Irina Veselkova: "This feels like getting into Forbes 30 Under 30. A huge career milestone"

Irina Veselkova, Head of Marketing at Endorphina, has won the Casino Guru Awards' Young Changemaker accolade, describing the recognition as a personal career milestone on par with a Forbes 30 Under 30 listing. In this interview, she reflects on the campaigns that got her there, what drives her approach to iGaming marketing, and what Endorphina has planned next.

Q: How does it feel to win the Casino Guru Awards in this category?

In my head, this feels like getting into Forbes (30 under 30). A huge career milestone. It’s meaningful and very personal. Also it’s proof that hard work does get noticed and the win makes me want to work even harder to feel that excitement and adrenaline once again!

Q: What has been your main focus in Endorphina’s growth journey?

The focus was building the structure first, meaning: creating teams, processes, and a strong foundation. Once the "engine" was in place, the goal shifted to scaling marketing and making it louder and bolder, but with quality and style. I think we’ve done that quite successfully. Last year brought some very bright campaigns, and 2026 started with probably the most viral challenge in the industry-the cockroaches. We’re closing Q2 already preparing what’s next.

Q: Have you noticed any emerging trends in iGaming brand positioning?

Human-centric content, without a doubt. More companies are putting real people in the spotlight. It builds trust, and it works in engagement terms, also showing who’s actually behind the logo, and makes business feel more transparent. I’m happy the industry is moving in that direction. Besides that, after our challenge, I noticed quite a few brands experimenting with similar giveaway mechanics. No case has beaten the original yet though-so I think we took part in setting the trends for the industry as well).

Q: Why do you think you won this accolade? Anything you’d do differently?

In my opinion people noticed that Endorphina’s marketing stepped into a completely different league this past year. The roach campaign definitely made noise, and I’ve been building my personal brand too. Suddenly, both I and the company became visible-and from the outside, it probably looked fast. Behind the scenes there was a massive work done. The good part is that this time the hard work didn’t stay behind the scenes:)

Q: Biggest lesson you’ve learned as a marketing leader in iGaming?

Never be too confident in results. You never truly know what will work 100%. You test, fail, learn, improve and sometimes the craziest ideas bring the best outcomes. I’d sum it up like this: I’m not afraid of making mistakes. I’m afraid of quietly playing it safe and trying nothing.
Q: Why do awards like Casino Guru Awards matter?

Our industry has a lot of events and probably just as many awards. Some are commercial projects-which is OK, business is business. But recognition should come from the market and/or a transparent judging process. Casino Guru has both. You are showing that awards can be earned and staying authentic matters! Personally, this one will stay with me for a long time. My category was packed with incredibly strong professionals and outstanding cases, which makes this recognition even more meaningful.

Q: What’s next for Endorphina and its marketing team?

We’re approaching the end of Q2 with growing numbers and plenty of momentum. We’ll wrap up the half-year at iGB London with a brand-new concept. The plan stays the same: surprise, grab attention, and most importantly, entertain. We’re a game provider after all-fun is part of our DNA.

Image credit: Casino Guru News