Dmitry Belianin, in our 3S.INFO iGaming heroes

Publication date: 9 September 2025

How to make money flow effortlessly even amid unexpected events, what does calculated risk mean and what’s behind the creation of Blask? Meet entrepreneur, marketer and investor with almost two decades of experience, Dmitry Belianin, in our 3S.INFO iGaming heroes’ series!

– How did you enter the iGaming industry and who helped you at the beginning? Was there a person or situation that played a decisive role?

Before entering iGaming, I gained quite successful experience in launching and selling my first business. At the very beginning, I studied everything myself, learning from my own mistakes and successes. I read extensively, analyzed the market and competitors, gathered information from new acquaintances in the industry. Jeffrey Haas played a crucial role as my mentor and good friend.

– What piece of advice or “life rule” has become the most valuable for you and helped in your career?

Jeffrey once told me: “Money can give you what you want, but it almost never tells you what really deserves wanting. Work hard, bring value to the world, and money will come naturally.” Jeffrey never chased money; he sought influence and creating lasting value. And I think this advice helped me build partnerships, act in uncertain situations and always keep the focus on meaning rather than numbers. This led to a more sustainable and fulfilling career.

What is your main rule in business and in life?

The main rule is to build long-term relationships, both in business and in life. Investing in relationships with people and ensuring great user experiences will yield other benefits as a consequence.

– What was behind the idea of creating Blask? What was missing in the market then and what benefit does Blask bring to the industry today?

Blask emerged from a simple idea: the iGaming industry lacked transparency. While the market grew, operators, affiliates and marketers were often working blindly without any clear picture of shares, trends, and brand positions. We created a platform that gathers billions of global search queries and transforms them into understandable analytics. With Blask, you can see how brand shares change in real-time, evaluate customer acquisition effectiveness, forecast revenues, and respond faster to changes. Today, Blask combines data and industry knowledge to provide companies not just with figures, but with a tool for growth, long-term strategy and genuine competitive advantage.

By the way, we often use Blask analytics when writing iGaming reviews on 3S.INFO: the most popular brands in the region, the most demanded games, target audience profile by GEO.

What quality do you appreciate most in people?

Above all else, I value honesty and openness in people. I believe that speaking directly, openly and honestly leads to greater achievements.

– How do you build your team? What criteria do you use to select people? Have there been any surprising discoveries where an employee turned out completely differently than expected?

Unexpected discoveries typically happen when hiring someone outside the iGaming industry. Such employees bring diverse experience and can introduce unexpected ideas. Also, currently the iGaming market is overheated, so lengthy interviews don’t work. I prefer rapid hiring through actual work assignments. I give candidates a brief trial period to work with us, and it’s immediately evident both their skill level and soft skills. If an interview is still necessary, I ask three questions: whether the candidate understands the specifics of iGaming, what their strongest case study from practice is, and how they solve a particular business problem. That’s enough to assess the candidate’s value.

– Is AI today a tool, a threat or just hype? How do you personally use it in your work and where does it deliver tangible benefits?

I wouldn’t hesitate to say that calling AI either hype or a threat doesn’t fit. To me, it’s a tool that multiplies efficiency, giving an edge to those unafraid to learn and evolve. Just look around: five years ago, the idea that AI could help launch businesses or write code seemed unrealistic. Nowadays, one person can accomplish tasks that previously required a team of twenty.

And in my work, AI helps uncover new insights: at Blask, we’re able to view the market in ways that were simply impossible before.

– What’s your greatest achievement in iGaming? Why is it important to you?

Probably my biggest victory was selling my first company at the age of 19. Not because of the money, though it certainly changed many things at that stage, but because I realized how important taking risks can sometimes be. Through calculated risks, serious results can be achieved much sooner than anticipated. I invested nearly all the proceeds from that sale back into new projects. This decision shaped my entire path forward: building teams, launching businesses, and working in iGaming. So, the victory wasn’t in the deal itself, but in how it transformed my mindset and gave me confidence to move forward.

What have you learned from mistakes?

Mistakes have taught me to discern people’s character. I believe this is perhaps the most valuable lesson. Whether in business or everyday human interactions, mistakes often stem from misjudging people, leading to subsequent consequences.

– What mistake proved to be the costliest or most painful? What lessons did you learn from it?

My most painful mistake happened back in 2016 when we launched our first operator. Back then, I had no clue what retention meant, and we released the product without any retention strategy. The result was predictable: customers quickly flooded our support with questions about bonuses, cashback, loyalty programs, and at that point, we didn’t even fully grasp how these systems worked. Apart from emails, we had no communication channels, making responses extremely time-consuming. But there was a valuable lesson learned: retention and engagement are far more critical than mere attraction. If you acquire ten users, it’s vital to ensure they’re staying active. Therefore, nowadays, I always invest in retention before scaling up.

What did you realize too late?

When it comes to business, it’s better to act rather than plan excessively. Quick delivery of iterative ideas and products will always prevail over slow planning and delayed launches.

– You’ve launched Blask, the podcast “15-Minute Mastery” and collaborated with Traffic Squad. Which of these initiatives brought you the most energy and satisfaction? And if you’d known beforehand how much effort they’d require, would you have done it again?

All projects are beautiful in their own way and energize me, but I’d particularly highlight “15M Mastery”. This project gives me tremendous personal gratification because it’s a direct way to share knowledge and witness the real impact on individuals and companies in the iGaming industry. After 20 years in the field, I’ve come to believe that openness and willingness to share insights are among the most powerful drivers of success. Each meeting with an expert, every story and insight brings me personal joy as a true enthusiast of this industry.

– What personal qualities and skills help you be an effective manager? Do you consider yourself a strong CEO, and why?

I’ve talked before about the skills that make a strong leader.

Firstly, my poker background helps me be a good manager: reading situations, working with incomplete information, adapting and making decisions swiftly.

Secondly, I’m constantly learning. I strive to stay abreast of markets, trends, brands and products. A true leader needs to understand the team’s capabilities, requiring continuous education round-the-clock.

Thirdly, I delegate effectively. A strong CEO isn’t afraid to assign tasks because they recognize that both the team and the business grow this way.

Fourthly, avoiding burnout is essential. Work-life balance sounds nice, but in reality, you’re always connected. Thus, finding your own ways to recharge is crucial. So yes, I consider myself a strong CEO. Because I adhere to these principles, continue learning, entrust others with responsibilities, and am not afraid to reflect critically on myself.

What does success mean to you?

Success for me is seeing loyalty, approval and recommendations. I believe that money as a measure of success is greatly overrated. More often than not, success is simply empathy, approval and loyalty from people, businesses, etc.

It’s time to become a new iGaming legend! Ready to prove yourself? Contact us, and we’ll promptly arrange all details.

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