Gender diversity, inclusion, women empowerment in iGaming industry
Recent data highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in increasing women’s representation in iGaming leadership. According to an article by Prowess, about 150,000 new companies in the UK were founded in 2022, with approximately 20 percent of them being led by women—a 4 percent to 5 percent rise from 2018. Despite these gains, the iGaming industry remains traditionally male-dominated. According to the 2020 Gender Balance Scoreboard, the top 14 iGaming companies had 121 male executives compared to just 23 female executives.
In an interview with SiGMA News during SiGMA Asia, Roanna Jamir, Client Services Manager at HCM Nexus, emphasised the significance of having female leaders in roles traditionally dominated by men, such as games development and cybersecurity. “By having female leaders in these different industries, we are spearheading the inclusion of more women. It cascades down like a domino effect,” she noted.
Jamir also highlighted the positive impact of this shift on the gaming industry, where more female voices are influencing game development, marketing, and consumer engagement. “Female game developers, creatives, and marketers bring new perspectives that resonate with both male and female audiences,” she said.
Challenges faced by women in gaming
A World Economic Forum (WEF) article said that women founders continue to lag behind men in securing venture capital (VC) funding for startups. The article noted the PitchBook’s VC European Female Founders Dashboard, which stated that startups led exclusively by women in Europe accounted for just 1.8 percent of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in 2023. In the U.S., the situation is similarly challenging, with female-founded startups receiving only 2 percent of the total VC investment, as reported by PitchBook’s U.S. VC Female Founders Dashboard. PitchBook notes that “the numbers haven’t leapt forward for female founders at the same pace.”
Addressing the challenges women face in the gaming industry, Jamir pointed out the historical sexualisation of female characters in video games. “For the longest time, because it was predominantly a male industry, there were a lot of sexualisation in gaming characters. For example, Tomb Raider—what is she known for?” Jamir questioned. She acknowledged that while there is nothing wrong with celebrating certain body types, it is crucial to include diverse representations of women in games.
“Now that we have more women in leadership roles, there’s more inclusion. We don’t necessarily have to take out the sexuality aspect, but we can include other shapes and forms,” Jamir suggested. She emphasised the importance of reflecting the diversity of women in the real world, thereby making games more inclusive and relatable.
Fostering gender diversity in recruitment
The conversation then turned to talent acquisition and how companies are promoting gender diversity. Jamir shared HCM Nexus’s approach to eliminating gender bias in recruitment. “We make sure that when we are hiring staff, we take out the gender aspect. There is no gender bias; we focus on the actual credentials, skills, and experience of the candidate, whether they’re male or female,” she explained.
She added that HCM Nexus also invests in training its recruiters and hiring panels to equip them with cultural sensitivities and awareness of gender biases. “This helps create a more inclusive and supportive workplace,” Jamir noted. S
A future of inclusion and diversity
As more women take on leadership roles and influence game development, the industry is likely to become more inclusive and diverse, benefiting both creators and consumers. Jamir’s insights shed light on the ongoing efforts to empower women in gaming and foster gender diversity in recruitment. She also recently joined SiGMA World as a reporter.
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