An organization that helps women advance their careers in the games industry celebrated its 10th anniversary on Monday.
Global Gaming Women, an organization of 9,300 worldwide, founded and based in Las Vegas, has set a goal of growing to 10,000 by 2026, as it observes a decade of activity and works to level the gaming industry’s employment landscape.
The organization builds connections through education and sponsored events to increase inclusion and diversity among women who continue to be underrepresented in the industry.
“Our mission is to help influence and inspire the professional development of women across the global gaming industry,” said Siobhan Lane, CEO of GGW.
Lane, who is also the president of gaming for Light & Wonder, a Las Vegas-based gaming equipment manufacturer, leads a board that guides the organization in its education, mentoring and fundraising initiatives.
“Over the past 10 years, Global Gaming Women has positively impacted the lives and careers of thousands of women in the gaming industry through education, mentorship and training,” said Lane. “As we celebrate GGW’s achievements and journey to its current state, we are laser-focused on scaling our reach and impact while developing the next generation of women in gaming.”
Fundraising for events
GGW was launched as an independent charity in 2016 and currently has membership in 70 countries. Last year, GGW provided more than $840,000 in educational grants, facilitated 14 in-person education programs worldwide, and significantly grew its peer-to-peer and professional mentoring programs, Lean In Circles and OneUpOneDown.
This year, the organization looks back on its achievements and looks forward to its goals.
This month, GGW is launching a commemorative content series, “Milestones that Moved Us,” highlighting some of the most transformative moments and influencers in the organization’s history. Stories will be told in video interviews shared via LinkedIn.
The organization also plans to create new podcast content and host Global Gaming Expo activations that honor the organization’s heritage while reinforcing its mission and engaging new and prospective members.
A new logo with new merchandise has been released by GGW with jerseys, t-shirts and tote bags available at a Global Gaming Women brand store.
Hundreds attend classes, network
The organization is focusing its growth in North America, Europe and Australia this year. It plans seven member events in North America this year and four each in Europe and Australia. Last year, 575 people took advantage of at least one of the organization’s 18 networking events worldwide. There were 864 members who attended a GGW class, conference or panel and 113 attended at least one of six virtual classes.
The organization develops “lean-in circles” which are like having a personal advisory board that empowers people to improve both the personal and professional aspects of life. By 2025, there were 19 of them in North America, nine in Europe, and five in Australia and New Zealand. By 2026, the organization plans to add a total of 38 to the existing 21. Moderators of lean-in circles prepare for them with four hours of training.
Global Gaming Women recently held a gathering at the local headquarters of Konami Gaming, an equipment manufacturing company.
Pamela Buckley leads a staff of three from the organization’s southwest Las Vegas office.
“I would say the beauty of this position is that no two days are the same,” Buckley said in an interview. “We have 10 committees that are part of GGW. So I help facilitate and work with our various committees.”
Staff work with board members and committees to raise funds and connect with sponsors who support the group’s mission.
“Our sponsors are our champions because it’s about them giving us financial support, but we also need their support, whether it’s a property, a manufacturer or a supplier. We have to make sure that they support our mission and that they spread the word within their organizations. I think that’s something that’s super important when it comes to our sponsors and making sure that we do the heavy lifting within our organization.
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