Soft2Bet, a leading iGaming turnkey solutions provider that delivers high-quality products and services for online gambling operators, has been shortlisted in eight headline categories at the 2025 Women in Gaming (WIG) Diversity & Inclusion Awards, scheduled for 5 June at London’s Savoy Hotel. The WIG Diversity & Inclusion Awards honour outstanding contributions across areas such as innovation, inclusive culture, community impact, and business leadership within the global gaming sector. This recognition follows a year of high performance results, new deals, new brand launches, platform, MEGA product growth, and leadership recognition, underscoring Soft2Bet’s dual strength as a technology provider and an employer of choice.

Shortlisted categories

• B2B Excellence (Company)
• Best Diverse Place to Work
• Community Engagement
• Company of the Year (Supplier)
• Great Place to Work
• Innovator
• Leader of the Year and Positive Role Model of the Year (Supplier) – CMO at Soft2Bet

“These nominations are a powerful endorsement of our teams, our strategic leadership, industry impact, and our unwavering commitment to excellence in key European markets where our brands and products consistently deliver top-tier performance,” said Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet.

The shortlisting for Best Diverse Place to Work and Great Place to Work reflects the company’s internal progress: women now occupy 60% of leadership roles and team members from nine nationalities contribute to product development and strategy through initiatives like the Culture Squad and the Make a Difference platform.

Over the past year, Soft2Bet doubled its EBITDA, secured licenses in Ontario, Sweden, Romania, Spain, etc., announced new brands, new sponsorships on highly competitive markets, such as as Nordics and Ontario, and prepared for its first U.S. launch in New Jersey, bringing its total to 19 licenses across 12 jurisdictions.

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Soft2Bet being shortlisted as B2B excellence is reflected in a robust portfolio of 13 consumer brands and industry recognition for both our proprietary platform and standout products such as MEGA, which continue to redefine engagement and innovation in regulated markets.

Earlier in 2025, Soft2Bet earned three titles at the European – Global Banking & Finance / Sustainability & ESG Awards, recognising Soft2Bet’s ongoing pursuit of innovation, its focus on delivering exceptional customer value, its strong AML measures, and overall commitment to compliance standards and sustainability across key European markets.

Spain’s regulated iGaming market is no longer the wild frontier it once was. Having opened its doors in 2011, it stands today as a mature, established landscape within Europe’s online betting ecosystem. But maturity doesn’t mean stagnation. As we look to the future, the Spanish market presents a compelling narrative: a story of adaptation, innovation, and the pursuit of growth within a framework of tightening regulations.

As Borja Imbergamo, Head of Growth & Strategy at Betbrothers, an affiliate platform guiding users to safe operators, observes, “Spain’s maturity means operators and affiliates like us need a much more nuanced strategy. The focus shifts from pure acquisition mode to building sustainable value within the regulated framework, ensuring players have access to secure and reliable options.”

For industry insiders – operators, suppliers, and keen-eyed investors – understanding the dynamics of risk and reward in Spain is not just beneficial. It’s essential for navigating the future successfully.

The Steady Pulse of a Billion-Euro Market

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The key metrics of the Spanish iGaming market remain strong. Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) consistently averages around, and often exceeds, the €1 billion annual mark. While the explosive double-digit growth spikes of the early years have naturally slowed down, the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) figures paint a picture of steady expansion.

Borja Imbergamo points out, “We definitely see the momentum reflected in user search trends. While the market isn’t seeing exponential jumps, there’s consistent interest, especially when major sporting events or innovative products launch. Our role is to channel that interest towards DGOJ-licensed operators who offer a secure betting experience.”

The internal dynamics, however, tell a story of shifting balance. For years, sports betting was the undisputed champion, fueled by Spain’s passionate football culture. Now, the online casino segment has decisively stepped into the spotlight, often capturing 45-50% or more of GGR share, becoming the market’s primary engine, while sports betting remains a heavyweight around 40-45%. Poker and bingo maintain smaller, stable shares.

Where Opportunity Knocks

Despite its established nature, Spain offers promising ground for strategic growth, fueled by high digital penetration and savvy consumers.

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“The Spanish player is digitally adept,” notes Borja Imbergamo. “They expect seamless mobile experiences and trustworthy platforms. Operators investing in excellent UX and integrating convenient, secure payments are definitely resonating better.”

The real opportunity lies in product innovation. The restrictive marketing landscape has forced a strategic pivot towards player retention and maximizing lifetime value.

“With the old bonus-heavy acquisition model being restricted, the focus is on creating genuine, sustainable value,” Imbergamo adds, “From our perspective at Betbrothers.es, this means highlighting operators who excel in transparency, safety features, and fair play. That’s what builds the long-term trust crucial for retention in this regulated environment.”

Navigating the Shifting Competitive Landscape

The Spanish regulatory framework, while providing stability, presents ongoing difficulties. The advertising restrictions remain the most significant operational challenge, fundamentally reshaping marketing playbooks towards more nuanced, value-driven strategies.

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Imbergamo, whose platform navigates these rules daily, states, “The Royal Decree undeniably changed the marketing landscape, increasing the importance of clear, compliant communication. Affiliates like us have an increased responsibility to provide accurate information about licensed operators. While challenging, the strong DGOJ focus on responsible gaming ultimately creates a safer, more trustworthy environment for players, which aligns perfectly with our core mission.”

