The newly released film highlights Uri Poliavich, the visionary founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, and his team’s unwavering commitment to philanthropy, social impact and building disruptive technologies in highly competitive markets

Film link  https://www.reuters.com/plus/the-yael-foundation-a-commitment-to-culture-and-innovation

Today, Soft2Bet, a leading force in iGaming, released an exclusive film spotlighting the inspiring eight-year journey of its founder and CEO, Uri Poliavich, alongside his team of industry pioneers. The film offers a compelling look at their vision and the innovative path shaping the company’s future, uncovering how Poliavich drives business success while championing education and philanthropic community initiatives.

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This exclusive glimpse into Poliavich’s story underscores his philosophy that “charity drives business,” demonstrating how purpose, ambition, and innovation can transcend corporate success to create a meaningful impact on communities globally.

Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, remarked: “I remember the feeling of hunger the most, not just hunger as a kid, but hunger to change your life.”

More than eight years ago, Soft2Bet launched in a small office, starting a journey that evolved into an international company with a state-of-the-art Maltese headquarters. What began as a B2C brand built on third-party solutions quickly transformed into a global B2C and B2B business, developing its own technology. Today, Soft2Bet holds leading positions in key markets, operates top-tier brands, and boasts more than 16 licenses.

This journey reflects the company’s DNA of innovation, platform development, and motivational engineering. These principles have shaped the creation of its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA), a gamification solution redefining entertainment in the gambling industry.

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Hungry for Change, Built to Lead

Reflecting on his origins, Poliavich discusses how his upbringing in Soviet Ukraine instilled a hunger to improve his trajectory, not only for his family but for the iGaming industry. His drive to create a meaningful impact has shaped Soft2Bet’s mission of integrating innovation with purpose and improving how end users experience gaming. His vision continues to develop talent and set new benchmarks across the company.

Uri Poliavich, Founder and CEO of Soft2Bet, stated: “In the last couple of years, we’ve been incredibly successful, bringing the innovative solutions our customers are looking for. We will continue to follow technological trends such as AI, content preference, and algorithms. By doing this, we will not only improve our market share as an operator but also acquire new customers.”

This dedication to constant improvement powered the creation of MEGA and enabled operators to enhance engagement, customer retention, and user experience through data-driven insights and quality gaming content. Today, Soft2Bet’s leading turnkey solutions operate across the most active markets, pioneering offerings to revolutionize the iGaming space and bridge diverse industries.

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Driving Business Through Purposeful Giving

Poliavich demonstrates how passion and an open mindset can transform the reach of entrepreneurship into philanthropic efforts. In 2020, Poliavich founded The Yael Foundation, an organization inspired by his wife that would soon fuel his business endeavours.

The foundation, which focuses on boosting access to education in Jewish communities, supports more than 85 educational projects, kindergartens, Sunday schools, and special education initiatives across 37 countries. Since launching, the foundation has impacted more than 13,500 children worldwide exemplifying Poliavich and the company’s commitment to creating meaningful change.

Soft2Bet expands its vision with Soft2Bet Invest, a $50M innovation fund supporting entrepreneurs in iGaming and casual gaming. The fund targets growth-stage and mature companies using advanced technologies, including casual gaming concepts, AI, traffic differentiators, and user experience innovations. These initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to advancing gaming innovation and social responsibility.

BetBlocker is pleased to announce 2 additions to the team for the Board of Trustees for John Wright and Darrell Helyar. Both have been early supporters of BetBlocker and volunteer their time to help get more awareness for the app.

Awareness of BetBlocker’s work has been growing over the last two years. The charity has been featured at numerous responsible gambling segments at conferences and won a number of awards. The founder, Duncan Garvie, is a regular speaker at iGaming industry events helping to educate the industry about responsible gambling issues.

John Wright had the following response: “I am honoured to be considered for the Board of Trustees for BetBlocker. I’ve been the #1 supporter of the app since day 1 and I’ve always wanted to give something back to help players. It is my belief that more people should get involved in the responsible gambling side of the industry. I hope that my participation in responsible gambling encourages others to get involved and especially to encourage more affiliates to list RG resources on their sites. If the industry knows how to help players, then everyone benefits.”

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Duncan Garvie offered the following comment: “John Wright has been foundational in the BetBlocker project. He was the person that challenged me to create a free, anonymous to use blocking software. Over the years he’s supported the charity with time, expertise, innovative ideas (a major upcoming feature was John’s brainchild) and design work. While not many know it, he’s played a significant role in the success of BetBlocker.

“Darrell Helyar has been equally significant. Darrell’s business acumen and knowledge of structuring a complex organisation in a challenging sector has been invaluable to BetBlocker. His empathetic approach to people management has provided sound strategic advice that has allowed BetBlocker to build a positive and hungry team that is up to the challenge of tackling the issue of gambling harm reduction.

“The expansion of our Board of Trustees to include these talented and knowledgeable individuals is a big win for BetBlocker.”

BEGE (Balkan Entertainment and Gaming Expo) and EEGS (Eastern European Gaming Summit) are excited to announce their groundbreaking 2025 concept, which emphasizes the critical importance of proximity, collaboration, and forward-thinking strategies – all while integrating the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence.

At the heart of this initiative is a strong commitment to fostering meaningful connections within the industry. Together, BEGE and EEGS are creating a vibrant platform for networking and idea exchange, bringing industry leaders together to explore the future of gaming. With multiple networking opportunities throughout the BEGE and EEGS, attendees will have countless chances to engage with one another, share insights, and forge valuable partnerships.

“The power of community is essential to our mission,” says Natalia Baevska, Project Manager of BEGE and EEGS. “By collaborating, we can harness our collective strengths to unlock new opportunities for growth within the region.”

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Nino Berezhiani, Marketing Manager, highlights the significance of the initiative’s theme, “Proximity to Potential: Where Every Piece Matters.” She explains, “This slogan captures the essence of our vision. It underscores the idea that every connection and collaboration serves as a vital piece of a larger puzzle, driving innovation and success in our industry. We are excited to create an environment where companies can showcase their achievements, celebrate excellence and engage in meaningful dialogue.”

In addition to the networking events, the initiative will feature an impressive lineup of thought-provoking lectures and lively panel discussions led by industry experts, all designed to spark engagement and collaboration.

Furthermore, the integration of AI into this initiative promises to elevate gaming experiences and enhance operational efficiency, setting a new benchmark for innovation in the sector.

With this ambitious initiative, BEGE and EEGS are poised to transform the gaming landscape in the Balkans, encouraging all stakeholders to come together and actively shape the industry’s future.