Four leaders answer the same five questions on hiring top talent in iGaming in 2026: Olha Shcherbyna, chief human resources officer at ICONIC21; Rafaella Costa, HR manager at Wiztech; Tricia Mae Galea, head of HR at Gaming Corps; and Giorgi Tsutskiridze, chief commercial officer at SPRIBE. Their answers run side by side below, so it is clear where they agree and where they split on what candidates now want most.

All four name a disposition rather than a skill when asked what they will not compromise on. They also agree that the talent pool has widened, and that the habit holding hiring managers back is expecting one person to be several. Where they diverge is on what candidates want most: career paths, flexibility, or autonomy.

Key findings

• On the one non-negotiable: ‘A great CV means little if someone has stopped learning.’ — Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE
• On where talent now comes from: ‘Talent today shows up in unconventional spaces, and some of the strongest people come from environments that never needed a formal CV to prove their capability.’ — Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps
• On culture fit: ‘For us, it’s about hiring for culture add rather than culture fit.’ — Rafaella Costa, Wiztech
• On the habit to drop: ‘When one position combines the responsibilities of two or three specialists, the problem is often not the talent market but unrealistic expectations.’ — Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21

What no CV can make up for

European Gaming: What is the one capability you refuse to compromise on in a hire, however strong the rest of the CV?

None of the four names a technical skill. All four name a disposition.

Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21: For me, it is the ability to take ownership and follow through to deliver results. Even the strongest CV cannot compensate for a lack of accountability and reliability.

Rafaella Costa, Wiztech: A positive attitude and a willingness to learn. Technical skills can always be developed through training and experience, but someone who is not open to feedback, collaboration, or continuous improvement is much harder to support. I always look for people who are motivated, adaptable, and genuinely interested in growing with the company.

Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps: Passion, drive, and work ethic. Skills can be taught, experience can be built, and tools can be learned, but genuine passion, self-driven energy, and a strong work ethic are non-negotiable. If those aren’t there, nothing else on a CV matters.

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE: Curiosity. Skills can be learned, but curiosity drives continuous improvement. At SPRIBE, we work in a fast-moving industry where products, markets and player expectations evolve constantly. We look for people who ask questions, challenge assumptions and actively seek better ways of doing things. A great CV means little if someone has stopped learning.

Adjacent industries, Discord groups, and remote pipelines

EG: Where are you finding talent today that you wouldn’t have considered three years ago?

Three of the four point outside iGaming and outside their own geography. Shcherbyna is the dissenting voice: she argues the market has not changed, the assessment has.

Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21: The iGaming talent market itself has not changed dramatically, but the way we assess candidates has evolved. By looking beyond hard skills and giving more weight to soft skills and potential, we can now consider strong candidates from adjacent industries as well.

Rafaella Costa, Wiztech: We are finding excellent talent through online communities, LinkedIn, employee referrals, and remote recruitment. Three years ago, we focused mainly on local candidates, but today we have access to skilled professionals from different regions and backgrounds. This has given us a much wider talent pool and more opportunities to find the right person for the role.

Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps: We are finding exceptional talent in places we wouldn’t have looked three years ago, niche online communities, specialised Discord groups, indie creators, self-taught builders, and people who’ve grown through real-world problem-solving rather than traditional career paths. Talent today shows up in unconventional spaces, and some of the strongest people come from environments that never needed a formal CV to prove their capability.

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE: We’re finding exceptional people in places that weren’t traditionally associated with iGaming. Gaming, fintech, AI startups, consumer apps and creator-focused businesses all produce talent with valuable experience in building engaging digital products. Remote work has also opened access to specialists from regions we previously wouldn’t have reached, allowing us to build stronger and more diverse teams.

Shared values without sameness

EG: Where is the line between hiring for culture fit and screening out the people who would genuinely change things?

This is the closest the four come to a single answer: values are the filter, similarity is not. Two of them reject the term ‘culture fit’ outright.

Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21: Creativity and passion are part of the ICONIC21 DNA, so there is no contradiction here. We listen to every voice and encourage changes that help the company move forward.

Rafaella Costa, Wiztech: For us, it’s about hiring for culture add rather than culture fit. Candidates should share the company’s core values and work ethic, but they should also bring fresh ideas, different experiences, and new ways of thinking. Diversity of thought helps teams improve, challenge existing processes, and continue growing.

Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps: Culture fit should never mean cloning what already exists. Our line is simple: shared values are non-negotiable, but sameness is not. We hire for people who strengthen the culture, not just blend into it; the ones who challenge, elevate, and expand how we think while still aligning with our core principles. That’s the difference between protecting culture and preventing growth.

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE: Culture fit should never mean hiring people who think the same way. At SPRIBE, we hire for shared values such as ownership, collaboration and integrity, but we actively encourage different perspectives. 

‘The best ideas often come from people who challenge existing processes respectfully.’

A healthy culture should be strong enough to embrace constructive disagreement rather than avoid it.

Career paths, flexibility, and real autonomy

EG: Beyond salary, what is the one thing top candidates now ask for that the industry is still slow to offer?

The widest split in the set. Each of the four names something different, and only two of them overlap — and all four sit alongside pay in what a candidate weighs when scanning open iGaming roles.

Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21: One of the most common questions top candidates ask is about real career growth. Many companies talk about development, but still do not offer clear paths, regular feedback, or meaningful opportunities to grow.

Rafaella Costa, Wiztech: Flexibility is one of the biggest expectations today. Candidates want a healthy work-life balance, trust from their employer, and flexibility in how and where they work. They also value wellbeing, career development, and opportunities to grow. While many companies are making progress, there is still room for improvement in these areas.

Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps: Flexibility with structure.

‘Top candidates increasingly want remote working as a standard, not a perk, but paired with real human connection through meet-ups, collaboration days, and intentional team time. The industry is still slow to offer this balance.’

People want freedom in how they work, without losing the culture, community, and shared energy that make a team feel alive.

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE: Meaningful autonomy. The strongest candidates want to make an impact, not simply execute tasks. They expect trust, ownership and the ability to influence product and business decisions regardless of job title. Companies that still rely on rigid hierarchies risk losing top talent to organisations where people can move faster and see the direct results of their work.

The search for the perfect candidate

EG: For a hiring manager who insists they ‘can’t find good people’, what is the one habit you’d tell them to drop first?

All four locate the problem on the employer’s side of the table rather than in the market. Two name the search for a flawless CV; the other two name a specific version of it.

Olha Shcherbyna, ICONIC21: I would tell them to stop trying to hire several roles in one person. When one position combines the responsibilities of two or three specialists, the problem is often not the talent market but unrealistic expectations.

Rafaella Costa, Wiztech: I would tell them to stop searching for the ‘perfect’ candidate. In many cases, great people are overlooked because they don’t meet every single requirement on paper. Instead, focus on potential, attitude, transferable skills, and the ability to learn. Hiring for long-term success often delivers better results than hiring only for immediate experience.

Tricia Mae Galea, Gaming Corps: Drop the habit of looking for ‘another you’ or another top performer. The moment a hiring manager stops expecting a replica of their own style, pace, or output, their talent pool opens up. Great people don’t all look the same, and insisting on a clone is the fastest way to miss genuinely strong hires.

Giorgi Tsutskiridze, SPRIBE: Great teams are built by hiring people with strong potential and giving them the opportunity to grow. 

‘Stop looking for the “perfect” candidate.’ 

Waiting for someone who already ticks every box often means missing ambitious, adaptable people who can outperform expectations within months. Hiring should focus on future impact, not just past experience.

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