Women in Gaming Lunch: The value of hearing different perspectives
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Sometimes the most valuable conversations aren't the ones that end with clear answers. They're the ones that remind us there isn't just one answer.
Held under the Chatham House Rule, the Women in Gaming Lunch at the Payments, Fraud & Compliance Gaming Leaders' Summit, brought together people from different organisations, countries and backgrounds to discuss the realities of building a career in our industry. While the session focused on women's experiences, it was open to everyone, with both women and men contributing openly to the discussion.
While everyone arrived with their own experiences, one thing became apparent almost immediately: the desire to be open, honest and curious about each other's perspectives. For a room of people, many meeting for the first time, the depth of conversation from the outset was striking and served as a reminder of just how much appetite there is for spaces where these conversations can happen openly and without judgement.
Although the discussion covered a range of topics, a common thread emerged. The challenges themselves were often familiar, but the experiences and solutions were not.
Motherhood was one of the first topics raised. Around the table were women who had taken a career break to raise children, others who had returned quickly to work, couples who had consciously chosen to share parenting responsibilities equally and some hesitant about the prospect of having children for the fear of a negative impact on their career.
What became clear very quickly was that there is no single "right" way to combine the two. Success looks different for everyone. The group agreed that equality of opportunity, rather than a single model of success, should remain the goal.
The discussion then turned to one challenge that resonated with everyone in the room: the inner critic. Regardless of experience or seniority, everyone recognised the quiet voice that questions whether we're good enough. While organisations can create supportive environments, participants reflected that this is also deeply personal work. Learning to recognise and manage our inner critic is one of the few things entirely within our own control. Leaders also have an important role in identifying these behaviours within their teams and helping people build confidence in themselves.
The conversation also explored recognition and progression. While there was broad agreement that the industry has made significant progress and is moving beyond hiring purely to meet diversity targets, some participants still spoke about feeling the need to prove themselves more than others before their skills were fully recognised. Progress was acknowledged, but so too was the sense that there is still work to do.
Perhaps the strongest takeaway from the session was not linked to any single topic, but to the conversation itself. Participants engaged openly from the outset, sharing experiences with honesty despite many meeting for the first time. It showed the real need for creating safe spaces where different perspectives can be heard, experiences shared and ideas explored without judgement.
It was also encouraging to see male colleagues actively contributing to the discussion. Creating better workplaces is not a conversation for women alone, and bringing more voices into these discussions can only strengthen the outcomes.
The session reinforced something simple but important: meaningful progress starts with understanding. Conversations like these create the opportunity to listen, challenge our own assumptions and leave with a broader perspective than the one we arrived with.
Authors: Laura Graham | Industry Expert, Olympia Peycheva | 888 Africa and Michelle Taylor | Flutter UK & Ireland