B2B Contract vs Employment Contract in iGaming

Briefly: a lot of people in iGaming work not on an employment contract but as contractors: through a sole proprietorship, their own company or invoices. A contract like that often puts a bigger number in the offer, but it takes away some protection and adds costs. Here is how to compare two offers fairly and what to ask before you sign.

The offer has arrived, and the number in it looks good. You reread the email, and your eye catches on one unclear detail: "cooperation under a B2B contract." The recruiter mentioned it in passing on the call, as if it were obvious.

Friends at ordinary IT companies react differently. Some say it is even better, you get more money. Others warn that it is not a real job but a side gig with no guarantees. Both are half right.

In iGaming the contractor model is very common, and there are reasons for it. Companies operate in dozens of countries, and hiring people on employment contracts in each one is expensive and slow. So almost everyone looking for work in the industry will have to choose.

Below I will go through how the two models differ in practice, what you lose and gain with each, how to compare two offers honestly, and what to ask before signing.

Why the industry has so many contractors

Picture a company with a license in Malta, a development team in Warsaw, support in Tbilisi and marketing scattered across five countries. To put every employee on an employment contract, it would need a local entity or an intermediary in each country.

That is expensive, slow and requires accounting in every market. A contractor agreement solves the problem more simply: the person registers as a self-employed entrepreneur at home and sends an invoice. The company pays a single amount, and everything else is your concern.

The second reason is flexibility. The industry moves in jolts: a new market opens and a team is needed fast, a market closes and the team is no longer needed. Contractors are easier to part with, and companies know it.

The third is habit. In Poland, for example, the contractor model has long been the norm in IT, and local candidates ask for it themselves. There is a detailed look at the Polish market in the guide on working in Warsaw.

What the difference really is

On an employment contract you are an employee. The company pays you a salary, withholds taxes itself and pays contributions. You get paid leave, sick pay, protection against dismissal and a notice period set by the law of the country.

On a contractor agreement you are an entrepreneur or the owner of your own firm. The company pays you for services against an invoice. You pay taxes and contributions yourself, and leave and sick days are your concern too. Termination terms are written in the contract, not in the labor code.

There is also a middle option: employer-of-record services for hiring abroad. The company agrees with an intermediary that has a legal entity in your country, and it puts you on a local employment contract. For the worker it is almost ordinary employment.

What you lose on a contractor agreement

The most noticeable thing is paid days. If leave is not written into the contract, every day off is a day without pay. The same goes for illness. That is why the amount in a contractor offer has to be higher, to cover those days.

Second is protection when you part ways. A company can terminate a contractor agreement on short notice, sometimes two weeks or a month. There is no severance unless it is written in. In an industry where layoffs come in waves, this matters. There is a guide on how to prepare for them on layoffs in iGaming.

Third is costs. An accountant, bank fees, insurance, pension contributions. All of that comes out of the amount you see in the offer.

Fourth is credit and paperwork. Banks and landlords in some countries are more cautious with self-employed people than with employees. Getting a mortgage or renting an apartment on contractor income can be harder, especially in the first year.

Fifth is questions about status. In a number of countries the authorities check whether ordinary employment is hiding behind a contract: one client, a fixed schedule, reporting to a manager. How this works where you live, check with an advisor before you sign.

And finally, the pension. On an employment contract contributions go in automatically. As a contractor it is easy to forget about them in the first years, and then discover you have to save for old age on your own.

How to compare two offers honestly

The main rule: compare not the numbers in the email but what is left in your pocket over a year. To do that, count how many working days a year you will actually be paid for, and subtract taxes, contributions and accounting costs.

First gather all the differences in one place. Here is what mainly changes between the two models, and these are the rows to go through with each offer.

What we compare	Employment contract	B2B contract
Who pays taxes and contributions	The employer withholds and remits them	You do
Paid leave	By the law of the country	Only if written into the contract
Sick leave	By the law of the country	Usually unpaid
Termination	Under the labor code, with notice	Under the contract terms, often faster
Amount in the offer	Usually lower	Usually higher
Accounting	Not needed	Registration, reporting, invoices

Take a benchmark from the SpinHire directory. A middle-level backend developer in Poland, Romania and the Baltics earns €3000–4300 a month gross. If a contractor offer in the same country looks like that range rather than above it, you are almost certainly losing money after leave and contributions are taken out.

