Media: "You can make a career at online casinos very quickly"

The legal online casinos in the Netherlands are currently looking for dozens, if not hundreds, of new employees. Not to mention the online casinos that will receive a license from the Gaming Authority (Ksa) later this year – hundreds of vacancies need to be filled there too. 

These are busy times for Lourens Pahud de Mortanges (1985). In May this year he opened a branch of recruitment agency Boston Link in Rotterdam , which also has branches in Malta, the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.

Boston Link is the first recruitment and selection agency in the Netherlands that specifically focuses on vacancies at online casinos and other gambling-related websites. In short: the iGaming sector.

Mr. Casino speaks to Pahud de Mortanges about the pros and cons of working in iGaming, the types of vacancies available and of course the salaries.

Mr. Casino: How is Boston Link doing in the Netherlands so far?

Lourens Pahud de Mortanges: 'It's going fantastic. Since October 2021, when you could gamble legally online in the Netherlands for the first time, the Dutch market has really become a booming business for us.

The Ksa has so far issued 19 licenses for online casinos and we work for more than half of the license holders. We worked with most iGaming companies long before they came to the Netherlands. For example in Malta, or in one of the other gaming hubs in Europe, such as Gibraltar, London and the Baltic states. Then it makes sense that they also use Boston Link for the Dutch market.

In addition, new Dutch companies know how to find Boston Link, because we are the first specialized recruitment agency for iGaming in the Netherlands.'

Why is that necessary, a recruitment agency specifically for the online gambling sector?

'Most of the people who work at Boston Link have previously worked in the industry. Myself too. That is a big advantage. You know the culture, you know from the inside how an online casino works. As a recruiter, it is of course useful if you understand, for example, how a sportsbook operator or provider works.

In addition, there is the network. Boston Link has been around since 2014 and since then we have built up a huge network in this industry. A good Dutch network in iGaming is unique, something other recruiters don't have.'

Which companies does Boston Link work for?

'Of course the well-known legal online casinos in the Netherlands. But also for all kinds of suppliers. Think of companies that develop online slots, companies that offer live casinos, software makers and even affiliate companies.'

Do you also mediate for land-based casinos?

'No, that is really a different industry with often a different type of vacancies. We do work with companies that have gone from land-based to online.'

What kind of vacancies are there at online casinos?

'At online casinos we are looking for people for just about every position available. From entry-level , such as customer support employee, to C-level (jobs such as CEO, COO and CTO, MC).

Marketing, product specialists, operations, tech, finance, there are vacancies in all fields. A lot of data-related work too; in that respect you can compare this sector with fintech.'

And specifically in the Netherlands?

'Specifically in the Netherlands you also see many compliance vacancies. Anti-money laundering (AML), know your customer (KYC), all of that is mandatory if you have a permit. But this is quite new for the gaming industry in the Netherlands. There are also the countless jobs in the field of responsible gaming, which is also a growth market for us.

And with the ban on untargeted advertising coming as of January 1, 2023, we are now seeing many specific online marketing vacancies, for example in the field of targeted advertising via Google Adwords.'

Do you need experience in the online gambling industry for those vacancies?

' Not always. That's the great thing about this industry: you can come in blank and make a career in no time. I moved to Malta in 2013 and started working in operations at an online casino. A surprising number of people who were support employees or had other entry-level jobs at the time are in C-level positions nine years later.

You can't do that so quickly at a bank, for example. There are many career opportunities in iGaming, you will not easily reach a ceiling.'

And for higher positions?

'Even for vacancies at higher levels, industry experience is not always required.

For a company that will probably receive a Dutch license soon, Boston Link is now looking for someone to do the marketing. With the request that that person has not previously worked in iGaming. They do not want to do the same as the competition and are therefore looking for someone with a different way of thinking, fresh blood. The marketing director of BetCity also worked at Coolblue before, something like this can work out very well.'

Customer service is a popular first job in iGaming. Can anyone do that?

'There are no specific training requirements, but you have to be prepared for it. Above all, you must be able to deal well with angry customers. Eight out of ten calls, emails and chats are people who have a problem: a game doesn't work, they didn't get a bonus...

You need empathy. If you immediately become defensive or strongly oppose it, the conversation can escalate. Then this is probably not the job for you.'

What about the earnings? Do iGaming companies pay nice salaries?

'The salaries are slightly higher than, for example, in the banking sector. Every year Boston Link releases an iGaming Salary Survey with salary indications for all kinds of jobs. That report is based on industry salaries in Malta, but also gives a good idea of ​​the international average.

( Click here for the iGaming Salary Survey 2022 )

We are discussing creating such a survey specifically for the Dutch market, which we will make available free of charge when the time comes.

What is really well arranged in this industry are the secondary employment conditions. At a number of companies you get a fully catered lunch every day, a gym membership, there are lots of events, company outings, you name it.'

Is the gambling industry a real man's world?

'In the past, iGaming was certainly male-dominated , but I have seen that change. You see more and more women, also in tech positions, and in my experience there is no discrimination in salary between men and women. They really look at what you can do. Whether you are man, woman or anything in between, it doesn't matter.'

Are there any disadvantages to working in the online gambling industry?

'The stigma. If you say at a birthday party: “I work at an online casino”, people might look at it a bit strangely.'

Do many potential candidates therefore doubt whether they want to work in this industry?

'It is often a factor for candidates from outside iGaming. In the Netherlands, the taboo on the gambling industry is somewhat stronger than elsewhere. It is often because people are not well informed. I sometimes compare it to when you say you are going to work at Bacardi. Everyone thinks that's very cool, while of course drinking also comes with risks.

I always emphasize that the cowboy days are really over, especially in the Netherlands. It's not a shady sector. There are two state-owned companies that do this, there is a lot of attention to addiction prevention and there is very strict supervision from the Ksa.'

How did you end up in this industry?

'I set up a recruitment agency in Rotterdam together with a partner in 2011, but I moved to Malta in 2013. I already knew a lot of people in Malta, went there regularly for holidays and I thought it would be nice to live there.

Not with the idea of ​​working there in iGaming, because I had no direct interest in online gambling. But in Malta there is so much work in this business, so I almost automatically ended up with a large online provider. So I mainly chose Malta and not consciously for the gambling industry.

In 2018 I switched to Boston Link. Now that I have opened an office in Rotterdam, things have come full circle for me.'

What do you enjoy most about your work at Boston Link?

'When I pick up the phone, I can completely turn someone's life around. A month later they can have a new job at a new company and, for example, suddenly live abroad or back in the Netherlands. Sometimes with the whole family too. With one call, that's what I like about this business.'

What is your advice for people who want to work in iGaming?

'Call me! Haha.'

And further?

'Talk to people in the industry. There are various events and fairs in the Netherlands throughout the year, such as iGB Live and Gaming in Holland. In addition, ICE in London, Sigma in Malta, you name it. Just go there and approach someone from a company that seems interesting to you. It is extremely easy to make contact in iGaming.'

If you are curious about the online casino vacancies that Lourens Pahud de Mortanges has open, check out the Boston Link website.