Aarti Carl, Eeze: Building a People-First iGaming Hub in Bucharest and Beyond

Aarti Carl, Eeze: Building a People-First iGaming Hub in Bucharest and Beyond

Introduction: A New Chapter for Eeze in Eastern Europe

In a recent interview with European Gaming, Aarti Carl, Chief People Officer at Eeze, shared her insights on the company’s strategic expansion into Bucharest, the design of a tech-focused office, and how Eeze is embedding its company values across four different locations. As the iGaming industry continues to grow across Europe, Eeze’s approach offers valuable lessons for any supplier or operator looking to scale while maintaining a strong, people-first culture.

This guide expands on Carl’s comments, providing context on Bucharest’s rise as an iGaming hub, practical advice for designing office spaces that fit local teams, and a framework for aligning company-wide initiatives with genuine employee needs.

Bucharest: A Growing iGaming Hub Worth Knowing

Why Bucharest Is Attracting Gaming Companies

“We have noticed a lot of other gaming companies are setting up there now,” Carl noted. She’s right. Bucharest has become one of Europe’s fastest-growing iGaming clusters, often ranked alongside Malta, London, Barcelona, and Stockholm. In fact, European Gaming’s 2026 guide lists Bucharest as the continent’s “live casino centre,” reflecting its concentration of live-dealer studios, technology teams, and regulatory expertise.

What makes Bucharest attractive? Several factors:

• Cost-effective talent pool – Romania produces a steady stream of IT graduates, many with strong English skills and competitive salary expectations compared to Western Europe.
• Regulatory maturity – The Romanian National Gambling Office (ONJN) offers a stable licensing framework, which has encouraged both operators and suppliers to establish local offices.
• Time zone and cultural fit – Bucharest is only one hour ahead of CET, making it convenient for pan-European operations. Its work culture is aligned with many Western European norms, though with distinct local nuances.

Learning a Market from Scratch

For Carl, Bucharest was a completely new location. “I had to learn everything from scratch, and that includes the culture, the environment and the employment law, too.” This is a common challenge for HR leaders when expanding into a new country. Her advice is simple but critical: do not assume that what works in one location will automatically work somewhere else.

Practical steps for entering a new market include:

• Partnering with local employment law experts.
• Visiting the city to understand daily life, transport, and social norms.
• Listening to existing local employees (if any) or hiring a local HR consultant.

Designing an Office That Actually Works for Tech Teams

Moving Beyond a Generic Workspace

Eeze’s new Bucharest office was deliberately designed around the needs of its technology teams. Carl explained: “We have whiteboards everywhere, a social area, and an adaptable space we can use in multiple ways. … I think it is important that the space works for the people who are actually going to be there.”

Key design elements included:

• Whiteboards everywhere – Encouraging spontaneous brainstorming and problem-solving.
• A social area – Previously lacking, now providing a space for informal interaction.
• Adaptable furniture and layout – Allowing the office to host roadshows, training sessions, and team events.

Why this matters: Technology workers often spend long hours at their desks. A sterile, static environment can hurt morale and productivity. By involving the actual users in the design process—or at least observing their work patterns—companies can create spaces that support collaboration, focus, and well-being.

Employer Branding Through Physical Presence

The new office also served a broader purpose: “It has helped us from an employer-branding perspective, as we are still trying to put our name out there in Romania.” In a competitive hiring market, a modern, well-designed office can be a differentiator—especially when competing against other gaming companies that are also setting up in Bucharest.

Taking Company Values Off the Wall and Into Daily Life

Why Values Should Not Just Sit on a Wall

Eeze recently launched a set of company values and is now taking them directly to employees through a roadshow across Malta, Bucharest, London, and online with Ukraine. Carl is clear: “I do not think they should just sit on a wall. They should be reflected in how we work together, how we support one another, and how we make decisions every day.”