Simultaneously, the DGOJ’s focus on player protection means responsible gaming is essential, potentially leading to future measures requiring adaptable systems. This isn’t just compliance. It’s trust-building in a fiercely competitive market where attracting genuinely new players is tough, making retention vital.

Strategy is King

Looking ahead, the Spanish iGaming market will reward strategic wisdom and a deep commitment to the player. Success will favour those who leverage technology not just for impressive personalized offers, but critically for enhancing player safety.

“Success depends on using technology smartly,” reflects Borja Imbergamo. “AI for personalisation is exciting, but its application in RG tools and ensuring transparent practices is more important for long-term success. Operators who genuinely invest here aren’t just complying. They’re building the trust that will define market leadership, and that’s a key factor we highlight for users.”

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Fostering cross-vertical engagement and integrating diverse, secure payment options will also be crucial.

The Path Forward

Spain will undoubtedly remain a cornerstone of the regulated European iGaming market, a consistent billion-euro-plus opportunity. However, the path to success demands more than just presence. It requires operational excellence, smart technology adoption, and a commitment to compliance and player well-being. The future belongs to operators and affiliates who are agile, innovative, and prioritize responsible practices.

Ultimately, as Borja Imbergamo of Betbrothers.es concludes, “The Spanish market will develop through collaboration and a shared commitment to player safety and transparency. It requires providing safe environments, clear information through platforms like ours, and genuine entertainment value. That’s the sustainable path forward. It’s about creating a healthy ecosystem where informed players can engage confidently with licensed operators.”

In this mature yet dynamic arena, strategic depth and a player-first mentality, not just marketing muscle, will win the day.

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Liftoff, the leading provider of marketing, monetization, and creative solutions for the mobile industry, and Singular, the end-to-end marketing attribution and analytics platform, today released their 2025 Casual Gaming Apps Report. The report, based on combined Liftoff and Singular data from February 2024 to February 2025, which includes 1.4 trillion ad impressions, 63 billion clicks, 2.5 billion installs, and $11.9 billion in ad spend, reveals that utility and entertainment apps drive the majority of non-gaming app installs for casual games.

Ads in utility and productivity apps account for 28% of non-gaming app installs for casual games, while 25% come from entertainment apps. Photo and social media apps also play an important role in converting users to casual gaming, accounting for a combined 25%.

Liftoff and Singular’s Casual Gaming Apps Report covers three main topics: an annual breakdown of benchmarks for advertising costs and revenue, the mobile game genres and subgenres driving the most installs, and the latest trends shaking up the casual gaming market.

Key findings from the report include:

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Utility apps drive the most installs as advertisers look outside of gaming audiences

As the consumer app market share grows, more downloads come from outside the mobile game ecosystem, with utility apps being the main driver. In the sample, over half of the casual game installs from non-gaming apps are from utility and productivity apps (28%) and entertainment apps (25%). Photo apps and social media apps are similarly impactful, driving a combined 25% of installs from non-gaming apps, while health and fitness apps contribute the least at just 4%.

Hypercasual and hybrid puzzles revenue grows 240%

Following the success of apps like Twisted Tangle, Hexa Sort, and Block Jam 3D, games with simple yet addictive puzzle mechanics have captured the attention of casual game audiences. GameRefinery data reveals a huge increase in the US market share of these games within the top 500 grossing iOS titles, with market share surging collectively from $4.12 million in Q4 2023 to $13.99 million by Q4 2024. 

Mobile game CPIs are 907% higher on iOS

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From February 2024 to February 2025, the average cost per install (CPI) for casual games was $1.41 on iOS and $0.14 on Android. In contrast, strategy, RPG, and tabletop games exhibited a higher CPI on both platforms, likely due to their niche audiences. While CPI is lower on Android, iOS still delivers more than 2x D30 ROAS on most game genres.

Minigame events are on the rise in top-grossing titles

Events are an essential element of strategy for casual gaming apps, and nearly all event types saw higher adoption rates in 2024. Minigame events, in particular, continued to grow between Q1 and Q4 2024, increasing by 31%. ‘Thinking’ minigames that feature varied mechanics saw the highest adoption rates. The minigames gaining the most popularity include digging, physics-based, and board game-inspired minigames. Other growing trends include co-op partner missions, seasonal albums, and win-streak events.

Match 3 games are making a comeback

After a long period of market saturation dominated by existing giants in the genre, Match 3 games are showing signs of a revival. New releases like Royal Kingdom and Truck Star have consistently ranked among the category’s highest-grossing games in 2024.

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“As always, mobile games advertising is the most competitive marketing challenge on the planet. CTR for casual games is significantly higher than most genres, which is a big positive: you get a chance to make your case. What you do with that opportunity, of course, is up to you.” John Koetsier, VP of Insights, Singular 

“Casual gaming is a competitive market, but there’s plenty of growth potential for games willing to experiment and innovate. We’ve seen top games, including new releases and seasoned winners, rapidly scale their revenue by investing more in their live event strategies and monetization models. Finding what works is a process of trial and error, but having a partner with the newest insights into revenue drivers can make a huge difference.” Brendan Fraher, General Manager, GameRefinery