Executives in the island’s online gambling industry are earning as much as £250,000 or more a year.

A new report has lifted the lid on salaries in the thriving island business sector.

Chief executive officers [CEO] are shown to generally pick up pay packets between £120,000 and £250,000.

And there are rich pickings for people who are ’head of legal’ and ’general counsel’ who can expect to earn between £150,000 and £250,000.

Finance directors in gaming companies in the island also hit the jackpot with salaries ranging between £90,000 and £200,000.

The survey by international recruitment and headhunting firm Boston Link provides an insight into salaries paid at all levels and specialisations in the industry.

Key points to emerge from the report include:

lAnticipation that in 2018 the role of data protection officer will become a standalone function in the larger companies.

lParticularly high demand for data analyst and business intelligence roles at companies based in the Isle of Man.

lA strong push for diversity and inclusion across the industry, which has become increasingly important since ’negative’ press exposure of the industry at ICE Totally Gaming last month.

Cosmo Currey, head of talent acquisition Isle of Man at Boston Link, said: ’The annual salary survey reports that we produce are critically important for both employees and employers alike.

’It is key for iGaming employers to be rewarding their staff in line with their competitors.

’Attracting and retaining talent is a primary focus of the market and as iGaming recruitment specialists we wanted to bridge the gap of information that, naturally, can be hard for businesses to obtain.’

Cosmo added: ’Encouragingly, the island’s talent pool is improving all the time: from local talent with specialist skills in areas such as iGaming and tech to international recruits relocating to the island from the UK, Ireland, and mainland Europe.’

The survey shows that at executive level in the island there is ’very little movement in the industry.

’Most of the executives are well settled into their roles,making executive vacancies hard to come across.’

The survey shows that although the pay range for chief executive officers is between £120,000 and £250,000, it could be higher than that in some cases.

’For these positions, the upper limit of the salary range shown is less absolute than for other salaries in this report. There are a lot of high outliers that we have eliminated to give a better idea of the normal range, so the most well remunerated executives are earning significantly more than the ranges shown here.’

Other salary ranges indicated in the survey include:

lHead of HT/ HR director: between just over £80,000 and £110,000.

lChief operating officers can expect between £100,000 and £150,000.

lIT directors/ chief technical officers pick up between £120,000 and £200,000.

The survey also looks at general support staff and points out that more and more gaming companies in the island are bringing these functions in house ’as they have reached the level of fruition where they believe there is a higher cost when it comes to outsourcing.

’Despite this the salaries have relatively stayed the same. The exception is lawyers who, despite big pay rises on offer, are reluctant to go in house, seemingly for fear the sector won’t last.’

Pay scales for lawyers are said by the survey to be between £50,000 and £110,000.

Among those in eGaming earning the lowest salaries are customer support workers picking up between just under £20,000 and just under £30,000.

The report points out that with ’very little of the specialist skills that are needed left on island,’ relocating talent ’must be part of the company’s strategy.’

It adds: ’Although someone’s decision to move will undoubtedly be impacted by many more factors, getting the relocation package right makes the ’’sell’’ of a new life seem that much better.’

At the top end the average reclocation package includes flights to the Isle of Man and one month’s accommodation.

The ’basic’ package includes flights to the island and a £1,000 bonus.

On diversity and inclusion the report states: ’We expect to see iGaming companies make a concerted effort to improve their diversity and inclusion in 2018.

’Some key industry players have already taken bold moves, such as committing to a 50/50 gender split or publishing the percentage of gender diversity in their workforce in their annual reports.

’The industry still lags behind, however, particularly with women in executive level positions.

’Companies should be championing diversity and inclusion within their recruitment, retention and promotion strategies.

’Many operators still reject the need for diversity and inclusion as their customer base is dominated by one demographic.

’A recent report by KPMG however highlighted that women aren’t catered to when it comes to the female gambling industry, stating there is a lot more that could be done to ’’court the female market.’’ ’

A copy of the report can be downloaded at www.link-gaming.com

Cosmo Currey, head of talent acquisition, Isle of Man, Boston Link, says the annual salary reports are important

Gaming pays handsomely for many of its people,according to the report