To make values stick, Eeze introduced:

• Toolkits and guidance for managers – Helping them incorporate values into one-to-ones, team meetings, and performance discussions.
• A roadshow to each location – Rather than a centralized announcement, the team travels to spend time with local employees, discussing what each value means in practice.
• Online sessions for remote teams – Ukraine, where Eeze also has staff, joins virtually.

Adapting Values Across Markets

When you have teams in Malta, Bucharest, London, and Ukraine, a one-size-fits-all communication approach fails. Carl advises: “When you are working across different countries, you have to find ways to bring everyone along with you. You cannot just assume that everybody is going to experience things in exactly the same way.”

For example:

• In Malta, where the iGaming culture is mature, values might need to differentiate Eeze from competitors.
• In Bucharest, where the company is newer, values can help build a sense of belonging from day one.
• In Ukraine, remote engagement requires different tools—like interactive digital workshops rather than in-person meetings.

The Power of Company-Wide Initiatives as Headcount Spreads

Why Initiatives Matter More as You Grow

As Eeze scales, Carl emphasizes the importance of company-wide initiatives. “Finding different ways to support people and give them opportunities to get involved is important … particularly as you become a bigger organisation and people are not necessarily all working in the same place.”

Types of initiatives that work:

• Professional development – Cross-location mentorship, skill-building workshops.
• Social events – Virtual escape rooms, online game nights, or physical events in each office.
• Unique campaigns – Like Eeze’s upcoming “Beat the Traffic” cycling event (see below).

Case Study: “Beat the Traffic” – Showing, Not Telling

Eeze’s upcoming initiative, “Beat the Traffic,” involves colleagues cycling from Marsaskala to Msida in Malta against a car, with a message about being “stuck” in your job. Carl explains: “It is another way of showing people what Eeze is like rather than just telling them.”

This light-hearted, slightly unconventional approach aligns with Eeze’s identity as a gaming business that is innovative and willing to do things differently. It also serves dual purposes:

• Internal – Gives employees something fun and meaningful to participate in.
• External – Provides a glimpse into Eeze’s culture for potential recruits.

How to Decide Which Initiatives Are Worth Doing

Carl offers a pragmatic test: “You cannot just do something because somebody else is doing it. You have to think about what you are trying to achieve and whether it is right for your people and the business.”

Before launching any initiative, ask:

1. What is the goal? (e.g., improve retention, boost morale, attract talent)
2. Does it fit our values and culture?
3. Will it resonate with our employees across different locations?
4. Can we measure its success afterward?

The Ongoing People Agenda: Never Standing Still

What’s Next for Eeze?

Carl acknowledges that the journey is far from over: “There are still so many things we have not even touched yet at Eeze, even though we have achieved a lot over the last few years. … We must keep evolving with the times.”

Key priorities for the future include:

• Expanding location-specific initiatives – Recognizing that needs in Bucharest differ from those in Malta or London.
• Maintaining company identity – “For us, the important thing is that whatever we introduce, we do not lose that sense of who we are.”
• Learning from each journey – Carl draws on her experience across different businesses, noting that every expansion teaches something new.

A Lesson for Growing iGaming Firms

Eeze’s story offers a blueprint for other iGaming suppliers and operators looking to expand geographically while keeping culture central. Key takeaways:

• Invest in understanding each new market’s local culture, laws, and work habits.
• Design offices and initiatives around the people who will use them, not generic corporate templates.
• Take values to every location in person (or virtually) rather than just emailing a PDF.
• Continuously reassess whether your initiatives truly serve your employees or are just following trends.

About Eeze

Eeze is an international B2B supplier specializing in live casino, slots, and interactive game shows. Headquartered in Malta, with offices in London and Bucharest, it operates as part of the Tain Group and holds gaming licenses across multiple jurisdictions, including Malta and the Isle of Man. Its studios employ more than 400 staff.

Aarti Carl was appointed Chief People Officer in April 2026, leading a repositioned People Function that previously operated as HR.

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