Who’s who: Steven Valentine

How/when did you first get involved with the gaming industry?
It was back in 2007. My former boss, who I had worked with in two previous companies, changed industries and he asked me to come and join him.

What attracted you to this sector?
When somebody you trust and respect advises you to get involved with gaming then it’s hard to ignore. To be able to do business on a truly international scale still excites me today and I also have a genuine passion for gambling. I can often be found at a late night poker table or in a casino until the early hours.

What were you doing prior to the gaming industry?
I had worked in business development in the Telco space for seven years. I was fortunate enough to be involved as it went through significant growth and also to leave it at the right time.

What are you responsible for in your current position?
I am directly responsible for the growth of the interactive side of Comtrade Gaming, including business development, product roadmap and establishing partner agreements. My main focus is on our iCore enterprise gaming platform, our flagship offering.

What are you working on right now?
That would be telling! Although the success we are having is all down to the great people who produce our products and the internal investments we have made. We have some major new clients coming on board who will greatly benefit from our work and I look forward to releasing this news in the near future. There is also a very strong funnel so I expect to be extremely busy.

What have been the biggest industry changes you’ve seen in your time?
When I started in gaming most operators were with one supplier, they had a very limited offering and there were only a few software providers in the market. Today operators take content and services from many different companies and due to how much competition there is they are now much more demanding.

What are the biggest positive factors for your sector right now?
Regulation in new markets brings new opportunities and this will bring significant growth for the industry and us as a company.

And what are the negatives ones – the obstacles to growth?
Regulation is a double edged sword and the time it takes to happen, like what is happening in the US market; this means there is a lot of focus on that area although it’s yet to realise itself.

Looking at your entire career, what do you think was your smartest move?
I can honestly say it is moving to Comtrade Gaming. When I joined four years ago we were pretty much unheard of by most people in the industry. To be part of a company with such strength and depth that has now firmly established itself as leading gaming software provider gives me a lot of job satisfaction.

And dumbest one?
There have probably been quite a few but the important thing is to learn from your mistakes and let go of any regrets.

Where do you hope you’ll be, professionally, in ten years’ time?
Ten Years is a long time in this industry so it’s hard to say what the future might hold. My main focus is on the next five years and continuing with our so far successful plan to make Comtrade Gaming the first choice software provider in the industry.

If you’d never embarked on this career, what other line of work would you have liked to pursue?
I would have liked to have been a stockbroker however my fondness for gambling could have been my downfall, it might have put my name in that same bracket as Nick Leeson so it’s probably best I didn’t choose that path!