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What are the Hottest iGaming Trends for 2023? SOFTSWISS shares expert industry report
Local regulation, metaverse gaming and data privacy as a priority – these are some crucial industry trends for the current year according to SOFTSWISS, a leading innovative tech provider for iGaming with 10+ years of expertise. The company has analysed the results and market changes in 2022 to share a data-driven report on the Hottest iGaming Trends for 2023.
The report covers the trends related to payments and licensing, player behaviour, operations, gamification, and security. The insights are based on the data from 600+ SOFTSWISS clients, expertise of the key company specialists, and industry experts survey results.
PAYMENTS AND LICENSING
60% of the third-party experts surveyed by SOFTSWISS named Payments and Licensing as the most crucial category influencing the iGaming industry.
In 2023, more markets worldwide are expected to become locally regulated. This trend is strengthening as certain countries, including Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, are withdrawing from their registrations with international gaming authorities.
In terms of payments, operators need to ensure:
- Abundance of well-established payment options
- Localisation of financial modules
The integration of Apple Pay and Google Play could serve as a sound springboard to boost an online gambling business on the go.
As for digital coins, even non-pro crypto adopters are expected to continue to offer them as a payment option to tap into new audiences and attract crypto-oriented gamblers. On the whole, cryptocurrencies see a wider recognition, as many countries are beginning to recognise and integrate them into their financial systems. The latest example is Ukraine launching e-hryvnia issued by the NBU.
Andrey Starovoitov, Co-CEO at SOFTSWISS, comments on the future of crypto:
“The SOFTSWISS Crypto Casino Solution statistics demonstrate that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin remain the most demanded among crypto players. We also expect USDT to be an upcoming trend in the next few years. Despite the fact that the crypto market is going through turbulent times, operators recognise the importance of crypto payments and their influence on the project attractiveness for the audience and the final casino choice. That explains why in 2023 operators will seek to integrate alternative currencies and reinforce their portfolio with new digital coins.”
PLAYER BEHAVIOUR
When it comes to the player behaviour trends, operators are predicted to shift their focus from product-centric to user-centric business models. The commitment and effort to solve players’ issues will pay off through improved player retention metrics and increased loyalty.
Another sage move is launching mobile and smartwatch versions of casino and sports betting projects to win over new audiences seeking easy and quick access to the online gaming functionality.
One more player trend outlined based on the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform clients’ data is the increasing popularity of live dealer games with crypto users. The market will give preference to this type of games, considering it as a more valuable proposition.
As for sports betting projects, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook statistics demonstrate that 66% of bets are placed during live events against 34% of those placed in advance. This adds weight to the technical sustainability of platforms and drives the need for high quality live broadcasts.
OPERATIONS
The data-driven decision-making approach will make operators seek ready-made software products offering real-time access to clear and transparent data on their projects.
In 2023, operator will redirect their attention from such exclusively financial KPIs as the first deposit, GGR, and NGR towards the game session length and bet count metrics. Prudent operators will invest to diversify their game portfolio, integrate new bonuses and use free-to-play games to improve loyalty, increase conversions, and establish long-term relationships with players.
Max Trafimovich, Chief Commercial Officer at SOFTSWISS comments: “To run a profitable iGaming business operators need to know what their target audience is concerned about: be it integration of top-performing titles and new game mechanics to diversify their content portfolio, or availability and seamless performance of different payment methods including crypto, or technical sustainability of web and mobile project versions. At SOFTSWISS, we develop technologies allowing our clients to stay one step ahead and keep track of their project progress 24/7 in great detail. To achieve these goals, in 2022 we launched three Business Intelligence tools housed by the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform – BM3, Event Streaming and iGAP.”
GAMIFICATION
In 2023, gamification, being one of the main player engagement growth directions, will continue to proliferate in the industry, bringing in a number of related trends.
Cryptocurrency and NFT are expected to underpin the financial systems in meta-casinos to simplify withdrawing and depositing from different countries. At the same time, the market will be limited to crypto users.
This year, operators are expected to rely more on jackpot campaigns to attract, reactivate and motivate players to engage in the desired type of gameplay. According to the SOFTSWISS Jackpot Aggregator’s clients, 49.6% of jackpot players increased their average bet sum in response to a global jackpot campaign, boosting the operator revenue.
Besides being a player engagement booster, in 2023 bonuses will also find their use in regulating at-risk gambling activities and protecting overspending players. To achieve these, operators will opt for new innovative bonuses with flexible mechanics meeting various player needs. Overall, casino and sports betting projects will have to leverage different engagement tools to deliver outstanding results.
