Soft2Bet and gamification: A winning combination

“At Soft2bet, when improving our products and gamification elements, we always seek to grow our understanding of players’ behaviour, particularly their likes, and dislikes. We are continuing to improve our platform so that we can enter regulated markets as quickly and as efficiently as possible while solving operators’ biggest pain points out there.”

In a crowded sector, operator group Soft2Bet believes gamification will be the key to unlocking a position as a top-tier supplier in gaming.

“At Soft2Bet, gamification is an important component of the platform, not only because it enhances the overall user experience but it also influences the future retention of players.”

Last year marked two milestones for the business; the third major upgrade of its in-house platform in April, followed by the sixth anniversary of the business’ formation. The first resulted in an enhancement in the platform’s aggregation capabilities, as well as an improved compliance infrastructure that helped it secure an ISO 27001 certification. This means it can offer customers and partners better security, speed, and stability.

However, the business’ key differentiator is its gamification engine, which provides its brands with the infrastructure to keep players engaged and entertained. For Yoel Zuckerberg, this is Soft2Bet’s secret sauce.

Soft2Bet’s gamification goal

Gamification is a tried-and-tested tool where users progress through levels, pass challenges, and collect rewards. Need proof that it works? A multibillion-dollar video games sector which has successfully transitioned into hyper-connected online worlds may have something to say about that.

For the real-money gaming sector, Soft2Bet has forged ahead with gamification by incorporating features such as challenges into its casino and sports offering, as well as offering cards for players to collect and achievement systems.

“This unique mix of outstanding features and seamless user navigation contributes significantly to the platforms’ success,” Zuckerberg says. “Our experience has shown us that brands with gamification are more attractive to the players and lead to increased user engagement on our brands.”

He continues by saying “players have reacted positively, prompting Soft2Bet to expand its offering. “[We] are constantly adding card collections, additional levels on the journey map, as well as improving our overall gamification features.”

“70% of our players who accumulate coins convert them to bonus money.”

Gamification that knocks out the pain points

The results above speak for themselves and having baked-in retention features is crucial for an industry looking to kick on from one of the most exciting World Cups in living memory.

“During big sports events, brands usually experience increases in new players, these players are usually very difficult to retain, but with our gamification, we are able to increase retention which leads to a better return on investment.”

So how is Soft2Bet looking to soften the post-tournament landing?

“Gamification is a crucial part of the platform, and it requires stability and a high loading speed. We want to be sure that the players have a smooth and enjoyable experience on our brands, so we are always looking to improve our platforms from a technological perspective to help retain the players.” , Zuckerberg says.

“Most recently, our team upgraded our sportsbook, adding a brand-new layout that is aimed at making player navigation a smoother and easier process. We also added more innovative gamification features such as weekly challenges and the free bet to buy in our shop, this led to increased loyalty from our players.”

Adding new features brings about the need to ensure player safety is always at the forefront of suppliers’ minds. That’s why Soft2Bet made this its number-one priority when releasing new features, particularly with respect to highly-gamified ones on our platform.

“We believe that player safety is one of the most important elements and we can guarantee the utmost security of our players and our partners.”

Taking Sweden by storm

The Swedish Gambling Authority reported a turnover of more than £534m for licences in the third quarter of 2022, a 7% year-on-year increase. The market and its licensed operators have faced challenges since re-regulation in 2019, but with a recent launch, Soft2Bet has added a third brand to the market.

In  February 2022, the company launched its first gamified brand, Betinia.se for Swedish players. It incorporates an original “moderate gamification” that has been created specifically for this region. The Betinia gamification engine focuses on using Betinia Points which can be exchanged for sports arenas in European cities (including Stockholm). Once the players reach the required number of Betinia Points, they unlock the Colossus. This has been a great success with players who have continued to show interest in the brand. Recently, Betinia.se even received an award for Best User Experience from one of the Swedish affiliates.

Following the launch of Betinia.se on desktop, in November 2022 Soft2Bet launched its Betinia.se app. This is designed for Swedish users and it is very user-friendly, containing an array of advanced gamification features, Zuckerberg is hoping it takes the market by storm.

Just as it’s mindful of keeping players enjoying, Soft2Bet is equally mindful of the issues that cause drop-off during the registration process. To counteract overcomplicated payment solutions and slow withdrawals, Betinia.se offers the best user experience with 10 different payment systems for deposits, 7 payment systems for speedy withdrawals – plus a welcome offer for the enjoyment of players.

“The app is fully optimized and contains various advanced gamification features that can also be found on the desktop version. This is great for players who enjoy placing their bets and playing casino games on-the-go,” he explains. “Its fast loading time ensures that users can access them quickly and more securely than ever before.

It may have only gone live last year, but Betinia has been so successful that Zuckerberg is already planning to replicate its success in Denmark.

Soft2Bet readies itself for Denmark launch

A Danish launch opens up new possibilities for Soft2Bet. The regulatory framework is viewed as among the best in Europe, and revenue for Q3 totalled £201m.

The business is now looking to take that differentiated offering into new markets, with its sights set on the Nordics in 2023. Soft2Bet obtained a Danish Gambling Authority (DGA) licence in 2022, and Zuckerberg says “we are happy that last month we officially launched Betinia.dk in the Danish market and are among the first to have easy user experience of registration flow and gamification there.”

“In this particular region there is a clear and high demand for new and innovative products for players to enjoy,” he says. “This is precisely where Soft2Bet excels as our product offering is completely unique to the industry and it continues to make waves through its gamification features and innovative website design. This is true particularly when it comes to Betinia.dk’s loyalty program, which is a gamification element that offers players an interactive experience where they get to explore different cities (including Copenhagen), each with their own distinct sports arenas. The brand also has its own Betinia Points system that offers rich rewards, as well as a unique set of achievements that all registered players can participate in.”

Betinia also includes weekly challenges as part of the loyalty program and a Colossus. In this, everytime users accumulate a certain number of Betinia Points, and users will unlock one of the Colossuses.”

Soft2Bet sets its sights on bigger and better

With 2023 already in full swing, Soft2Bet is going full speed ahead in putting itself at the forefront of the industry. And while the Nordics may be key to phase one of its plans, Zuckerberg sees tremendous potential in the year ahead.

“We believe that one of the main markets for us is the Nordic one. That’s why our 2023 focus and strategy will be on launching our Betinia.dk app and hopefully seeing success in both Sweden and Denmark,” Zuckerberg explains.

“This ambitious goal brings with it a great deal of preparation in order for our terrific team to adapt our platform to each and every market. This is particularly true as each market has its own set of standards and regulatory requirements.”