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SOFTSWISS Founder Ivan Montik Turns 40 – Interview
SOFTSWISS Founder Ivan Montik turned 40 in January. He agreed to talk to us about this milestone in his life, about his career and his experience of managing a company.
You are the Founder of one of the most successful software gambling companies in the world, which now has more than 1,000 employees. Could you imagine something like this in your 20s and what key decisions led you to your current role?
I actually imagined something like this when I started SOFTSWISS as a small custom software development company in 2009. Growing it to 1,000 employees was not a coincidence but a result of the long-term strategy and hard work of many like-minded people. Without thinking big, you’ll never grow big. When we founded SOFTSWISS, it wasn’t just to make a living (although profit was an important goal) but to create a company that would stand out among the competition with its quality of services and become a well-known name on the market.
There were many decisions made on the way. Switching from custom software development to creating our own products was an important step, and of course entering the iGaming industry played a crucial role. We didn’t just create a quality software platform, but developed our own White Label Solution, a unique service at that time. It brought us our first clients, casino operators, and some of them became key players in the market and contributed greatly to our mutual success.
Integrating cryptocurrencies into our software was another important decision and a turning point in the history of SOFTSWISS. We were the first company to offer a Crypto Casino Solution to the market. Becoming a pioneer in crypto gaming, we took a special place in the industry and made it a large part of our current business.
Launching various microservices and developing them into separate brands was a series of right decisions, too. Now we have such successful products, as a game studio, game aggregator, affiliate system, and payment provider, all functioning as standalone solutions and contributing to the brand’s overall success.
Finally, partnering with people who have been beside me in good and bad times, working with me on the most challenging tasks and showing their trust has definitely helped to lead the company to where we are now.
You have mentioned many times in interviews that you have a degree in economics but not IT, nevertheless, you have managed to build one of the most innovative companies in the online gambling industry. In your experience, in order to create a successful and, most importantly, in-demand product, which background is more important?
Although economics and management were in focus during my university years, computer science and programming were also there. It’s been my long standing passion. When I was at school, I sold my piano to purchase my first computer and learn the basics of programming on my own. This passion played an important role in choosing what business to do and helped me make many useful contacts among technical gurus. However, to lead a company to success, it was more important to have a business vision. You need to have an understanding of how to organise people and establish effective working processes. The knowledge of economics and management is very helpful here, but it’s also about personal qualities, such as the ability to take risks, evaluate partnerships and pursue business ideas which you believe are worth pursuing.
What obstacles have you faced during the creation and development of SOFTSWISS? Tell us about the most difficult personal and professional challenges you have had to overcome.
Entering the iGaming market was a risky idea on its own, as our team had no prior experience in this area and we were almost unaware of how complex it was. The conclusion I made was that ignorance is bliss as it keeps us connected to real-time challenges and helps tackle problems fearlessly. I learned all aspects of the industry from scratch, from the principles and requirements of gambling jurisdictions to the technical details of casino payment processing, to the peculiarities of the local gaming markets and player preferencences. It was my biggest personal challenge, but acquiring this knowledge has made the most positive impact on business.
Another challenge I faced several times in the company’s history was managing partnerships. When you grow big and do successful business, you become very noticeable and people start thinking about how they can become part of your success. Some of them are really eager to contribute their knowledge and/or money and establish a fair and mutually beneficial relationship, but unfortunately that’s not always the case. Others just want to jump in and take advantage of the company without any real contribution. I’ve had several negative experiences with unscrupulous partners who have had a destructive impact on the business, but we managed to overcome it. In the end, it made all of us stronger and taught us to be more picky when it comes to investment and partnership offers.
Having achieved success, it is sometimes difficult to maintain the same rhythm and not be tempted to relax and reap the rewards of your work. Where do you find points of growth and motivation to develop yourself?
I have several sources of motivation that help me stay tuned. First of all, I follow the example of the outstanding people who have reached much bigger success than myself and still haven’t stopped climbing new heights. I’m talking about the leaders of such giants, as Amazon and Google, but there are also people in our industry who I admire. The desire to stay on top of the competition is a strong driving force. iGaming is a fast changing market with new strong players appearing every day and evolving trends. If we stop and relax, it won’t take them long to take our market share.
