Women’s leadership in iGaming isn’t just about holding a senior role in an industry traditionally dominated by men. It’s about changing the rules from within while staying true to one’s own principles and values. Alina Famenok, CEO of Already Media, has gone from editor to the head of an international affiliate company with a team of over 350 people. In this interview, she speaks candidly about the pivotal moments in her career, the internal barriers she’s faced, the nuances of leadership, and the importance of a partnership-driven approach to management. This is a conversation not only about business, but also about personal responsibility, trust, and the strength to remain authentic while shaping new standards for the industry.
Leading from Within: Building culture, trust, and authentic authority
Alina, you went from being an online editor to the CEO of an international company with a 350+ person team. Can you recall the key moments in that journey that shaped you as a leader?
If I think about my development, the key thing was that from the very start I didn’t just do my tasks I tried to understand processes more deeply than my role required. I always looked at work in terms of systems: how they’re structured, where the weak points are, what can be improved. That mindset helped me move pretty quickly from operational functions to strategic ones. At some point, I wasn’t just maintaining existing frameworks.I was shaping culture, the team, and the direction. Probably the first turning point was realizing that my energy could be fuel for others. When you don’t just work but create the conditions for the team around you to grow.
The second important moment was founding Already Media. We didn’t just pick a name; we built the culture, principles, and voice of the company from scratch. Seeing a team form around an idea is incredibly motivating. And maybe the most personal moment was stepping out into offline events and those first conferences. I saw the scale of the industry and realized that we were building something truly big. That was the first time I felt that the word “CEO” wasn’t just my title, but my personal responsibility for the team, for the direction, for everything we’re creating together.
You’ve often said your team is your main achievement. How do you maintain authority while also building genuine, partner-like relationships so interactions don’t feel like “boss-subordinate” but true teamwork?
At some point, I realized you can’t build a strong, independent team if you’re just a formal managerial figure you have to maintain human engagement and live contact. I stick to an approach where team effectiveness is built not on hierarchy, but on involvement. I prefer a model of distributed responsibility, where everyone has space for initiative and a voice that is truly heard.
When we were building Already Media, we had no templates or corporate manuals. We had to feel our way through and develop things as we went. One of my first instincts was: you can’t manage people if you’re not involved in their reality. From the start, we aimed for transparency in communication both at the strategic level and in daily decisions.
I regularly meet with colleagues from different departments and try to stay aware not only of business metrics but of the emotional climate. For me, it’s not just about managing processes but being available for real dialogue. Someone on the team once told me: “You have authority because you don’t play at being an authority.” That’s probably the most accurate feedback I’ve ever received. Because it really isn’t an act. I don’t hide behind my title I’m just there. Sometimes tired. Sometimes uncertain. But always present. I think that’s the essence of partner-style leadership: not placing yourself above others, but becoming a point of support so those around you can grow.
Your first offline appearance became a draw for many. You mentioned it inspired people to join your team. What was it like for you? What internal barriers did you face when you decided to step into the public eye? What helped you overcome them, and how did it change you?
That first public appearance was, without exaggeration, an important personal milestone. I had always been more comfortable in the operational “background,” focused on building processes and the team, rather than stepping into the spotlight. But at some point, I realized that if I truly wanted to communicate the values we were building inside the company, I had to speak them out loud. Because if I didn’t, someone else would do it with a different emphasis, a different meaning.
Sigma Malta was the first major conference I attended as a company representative. It wasn’t an easy decision, it didn’t come “automatically.” But I made that choice not because the fear disappeared, but because I understood that at that stage, this step was strategically necessary for me personally, and for the company’s growth.
Later came interviews, LinkedIn, podcasts. And through these open conversations, I saw just how important personal involvement was. My public presence stopped feeling like a risk, it became a channel for trust. People began to write that they joined the company because they saw how we think, how we communicate, how we shape culture. That’s when I understood that leadership isn’t just about business. It’s about influence. And about the responsibility for how you use that influence.
You can’t become a strong manager through experience or education alone especially in iGaming. In your view, what shapes a woman leader in this industry? Which qualities and skills were decisive for you?
I’m convinced that no amount of education or experience will make you a leader if you don’t know how to feel. Especially in an industry like iGaming it’s too fast, too dynamic to work from templates. You need to stay alert mentally, emotionally, professionally and at the same time maintain clarity and stability. For me, two things were decisive: the ability to be flexible without losing my own direction, and the skill of maintaining focus when everything around is changing. I’m not afraid to adjust course if I see the team or the market requires a different approach.
