Exclusive Q&A w/ Luke Sammut, Director of Finance & Accounting at Booming Games

Can you tell us a little more about your role at Booming Games?

In my role as the Director of Finance & Accounting at Booming Games, I oversee our finance team and the financial strategy of the group. Our department’s responsibilities range from day-to-day accounting operations to more complex tasks such as financial planning and analysis.

Joining Booming Games in its early stages was both a challenge and an exciting opportunity to build the finance function from scratch. Each step in establishing internal processes, implementing new finance tools and software, and so much more, helped in making the department a valuable business partner within the company. Seeing all these pieces come together has been very rewarding.

Over the years, it has become more and more important for my role to ensure that the department is well-equipped to support the business in scaling up its operations, developing long-term financial planning and most importantly ensuring financial stability. All very important for the business to be able to make well-informed decisions. My role and that of our department has grown to extend beyond the traditional finance functions but to be a strong pillar of our organisation.

What career path did you take to get into the industry and your current role?

I started my journey in the iGaming industry after a three-year stint as an auditor at PwC Malta, where I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by some of the best minds in the profession. Working in such a high standard and demanding environment was a very important part of my career in building a strong technical expertise in the field.

Moving to Booming Games in 2017 as a Senior Accountant was a significant transition motivated by the sector’s dynamic environment as well as the opportunity to be part of a growing company. Every stage in advancing to my current position has been a path marked with significant personal and company achievements, making it an incredible journey!

What is the most challenging part about your role?

Dealing with challenges is a continuous aspect of my role. Central to these challenges is the need for continuous learning to keep up to date with professional standards and the industry.

Another aspect is balancing between being process-oriented and having robust controls whilst remaining agile. Equipping our team with the right tools at the right time is important to achieve this. At Booming Games, we’re committed to embrace technology, and we constantly strive to be aligned with the latest advancements in our field.

Building a strong and dedicated team is probably the biggest challenge. Overcoming this has been crucial for our success. It is not simply about increasing headcount but making sure that our people grow on a personal level by providing opportunities for professional development and good leadership. This not only increases our department’s capabilities, but with their support it becomes much easier to navigate through the complexities of our role. I am proud to say that within Booming Games, our team transformed the perception of finance being primarily administrative to being a key business partner.

What is the most rewarding part? What does success look like for you?

Seeing Booming Games reach new heights and knowing that my role played an important part in that journey is particularly satisfying. But the most rewarding part is the success in building a team of hard-working and exceptionally talented individuals with a very strong sense of teamwork and collaboration. Observing their development and growth over time is motivating.

As for my view on success, it includes two main elements. Firstly, it involves the company achieving its objectives and milestones. Secondly, and equally important, is fostering a great company culture and values which sets an environment where team members feel valued, challenged, and engaged. True success is achieving these two aspects simultaneously.

What would you say to someone looking to get into the industry? What are the pros/cons?

The iGaming industry is characterised by a forward-thinking nature, constantly evolving through innovation and creativity. Personally, I find this super exciting as it keeps the day-to-day job interesting. However, I do understand that this can be challenging for those who prefer a more constant environment.

To those looking to join the industry, it’s definitely a very rewarding journey, with plenty of opportunities.

Recently you have won an iGaming Idol Award. How does it feel to be considered the best of the best in this industry?

Receiving the iGaming Idol Award was a very proud moment. Each challenge and every milestone reached throughout this journey has contributed to this award. It’s a reminder that hard work does get recognised, and it motivates me to keep on pushing boundaries.  Once again, a big thanks to Booming Games, our excellent team, and the judges. I’m eager to see what the future holds!