The responsibility for the people who work with us, supporting them in their career and providing growth opportunities is another strong driving force for me. They joined SOFTSWISS and shared our corporate goals to become part of the common success, and I’m not allowed to let them down.
Finally, my passion for innovation doesn’t let me stop at where we are. There are so many new areas to explore, both within the iGaming industry and outside of it, and so many new projects to investigate. With the opportunities I have now, I can’t help taking on new technological challenges and investing into innovation.
What was your approach as a manager towards driving SOFTSWISS to success? Tell us about your managerial principles and practises. Were there any surprising revelations over the several years of managing your own company?
My main approach is staying flexible in all situations. You can’t manage the company of 1,000 people the same way you did when there were just 10. When it all just started, I was interviewing each new candidate myself before making them the final job offer. It was extremely important for me that our employees shared my personal values, that we were on the same page. It hasn’t changed much and I’m still worried about sharing the corporate culture, but I already can’t interview each employee. So I make sure that the C-level management are the people I trust, and it’s their responsibility now to communicate the corporate culture to others.
I’m also a big supporter of the agile approach and at SOFTSWISS we try to organise our daily routine according to agile practices. From the very beginning, even before I knew what agile meant, I intuitively understood that people were our biggest asset and tried to empower each employee to take decisions and act quickly. Now, with over 1,000 employees and with our industry changing so quickly, I know it’s the only way to stay competitive. So I trust people and motivate them to take the responsibility by showing how unlimited their growth opportunities are. I noticed that when people get an opportunity to participate in the company’s profit, it’s a much better motivation than a high salary on its own. So we try to empower everyone to become part of the common success story.
Talking about the personal part of the subject, does managing such a company leave time for your personal life?
Finding a balance between work and life is just a myth, I think. It’s a never ending battle. However, practice makes perfect, and I think I found some tricks that help me combine both so that neither suffers too much. I used to have some difficulties with delegating responsibility, trying to accomplish all tasks on my own quickly rather than explaining it to somebody and facing unfulfilled expectations afterwards. I’ve worked on it and noticed that wise delegation saves so much time. I concentrate on the strategically important things now and let people I trust do other tasks.
Setting priorities is also important. For me, health is the top priority and sport is the only way to stay healthy. I do boxing and it keeps me sane both physically and mentally. Combined with the Russian sauna, it gives amazing results. Also, I never miss an opportunity to build new neural connections in my brain by learning something new. My latest achievement is snowboarding. Besides sports, time with family and friends is what makes me feel happy and complete.
Looking back on the four decades behind you, do you think you have become wiser and now make better decisions from both a managerial and a personal point of view?
I’ve definitely become wiser. Although I’m still demanding a lot from the people I work with, I’m less of a perfectionist today and I don’t expect it from my employees. As I said before, I’ve become more cautious in choosing partners and going into business relationships. Unfortunately, it’s the effect of some wrong decisions made in the past, but learning from my own mistakes is also an achievement. I still believe that it’s more important to take a risk and make a mistake than not to take a risk and miss a chance. So I can always forgive mistakes but I rarely forgive missed chances.
Finally, where to next? Has turning 40 changed anything? Do you feel just as energetic and motivated as before, looking for further ventures, or do you have other ambitions in mind?
I feel as motivated and energetic as I never did before. Life only starts at 40, doesn’t it? I have the experience, resources and people by my side to pursue new ventures. There are several exciting projects in the pipeline now, both for SOFTSWISS and outside of it. I’ll continue investing in innovation and supporting fresh ideas because this means investing in the future.
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Sports betting is becoming a key driver of affiliate growth — it’s a global trend, and Boomerang Partners reveals the latest insights behind this evolution.
Sports betting has evolved significantly in recent years. Now, it is a serious separate direction in affiliate traffic, bringing top profits. Boomerang Partners, a rapidly growing global brand and organizer of the tournament for affiliate teams – the Golden Boomerang Awards, has analyzed the evolution of this business direction and shared its insights.
It’s a thing of the past: simple Sportsbook sites, limited payment methods, and basic betting options
Evolution touches every aspect of human activity, and sports betting is no exception. Previously, bookmakers offered their users simple website functionality so they could focus their attention only on betting opportunities. The range of markets was much more modest than it is now.
