We were very lucky to land an exclusive interview from Evgen Belousov, the CEO of the leading B2B giant GR8 Tech and winner of the prestigious European CEO of The Year 2024 Award, where we discussed an array of gripping topics including GR8 Tech’s meticulous way of work, regulatory challenges, use of AI, and much more!
Hello Evgen, first of all, thank you for finding the time to talk to us, we know that you are a busy man. Can you tell us a bit more about the start of your career in iGaming? What inspired you to enter this particular industry?
Hello, and thank you for having me here. Over the span of my professional life, I’ve been to several different industries, but none of them is as dynamic, challenging, and, therefore, interesting as iGaming. Everything here moves at a race speed; you can see the results of your efforts and get the return on your investments in several years, which is crazy compared to any other industry. iGaming drives me beyond measure, that’s why I’m here.
You are the CEO of GR8 Tech, a leading B2B company that has managed to establish itself as a dominant force in the iGaming realm in just one year after being established. What do you think is the reason behind the rapid success of GR8 Tech?
GR8 Tech entered the iGaming B2B market with a clear vision of what it is and where it wants to be, and what’s even more important, it has a great team ready to get the company there. We continuously build a high-performance mindset, making sure that there’s a clear goal behind every effort and that every person amplifies and improves the result. I think these are key factors behind our success.
As the Chief Executive Officer you are directly involved in everything that goes on in GR8 Tech. Tell us, what are the biggest challenges of running a software solutions company such as GR8?
There’s a neverending talk about innovations in our industry. In my opinion, the biggest challenge for a product company is not to fall for this hype. The race for innovations is mostly meaningless; you should focus on business goals first, on strategy, and on what the clients need to succeed in the long term. Innovations may come as answers to these questions; never should they be the questions themselves.
It is no secret that gambling regulations are one of the biggest pain points for many companies from the iGaming sector. Do regulations impact GR8 Tech and its way of work, and if so, how do you battle them?
Enhancing regulations is an undeniable trend that places certain requirements on the technological solutions we create. They should be compliant, obviously, but considering how many different sets of rules exist in markets globally, the tech should be, first and foremost, flexible. We at GR8 Tech focus on creating solutions and products that can be adjusted for different requirements quickly and easily, saving our operator clients time and money. In my opinion, regulations push providers to be more creative, leading to the development of more elegant solutions, and that’s an amazing thing.
GR8 Tech has already won several recognitions in the form of awards and nominations, a feat that is more than impressive considering its young age. How important are awards and nominations for a brand such as GR8 Tech, or for any brand in the iGaming realm, for that matter?
Awards and nominations provide external confirmation that our solutions, products, and results brought by them exceed the industry’s benchmarks. Besides, it’s a great way to gain recognition among industry peers and get your name out there to potential clients. For GR8 Tech, as a relatively young provider, it is especially important. I’m looking forward to seeing what 2024 will bring to the table, considering we have already been nominated in three categories in SiGMA Eurasia Awards, including the Best Online Sportsbook Provider 2024, which is very exciting and once again proves how impressive our flagship product is.
The success of GR8 Tech up to this point can be greatly attributed to your leadership skills, something that resulted in you winning the “CEO of The Year” award at the prestigious European CEO Awards 2024, for which we would like to extend our congratulations. Do you think that winning this award is a reflection of GR8 Tech’s general winning mentality? What is the most important attribute of a winning team?
Thank you for your congratulations. Absolutely, since this award evaluated not just myself but also GR8 Tech’s achievements under my leadership, the team shares this recognition. You can’t be a great manager without a great team, people who expertly do their job and let you focus on management, strategies, and brand building. As for what makes a winning team – in my opinion, it’s professionalism, passion, and clear vision (which I already expanded on earlier.)
Evgen, you were a key figure at some of the biggest global iGaming events, including London, SBC Barcelona, and SiGMA Europe, a feat that positioned GR8 as a thought leader above everything else. How do you decide which events you are going to participate in, and why it is so important to participate in such events for both the company and yourself?
The world may be working online just fine, but some most important talks are still happening off the grid. That’s what industry events are for – to meet, reconnect, talk, and often finalize some deals that were in discussions but were lacking something extra. Face-to-face meetings are that extra. So, you have to be where your potential clients are, and that influences the selection of events we participate in. For instance, this year, GR8 Tech is focused on getting more foothold in LatAm, so we’ve expanded our presence at the local exhibitions and conferences, such as SBC Summit Rio and SiGMA Americas, looking to connect with the operators working in or interested in entering this region.
You are also one of the select 50 industry-leading executives who are part of the Global Gaming Awards judges panel. What do you look for in a brand/company when you evaluate them? What are the most important things that a company should achieve in order to be nominated?
Judging at GGA was a great honor and an interesting experience. The evaluation is based on category criteria, so it’s different for every nomination. When companies present their achievements in a certain category, I look for something that truly stands out for me, whether it is performance indicators or the company’s fresh and out-of-the-box approach.
Given the fast-paced expansion of AI in the business sector and our personal lives, it is only natural for this technology to enter the world of iGaming. What is your stance on AI? Do you think it can improve the industry, especially a software solutions company such as GR8 Tech?
AI is an incredibly useful technology that is already improving iGaming products. We at GR8 Tech have used it for approximately five years now, constantly developing new ways to implement it. For example, our latest moves are focused on utilizing AI to boost our platform’s SLA. But, as I’ve already mentioned, to make good use of technology, be it AI or something else, you should understand what you’re trying to accomplish. Just experimenting and slapping it wherever won’t bring the results you’d hoped for.
Lastly, what are your plans for the future, Evgen, both personal and professional? Where do you see yourself five years from now, and where do you see GR8 Tech five years from now?
With the pace of our industry, planning five years ahead is a daring move. From the trajectory we are on now, I see GR8 Tech as one of the top 5 iGaming B2B providers, serving numerous operators globally and continuing to push the boundaries of what technology is capable of. I think it will be a GR8 journey, both for me personally and for the company.
