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How Gen Z Shapes the iGaming Workplace
The iGaming industry has always moved fast ‒ new markets, tech, and games. But the next real disruption isn’t coming from AI or regulation. It’s coming from people. More precisely, from the generation now filling entry-level seats, managing Discord communities, moderating Telegram chats, designing UX flows, and running micro-influencer campaigns: Gen Z.
Born between 1997 and 2012, this cohort already makes up over 25% of the global workforce and is projected to represent nearly one-third of iGaming employees by 2027. They’re digital architects, raised in ecosystems of instant feedback, open communication, and global collaboration. They’ve watched remote work evolve from necessity to norm, and they expect every employer to mirror the digital fluency of the tools they use daily ‒ Slack, Notion, Discord, Figma, or Twitch.
Gen Z: Who Are They and How Are They Influencing the Industry?
Gen Z approaches work like a product ‒ they test company culture and move on quickly if it fails to deliver growth or purpose. Their expectations are reshaping the industry, with employee demands now among the fastest-changing HR variables, according to EvenBet’s iGaming Future 2026.
They seek transparent pay, real development, and flexibility balanced with trust and innovation. In an increasingly global talent market, this generation is redefining “good work” through autonomy, inclusion, and continuous learning.
As iGaming expands across new regions, these expectations are rewriting how companies attract and retain talent. HR teams must now compete on experience, not salary ‒ building adaptive, authentic, and growth-driven cultures that keep people engaged and innovative.
Gen Z at Work: Pragmatic, Purpose-Driven, and Always Online
EvenBet’s 2025 research on iGaming professionals confirms a measurable shift in workforce priorities. While salary and stability led the list in 2024, by 2025, flexibility, professional growth, and ethical alignment became the top motivators ‒ primarily driven by Generation Z, which now makes up a significant share of the iGaming workforce.
According to the report, high salary is no longer the top priority for industry professionals ‒ in 2025, it ranked only fourth (14%). The leading factors for attracting and retaining talent are now a dynamic and growing company, a supportive team culture, and a strong, recognizable brand. Flexibility also remains essential ‒ hybrid and remote formats attract candidates across regions. For Gen Z and millennial employees, alignment with company values, opportunities for career growth, and continuous skill development are the key drivers of loyalty and retention.
This data-driven shift shows that for Gen Z, work isn’t about climbing a corporate ladder ‒ it’s about learning fast, building meaningful projects, and doing it on their own terms.
Transparency
For Gen Z, trust comes from honesty, not messaging. They expect clear communication about goals, pay, and leadership decisions. Companies that share strategic updates, financial results, and promotion criteria build stronger loyalty, while hidden hierarchies and unclear salary structures quickly erode it.
In iGaming, where regulatory compliance already demands openness, extending that same transparency to internal culture reinforces credibility ‒ proving the company doesn’t just follow transparency but practices it daily.
Flexibility
Hybrid or remote options aren’t perks anymore; they’re the default. As the EvenBet report highlights, flexibility was one of the key factors behind improved employee retention in 2025, cutting turnover to just 16%. For Generation Z, flexibility means freedom with responsibility and the opportunity to:
- The ability to manage their time;
- Choose where they work best;
- Deliver measurable results.
iGaming companies that embrace flexible models ‒ combining asynchronous work, intelligent scheduling, and outcome-based performance tracking ‒ see stronger engagement and fewer burnout cases. Flexibility also supports inclusion by opening doors to talent across geographies, giving companies access to diverse skill sets without physical constraints. It’s not just a lifestyle benefit anymore ‒ it’s a competitive strategy for both recruitment and retention.
Purpose and Diversity
Gen Z expects companies to act on their values ‒ not just declare them. In iGaming, that means real investment in responsible gaming, inclusion, and community impact, not performative statements. Diversity must show up in leadership representation, inclusive product design, and equal access to growth opportunities.
In short, Gen Z isn’t afraid to ask:
“What does this company stand for ‒ and how does it stand by me?”
They join teams to contribute to missions that mirror their beliefs and work for brands that act, not just talk. For HR leaders, every element of the employee experience ‒ from onboarding to feedback loops ‒ must be authentic, measurable, and consistent with corporate values. The companies that understand this generational mindset early will attract top young talent and future-proof their culture in an industry that never stops evolving.