Payment options for deposits and withdrawals were also quite limited compared to today, often causing inconvenience for users. Users had to choose from a few options for transferring funds, and it was not always convenient for them.
Current trends: focus on dynamics, privacy, and modern technology
Today, the betting industry is booming thanks to live betting, where users place wagers in real time. The rapid development of the mobile app segment makes it possible to place bets wherever one likes. Users also appreciate dynamically changing odds and the ability to watch match streams on betting platforms to adjust their predictions. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to calculate odds, making them more accurate and adaptive.
Modern technologies have expanded the range of payment methods available, with the integration of cryptocurrencies opening new possibilities for fast, secure, and anonymous transactions. Another notable trend is the introduction of social functions into the work of Sportsbooks. For example, holding tournaments with prize pools adds an element of interaction and competition between players.
Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 as an opportunity to succeed through sports traffic
Sports betting is now an important area that can significantly impact traffic growth. Boomerang Partners is currently running its second annual global Golden Boomerang Awards 2025. Its participants compete for monthly prizes and awards in 11 categories, including a Grand Prix. This year, for the first time, organizers have introduced two separate leaderboards: one for sports and one for casino traffic. Registration is open until May 5, and all interested affiliate teams have time to join and compete for awards.
Also, as part of the Golden Boomerang Awards 2025, Boomerang Partners is holding a special raffle with prizes to coincide with the Champions League semifinals. The tournament will run until May 11. If you register now, you can get into the prize draw, which will take place on May 3. The top 30 teams at the end of the tournament will go to Milan to the iconic San Siro stadium.
Join the Golden Boomerang Awards 2025
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand offering a wide range of services. Boomerang is the Official Regional Betting Partner of AC Milan and collaborates with women’s football star and influencer Alisha Lehmann. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards 2024, the first annual global affiliate tournament. Boomerang Partners’ betting segment surged 5x, and gambling — 2x in 2024. Its affiliate program demonstrated a 120% increase in partners, and the number of sports betting offers surged more than 6 times. Six new products were launched by Boomerang in 2024, which contributed to an almost 1.5-fold increase in product users.
Boomerang’s portfolio contains 15+ gambling brands, including sportsbooks. They cover over 35 GEOs and offer a wide range of betting options with favorable odds. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
The post Boomerang’s insights: The evolution of sports betting traffic appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Team Vitality launches RushBee: Creative media agency dedicated to helping brands shape the future of entertainment
Team Vitality, one of the world’s leading esports clubs, is excited to announce the launch of RushBee, a new marketing agency designed to deliver high-impact, culturally relevant campaigns. Built to meet the evolving expectations of Gen Z and Alpha, RushBee helps brands craft authentic narratives that drive engagement across gaming, entertainment, and pop culture.
Building on over a decade of Team Vitality’s expertise in building online communities and partnering with top content creators, RushBee offers brands a unique gateway into emerging digital behaviours and trends. The agency specializes in immersive, social-first brand experiences that connect meaningfully with digital-native audiences.
While rooted in the gaming culture, RushBee’s ambitions go beyond the esports sector, aiming to help brands engage with next-gen audiences across traditional and media industries, creating immersive,social-first brand experiences, designed for Gen Z and Alpha.
RUSHBEE: THE AGENCY SERVING BRANDS IN TODAY’S FAST-MOVING DIGITAL WORLD
With over 3.3 billion gamers worldwide, younger generations are shifting their attention from traditional media to new platforms such as Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube. Video games and social media are now the pillars of contemporary pop culture and the brands looking to connect meaningfully with Gen Z and Alpha, must embrace this cultural phenomenon to be successful.
RushBee has been launched to help brands navigate this cultural phenomenon with authenticity, speed, and creative edge. With a team of experts in strategy, production and creation, RushBee will deliver standout brand stories that resonate across platforms and generations to help brands cut through the noise, offering complete support on four major key pillars including:
- Brand strategy: Connect brands with the new generation of consumers who shape trends and spark cultural conversations – turning attention into long-term affinity.
- Creative factory: From idea to execution, crafting bold, original campaigns that cut through the noise and come to life across every channel.
- Growth media: Design data-led, tailor-made media strategies that reach the right audience, spark engagement, and drive measurable results.
