Four Options to Make Money in the Gambling Business 

Gambling, it will probably be no surprise to you to know, is a lucrative game to be in. For some, at least. The total global gambling market is estimated to hit $449 billion in 2025, according to some estimates. So how do you get yourself a slice of that pie? 

Professional gamblers, such as poker players and card sharks. Casinos themselves, and their executive management and shareholders. Senior employees behind the scenes in marketing and tech. Social media gambling streamers. All of these people make good money from the gambling economy – could you join them?

Option 1: Be A Professional Gambler

By far the most exciting career on this list, but of course it's also (arguably) the riskiest. The life of a professional gambler can be a tough one, with periods of loss almost certain.

If this all sounds a bit complicated, or you already have a career that pays well and you enjoy, but you're still interested in gambling? 

Well, some casual time spent playing online slots for real money might be up your street. Not just any slots though. Checking expert reviews can help you find exactly the right themes, mechanics and payout structures you enjoy – before putting any cash down. 

To be a professional gambler you almost certainly must possess at least one of these qualities: 

  • Unusual talent for maths, strategy and/or statistics
  • A very strong memory
  • Extraordinary dedication and emotional control
  • A high starting bankroll 

Although there are some full-time slots players out there, the vast majority of professional gamblers are sports bettors or poker players. Pick one of these fields, and crunch the numbers for years until you find an edge. Then there's reliable money to be made. 

Option 2: Start Your Own Gambling Business

This is also a very tough one to do, but not impossible. If you have no experience in the field, the chances of you having the investment and understanding to set up a successful online casino or sportsbook by yourself are about as low as winning a lottery jackpot. 

Twenty years ago, sure. But in the modern market? You need a special idea to stand out. 

A different, more manageable route, could be creating a new kind of gambling game. In recent years various blockchain powered gambling games have gotten hugely popular, and some of them were initially coded by lone developers sat in bedrooms or home offices. 

You could also think of a problem that online casinos or sportsbooks have, and come up with a way to solve it. In recent years business-to-business gambling companies like Kambi and White Hat Gaming have become huge operations in their own right. 

The right skills at the right time, can be dynamite. Just ask GeoComply, a company went from medium-sized business to more than a billion in value in just five years. All after becoming the go-to geolocation software provider for the big players in the newly legal US online gambling market. 

Option 3: Join Someone Else's Gambling Business 

If running your own business sounds like a lot to you, and you'd be perfectly happy with a comfortable, well-paid office job, the gambling business needs a diverse range of skills. 

Potentially profitable careers in the gambling sector currently include:

  • Business management roles from senior to junior
  • Marketing professionals like copywriters, graphic designers and advertisers
  • Increasing demand for AI developers and experts
  • Human resources
  • Product sourcing/development/design for new games and innovations
  • Coding and software development for backend on online casinos

One of the larger sectors of gambling business employment is affiliates. This is when companies are paid for every customer they bring to another business. Some gambling affiliates have gotten so big they became casino owners themselves, either by buying up smaller sites or launching their own.

Option 4: Work in Gambling Content Creation

One of the more interesting roles available in the gambling business is that of the gambling influencer. In today's social media world a single gambler with a camera, with enough following, can make more money than massive affiliate operations with teams of people in large offices. 

However this is also a risky route. It can lead to combining the intense stresses of the life of a professional gambler with those of a 24/7 online content creator or streamer. 

But, maybe because of that intoxicating combination, it's also the one that has (arguably) the most upside. As much as some people like the comfort of a steady job, others have a passion for performance – and that can really shine through with some gambling streamers. 

While it may be a controversial job, gambling influencers are incredibly popular and the top names have racked up millions of followers on social media. And the big money to match. 

Or, if you're entertainment-minded, you could get famous in any other field, and then land gambling sponsors afterwards. 

So, this has been four different ways it is possible to make money in the world of gambling. Whichever one you choose, or none, best of luck!