Over time, I learned to rely on my own decisions even in moments when there was no advice or obvious path. I often repeat a simple phrase: no tilt. Don’t let setbacks throw you off track; instead, learn from them and move forward. I mentioned this idea in one of my first interviews—I think it was about three years ago. Since then, a lot has changed: the scale, the projects, the challenges. But that principle has stayed with me. It still helps me stay steady and clear-headed during the most turbulent moments. For me, being a woman leader isn’t about proving I can do it just as well. It’s about creating and leading in my own way: with my voice, my style, my inner strength.
Redefining Leadership: Responsibility, resilience, and women’s role in iGaming’s future
Despite positive trends, iGaming still has predominantly male leadership at the C-level. At conferences, in negotiations, in deals how often do you find yourself as the only woman in a leadership role? What does that say about the current landscape?
Yes, it’s a fact: men still dominate C-level roles in the iGaming industry. At negotiations and events, I still often find myself the only woman at the table. It doesn’t surprise me, but it does motivate me even more to stay visible and to create space for others. At the same time, I’ve never viewed it as an obstacle. More as a reminder of how important it is to set new examples and open doors for those who come after.
For me, leadership isn’t only about results it’s about representation. I believe that a woman in the CEO role in iGaming shouldn’t be seen as an exception or as a sign of a special approach. It’s part of a new reality that we’re creating with our presence, our expertise, and our positions. Having women in top roles doesn’t just change perceptions it transforms the very culture of management. Diversity in leadership makes decisions more balanced and businesses more resilient to change.
Throughout your career, have you felt the need to prove yourself to yourself, the industry, or partners? Did you ever take on too much, overloading yourself? How did you come to understand the importance of delegating tasks and letting go of the need to control everything?
Yes, at the start of my journey, that feeling was very clear: first, the desire to prove to myself that I could manage, then the drive to show the industry I deserved to be at this level. As a result, I took on too much more tasks, longer hours, higher expectations. Not because I didn’t trust the team, but because of an internal mindset: “If I can handle everything, then I’ve earned it.”
Over time, though, I realized something important: leadership isn’t about controlling everything. It’s about the ability to delegate. Delegation became a real growth point for me. Not in the sense of simply offloading tasks, but in truly transferring responsibility consciously, transparently, with trust. When you allow people not just to execute but to make decisions and take initiative, the team grows. And you grow with them. It’s not about reducing workload but moving to a different level of management where you build a system in which effectiveness is born from shared trust and responsibility.
What stereotypes about women in leadership have you encountered? Were there situations where you had to prove your expertise simply because you’re a woman?
In my experience, there were times at negotiations when someone would ask, “Who’s in charge?” and I could see them trying to figure out whether I was really the CEO. I had to prove my level again and again, especially when it came to numbers, technology, and strategy. These moments didn’t break me; they toughened me. I responded with data, case studies, concrete results because I wanted to show that my presence in this role wasn’t symbolic or a marketing move.
For me, leadership isn’t an external title but deep involvement in the product and team. As I’ve said in an interview before, the strength of an affiliate today isn’t measured by reach alone, but by the level of trust you build through the quality of your decisions and your depth of involvement. I’m convinced that if you know your data, if you’re immersed in the product, if you create technologically and strategically sound solutions gender doesn’t matter. Your expertise speaks for itself and becomes the true marker of leadership.
Management style can have certain nuances for women. Do you use any “female approaches” in negotiations or management? Or did you have to develop “male” qualities like toughness or even cold calculation?
I don’t divide management style into “male” or “female.” For me, there’s only one criterion: it must be effective. Of course, I lean toward what’s often called “soft power”: listening, sensing, creating an environment where people can open up rather than just survive. Empathy, attention to atmosphere, trust all of that boosts engagement and builds resilient teams.
At the same time, I fully understand that leadership demands flexibility. There are situations where you have to act quickly, decisively, and even unemotionally. Take risks, be tough, maintain distance not because it’s a “male model,” but because that’s what the moment and level of responsibility demand. The main thing is not to play someone else’s role, but to develop your own style. One in which you can be different: one day a pillar of support, another the one who leads through decisions. For me, confidence isn’t about copying someone else’s model, but about building your own, grounded in your values and the reality of the business.
What would you say to women in iGaming who are afraid to take on more, go public, or build a team? What internal compass should they hold on to?