- Experiential: Building immersive, innovative brand experiences that captivate all types of audiences and create lasting emotional impact.
Under the leadership of François-Xavier Roux – an expert in creative industries and artistic production with a background at M6 Music, Paramount Media Networks, and Endemol – RushBee is positioning itself as a new force in cultural marketing. “Through RushBee, we want to channel the expertise we’ve developed in esports to service more traditional brands,” explains François-Xavier. “The high expectations of gaming and esports communities have pushed us to move faster, think sharper, and execute with greater precision than traditional agencies, especially when it comes to creativity and data. RushBee is uniquely equipped to tell powerful stories and help brands create bold, engaging campaigns that resonate.”
Drawing on his deep experience in brand strategy and the production of high-impact content, François-Xavier will guide brands across the entire value chain, from strategic consulting and creative campaigns to immersive activations, talent partnerships, and the production of innovative formats.
TEAM VITALITY PROVIDES PREMIUM SUPPORT TO BRANDS
Leveraging a network of partners including ALDI, NESCAFÉ LATTE, UNILEVER, hummel, and EVNIA by Philips, RushBee draws on Team Vitality’s proven expertise in brand collaboration. Rooted in a global footprint including 12 esports teams across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, over 13 million social media followers, and offices in Paris and Berlin, RushBee builds on a strong foundation of influence and credibility.
This new business unit represents a powerful growth engine, enhancing Team Vitality’s premium services and marking a new chapter where cultural relevance, sporting ambition, and long-term value creation converge.
Team Vitality continues its expansion with a clear objective: to become the go-to partner for brands shaping the future of gaming, entertainment, and digital culture.
Amélie Canet, Director of Strategy and Brand Development at Team Vitality, shares:
“The creation of RushBee aligns perfectly with our 2025–2027 roadmap and marks a strategic turning point for Team Vitality. It reflects our ambition to build a sustainable business model that supports our global development beyond pure competitive performance. RushBee embodies our commitment to innovation, diversification, and delivering tangible value, both for our long-standing partners and new brands seeking to connect with the digital generation. It also reinforces our positioning as a premium international brand.”
The post Team Vitality launches RushBee: Creative media agency dedicated to helping brands shape the future of entertainment appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Fujitsu, the leading provider of infrastructure and platform solutions to businesses in the global online gambling industry and beyond, has named Sammi Abdulla as Business Development Manager for iGaming.
Sammi is a highly experienced business development manager, having held roles at major companies both inside and outside of the industry. Most recently, he was Business Development Manager at media powerhouse, Next.io.
As Business Development Manager at Fujitsu, Sammi has been tasked with driving the company’s expansion within the global online gambling industry, building meaningful relationships, understanding the unique demands of the sector and aligning Fujitsu’s solutions with client needs.
This includes delivering tailored platform and infrastructure solutions such as compute, storage and hybrid cloud. Sammi will also consult on technical requirements and compliance standards and support clients in driving digital transformation initiatives that improve scalability, uptime and security.
Over the coming months, his priority will be to engage with key stakeholders across the industry, demonstrate how Fujitsu’s technology can add real value and help clients to strengthen and futureproof their operations via scalable, secure and reliable infrastructure.
Nick McDonald, iGaming Account Director at Fujitsu, said: “Sammi is one of the most experienced Business Development Managers in the sector with a proven track record at renowned organisations both in and out of the industry. We are delighted to be able to leverage this as we look to strengthen our position in the market.
“Fujitsu’s platform and infrastructure solutions set the standard for others to follow, and with Sammi on board, we can make more operators and suppliers aware of our suite of products and how they can help them future proof their operations.
“This is a significant hire for Fujitsu, and I look forward to working closely with Sammi in the weeks, months and years to come.”
Sammi Abdulla, Business Development Manager for iGaming at Fujitsu, added: “I’m thrilled to have joined Fujitsu and to be diving even deeper into the iGaming world, a space I have good knowledge of and feel passionate about.
“With Fujitsu’s powerful tech behind us, I’m excited to help our clients level up their infrastructure, stay ahead of the game and maybe even have a little bit of fun while we do it.
“I’m also looking forward to working with the incredible Fujitsu team, which has already made me feel incredibly welcome.”
The post Fujitsu names Sammi Abdulla as Business Development Manager for iGaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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