Dmitry Arabuli, CEO of TonyBet: “Learn it all”

In the iGaming Heroes series on 3S.INFO — Dmitry Arabuli, CEO of Tonybet. This is the story of a passionate professional who values his team, a data-driven approach, strategic timing, and personal connections

Publication date: 1 September 2025

In the 3S.INFO iGaming Heroes series, we highlight Dmitry Arabuli, CEO of Tonybet. This is the story of a passionate professional who values his team, adheres to a data-driven approach, emphasizes strategic timing, cherishes personal connections and dreams of improving the entire industry’s image for the better.

– Could you tell us how you ended up in the iGaming industry and what attracted you specifically about this field? Was there ever a moment when you wanted to quit or move into another area?

Since my youth, I’ve been fascinated by the concept of branding, understanding why it’s important, how to build one, and what key components go into its creation and positioning. At age 15, I got the opportunity to study in England, and my college program allowed choosing four additional subjects beyond the standard curriculum. A subject I chose immediately was Media Studies because it closely aligned with marketing. We studied and analyzed various advertising techniques, their impact on purchasing decisions for different products and services, among other things.

At university, I majored in Public Relations, so naturally, pursuing a career in PR and global marketing became my next logical step. Following graduation, I spent three months browsing job websites in England looking for my first position, submitting over 100 applications for roles that included ‘marketing’ in their description. Eventually, I received an interview invitation from WinTechnologies based in Camden Town. As is common in many companies within the iGaming sector, publicly available information about the company was scarce. For the interview, I showed up dressed formally in a suit. However, upon meeting two executives wearing jeans and T-shirts, I realized I’d slightly over-prepared. Despite this, I managed to impress them during the interview. My passion for working in marketing was evident, and ultimately, I landed the role. I began as an affiliate manager assistant responsible for the Russian and CIS markets at brands such as Betway and Spin Palace. Tasks involved ordering banners, landing pages, generating affiliate links, etc. Soon enough, I progressed to become an affiliate manager myself. Over several years, I climbed the ranks to become the Head of Affiliates, managing one of the largest affiliate programs — Wagershare, Betway Partners and Buffalo Partners.

What instantly drew me to the iGaming industry was the fast-paced nature of the work, building relationships and collaborations with affiliates, frequent business trips, and, of course, the significant earning potential even at my young age and level of experience.

Now, after 13 years in the industry, I’m still thoroughly enjoying my work. The relatively young age of our industry ensures that it’s constantly evolving and never static. From my experience, people working in iGaming tend to be young, ambitious, intelligent and entrepreneurial. They are full of new ideas, carry a strong energy charge and possess that famous sparkle in their eyes. Since day one in the iGaming sphere, I’ve never regretted being here for a second, hence seriously considering leaving has never crossed my mind.-

– How do you identify team members with potential and help them grow? Have there been cases where someone initially seen as a star eventually caused problems? How did you address that situation?

I respect and enjoy working with individuals who value themselves and appreciate their own time. That translates into performing their duties with dignity, attentiveness and responsibility regardless of their current position. These employees actively seek self-development and professional growth within the company and their careers. Therefore, at Tonybet, we pay special attention to identifying such promising talent early in their career journey and providing opportunities for internal development and advancement. Many of these individuals grow alongside the company, often becoming accomplished professionals occupying crucial positions within Tonybet.

There have indeed been instances where very promising team members discovered their true calling elsewhere. For example, two talented affiliate managers from my team at Buffalo Partners left to pursue successful careers as affiliates themselves, continuing to collaborate with us as partners. In situations like these, there’s nothing else to do but celebrate their achievements and wish them well.

– What’s most critical to establish effective marketing within the first 90 days? Based on your experience, which steps deliver immediate results, and which seem important but don’t actually work?

The top priority is conducting a thorough audit and refining focus. It’s impossible to create anything meaningful without a clear starting point. Everything matters here: from one-on-one conversations to detailed statistical analysis, from small creative efforts to previously implemented strategies. Study everything!

