Several industry experts from SOFTSWISS shared their in-depth observations on the development of the online gambling industry by 2025, revealing key trends that will reshape the industry landscape.
In the past year, the online gambling industry has undergone profound changes. In addition to the continuous growth of local regulatory licenses, the rise of personalized betting experiences, the widespread application of artificial intelligence in operational efficiency, and the strategic transformation from player acquisition to player retention are reshaping the entire market landscape. To gain a deeper understanding of these trends and their long-term impact, the diverse expert team at SOFTSWISS shared their profound insights into the upcoming industry changes.
The first step in understanding these trends is to recognize the importance of regulation and market compliance globally. As the industry places greater emphasis on trust and player experience, compliance has become an indispensable strategic core for operators, and localization strategies have become a key competitive advantage.
Alena Bekus, Head of Customer Management at SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, emphasized that compliance will become even more crucial in the coming year.
She stated, "In 2025, a significant trend in the online gambling industry will be the continued focus on local market regulation. More and more operators are choosing to operate with licenses according to their national laws. Although the regulatory threshold is higher, the resulting transparency and player trust have also significantly increased."
She also mentioned that continuously enhancing player engagement is also a direction that operators are striving for. "Through gamification features and simple interaction design, operators continuously strengthen the player experience to enhance stickiness."
Bekus also pointed out that while artificial intelligence is increasingly occupying an important position in the industry, "humanized" operations are still an indispensable value.
"AI is gradually becoming an indispensable part of gambling operations, especially in the areas of risk control and player protection. However, we observe that players and operators still crave more humane and personalized services. For game aggregators, stability and service quality are always the foundation of their existence."
In this context, compliance is no longer just a legal obligation but has become a key pillar in winning user trust and enhancing game transparency. Combined with the application of AI technology in risk identification and protection mechanisms, compliance and innovation will jointly push the industry towards a more robust direction.
In terms of sports betting, Alexander Kamenetskyi, head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, summarized four major trends shaping the future of the industry:
"We notice that there are currently four particularly apparent trends. First is the high degree of personalization, from interfaces to betting markets, all optimized around specific player groups. Secondly, player retention has surpassed user acquisition, with cashback, tasks, and flexible reward systems becoming key to enhancing lifecycle value. Third, compliance is directly affecting product design, with every feature development revolving around regulatory considerations. Lastly, the rise of live content, but it must be practical and meaningful."
Personalized interfaces and segmented functions have enhanced overall user satisfaction and loyalty. At the same time, operators are gradually shifting their focus from attracting new users to enhancing the retention quality and activity of existing players through cashback mechanisms, task systems, and other means.
Technology remains the driving force behind all trends, especially the application of large language models (LLM). Denis Romanovskiy, Deputy CTO of SOFTSWISS, shared their technical insights:
"In the first half of 2025, we observed more pilot projects beginning to introduce LLM, targeting operational aspects such as customer service automation, content generation, and knowledge base construction. Although these applications are still in the preliminary testing phase, full integration into core products is only a matter of time. We look forward to seeing these technologies widely applied in actual scenarios soon."
Romanovskiy's view reflects a clear direction: AI is being deeply embedded into operational processes. Effective application of such technologies will significantly enhance overall operational efficiency and improve player experience.
The rise of retention strategies has also become a focus of the industry. Angelina Stasiuk, head of business at SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator, pointed out:
"We have recently communicated with clients and found that retention is becoming the top priority for all operators. The cost of acquiring new traffic is rising, and the quality of traffic is unstable, making it particularly important to stabilize existing players. Persistent and creative retention mechanisms are the core path to long-term success."
Her view highlights the industry's cognitive shift: maintaining and building long-term relationships with core player groups through continuous, interesting, and precise user incentives has become key to sustainable growth.
Looking ahead, the success of the online gambling industry will depend on operators' ability to flexibly integrate emerging technologies, effectively respond to stricter regulatory environments, and firmly attract players through highly personalized and high-value experiences. Enterprises with strategic adaptability will occupy a favorable position in the upcoming industry changes.
