blockchain allows us to create new revolutionary experiences that have never been done before. With Cryptoys we are building a rich, expansive world that combines elements of entertainment, gaming, and toys into an experience customers can truly own and take with them forever.”

Arianna Simpson, General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz, added: “Cryptoys is a perfect example of the compelling new NFT gaming and entertainment experiences that are now possible with the advent of web3 — a fully-interactive 3D universe with custom toys for each participant. We’re thrilled to partner with the world-class team at OnChain Studios to bring Cryptoys to life and introduce the joys of NFT gaming to mainstream audiences.”

The first series of drops will consist of an original line of characters, with the Cryptoys universe then expanding from there. The company says “a number of well-known brands” are also looking into ways to leverage the full-stack Cryptoys platform to turn their IP into NFT-based interactive digital toys.

In addition to NFT toys, OnChain Studios is also building an open world experience called The Cryptoyverse, which will allow users to play with their toys in a digital environment, with P2E (play-to-earn) mechanics.

The Cryptoys platform is being built on Flow, the fast, easy-to-use, open blockchain with the biggest and fastest growing NFT marketplace.

Esports

AWARD POOL SEES “EXPLOSIVE” GROWTH: 115K NEW USERS & 2M VIEWS IN FIRST 2 WEEKS

Published

5 years ago

October 22, 2021

AYO News Staff

Award Pool, the integrated platform that empowers brands, influencers and content creators to power up, grow, and engage communities with gamified play and NFT rewards, has reported “explosive” growth with 115,000 new users signing up and two million page views since its beta launch on 30 September, 2021.

According to the platform, this growth highlights the early success and future potential of the platform and its ability to help brands and content creators gamify campaigns with social and in-game challenges catered to their communities.

In addition, Award Pool will be launching The So.co Challenge, Music Reimagined! as the result of a previously announced partnership with So.co, a curated, image-based media platform that celebrates music, the related lifestyle, and associated cultural content. Together, Award Pool and So.co will promote a new opportunity for connecting musicians with fans by having them participate in challenges to earn points and NFT rewards, which will redefine the best strategies for audience growth and activation.

Reuven Cohen, Founder and CEO of Award Pool, commented:“We are excited to see such opportunity and growth with the Award Pool beta and look forward to offering such opportunities to our partners and clients.”

Award Pool is primarily designed to appeal to digital natives, particularly Gen Z, who appreciate both physical and digital rewards. Because this group doesn’t engage as frequently with traditional advertising channels, brands are having a difficult time connecting in a meaningful way. Award Pool solves this dilemma through its innovative new platform that allows users to participate in challenges, earn points, and redeem non-fungible token (NFT) prizes through an easy-to-use tool.

Award Pool has several additional upcoming challenges, including a partnership with the FC Tulsa football club. Fans will be asked to complete tasks, such as following the club’s profiles on social media and visiting specific pages on the team’s website, for a chance to win valuable NFTs and other prizes.