CEO Spribe David Natroshvili on the Phenomenon of Aviator and His Journey from Deputy Minister to the Top of iGaming

The revolution of formats in iGaming began with a simple yet brilliant idea. Just like the legendary Counter-Strike, which once started as a Half-Life modification, Aviator was born from the open code of another crash game, but it was Aviator that stormed into the industry and changed it forever.

The game still holds top positions in the market, with competitors tirelessly trying to replicate its success. Its story is so unique and inspiring that it’s the perfect opening for The Riddick Level podcast.

Alex Riddick sat down with the project’s founder, David Natroshvili, to talk about his journey from an immigrant student to partnering with UFC, how Aviator gathered 50 million players worldwide, and why no one has been able to recreate its winning formula.

This article is a written version of Episode 1 of The Riddick Level podcast, a concise selection of the most insightful moments and answers from the conversation.

— Let’s start from the beginning. Today everyone knows you as the founder of Spribe and Aviator, but how did your story actually begin?

When I was a regular student from Georgia, I got lucky. I won a scholarship and went to study in the United States. Back in the daws, there was barely any internet, and I didn’t really understand how things worked. I just sent an email application and somehow got selected. That trip changed my life.

— What exactly did it change in your worldview?

For the first time I saw how capitalism works, how businesses are built, how people think. It completely changed my perspective. America gave me knowledge that simply wasn’t available in the post-Soviet space at that time. It was 1999, and opportunities like that didn’t exist. Without that experience, my career in Georgia would have turned out very differently.

— You worked in the government, right? That’s quite a unique experience for our industry.

Yes, that happened when Mikheil Saakashvili came to power and the government started inviting young, ambitious people. At first I was involved in investments, then in state property management and privatization. It was a very inspiring time. Fun fact: I’ve only ever worked in two places, in the United States and in the Georgian government. The rest of my life I’ve been building my own projects. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur.

— After your time in government, you went into business. Do you remember the moment it all started and how the team that later became Spribe came together?

It’s actually a funny story. At that time I had several businesses, including a nightclub. We were looking for a place to rent a sound system, and I found an ad. I called the number, and a young guy answered. Today he is my business partner. He was 21 back then. We went to the club and started talking. He told me he was working in IT, and I asked him to build a booking system for my laser hair removal clinics. That was how we started talking, became friends, and worked on our first projects together. Everything began with that random phone call.

— How did you come up with Aviator?

People often think we created crash games as a genre, but it already existed before us. There was a company, I think from Spain, that published open-source code and made it publicly available. Many developers were experimenting with it, trying to build something new. My partner Niko said, “I think this will be the next big thing.” We looked at it and realized that this mechanic had everything — excitement, dynamics, and simplicity. That’s how the idea of Aviator was born.

At that time we knew nothing about the industry. We just went to a conference and started walking from booth to booth. I would say, “Hello, my name is David, have you seen this game?” and open my iPad to show it.

— How did Aviator manage to become a cultural phenomenon, not just a game?

There isn’t just one reason, there are several. It’s like in sports, where to get a result, you need to bring many elements together: the idea, the design, the mechanics, the stability, the emotion. We combined them all, and it worked.

Aviator isn’t an ordinary slot, it’s a social game. There’s a chat where people see who wins and who loses, they talk to each other. It creates energy, a sense of presence, excitement. And most importantly, you decide when to cash out. It’s a moment of both risk and control, and that’s what makes the game truly engaging.

Aviator has 50 million active players every month, placing bets worth over €14 billion.

— Your collaboration with the UFC became one of the biggest cases in iGaming. How did this partnership come about?

We always wanted to communicate with players directly, not only through partners. So we started looking for a brand that shared our energy and values. UFC turned out to be a perfect match for Aviator’s philosophy.
The first contract was small, but it worked out great. Later I met Dana White. It was supposed to be a short meeting, but we ended up talking for two and a half hours. We clicked right away. Now we have a three-year agreement with TKO, which includes both UFC and WWE. The total value of the deal is around $40 million.

An important point is that Aviator brings to casinos people who have never played before. They see the game on the UFC octagon and decide to give it a try.

— Do you have people you look up to, those who inspire you or guide you in some way?

Of course. First of all, Kaha Bendukidze, one of the most prominent reformers and entrepreneurs, the man behind Georgia’s economic transformation. He taught me a lot, not only about work but also about life. In business, I’m inspired by Steve Jobs and Dana White. I’m drawn to people who create real value and do things differently. Steve Jobs believed that even when Apple became a giant, it should still operate like a startup.

We have a similar mindset at Spribe: minimal bureaucracy, a simple structure, and fast communication. Today our team has around 300 people, and 90% of them are software engineers or other technical staff.

— If we talk about the future of iGaming, which markets or regions seem the most promising to you right now?

I think the most interesting things are happening in India. It’s very similar to what we saw in China ten years ago. China has already become expensive, with many companies, millionaires, and billions, and a very low unemployment rate. India, on the other hand, is now at the stage where its middle class is forming, and that’s very good for our industry. If India’s economy develops the way China’s did, in five to ten years it will become one of the largest markets in the world. There are 1.4 billion people there, and even if only half of them get access to the internet, the potential is enormous.

—  In iGaming, everything depends on connections and reputation. How do you build relationships in the industry?

We have very good relationships with everyone. I can call any major figure in the industry right now, and they’ll pick up the phone, listen, and discuss an idea. That’s probably something I’m truly proud of. Personal relationships are everything in business, maybe even the most important thing. We don’t lie or manipulate; we’re always open and speak honestly. That’s how reputation is built.

My personal “bible” is Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Everything he wrote almost a century ago still works today.

David Natroshvili is a true visionary of the industry, whose expertise and leadership set him apart among iGaming’s top figures. You can learn more about his journey, philosophy, and vision for the future of iGaming in the full version of the debut episode of The Riddick Level.