Soft2Bet is a B2C and B2B iGaming and Sportsbook provider that, according to its Chief Product Officer, Yoel Zuckerberg, has the perfect solution for increasing player engagement and lifetime value—its MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application) feature.
MEGA, a key component of Soft2Bet’s turnkey solution, equips operators with data and gamification tools to tailor products to individual player interests. This personalised approach is designed to boost engagement, foster loyalty, and increase lifetime spending, moving beyond the one-size-fits-all model.
To explore Soft2Bet’s cutting-edge approach in deeper context, iGF’s Head of Content, Curtis Roach, was joined by Yoel for an exclusive one-on-one discussion about the future of Product Personalisation and Player Retention.
Yoel, who joined Soft2Bet in 2022, has over 15-years of product expertise; with senior roles at renowned gambling brands such as Aspire Global, Ladbrokes, and 888 Holdings. And, with such a wealth of experience, he’s got a wealth of wisdom to share on the topic.
What are some of the key steps operators should be taking to help increase their player’s lifetime value?
“The topline themes that Soft2Bet focuses on, to increase players’ lifetime values, are player engagement, customisation and personalisation. But at a granular level, it’s all about connecting with players and creating long-term connections with them.
“At an operational level, this translates as being quick to react to customer inquiries or complaints, and follow-up on these by ensuring they are answered and addressed. Adopting this policy across the board means that players feel valued and listened to, and have a positive view of how they are treated.
“As a B2B provider with a strong history in B2C operations in Regulated Markets, we understand that high-quality, 24/7 customer support is crucial to the prospects of our partners – and that is why it is a standard component of our turnkey solution.
“Harnessing the full power of technology is another important aspect of the work.
“Our partners do this with our turnkey solution and MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application) gamification tool. Our solutions enable operators to benefit from flexible and powerful technology adapted to their exact needs.
“The vast amounts of player data that we generate through MEGA also provide us with the ability to analyse and identify patterns and trends. This allows us to create personalised experiences for them and create long-term connections for players through tailored offers and recommendations.
“Geo-focused strategies are also key in addressing regions such as Latin America. Countries like Mexico and Brazil (even though their regulations are yet to be officially ratified) are major markets, and players there want products that respond to their preferences and habits. This is done through personalisation and engagement features that appeal to players, thanks to strong narratives that adapt to their preferences and contribute significantly to reducing acquisition costs and churn rates as they increase customer retention.”
What do players want? What is the psychology behind a player’s desire for a personalised experience?
“Personalised user experiences will always be more attractive to players. They are more relevant to them and drive interaction with the brand, while customised leaderboards speak to their playing patterns and habits. It is worth bearing in mind that behavioural analysis is standard outside iGaming. From Spotify to Amazon or Netflix, consumers want to have products that are relevant to them and their habits.
“Our leading brand in Sweden and Denmark is Betinia, and MEGA’s personalisation features have led to major increases in engagement, screen time and revenues, with 52 percent of Betinia’s players engaging with our gamification features, which has led to a 65 percent increase in GGR and 70 percent rise in ARPU.
“CampoBet is our mobile-focused sportsbook and casino. It recently launched in Denmark, and we are already recording strong metrics regarding how players engage with it.
“Our Romanian gaming portal Don.ro launched in December and, again, we are seeing how players are engaging with its content and finding it relevant because it is built with the target audience in mind, adjusted to common preferences and with the right tone of voice.
“This is what Soft2Bet does with MEGA, and our players are showing that they respond to the personalised experiences we provide them with and we are seeing this first-hand with Betinia, CampoBet and Don.ro.”
What are the key benefits of gamification from a commercial, regulatory and reputational perspective?
“MEGA’s gamification is unique because it delivers on all these fronts. It reduces bonus and promotional spending, increases customer lifetime values (CTLVs) and returns-on-investment by implementing deep gamification mechanics that can be applied to both online casino and sports betting verticals. It thus appeals to players across-the-board and encourages cross-selling for operators keen to maximise volumes and activity.
“When it comes to regulations and reputational management, gamification is content-led and achieved thanks to social and casual gaming features, thus reducing the need for bonuses or requiring players to deposit more funds. Not only does this help operators with Responsible Gambling and Social Responsibilities, it is also positive for the industry from a reputational perspective.”
How can we, in the iGaming space, better leverage innovative new solutions and move further away from the one-size-fits-all formats that currently saturate the market?
“As a product specialist who works with an iGaming company that embraces technology and innovation, I would encourage colleagues to be open to modern tech platforms that are flexible and come with modular solutions, whether they are API-based or fully integrated.
“I would also recommend always listening to feedback, be it from operators or players.
“Soft2Bet is a B2B and B2C company and this means we understand the pain points experienced by operators, how to best engage with them and how to address players’ preferences and requirements.
“We have achieved this with Betinia, and are seeing increasingly positive signs from our Don.ro and CampoBet portals. The consumer insights that go into producing our B2B turnkey solutions take all these into consideration, and this benefits our B2B customers as they focus on marketing their brands and growing their companies.”
Editor’s Note:
How can operators do more to connect with players and ensure a good lifetime value? In Yoel’s view, it’s about player engagement, customisation, and personalisation.
Achieving this means operators must always listen to feedback and harness the power of technology and data to know their players, create personalised experiences, and foster long-term connections through tailored offers and recommendations.
According to Yoel, behavioural analysis across multiple markets, not just iGaming, shows that consumers, overwhelmingly, embrace products that meet their habits. Personalised experiences are more attractive, driving brand engagement. And the proof is in the pudding.
Soft2Bet’s brands employing the company’s MEGA personalisation software have led to “major increases in engagement, screen time, and revenues”.
Embracing innovation and moving away from a one-size-fits-all model can help operators reduce costs and reliance on bonuses, while boosting legitimacy. This results in fewer Regulatory and Responsible Gambling concerns because rather than focusing solely on stimulating player deposits, it’s all about content-led solutions and social gaming features.
