Soft2Bet, the Malta-based iGaming platform provider, used iGB L!VE 2026 to outline how its MEGA product has developed from a gamification layer into a broader player-retention system, according to vice-president of business development Harrison Barrett. The commercial update matters for gambling operators assessing alternatives to high bonus expenditure in competitive regulated markets, where customer acquisition costs, player protection controls and retention economics are under increasing scrutiny.
Speaking to iGamingBusiness at the event, Barrett described MEGA as a tool intended to help operator partners reduce their reliance on costly promotional offers. The platform originally focused on familiar gamification functions, including leaderboards, missions and points-based reward structures. It has since been extended to support more interactive player experiences that are designed to operate within an operator’s wider software environment.
The development is a commercial product initiative rather than a regulatory change, licensing decision or enforcement action. However, the strategy has implications for licensed operators and suppliers because the use of incentives is closely connected to compliance obligations in many gambling jurisdictions. Bonuses can drive acquisition and short-term activity, but they may also create material costs, require careful terms and conditions, and attract regulatory attention when they are not presented or administered appropriately.
Barrett said MEGA’s purpose was ultimately to support retention by helping partners “move away from heavy bonus and costs”. His comments reflect a wider operational challenge for online gambling businesses: retaining customers without relying excessively on deposit matches, free bets, free spins or other financial incentives that can reduce margins.
For operators, the economics of promotional spending can be particularly difficult in markets with intense competition. Bonuses may be used to encourage sign-ups, reactivate inactive accounts or respond to competing offers, but their effect can vary substantially depending on customer behaviour, product mix and local restrictions. The cost is not limited to the value of the offer itself. Operators must also account for marketing, customer service, fraud prevention, responsible gambling monitoring and the administration of promotional rules.
In regulated markets, incentive programmes can also require close compliance oversight. Conditions attached to promotions need to be clear, and operators must consider whether marketing communications are appropriate for different player groups. A retention system based on gameplay progression, missions or social competition does not remove those requirements. It may, however, shift the focus from direct monetary rewards towards engagement features embedded in the customer journey.
Soft2Bet’s MEGA platform is positioned around that shift. Barrett said the product is intended to make a player feel connected to both the software ecosystem and the brands using it. In practical terms, that can mean linking player activity to a series of challenges, rewards, rankings or themed activities rather than treating each wager or gaming session as an isolated interaction.
The approach has become more common across digital entertainment sectors, although gambling operators face different constraints from video games or other consumer platforms. In iGaming, engagement systems must be designed with responsible gambling considerations in mind, particularly where they encourage repeated participation or are presented alongside financial rewards. Regulators have increasingly examined the relationship between customer incentives, player vulnerability and the transparency of gambling marketing.
That creates a potential limitation for suppliers seeking to sell retention tools across several markets. A feature that is accepted by one operator or regulator may need changes elsewhere because of local rules on bonuses, competitions, advertising or customer communications. Operators using gamification products must therefore ensure that configuration, targeting and promotional messaging meet the requirements of each jurisdiction in which they hold a licence.
Barrett highlighted sports-themed initiatives as examples of MEGA’s recent use in North America. Ice hockey and Ultimate Fighting Championship-themed activities have been used to drive engagement in the region, where online sports betting and iGaming markets are governed at state or provincial level rather than under a single continent-wide framework. That fragmentation can create a more demanding environment for suppliers and operators, as product roll-outs may need to account for separate licensing arrangements, permitted betting products and marketing standards.
North America has become an important testing ground for sportsbook engagement products because sports calendars provide opportunities for themed content and time-limited campaigns. Yet the commercial opportunity is accompanied by higher operating complexity. Operators must balance customer interest in sporting events with rules covering inducements, advertising and responsible gambling. In some jurisdictions, promotional practices have been subject to public and regulatory debate, especially when messages appear to target frequent bettors or emphasise sign-up incentives.
Soft2Bet also pointed to MEGA Shoot, a player-versus-player simulated penalty shootout product introduced during the World Cup. Barrett said the launch produced a 45% increase in lifetime value. The company did not provide further details in the interview on the measurement period, customer cohort, participating brands or methodology used to calculate the reported increase.
Lifetime value is a widely used commercial measure, but its interpretation can depend on how operators define revenue, costs, retention periods and player segments. A reported increase may indicate stronger activity or longer retention among a defined group, but it does not on its own establish whether the result can be replicated across markets, sports cycles or customer types. Operators considering similar products would typically need to assess results against their own acquisition costs, gross gaming revenue, bonus budgets and responsible gambling safeguards.
The player-versus-player framing of MEGA Shoot also illustrates the direction Soft2Bet is taking with the platform. Rather than limiting gamification to individual progress through missions or reward levels, the supplier is adding features that introduce competition or shared activity between users. Such mechanics can potentially create a stronger connection to an operator brand, but they can also require close consideration of game design, disclosures and player controls.
For gambling companies, retention remains a central commercial issue because the cost of attracting customers can rise rapidly where multiple brands compete for the same audience. Sports betting operators in particular can experience significant marketing costs during major tournaments and league seasons. Casino-focused businesses face comparable pressure where a large number of licensed sites offer similar game catalogues and promotional structures.
A platform supplier’s ability to offer configurable engagement tools may therefore be commercially relevant to operators looking to differentiate their customer experience. At the same time, the market is unlikely to move entirely away from bonus-led activity. Promotions remain an established part of online gambling marketing, and some customers continue to compare offers across brands. The question for operators is more likely to be the balance between direct incentives and features intended to retain customers after acquisition.
Barrett’s remarks suggest that Soft2Bet sees MEGA as a way to influence that balance. The company’s stated aim is not simply to add reward points or leaderboards, but to build a set of activities that can sit across different brands and player journeys. That can be useful to operators running more than one product vertical, although integration with existing account systems, payment controls, customer relationship management tools and compliance processes can be operationally demanding.
Data handling is another consideration. Personalised missions, progression systems and retention campaigns generally depend on customer activity data. Gambling operators and their suppliers must ensure that the collection and use of such information comply with applicable privacy rules, contractual arrangements and internal governance procedures. Any use of player data for marketing or segmentation also needs to be consistent with self-exclusion, consent and safer gambling restrictions.
The commercial appeal of lower bonus dependency must therefore be weighed against the cost of product implementation and ongoing monitoring. A more complex retention framework can require technical integration, staff training, content planning and reviews by legal, compliance and responsible gambling teams. For smaller operators, those costs may limit the immediate value of adopting advanced gamification systems, particularly if they operate in only one market or have a narrow customer base.
For larger groups, however, platform-level engagement tools can offer a way to standardise certain functions across several brands while allowing market-specific adjustments. That may be particularly relevant for businesses operating across jurisdictions with different rules on rewards and promotions. The effectiveness of such a model will depend on whether the supplier can adapt the product without undermining consistency or creating compliance gaps.
Soft2Bet has not set out a public timetable for additional MEGA releases or named further operator deployments. The next phase will be determined by partner integration, performance data from current campaigns and the ability to adapt features to local compliance requirements. Operators assessing the platform will likely monitor whether the reported retention outcomes can be sustained while reducing bonus costs and meeting regulatory expectations.
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