Max Trafimovich, Chief Commercial Officer at SOFTSWISS adds: “However, it is not the innovative technologies only that are capable of engaging the audience. The inclusion of retention and reactivation practices in project operations also affects the growth of key casino metrics. By treating each player as a VIP bettor, we not only maximise the player LTV, but also increase the overall audience loyalty. For example, in 2022 the SOFTSWISS Reactivation team discovered that their outgoing interactions reduced player churn rate by 50%. ”
SECURITY
Following the iGaming industry growth, players want to understand what data operators are collecting about them, and how it will be used.
In the context of GDPR and data security, the main Data Privacy as a priority trend will develop in several sub-trends further detailed in the report.
In 2023, the emphasis will also be laid on the Responsible Gambling practices. Preventing affective behaviour, dealing with already problematic players, and managing marketing activities will allow having a healthy gaming experience free of economic and social risks or traumas.
In addition to the player care security trends, 2023 will see improved fraud prevention with advanced ML-powered tools. The SOFTSWISS Anti-Fraud department, which saved 15+ bln EUR for the company clients in 2022, shares that the most widespread types of fraud look like:
- Bonus abuse – 69.9%
- Money laundering – 9.9%
- Payment system fraud – 5.9%
In 2023 operators will be protecting their reputation and income by strengthening the verification quality with the help of additional analytical tools and services for checking documents and identifying destructive patterns.
Andrey Starovoitov, Co-CEO at SOFTSWISS summarises the report trends: “The fast-growing iGaming market generates plenty of trends stemming from various business areas. And it’s rather a challenge to monitor and follow each of them. To be a leading casino or sports betting operator, we suggest leveraging all existing business opportunities. In 2023, that starts with the integration of innovative solutions for deep project analytics, and player engagement tools. Another thing is to choose a reliable software provider who offers deep data-driven market expertise, flexible products, top-level service, and is capable of ensuring security.”
SOFTSWISS will be showcasing at ICE London 2023 on 7–9 February. Visitors are encouraged to meet with the company experts and Business Development Managers at stand N8-231, where they will be presenting SOFTSWISS technology solutions and product updates.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international iGaming company supplying certified software solutions for managing gambling operations. The expert team, which counts 1,500+ employees, is based in Malta, Poland, Georgia, and Belarus. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Platform and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.
Game Nation, the UK’s third largest High Street AGC Retailer, has appointed Andy Sessions to the role of Head of Slots, Product and Content.
Sessions joins from Grosvenor Casinos where he worked as Regional Slots Manager for the brand which has 53 venues located in major towns and cities across the UK.
In a dedicated gambling industry career he has gained experience working across the Family Entertainment Centre, Motorway Service Area, Bingo Club and Casino sectors.
Confirming the latest appointment, which follows the addition of Compliance and Audit Director Eric Howell and Sharon Lewis who has joined the Game Nation team as Marketing Development Manager, CEO Mark Jepp said: “The combination of outstanding people and the very best games on the market are central to our ability to deliver an outstanding experience for all of our customers.
“Andy is pivotal to what we are a seeking to achieve. He has an unparalleled depth of operating knowledge and his insight will help sharpen further our machine focus.”
Looking ahead to the latest chapter in his gaming industry career Andy Sessions said: “I’m delighted to be joining a progressive operator which places machines at the very heart of the experience. There’s a genuine enthusiasm and a shared commitment to set new standards and I am excited to be able to contribute to the success story.”
The post Game Nation appoint Head of Slots, Product and Content appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Zitro is proud to participate in the upcoming Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention (IGA) 2025 in San Diego, California. Zitro will showcase its latest CONCEPT cabinet line alongside an impressive array of new slot content, which is also compatible with the GLARE cabinet line, ensuring a seamless gaming experience across both platforms.
Zitro’s game lineup will feature diverse, exciting titles, each delivering an engaging and immersive gameplay experience to the U.S. market. Attendees will explore popular games such as Legendary Sword, Triple Charm Journey, Lucky Vault, Cash Totems, Wonder Dreams, and more—each showcasing stunning graphics, animations, and captivating soundscapes.
“Zitro is proud to be part of the largest gathering of tribal leaders in North America., especially during a time of significant growth in many tribal jurisdictions,” said Derik Mooberry, CEO of Zitro USA. “The U.S. has been a phenomenal growth story for us—tripling our casino footprint in under two years to over 100 casino properties. We’re eager to continue partnering with tribal operators to deliver exceptional gaming experiences that drive mutual success”.
