Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS, a leading international technology provider with over 15 years in the iGaming sector, shares a video that addresses a key challenge every business faces in 2026: building a winning strategy. Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS, has outlined concrete steps to identify the signals and trends, drawing on insights from the 2026 iGaming Trends report.

Valentina emphasises the growing importance of strong and data-driven market research and explains how the 2026 iGaming Trends report helps professionals take a closer look at the key trends shaping the year ahead. CMO answers the main questions defining 2026, including AI role in the tech industry, the most effective marketing channels and the real impact of responsible-gambling communication. 

SOFTSWISS approaches research with clarity and precision, aiming to give businesses a foundation they can confidently rely on when shaping their own strategies. That’s why each trend in the report is supported by clear adaptation paths and practical, actionable steps that show how companies can respond to market changes in real operations, not just observe them from the sidelines.

“Trends themselves don’t change industries – people do. A trend only becomes valuable when you can translate it into real decisions, actions, and measurable results. The sooner you see trends as tools for foresight rather than reaction, the closer you are to leading the market instead of chasing it,” says Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS.

Video: https://youtu.be/2–F2iNqDWY?si=fqn0c9kNIxc4nI9_

The 2026 iGaming Trends report is the fourth edition of SOFTSWISS’ annual flagship ebook. Its third release earned strong industry recognition, with over 13,000 downloads and features across more than 100 pages. The 2026 edition continues to meet a clear market demand – less speculation and more actionable, data-backed substance.

The 2026 iGaming Trends report is based on in-depth interviews with more than 350 iGaming professionals, two waves of quantitative market research conducted by Kantar, and extensive market analysis covering over 120,000 media headlines. Presented at SiGMA Central Europe and discussed during the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon, the report has already attracted strong industry attention. 

Being named Marketer of the Year at the EGR Marketing & Innovation Awards and leading the Marketing Team of the Year, with several Best Marketing Campaign wins, Valentina stated that the report focuses on what is real, what is proven, and what is already creating value in the market.

Watch Valentina’s video  to learn how to distinguish empty hype from real progress, and shape the future in the most effective way.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 35,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS CMO Valentina Bagniya Reveals How to Lead in 2026 Before it Starts appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

EGT received well-deserved recognition at the Golden Spade’s Awards 2025 ceremony. At the event, held on November 25, the company took the Slot Machine of the Year prize, and its CEO, Vladimir Dokov, was honored with a Certificate for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Gaming Industry.

EGT has been distinguished for the excellent performance of its latest series of slot cabinets Supreme, including 4 models – S 32-32 UP, S 32-32 ST, S 55 S ST, and S 55 V ST. For only several months this year, they had numerous installations and have established themselves as players’ favorites in a number of markets around the world, thanks to the perfect combination of eye-catching design, unmatched comfort, and their compatibility with some of the most popular games from the company’s portfolio.

Mr. Dokov was granted the Certificate for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Gaming Industry in recognition of his exceptional impact on the sector in Europe and beyond and his role in positioning Bulgaria among the top gaming solutions providers on a global level.

When accepting the awards, he said: “I am honored to be here tonight among so many industry leaders and to receive these two accolades. They are irrefutable proof that even the most ambitious plans can be accomplished when you work with a team of talented and motivated professionals for whom innovation and technological progress are not just high values, but achievable goals. This success belongs to them.”

The Golden Spade’s Awards ceremony was part of the prestigious Gaming Industry Gala Dinner 2025, organized by the Association of Organizers of Gambling Games and Activities in Bulgaria (AOGGAB) with the support of EUROMAT. This year’s edition of the event, which was the third in a row, gathered leading companies and figures from Bulgaria and abroad under the motto “Together in Europe“ and gave them the opportunity to focus on topics like European integration, professional collaboration, and the shared vision for a sustainable future of the industry.

The post EGT with two accolades from Golden Spade’s Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Everything I do, I do with great passion.” A glance at the life of Michael Gauselmann quickly reveals why the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Merkur Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation chose these words. He can look back on 70 years dedicated to businesses, products and people – shaped by his passion for gaming, entrepreneurial courage and clear, forward-looking decisions.

Born on 28 November 1955 as the second son of company founder Paul Gauselmann, Michael Gauselmann became familiar with the world of vending machines early on. From the age of 13, he spent every school holiday working in his father’s company – always in different departments. This early mix of hands-on experience and an understanding of processes and figures laid the foundation for his later career.

After completing his A-levels, he studied Business Administration at the University of Hamburg, specialising in IT, statistics and marketing. As a graduate, he combined numerical expertise, technical affinity and market awareness – a combination that would later fuel numerous innovations within the Group. In 1982, he joined Nova-Apparate in Hamburg as Executive Assistant, before becoming Commercial Manager of Franken-Automaten Südvertrieb a year later. With the company’s integration into what was then the Gauselmann Group, his true journey within the family business began.

The years that followed were characterised by rapid advancement and significant responsibility. From 1984 to 1986, Michael Gauselmann served as Commercial Manager of today’s adp Merkur as well as CFO of the Group. He then took over management of the former Merkur Spielothek, now Merkur Operations, until 1992 – during a period of strong expansion with around 250 arcades in Germany.

A year later, his focus increasingly shifted to international markets. The “game designer at heart”, as he describes himself, played a pivotal role in developing the Group’s global activities. He acquired Atronic and turned it into a key business unit for the development, production and distribution of casino machines, drove the acquisition of Bell-Fruit Games in the UK and established Stella Electronic for the European market. His passion for games and keen sense for innovation significantly accelerated the Group’s internationalisation.

From 1994 to 2004, Michael Gauselmann was Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Gauselmann AG. From 2004 until the establishment of the Gauselmann Family Foundation, he and his father Paul acted as co-spokespersons of the Management Board. While he was mainly responsible for the international business and his father concentrated on domestic operations, their shared responsibility for the Group continued to grow.

At the same time, Michael Gauselmann consciously sought new perspectives. He earned a pilot’s licence and enjoyed the vastness of the skies. He became a hunter and now takes care of wildlife conservation in his adopted home of Austria. Today, he lives in Graz in the province of Styria.

Since 2016, he has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Gauselmann Family Foundation. And when his father stepped down from the top of the Group last year, it was clear who would take the helm: since October 2024, Michael Gauselmann has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Group and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation. He sees his role as that of motivator, overseer and adviser. He knows the industry “inside out” – it is in his blood. At the same time, he does not want to “bring back the Gauselmann face” to the company. The focus today, he says, should be on the Merkur brand, the Management Board and the teams.

Above all, he wants a Management Board made up of strong personalities “who don’t just say ‘Yes, Mr Gauselmann’”. “We are a fantastic corporate group with countless opportunities,” he says. “We create entertainment – and that is something to be proud of.” Restoring this sense of pride among employees is one of his key aspirations. Looking ahead, Michael Gauselmann has set himself a clear personal goal: he plans to step back from his roles no later than the age of 75. Until then, he intends to actively support the continued development of the Merkur Group as a modern, internationally positioned entertainment provider.

The post Michael Gauselmann at 70: Entrepreneur, Innovator and Chairman of Merkur Group’s Supervisory Board appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.