Findings from the iGB 2025 Salary Survey have revealed that managing director and C-suite salaries in iGaming jumped by another 8.71 percent in 2025 - more than in any other staffing segment. 

That takes average salaries to £206k and comes after wages jumped by 14.88 percent the previous year.

The data shows that top talent is still hard to come by in the online gambling industry and companies are being forced to compete on salary to secure their desired hires. 

This is despite a relatively busy period of M&A and restructuring, which means that there is a slightly larger number of senior leaders available in the hiring pool than there might normally be. 

This likely dampening effect has still not been enough to slow industry-leading increases in salaries for top positions, as iGaming businesses find they are in dire need of experience and expertise in leadership positions. 

Those C-suite professionals that stay on through a merger are also likely to be in line for a pay bump, further inflating the averages at this level. 

2025 has further seen AI take hold as a core part of the online gambling industry, and that is playing a small role in freeing up budget for more experienced hires. 

Salary Survey research has shown that businesses are skipping some early career hires in favour of allowing new technology to take up that work. 

That frees up hiring budget to use further up the chain, with companies looking to secure expertise both at the mid- and upper-level of the hierarchy. 

 

Look beyond topline pay 

Companies are undoubtedly using salary packages as a major part of their negotiating toolkit when looking to lock down their desired leadership candidates or keep top talent in place. 

If nothing else, this is clear from the rapidly climbing averages recorded in the Salary Survey, but experts are advising iGaming firms to offer more than just competitive pay if they want to ensure they have high performing individuals at the helm. 

 

“Long term incentive plans, equity participation and performance-linked schemes are no longer a ‘nice to have’, they are essential for securing senior leadership,” explained Andrew Cook, the managing director and Conexus Leadership. 

Simply offering more money than the competition is not likely to be enough to lock down a quality managing director or to ensure they stay in post for the long term. 

Experts say that top talent is much more likely to remain in their roles and not seek opportunities elsewhere if there are clear and tangible benefits available to them for staying put. 

Linking their compensation to the growth of the company or properly incentivizing high performance will keep leaders in place for longer. 

“How you pay people signals what you value,” added Cook. “It shapes your culture, defines your employer brand and determines whether high performers see you as a place to grow… or just a stepping stone.” 

 

Consider working arrangements

The iGB Salary Survey also revealed the impact of flexible working on hiring and retaining C-level talent. 

“Return-to-office policies are reshaping how businesses use compensation to preserve flexibility and retain high-value employees,” said Cook. 

Research shows that top level iGaming staff prize being able to be based remotely for at least part of their working week, although there are some regional disparities. 

However in the most well known and talent-rich online gambling hubs around the world, being able to offer flexibility when it comes to in-office time gives companies a leg-up when hiring.

“Hybrid models are common in established hubs such as Malta, Gibraltar and Estonia, while full office mandates often lead to attrition at senior levels,” noted Darren Kirby, business development director for Europe at Pentasia. 

Across the entire staffing hierarchy in typical iGaming firms, hybrid or remote working remains the norm, with a little more than 20 percent of staff across the industry based full onsite, while around 40 percent are hybrid workers.