Fear isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign you’re standing on the edge of something important. I know this from experience: every new step, especially a public, large-scale one comes with inner resistance. I was afraid too. Afraid to take responsibility, to speak openly, to step into an area with no guarantees. And every time that fear arose, I asked myself one simple but precise question: Why am I doing this? If your goal is just status, it quickly drains you. But if you’re building something bigger, a team, a space for growth, a culture then you find an anchor inside.
My compass has always been connected to meaning. I went public not for visibility’s sake, but to share the values that matter to me. Confidence isn’t a starting point; it’s the result of action. Don’t wait for the fear to vanish or for perfect clarity to come it might never arrive. I’d tell women in iGaming not to fear ambition or stepping up to the next level. Take steps not because everything is 100% planned out, but because you know you can deliver value. Even a small move toward your own leadership gives you a foundation. The fear doesn’t disappear, but it stops controlling you when you act consciously and with purpose. And that’s when you find what’s the most important inner strength.
In your experience, how important is it for women in iGaming to have spaces where they can share management experience, find support, and grow professionally? Do you feel these communities are really needed today?
These spaces are absolutely important. Not just because they provide support. They create a sense of recognition. The ability to speak without extra explanations, to be heard right away without having to prove your experience is relevant. In male-dominated settings, you sometimes feel you have to “adjust” or “justify” yourself. But in women’s professional communities, it’s different: you can go straight to the substance, discussing not only results but also processes including doubts, fatigue, emotional load.
These groups offer real support and the confidence of knowing you’re truly understood. I want there to be more of these spaces. For me, it’s important that they’re not just formal, but genuinely honest, structured, and filled with respect. Places where you can share not only achievements but also questions, not just strategies but also the experience of staying connected to yourself. We’re only at the beginning of rethinking the professional environment in iGaming. And spaces for sharing experience and support are a key step toward a more mature, inclusive, and resilient industry.
With such a heavy workload, it’s important not only to manage the business but to stay in touch with yourself. What personal rituals or habits help you avoid burnout?
I’ve long accepted that the pace of my life is busy and intense. That’s exactly why it’s important for me to stop regularly. Not when it’s already too late, but deliberately, by listening to my inner signals. Resetting needs to be part of the system, not an emergency measure. I have a few personal anchors. First physical movement. I never skip workouts, because that’s the one time in the day when all my attention returns to my body. Second walks. Often with my dog, Alen, who, strangely enough, taught me to pause. Just to be. Without context, tasks, or “for tomorrow.”
There’s also a rule: at least 30 minutes of screen-free silence daily. It could be reading, music, just walking. In those moments, my focus returns. And there’s also a team level. I wrote about this on my LinkedIn about micro-practices during the day. Sometimes our team takes short breathing breaks, turns off Slack, sits in silence. Those five minutes often change not only our energy but also our decision-making speed. Finally boundaries. I try to be very mindful of how my own overload affects others. If you’re a leader, you’re not just responsible for processes. You’re responsible for the pace. The tone. Making sure pressure doesn’t become the culture.
Over the years in the industry, everyone develops their own professional compass. Do you have principles you never compromise on, or is iGaming a field where constant adaptation is essential?
I have a few unshakable principles: honesty, respect for people, and a relentless drive to grow. But I also know for sure iGaming isn’t about a “fixed model,” it’s about constant adaptation: markets, languages, regulations, algorithms everything changes literally every day. Participating in Sigma World Europe was one of my first major professional offline appearances. That’s when I first said publicly the formula I still believe in: adaptability, teamwork, and innovation. To this day, those are the three pillars on which I build not only the business but also my management decisions.
I often repeat: great team + great technology = success. It’s not just a nice-sounding formula, it reflects how we build strategy at Already Media. The team and our tech foundation are the two things you can rely on when everything else is changing. At the same time, I’m convinced: being adaptable shouldn’t mean compromising yourself. Being flexible doesn’t mean adjusting at any cost, but being able to respond quickly without losing focus and your internal compass. Principles aren’t there to be rigid in every situation but to help you make the right choices in uncertainty.
Alina Famenok’s story is an example of leadership built on transparency, flexibility, and a readiness to take on not just tasks, but true responsibility for the team and the industry. It demonstrates that a leader’s real strength lies in the ability to delegate, to listen, and to create space for others to grow. Women leaders in iGaming are not an exception but an essential part of the industry’s evolution, where diverse experiences make businesses more resilient and mature. In a world of constant change, success is built not on rigid control, but on honesty, respect, and the ability to adapt while staying true to one’s own direction. This approach is an invitation to everyone ready to rethink their role in their team and in the industry.
