Dmitry Belianin: “We’re building an almost cult-like identity around Menace"

Speaking exclusively to Casino Guru News, Menace founder Dmitry Belianin discusses the launch of his new operator, Menace. With its cult-like brand identity backed by a 400-million-view media engine, Menace is positioning itself as the next major disruptor in global iGaming.

Q: You’ve just announced the launch of Menace, which you’ve described as a lifestyle and entertainment brand, rather than a traditional operator. What’s your thinking here?

No one needs another cookie-cutter iGaming brand. It is very easy to launch an online casino and sportsbook these days. The platforms, the games, the marketing tools can all be integrated very quickly. Sign a few contracts, hit a few buttons and you’re live. But then you are one of thousands of other identical brands chasing the same pool of players.

We’re thinking much bigger with Menace. I’ve spent over half my life in this industry. I’ve seen the wins, the failures, the safe bets. What’s missing is the emotion. The tension, the rush, the euphoria that gaming gives millions of people every day. No one’s captured that properly yet. That’s what Menace is here to do.

Q: You’ve built Menace around a thriving media ecosystem that already reaches millions organically. Why do you think this is such a critical advantage?

We’re doing something really different with media. There’s the established model of a new iGaming brand partnering with a media organisation to extend its reach. We’ve seen that play out countless times. Look at The Sun in the UK, and many others.

With Menace, we looked for media partners who could reach the audience we were targeting, but we simply couldn’t find any. A large share of people, particularly young men, are completely tuned out from mainstream media at this stage. And the media they are consuming is increasingly fragmented.

Our solution is simple. We create our own media ecosystem that connects to these people. It’s grown rapidly and beyond expectations. We have assets focused on most major sports at this stage, and we’re hitting 400 million impressions per month. Most importantly, these impressions are coming from the exact type of reader we know will love Menace.

Q: The brand’s messaging is bold. Is Menace a response to what you see as stagnation within the current operator landscape?

To a degree, yes. I think the iGaming industry has become increasingly conservative over the last few years. Regulation has been a big driver of this, but I think many brands are missing the point. It is perfectly possible to be compliant and bold at the same time.

That’s the idea with Menace. We’re building an almost cult-like identity around the brand, and it is already connecting strongly with people. This is somewhere they feel they belong. It’s entertainment that means something more.

Q: You’ve been active as an iGaming investor for some time now. How does Menace fit with your other projects?

I’ve been working in stealth on Menace for some time now. It was always my dream project, and it helps to connect almost everything else I’m involved with.

Blask, the market intelligence ecosystem, has been another big focus for me over the last couple of years. We’re actually already using Blask extensively with Menace. It gives us insight into market trends, brand sentiment and player preferences across 100 markets worldwide. We’ve used it throughout the launch, and I can’t imagine launching a brand without it. We’d be going in completely blind otherwise.

Q: Looking more broadly ahead to 2026, what trends will be driving our industry forward over the next year?

I think we’ll see a clear divide between brands that play it safe and those that actually stand for something. The industry has matured. Compliance, payments, tech, all of that is now a given. The edge will come from brand power, audience engagement and culture.

This creates an interesting dynamic. On one level, iGaming has never been more consolidated, and the barriers for entry in certain regulated markets have never been higher. But there’s still an opportunity for disruption on a huge scale. Over the last few years, we’ve seen Stake become the most recognisable gambling brand and Aviator become the most played online casino game. Hardly anyone had heard of either of these five years ago.

There’s an opportunity here for anyone brave enough to take it.

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