As part of a series of interviews during the International Women’s Month, Pamela Buckley, GGW Executive Vice President, granted a Q&A to SoloAzar, in which she shared her wealth of experience, industry insight, and leadership expertise in the gaming sector.

What does this date mean to the organization, and how do you think it can inspire more women to get involved in the online gaming industry?

The entire leadership team is incredibly proud of GGW achieving the 10-year milestone. The abundance of volunteer hours, bright ideas, sponsor donations and beyond that were required to get the organization to this point is remarkable. We’re leveraging this anniversary as an opportunity to celebrate the people and programs that have fueled our success, and a platform to engage new members and sponsors via a variety of events and captivating content such as our “Milestones that Moved Us” series. In terms of inspiring more women to join the gaming industry, I’d want them to know that GGW will welcome them with open arms. We offer networking, education, mentoring and training opportunities for women in all stages of their careers, and we support a network of gaming professionals in more than 70 countries. We also welcome male allies.

What are your main objectives for 2026 in terms of innovation, expansion, and female leadership?

GGW’s mission is to support, inspire and influence the development of women in the gaming industry and all our efforts reinforce this purpose. One of our goals for 2026 is to hit the 10,000-member milestone. We believe the most abundant membership growth opportunities reside in markets outside of North America, our Tribal partners and in the iGaming space. We’re increasing our international programming and offering new networking and educational programs in Australia, Europe and other global regions.  We are also collaborating with our sustaining sponsors to ensure they are reaping maximum benefit from their GGW investments.

What are the main activities planned for 2026?

GGW has a full calendar of events planned for 2026. The best way to stay informed on our programming is by following our LinkedIn page and visiting our website. We’ll offer networking and educational events throughout the year and in multiple geographies. We also intend to offer online trainings and workshops programs and resources, so stay tuned for more details! Like years past, we’ll host significant activity around G2E – a unique time when the entire gaming industry comes together in Las Vegas. We’re bringing back GGW’s signature events, “Kick Up Your Heels” and “Sip and Social,” and we plan to level-up some of our other programs in our “GGW Retreat” in honor of the 10-year anniversary. Finally, we’ll be sharing a steady stream of meaningful content on the Fair Game Podcast, in our newsletters and via our “Milestones that Moved Us” campaign – a video series that highlights some of the most transformative moments in GGW’s history.

What advice would you give to young women who want to become entrepreneurs and take leadership positions in the gaming and betting industry?

I would like to offer up two main pieces of advice. First, raise your hand and be open minded. Opportunity and growth can come from any direction. My decades-long career in the gaming industry has been anything but linear. I’ve worked in service roles, hotel operations, training, VIP services and now in an executive role at 501c3 organization that requires me to draw upon all of those lived experiences. This journey continues to be personally rewarding as two days are never alike, and I have the privilege of collaborating with amazing women from around the world. Secondly, I recommend investing in your own career journey and adopting a growth mindset.  This investment will look different for everyone, but it’s valuable to deliberately and intentionally create space for professional growth. Participating in trainings, mentoring programs, networking events – it’s all important and can add tremendous value to one’s career. GGW is here to help women in the gaming sector find those opportunities and encourage them to apply those learnings to take their careers to the next level.