The fragmented, state-by-state approach to iGaming regulation, combined with fierce competition in North America, makes it one of the most challenging regions for operators to launch and scale. Success in this environment demands not just speed, high product quality, and innovation but also adaptability and expert compliance understanding — meaning it’s not for the faint of heart, writes Lauren Harrison.
So how can operators meet these challenges head-on and leverage technology and smart strategies to thrive in one of the world’s most dynamic and demanding regions?
Join iGamingFuture and Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer, Yoel Zuckerberg, as he shares his expert insights on product quality, agility, gamification, and compliance in North America’s evolving iGaming market.
Welcome, Yoel.
North America is still a relatively new market with significant growth potential. When launching a new product in markets like these, what is more important, speed or product quality? Is it possible to find the perfect balance between both?
“At Soft2Bet, we prioritise the quality of product and service over everything, as Soft2Bet holds the fundamental belief that it is vital to deliver both partners and users with a high-quality, seamless experience.
“That said, it is important to strike a balance between quality and timeliness.
“When looking to enter a new market, we understand the importance of speed, as we want to quickly establish relationships and a reputation while giving our partners confidence that they can launch in a timely fashion to begin maximising the advantage of being backed by Soft2Bet’s technology, products and infrastructure.
“Soft2Bet’s experience launching in new markets includes licensing in 12 different jurisdictions across the world, which has allowed us to continually make significant improvements in our time to market, accelerating product rollouts and partner onboarding while simultaneously delivering a best-in-class experience that our partners and users have come to expect.
“But perhaps Soft2Bet’s biggest advantage is our recent collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
“Thanks to our partnership with AWS, we have boosted our time to market by 200 percent while still delivering smooth, low-latency experiences that help Soft2Bet stand apart from its competitors.
“This allows us to continue to disrupt new markets and make a true difference for our partners with products like MEGA – our proprietary platform which helps enhance player engagement and retention through gamification mechanics.”
What impact do legacy systems have on an operator’s ability to be agile and adapt to various market conditions? How can Soft2Bet products help an operator overcome this?
“Legacy systems often impose a host of operational and strategic challenges on operators, from high maintenance costs to fragmented data insights that hinder quick adaptation. Older platforms also struggle to stay compliant as regulations evolve, forcing operators to invest extra time and resources into meeting new requirements.
“By contrast, Soft2Bet’s next-generation backend platform offers a powerful alternative: built on a microservice architecture, it delivers true horizontal scalability and supports efficient resource allocation via a cloud-based deployment model.
“This means operators can handle sudden traffic spikes or expand into new jurisdictions without compromising performance. Multi-availability-zone (Multi-AZ) deployment also ensures up to 99.99 percent uptime, so the system remains resilient even if an entire data centre fails.
“Our real-time analytics provide critical insights for data-driven decision-making and simplify complex regulatory updates, allowing operators to remain agile in an ever-evolving environment.
“Additionally, many legacy systems fail to integrate innovative features which enhance the overall user experience.
“Traditional loyalty programs are becoming less effective, so it’s essential that operators integrate modern interfaces and personalised gaming experiences to help retain high-value customers.
“Soft2Bet’s design-first approach prioritises seamless, mobile-friendly interfaces with strong accessibility features, ensuring a smooth user journey that enhances engagement and loyalty. Our MEGA platform then allows providers to deliver fresh and engaging experiences to users, increasing retention and helping elevate the overall platform experience.
“Our proven track record of rapid, successful launches–like Tooniebet in Ontario and Don.ro in Romania in Q4 2024–demonstrates our ability to combine stability and flexibility for operators looking to innovate, grow, and stay competitive in today’s demanding iGaming landscape.”
Has the online sportsbook industry utilised gamification tools enough for customer retention? What should operators be doing to maximise their ROI?
“The resounding answer here is no.
“The online sportsbook industry is severely behind when it comes to the implementation of gamification.
“Most online sportsbook experiences have an identical look, feel and user journey. The majority of sportsbook operators are still using antiquated customer acquisition and retention tactics, such as short-term sign-up bonuses and money-back guarantees. While these methods may lead to short-term engagement spikes, these boosts typically fade out quickly.