It’s also necessary to feel the team and the product. Every product is unique, each has its own charm. It’s important to understand whether the team sees it. And if they don’t, why not? The team is the key element in implementing the new designated path.

– Video content, Gen AI, custom analytics — which of these tools does your company actually use?

We utilize all of them at Tonybet. Video content performs exceptionally well across multiple platforms including affiliate networks, YouTube, TV and TikTok. We’ve had an in-house AI department dedicated to generating creatives, including video content, for quite some time now. Our analytics show substantial improvements in key performance metrics when using AI-generated videos compared to traditional formats.

We also give special attention to custom analytics. This may well be the most important aspect of our strategy. Numbers speak a dry language of facts, offering a comprehensive view of where we’re heading and highlighting areas needing improvement.

– Is there a trend you’ve consciously avoided despite its popularity? Why?

Around six to seven years ago, the legalized US market saw massive expansion. We extensively examined this opportunity, engaging in negotiations with land-based casinos and indigenous populations in several states seeking licensing partnerships for the Tonybet brand. One major challenge in entering this market is that essentially each state represents a separate entity with its own operational rules, laws, exclusion registries, technical specifications for platforms and tax systems. Given our rigorous approach to launching our brand in new markets, venturing into the US landscape didn’t seem financially viable at that time, although it was considered the world’s most promising regulated market. Several years later, more than twenty operators opened and subsequently closed operations in the United States. Even giants like Unibet and Betway announced their withdrawal from the U.S. market in 2024.

I believe our decision not to enter the U.S. market was correct.

For deeper insights into the nuances of gambling and betting regulation worldwide, promotional guidelines and advertising rules, explore our iGaming Market Reviews on 3S.INFO.

– What piece of advice influenced your approach to marketing the most, and who gave it to you?

One good friend from the industry, who prefers staying low-key, told me long ago that timing is everything in our business. Sometimes it’s crucial to be first-to-market, introducing new features ahead of others. Other times, it’s better to wait, carefully analyze the market dynamics, let the initial hype subside, learn from others’ mistakes and successes, develop a solid strategy and act only when ready. Interestingly, much of the iGaming industry operates on similar principles, relying heavily on gut feelings or intuition. Trusting oneself and one’s choices is paramount, yet remaining flexible and adapting swiftly when needed is just as important.

– Everyone knows each other in the iGaming industry. What role do personal connections and friendship play for you? Were there moments when colleagues helped you or vice versa?

Personal connections play a huge role in my professional environment. Fortunately, I’ve had the chance to meet and build a growing network of professionals and project owners, encompassing casinos, bookmakers, affiliate teams, game providers, platforms, payment processors and venture funds. Many of these connections have evolved into friendships, and we frequently gather at meetups, conferences, informal settings, sharing insights, successful case studies and discussing industry news. Often, these meetings lead to improved internal processes, new ideas and informed decisions regarding brand promotion and marketing strategies.

– If tomorrow you were given unlimited budget for marketing, what “crazy” idea would you implement first?

I’d love to launch a large-scale PR campaign focused on promoting online casinos as an entertainment industry. Online gambling, especially betting, still carries a reputation of being shameful or embarrassing, despite strict regulations and player protection measures in licensed markets. My goal would be to change this perception and demonstrate to those unfamiliar with online casinos that they’re simply another form of leisure activity, packed with emotions and exciting experiences.

– There’s a lot of copying going on in iGaming marketing. What’s something that’s been copied from you but executed poorly?

During my tenure at Buffalo Partners, we introduced numerous promotions for affiliates and partners, such as prize tournaments, elevated RS rates (up to 60%-70%), and luxury travel rewards for top-tier affiliates and VIP players. Back then (over 10 years ago), such initiatives were rare in the industry, and we received overwhelming positive feedback. Today, however, the landscape has changed significantly. The industry has matured, resulting in increased competition, larger partnership events and an abundance of offers exceeding traffic availability. Conferences now feature renowned DJs and artists, brands host exclusive parties for partners, and there are countless offers competing for attention. While this evolution creates pressure, it simultaneously pushes everyone to stay sharp, continuously innovate, introduce new products and elevate service quality.

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