SBC News sat down with Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, to talk about the five-year journey, key insights from the 2026 iGaming Trends Report, and how operators can benefit from the Football World Cup, starting in June 2026.

SBC News: Alexander, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is celebrating its fifth anniversary. When you look back at where it all started in 2020, what stands out most to you?

Alexander Kamenetskyi: When we launched in 2020, the sportsbook was really just an MVP. But from the very beginning, we saw it as part of the larger SOFTSWISS ecosystem we were building. And very early on, we realised that technology alone wouldn’t be enough – we needed the right team behind it. That understanding shaped everything that came next. One project, a small team, and a very basic set of features – enough to test the idea. 

We didn’t aim to compete with the giants. We wanted to prove that we could build a sportsbook that talks to casino infrastructure the way operators actually need, not the way legacy systems force them to work.

We identified the pain points operators were facing – too much manual work and too many routine operations. Back then, we already realised that without automation, the sportsbook would have no future. If you force operators to manage odds, limits, offers, VIPs, and fraud checks manually, they simply won’t grow.

Since then, we’ve done the full cycle: from ‘let’s see if this flies’ to a mature product with its own architecture and processes. We’ve rolled out a strong CMS, expanded sports and markets, introduced mobile apps, and acquired more than 30 clients globally. But what’s more important is being part of the entire SOFTSWISS ecosystem; our sportsbook now integrates with other SOFTSWISS products like the Game Aggregator and Jackpot Aggregator. 

But it’s not just about the features. It’s about people. We’ve built a complete operations layer – account managers, technical account managers, and risk specialists – so our partners don’t feel alone in a complex vertical like sports betting.

Today, the Sportsbook is a stable part of the SOFTSWISS ecosystem, generating real revenue and ready to scale further.

SBCN: How has the betting market changed during these five years? What are you seeing now compared with 2020?

AK: It’s important to remember that 2020 was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire betting industry was in question – sports were suspended, and no one knew how long it would last. Many companies froze their plans because global betting itself looked unstable.

But we made a different choice and kept our focus on building the sportsbook despite the uncertainty. And looking back now, that decision paid off.

Putting the pandemic aside, the biggest difference is maturity. Five years ago, the market still had a bit of that ‘start-up chaos’ energy. Today, everything is much more structured. Regulation is deeper and stricter in almost every region, so if you can operate cleanly and transparently, you’re already ahead.

Another thing that’s changed is the cost of acquisition. It’s gone up dramatically. Operators are no longer struggling with ‘how do we get players?’ but rather ‘how do we keep them? How do we get value from the players we already have?’. That shift – from acquisition to retention – defines the market today.

SBCN: From the operator’s side, what pain points do you hear most often today?

AK: Most operators say the same thing: they’re getting traffic, but it doesn’t convert as well as it used to. Players come in, but they don’t stay long enough, or the cost of acquiring them is too high. Naturally, operators are asking for tools that help them convert players more effectively and keep them engaged for longer.

Another issue is operational load. Running a sportsbook properly involves managing lines, risk, bonuses, VIPs, and support. That scares many casino-first brands, which simply don’t have the resources to run all of that on their own.

And the third problem is a lack of time and expertise. Operators want a sportsbook, but they don’t want to design bonus logic or segment sports bettors.

This is where our approach comes in. We don’t just hand over a blueprint and tell operators “Good luck.” As soon as a project moves from BizDev, our Business Account Managers and Technical Account Managers jump in right away. They walk the partner through the next steps and take responsibility for shaping the project from that moment onwards.

The BAMs help with promotions, sports calendars, odds logic, and retention flows. The TAMs maintain the platform’s stability, handle integration issues, and guide partners through all technical details. Our Risk team monitors patterns, limits, suspicious behaviour, VIPs – all the things that would normally require an internal department.

For our partners, we’re not a vendor. We’re practically their extended sports team.

SBCN: Player retention is a topic everyone in the industry is talking about. What does retention really mean for a sportsbook from your perspective?

AK: Retention isn’t a slogan. It’s a system. And for that system to work, you need good bonus mechanics, good data, and people who know how to combine both. For us, this is a separate area and a clear competitive advantage. That’s why we created our Retention Team.

