Product certification, market entry, and platform development guided SOFTSWISS’ activity throughout 2025 across both established and emerging jurisdictions. During the year, the company focused on operating within regulated environments while continuing to invest in compliance-driven technology and product infrastructure.
Speaking exclusively with Yogonet for its year-end review, Max Trafimovich, International Non-Executive Director at SOFTSWISS, offers his perspective on the company’s performance in 2025 and the factors influencing its plans for 2026.
Looking back at 2025, how would you assess the year for the company? What are some of the major takeaways, highlights, achievements, or lessons learned over the past year?
I would describe 2025 as a year of meaningful progress. Not just expansion for the sake of expansion, but steps that strengthened the SOFTSWISS ecosystem for the long term.
One of the defining milestones was entering the LATAM market with certified products. It was a long process that sent a significant signal to the market that SOFTSWISS is fully committed to operating within regulated frameworks. It also aligns perfectly with how we see the future of iGaming – compliant, transparent, and built on trust.
This was also the second year of our partnership with Rubens Barrichello, our Non-Executive Director in LATAM. He played a big role in expanding brand awareness across the region. Rubens is not just a global icon; he’s someone who genuinely understands the spirit of performance and precision, which fits well with our values.
Another highlight was the successful launch of Mzansibet in South Africa on the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook. It confirmed that our products can adapt quickly to new markets and speak the local language, both in terms of user experience and operational support.
On the product side, we continued to improve our solutions. The key product, Game Aggregator, has reached over 36,700 active games, providing industry-leading uptime for operators.
If I had to summarise 2025 in one sentence, I’d say it was the year we showed that a robust ecosystem, backed by strong tech and compliance, can scale anywhere in the world.
Which issues and trends would you say dominated the conversation this year? Are there specific trends, markets, or technologies that you believe will drive change in 2026?
A lot of the industry discussions this year revolved around one core topic – iGaming is becoming more regulated, more responsible, and more connected to the global tech landscape.
Our 2026 iGaming Trends Report really highlights this shift. Compliance and responsible gambling are not just checkboxes anymore – they’re becoming central to product strategy.
At the same time, regulated operators face increasing pressure to remain competitive in markets where unlicensed brands continue to target local audiences with fewer restrictions and more flexible offerings. This dynamic creates broader structural challenges for the industry and regulators alike: markets increasingly divide into regulated and unregulated segments, and overly restrictive frameworks can unintentionally push players toward offshore alternatives. This is a global trend observed across many jurisdictions, underscoring the importance of balanced and sustainable regulation.
And of course, there’s no way we can avoid mentioning AI. It has moved into what we call in the report, the “industrialisation” phase. It’s no longer experimental, and industry participants are seeking ways to reap the measurable benefits of adopting AI across multiple departments. Operators expect it to improve their fraud detection, marketing automation, player safety, and even UI personalisation.
However, besides huge industry-wide shifts, this year’s report also highlights smaller market signals, which are presented in a separate Microtrends section. It features microbetting, rise of F1 and other racing and non-sports wagering, casino and sportsbook cross-sell, revenue diversification, and others. If acted upon early enough, each of them can potentially become a significant advantage.
What can we expect from SOFTSWISS in 2026? What are the main challenges and opportunities you see in the gaming industry in the upcoming 12 months?
In 2026, our focus will be on two key areas: strengthening our product ecosystem and supporting partners as they navigate more structured, compliance-driven markets. According to the Trends report, we can see that data accuracy and responsible gambling frameworks will directly impact operator competitiveness.
For SOFTSWISS, this means we will continue investing in tools that simplify decision-making and improve efficiency. We’ve always believed that operators shouldn’t need massive teams to run complex products. Automation, AI analysis, and real-time reporting – these are the areas that help our partners respond faster and stay compliant without sacrificing growth.
The main challenge is keeping up with the speed of industry change. Everything is moving fast – regulations, technologies, competitors, and even cybercriminals. We need to give our partners confidence – technically and strategically. If we do that right, the rest follows naturally.
2025 saw SOFTSWISS accelerate expansion into regulated emerging markets – Brazil, Peru, South Africa – alongside major product certifications. How do these milestones shape your strategy for 2026, and what role will SOFTSWISS play in the next phase of compliance-driven growth?
These milestones shape our strategy in a very direct way. When you enter regulated markets, you commit to a higher standard – stricter controls and more transparent operations. That’s exactly the direction global iGaming is taking.
Jurisdictions like Brazil and Peru are creating regulatory frameworks that encourage a strategic long-term approach to business. South Africa, in turn, is showing how localisation and compliance go hand in hand.
In an environment where regulators are raising expectations, operators need partners who can help them stay compliant without slowing down their business activity. We have extensive experience across multiple jurisdictions and understand how to meet market expectations. We were the first to obtain certification in Brazil with the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, followed by other products, and we are ready to provide both the technology and the expertise.
The SOFTSWISS ecosystem was built with modularity and transparency in mind. Whether it’s detailed reporting, data accuracy, fraud prevention, or operational support, we are prepared to help operators scale their operations.
In 2026, our role is to be the partner that makes regulated growth easier, and that’s exactly where we’re heading.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/12/24/116803-igaming-is-becoming-more-regulated-more-responsible-and-more-connected-to-the-global-tech-landscape