A contractor offer should be noticeably higher than an employment one to cover leave, sick days and your own contributions. How much higher depends on the country and the tax scheme, so this calculation is worth doing with an accountant. Market ranges by role are easy to look up in salary calculator.

Check the currency and payment method separately. Euros to an account at a European bank, dollars through a payment service and cryptocurrency are different risks. More on the formats in the article on how salary is paid in iGaming.

When each one pays off

A contractor agreement often pays off if you have a high income, no plans to take out a loan soon and you are ready to handle your own accounting. It is convenient if you work for several clients or want freedom in your schedule.

An employment contract pays off if stability matters to you: a family, a mortgage, plans for children. Paid parental leave, sick pay and protection against dismissal cost money, even if you cannot see them in the offer.

Relocation is a separate case. If you plan to get a residence permit in another country, find out in advance what income is accepted there for a visa. In some places a contract with a foreign company works, in others you need a local employer. Find that out before you choose, not after.

There is also a middle path. Many people start as contractors, and after a year or two, once trust with the company is built, ask to be moved to an employment contract through an intermediary. It is a normal request, and a strong employee is often met halfway.

How to negotiate when you are offered a contract

A contractor offer is a good reason to negotiate, because you have a clear argument. You are taking on costs the employer used to carry. So the amount should reflect that, and you can say so calmly, without apologizing.

Start with a question, not a demand. Ask whether the company has an employment option through an intermediary and what the amount would be in it. The gap between the two numbers will show how much the company itself thinks contributions and guarantees are worth.

If there is no employment option, ask for more than money. Paid days off written right into the contract, a long notice period, accounting or health insurance compensation are often easier for an employer to give than a raise in the rate.

A good move is to tie a review of the amount to a date. For example, agree that in six months, after the probation period, the rate will be reviewed. Put it in an email, or better, in the contract itself. Verbal promises in this industry are forgotten along with the recruiter who left.

More tactics that work in money negotiations are collected in a separate guide on how to negotiate an offer. The main thing is to remember that a contractor negotiates as a partner, not as a supplicant.

Questions to ask before you sign

Before agreeing, ask the employer a few things. The answers will show how fair the offer is:

Is there paid leave, and how many days. If not, the amount should make up for it.
What is the notice period for termination. A month or more is normal practice, two weeks is a reason to be wary.
In what currency and when payment is made. Tie the invoice payment deadline to a specific date of the month.
Is there a non-compete clause. If so, for how long and with what compensation.
Who owns the results of the work. Especially important for developers and designers.
Can you move to an employment contract later. Through a local entity or an intermediary.

If the company dodges direct answers, that is a signal. Good employers in the industry explain their model calmly, because they understand that a contractor who feels protected works better. Signs of unscrupulous companies are collected in the guide to red flags.

A contractor agreement is neither worse nor better than an employment one. It is simply a different set of terms, where part of the care shifts from the employer to you. If you can see that part and it is paid for, the choice becomes simple.

FAQ

What is a B2B contract in iGaming?

It is an agreement between a company and you as an entrepreneur or the owner of a firm. You are not an employee but a contractor: you invoice for services, pay taxes and contributions yourself, and arrange your own leave and insurance.

Which pays off more: B2B or an employment contract?

It depends on the amount, the country and your situation. B2B often gives more take-home pay, but without paid leave, sick pay and protection against dismissal. Compare not the numbers in the offer but what is left after taxes, contributions and unpaid days. Check the tax side with an advisor.

Can I ask for an employment contract instead of B2B?

You can, if the company has a legal entity in your country or works through an employer-of-record service. The amount in such an offer is usually lower, because the employer takes on the contributions. Ask for both options and compare.

What are the dangers of a B2B contract with an iGaming company?

The main risks are termination without severance, late payment of invoices and non-compete clauses that limit you after you leave. Read carefully the clauses on notice period, currency and payment procedure.