Rethinking HR: From Control to Connection
Traditional HR systems include long onboarding checklists, rigid hierarchies, and “check-in once a year” feedback. Still, they don’t work for a generation raised on instant feedback loops and community-driven platforms. Modern HR teams in iGaming are learning that retention comes through connection:
Learning as a Growth Loop
According to EvenBet’s 2025 iGaming Future Report, the top factors when choosing an employer are:
- Dynamic and expanding company ‒ 20%;
- Supportive team ‒ 19%;
- Well-known brand ‒ 19%;
- High salary ‒ 14%.
This reflects a clear shift toward companies offering visible career growth ‒ a core priority for Gen Z talent. To sustain that growth, leading iGaming employers invest in:
- Reskilling and structured learning paths (AI, data analytics, crypto-compliance);
- Short, focused formats like mentorships and two-week skill sprints;
- Flexible, feedback-driven environments that helped reduce turnover to 16% in 2024 (EvenBet, 2025).
Continuous Feedback Culture
Gen Z prefers continuous dialogue over annual reviews. They expect regular discussions about performance, growth, and pay. Leading iGaming companies now use real-time feedback tools, monthly pulse checks, and transparent salary reviews to track sentiment and resolve issues early.
Clear communication about career paths and compensation builds trust and reduces turnover ‒ a key factor in retaining younger professionals.
Gamified Engagement
iGaming companies apply the same principles that keep players engaged to motivate their teams. Gamification appeals to Gen Z’s competitiveness and need for recognition ‒ turning onboarding, training, and collaboration into measurable achievements. Badges, milestones, and reward points create visible progress and link daily effort to company goals. In an industry where engagement drives performance, using game mechanics internally helps HR teams build motivation the same way successful products retain players.
Employer Brand: The New Recruitment Engine
In iGaming’s competitive talent market, employer brand has become a performance metric ‒ not just an image goal. EvenBet’s 2025 research notes that companies with a strong, consistent reputation attract candidates faster and retain them longer, especially among Gen Z professionals.
Modern employer branding is less about visibility and more about credibility. Candidates evaluate how companies act ‒ through leadership communication, employee advocacy, and transparent storytelling ‒ long before they apply.
For iGaming firms expanding into global markets, this authenticity translates into direct recruitment value: fewer unqualified applications, lower acquisition costs, and higher acceptance rates. A brand that reflects a company’s real culture now works as a self-sustaining recruitment engine, turning reputation into measurable hiring efficiency.
The Hybrid Future: Work Anywhere, Belong Everywhere
For Gen Z, work is community. They expect the same connection and collaboration they experience online. The challenge for iGaming companies is to turn distributed teams into cohesive networks, where flexibility builds trust and culture transcends location.
- Hybrid work is the norm. Clear communication, shared digital hubs, and hybrid rituals make distance invisible;
- Onboarding must engage. Interactive sessions, mentorships, and gamified learning replace static slides.
- Feedback must be real-time. Quick check-ins, peer recognition, and transparent metrics sustain motivation.
As EvenBet’s HR experts note:
“Flexibility builds trust, and trust builds retention.”
The companies that design for digital connection ‒ not just remote logistics ‒ will lead the next hiring wave. In iGaming, as in gameplay, connection drives engagement.
The Bottom Line
Gen Z is entering the iGaming workforce ‒ and redefining it. Their expectations are clear and measurable: flexibility, transparency, purpose, and fast growth. These are no longer “soft” trends but concrete factors shaping hiring, management, and retention strategies.
This generation integrates work and life through meaning. They expect well-being, mental health, and balance to be part of the company strategy, not side benefits. For iGaming employers, that means redesigning the employee journey around:
- Clear growth paths and fair evaluation systems;
- Wellness and mental health initiatives;
- Continuous learning and career mobility.
Companies that deliver on these priorities build stronger engagement and retain the talent defining the future of iGaming.
What’s Next?
The future of iGaming HR isn’t about hiring faster ‒ it’s about building cultures people stay in. As the industry matures, success will depend on retention quality, not recruitment volume. HR will evolve into a strategic function that designs culture through data, empathy, and technology.
AI-driven performance insights, hybrid team structures, and transparent career mapping will define the next stage of employee experience. Companies that master these elements will lead the talent race ‒ creating workplaces built on trust, autonomy, and innovation.
Gen Z is setting the standard: a more transparent, human, and sustainable iGaming industry.
AffPapa is excited to announce that EvenBet Gaming will be joining iGaming Club London 2025 as a Premium Sponsor.
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