They sit with operators, model the maths, design the campaigns, and make sure a bonus makes sense financially. You would be surprised how many experienced teams struggle to calculate bonus profitability. We close that gap.

For example, we’ve built bonus and gamification tools that work for player engagement. Our Hunting Bonus, Hunting Tournaments, or Lootbox mechanics create a flow where the player regularly interacts with the platform. The Network Jackpot is another strong example. It creates emotional engagement because players feel part of a huge, ever-growing shared prize pool.

We also look at the ‘average player’ logic very carefully. Balance is very important here because small bettors and VIPs behave very differently. You can’t give the same reward to everyone.

Our system allows us to recognise where the player stands and automatically adjust bonuses so everyone receives something that feels fair. This is one of the reasons our average player values and bet sizes consistently grow for partners who fully utilise our tools.

SBCN: The 2026 iGaming Trends Report talks about microbetting and the crossover between casino and sportsbook. How do you see these microtrends affecting operators?

AK: Microbetting is very much a reflection of how people consume content today. The world is fast-paced, attention spans are short, and players expect decisions to be made in real time.

Instead of waiting for a 90-minute football match to finish, they want to predict the next corner or the next serve. And when the data is reliable and the platform is quick, it creates a very engaging experience.

The casino and sportsbook crossover is also becoming stronger. More casinos are adding sports as a second vertical, not as a side toy. The data shows that players who use both verticals are much more valuable than those who stick to just one.

The challenge is to make that transition smooth – casino players are used to instant outcomes, while sports have a different tempo. Pre-match bets and simple markets can be a good entry point.

From our side, we’re building the product and UX to support these trends naturally. We’ve invested heavily in mobile-first behaviour – our mobile app plays a big role here. And our flexible CMS gives operators the freedom to promote micro-events or educational blocks for new bettors.

We’re also preparing something new for the World Cup that taps directly into this fast, TikTok-style interaction. But I can’t reveal much yet.

SBCN: Speaking of the World Cup, which is coming in June 2026, how much time do operators have to prepare for it? 

AK: Actually, if they don’t start today, it hardly makes sense at all, because a World Cup isn’t just a tournament – it’s a full business cycle. If you start preparing in May, you’re already late.

Even with our fast setup – sometimes we can launch a project in just a couple of weeks – the reality is different. Operators need time for UI design, payment checks, bonus planning, and internal approvals. And if your audience is mainly casino-first, they need even more time to get used to sports betting. They need to try small markets, get comfortable with the odds, and build habits.

Campaigns also take time. Anything tied to jackpots, prediction contests, special bonuses, or interactive formats requires preparation. You can’t just throw it together in a week and hope for the best. The earlier you start, the more ready your players will be when the World Cup kicks off.

SBCN: Now that the sportsbook is five years old, what’s the next stage for the product?

AK: We’re working on things players won’t always notice, but they’ll definitely feel. For example, we’re restructuring our product architecture. This will let us roll out features faster and more efficiently when the market demands something new. It also helps us handle big traffic spikes during major tournaments.

We’re also improving our APIs and releasing tools that make integration smoother and faster. 

On the feature side, we’re expanding the bonus system, rolling out more gamification, and adding new content verticals. Virtual sports are launching soon – they’re great for low-activity periods and for players who like visual experiences.

And, of course, we continue to work with AI – not as a buzzword, but as a means to improve risk management, UI personalisation, and retention logic. The industry is moving into a stage where AI becomes an integral part of the infrastructure. 

SBCN: Finally, what would you say to operators considering launching or switching their sportsbook?

AK: I’d say: don’t look at a sportsbook as a quick add-on. It’s a long-term investment that should support your business for years to come.

Pay close attention to how your potential provider handles retention and the level of operational support you can expect to receive. Make sure its tech stack can keep pace with your plans – not only today’s, but also those you might have after expanding or entering new markets.

From our side, we can guarantee a strong technological solution that’s fully prepared to scale. Over the past five years, the sportsbook has become an entire system with its own technology, processes, and dedicated teams that understand how to transform all of that into real value for our partners.

Now the goal is simple – scale it faster than the market can change.