“While sportsbooks have yet to fully embrace gamification, Soft2Bet’s MEGA solution can fill that void, as the platform is designed for both casino and sportsbook environments.
By seamlessly integrating MEGA into an existing platform, operators gain access to advanced engagement mechanics–personalised challenges, reward structures, and real-time progress tracking–that heighten excitement and foster player loyalty.
“The platform’s customisable nature allows it to adapt to different betting markets, branding requirements, and user preferences, resulting in a richer, more dynamic betting experience.
“Ultimately, MEGA helps operators boost retention, increase player satisfaction, and unlock new revenue streams by making every interaction more rewarding. Earlier this month, we successfully launched the ToonieBet sportsbook across both major mobile platforms—offering Ontario players a seamless transition from our gamified casino experience. With official data feeds, real-time match analytics, and MEGA-powered personalisation, bettors can engage with live events while earning loyalty rewards that mirror the progression mechanics they already know and love.”
North America and even more established regions such as Europe are renowned for their fragmented regulatory frameworks. The lack of regulatory harmony in these different areas makes it a continuous compliance challenge for multi-jurisdictional operators. How can Soft2Bet help operators navigate the evolving regulatory landscape successfully?
“Soft2Bet gives multi‑jurisdictional operators a single, future‑proof pathway through North America’s state‑by‑state rules. Soft2Bet has had extensive experience managing multi-jurisdictional compliance for Europe’s country-by-country requirements.
“The U.S. iGaming landscape, while regulated on a state-by-state basis, exhibits a notable degree of consistency among states that have legalised online casino gaming. States such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Delaware have established regulatory frameworks that share similar licensing processes, technical standards, and responsible gambling measures. This uniformity facilitates a more streamlined approach for operators seeking multi-state operations.
“That said, there are some variations state-by-state, and Soft2Bet is well-equipped to assist operators in managing these regulatory environments thanks to its existing portfolio of licenses across multiple jurisdictions, including Malta, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Greece, Italy, Ontario (Canada).
“In addition to offering platforms that are already aligned with many jurisdictions, Soft2Bet also employs advanced compliance monitoring tools, such as those provided through its partnership with Rightlander, to ensure adherence to marketing and advertising regulations across various jurisdictions. The company also collaborates with training providers to ensure that its teams are well-versed in the region’s regulatory requirements.
“By combining a licence‑ready platform, jurisdiction‑specific configuration layers, and automated regulatory tech, Soft2Bet removes the friction of divergent rules, helping operators enter new markets faster, stay continuously compliant, and devote more resources to growth and player experience rather than regulatory firefighting.”
Editor’s Note:
Speed matters, but quality wins new markets. As Yoel Zuckerberg explains, operators who compromise quality for speed risk falling behind in North America’s fiercely competitive environment.
When it comes to quality and compliance, legacy platforms can be a major obstacle for operators launching in ultra-competitive and fragmented regions, such as North America, because they are costly, rigid and not easily adaptable, leaving operators vulnerable in an environment where innovation and agility are key.
Yoel Zuckerberg said that operators need to be proactive in embracing cutting-edge solutions to stay ahead of the competition. The cost-saving and smart solution is switching to a next-generation back system, like Soft2Bet’s, which provides operators with real-time analytics, fast implementation of new regulatory standards and 99.99 percent uptime – huge advantages for those serious about launching and scaling. As Yoel Zuckerberg said, adopting such advanced technology is essential for meeting the demands of today’s dynamic market.
Also Yoel Zuckerberg believes that gamification is “severely” under-utilised by sports betting operators, with many still focusing on short-term bonusing strategies and missing opportunities for long-term retention. This is where the company’s MEGA product comes in – it can be integrated into existing platforms and provides operators with advanced engagement mechanics that boost retention and player satisfaction.
Lastly, how should operators approach the complex state-by-state regulatory system in North America? The simple answer is with expert guidance.
Soft2Bet, in Yoel Zuckerberg’s opinion, provides operators with a “future-proof pathway through North America’s state-by-state rules”, removing friction and allowing operators to enter markets faster, stay compliant, and focus their resources on growth.
