How can iGaming leaders protect mental health and prevent burnout?
At SiGMA Euro-Med 2025, attention turned to an issue that is often left unspoken in the fast-moving world of iGaming: the toll leadership pressures can take on mental health. On Day 2, the panel discussion “Behind the Win: Mental Health, Burnout & the Hidden Cost of iGaming Leadership” drew a complete and focused audience at the SiGMA Stage. Here, experts from across the sector came together to speak openly about workplace wellbeing-an area that is no longer a side topic, but one shaping the future of sustainable leadership.
The conversation, moderated by Luke Todd, CEO, Executive Coach and Trainer at MadeYou, featured an experienced panel: Marvin Cuschieri (Group Chief People & Talent Officer, Logifuture), Tatiana Bogolyubskaya (Head of HR, Aviatrix), Anneli Nilsson (Founder, JobMatchingPartner), Jaime Debono (CEO, iGaming Academy), and Abigail Richard (Global Head of Recruitment, CMC Consulting). Together, they unpacked the rising risk of burnout among leaders and how both individuals and organisations share responsibility for tackling it.
Burnout in iGaming leadership
The discussion laid bare the unique pressures of iGaming leadership. With global teams, real-time operations, and blurred work-life boundaries, expectations often go far beyond standard office hours.
Todd set the stage by noting that while personal responsibility is essential, companies must design environments where protecting well-being is not just encouraged, but made possible. Nilsson highlighted a cultural barrier many leaders face: hesitancy in admitting they need support. “Unless leadership allows an open door, people cannot feel safe to say, ‘I am overworked, I need help,’” she said.
Debono added that maintaining human connection in remote and hybrid structures requires deliberate action, observing that “without the element of togetherness, it is hard to build strong mental relationships.” Both points underscored a central truth: burnout is not just a personal struggle—it’s a systemic challenge that demands collective awareness and change.
Towards healthier workplaces
The panel converged on the idea that leadership well-being is achievable when personal strategies are backed by institutional support.
- Boundaries and empowerment: Bogolyubskaya stressed that leaders need to trust their teams with decision-making to properly “switch off” when they are away.
- Individual differences: Richard underlined the role of emotional intelligence, pointing out that tolerance levels and stress triggers vary widely between people.
- Sustainable practices: Cuschieri called for businesses to move beyond quick fixes, urging investment in long-term well-being policies that serve both employees and organisations.
As the discussion unfolded, one message stood out: effective leadership is about more than targets. It requires recognising the human cost of constant pressure and creating workplaces built on empathy, openness, and long-term resilience.
What’s next for the industry?
This session provided one of the clearest takeaways of Day 2-that well-being is not a luxury but a cornerstone of sustainable leadership. As SiGMA Euro-Med 2025 progresses with additional panels and networking sessions, the debate on innovation and the future of gaming will now be accompanied by the equally pressing conversation on creating healthier, human-centered workplaces. Stay up to date with the main agenda.
