Belatra Games Reveals the Hidden Hobbies of iGaming Professionals Ahead of SBC Summit Lisbon
Conducted alongside G&M News between 3 and 12 August, the survey asked industry professionals about their current hobbies, activities they would like to try and some of the more unusual interests they have pursued in the past.
Belatra Games, the specialist online slots developer, has revealed the results of an international survey exploring what iGaming professionals get up to when they step away from their desks.
Conducted alongside G&M News between 3 and 12 August, the survey asked industry professionals about their current hobbies, activities they would like to try and some of the more unusual interests they have pursued in the past.
Video gaming emerged as the most frequently mentioned current hobby, followed by reading, strength training and the gym, while hiking, board games and specialty coffee tasting also ranked highly.
The results showed that padel was the activity respondents most wanted to try, appearing in 14.8% of responses, ahead of golf (11.4%) and dancing (9.6%). Away from sport, 3D printing proved the most popular new activity people wanted to explore.
But it was the more surprising responses that revealed the personalities behind the industry. Hobbies ranged from collecting Star Wars memorabilia, antiques and perfumes to beekeeping, vibe-coding, harness dancing, historical reconstruction and creating their own board games.
Despite the variety, there was a common theme behind why people make time for their interests. Almost half (46.7%) said hobbies help them relieve stress and recharge, while 34.4% highlighted the benefits of physical activity and 17.8% said their hobbies help them disconnect from work.
The research was the first step in bringing the Belatra Adventure Club booth concept to life at SBC Summit Lisbon 2026.
The concept is inspired by The Guy, Belatra’s recurring character from Blast the Bass, Ice Bass and Hunt the Bucks. Across the series, The Guy embraces new hobbies and adventures, reflecting the curiosity and willingness to try something different uncovered by the survey. A fourth title featuring the character will be released ahead of SBC Summit Lisbon.
Kateryna Goi, CMO at Belatra Games, said:
“We knew from the start that people working in such a dynamic industry would be curious, open-minded and wonderfully different from one another. But as the responses came in, we were genuinely fascinated by just how much personality and individuality there was behind each answer. We also received a lot of positive feedback from our industry colleagues, and we’d like to sincerely thank everyone who took part. It’s much more interesting to discover the person behind the professional title, because each of us is far more multifaceted than the role we hold at work.”