He added: “IGA is the perfect platform to showcase the depth and versatility of our game portfolio to our valued tribal partners. With a broad lineup of games compatible with our new CONCEPT and GLARE cabinet line, we’re reinforcing our commitment to providing operators maximum flexibility while protecting their investments. With our expanding portfolio and new cabinet line introduction, we provide operators with more options than ever to enhance their casino floors”.
The post ZITRO TO SHOWCASE CONCEPT CABINET LINE AT IGA 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
More than one in six students who gamble is in the ‘problem gambling category’, four times higher than the general population, according to new research.
The fourth Annual Student Gambling Survey, commissioned by GAMSTOP and Ygam, found that 17% were designated at high risk and 29% at moderate risk of gambling harm, using the threeitem Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Male students are more likely than females to be in the problem gambling category and their mean spend on gambling is almost 1.7 times higher.
Male students who gamble are spending almost as much on their gambling as on the weekly food shop. Men’s mean spend on gambling is £33.54 per week – this compares to £36 per week on groceries, according to the most recent National Student Money Survey (2024). Almost one in ten of all student gamblers spend between £51-£100 per week on gambling – significantly more than their average weekly food shop.
One in four male students (25%) take part in online sports betting, the most popular form of gambling amongst students, and male students bet on online sports an average 91 days of the year – that equates to every other working day in an average university term.
Neary one in two students (45%) say they gamble ‘to make money’, rising to 50% amongst male students. However, the reality is different – whilst one in five claim to make money from gambling, a much higher proportion (40%) say it has affected their university experience and one in ten have struggled to afford food. And 17% are using their student loan to fund gambling.
Peer pressure appears to be a driving force for gambling – nearly one in three students who gamble say they are influenced by friends, whilst one in four cite social media. Almost one in ten are influenced by university societies – almost as significant a factor as advertising, cited by 13%.
However, more than one in two students (53%) say they are aware of support available at their university for problems with their gambling and 59% of students who gamble say they would be confident about accessing support.
The Student Gambling Survey, conducted by Censuswide, is the most comprehensive of its kind, involving 2,000 students from universities near 17 UK cities, with 49% reporting having gambled at least once in the previous 12 months. Other findings include:
- 21% of students have invested in cryptocurrency during the last 12 months. Males were more than twice as likely to have invested in cryptocurrency as females.
- 66% of students who play video games had paid for a random chance purchase in the past – one in two agreed that random chance purchases were gambling, but one in five disagreed, highlighting a need for more education about the risks of gambling-like features in video games.
- 23% of Asian student gamblers were found to experience ‘problem gambling’ according to the short-form PGSI, while low and moderate risk gambling were also elevated at 20% and 36% respectively.
The report makes four key recommendations:
- More targeted prevention education, taking into consideration cultural differences to better meet the needs of students from BAME backgrounds.
- Universities should make gambling harm prevention and support an integral part of their strategies to improve student health and wellbeing, upskilling staff and doing more to communicate the availability of support.
- More education about the risks relating to in-game purchases in video games and their similarities and differences with regulated gambling products.
- Further research, including investigating the discrepancy between students’ motivation for gambling and the amount they spend gambling in a typical week.
As part of National Student Money Week, Ygam has teamed up with NUS Charity, the charitable arm of the National Union of Students (NUS) in the UK, to launch a new university campaign encouraging students to look out for signs of gambling harm in their peers and start conversations to raise awareness. The Silence the Stigma campaign will be launched at Queen Mary University of London on 6th March.
Fiona Palmer, Chief Executive Officer at GAMSTOP, said: “The Student Gambling Survey is an important piece of research that confirms the need for targeted support for the student community. Although gambling has decreased slightly in universities, the risk of gambling harm is far higher than in the general population and students need to be educated about the consequences of gambling in the expectation of making money. We know from the university roadshows we run with Ygam that there is an appetite amongst students to learn more about the support available, which includes self-exclusion to take a break from gambling”.
Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive Officer at Ygam, said: “Ygam is now working with universities in every region of the UK, and while we welcome the decrease in the number of students experiencing gambling-related harms, students remain a cohort that engages in gambling in significant numbers. This makes our collaboration with universities essential to ensuring they have the tools to effectively support and safeguard students. It is important to recognise trends and understand the factors influencing these behaviours, including economic and social pressures. With much of student life now digital and online, we must continue to guide and educate to increase understanding and build resilience against the potential harms of gambling.”
The post Male students are spending almost as much on gambling as on their weekly groceries appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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