Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet’s CPO, has unveiled his company’s innovative approach to player retention. According to the expert, operators need to look beyond traditional CRM tools and bonus offers and focus instead on creating a gaming experience that fosters an emotional connection.
Casino Market analysed the representative’s central thoughts to deliver valuable insights for operators. We also offer cutting-edge retention strategies and turnkey gambling platforms in various configurations.
From Standard CRM to Emotional Engagement
Mr Zuckerberg noted that comfort, a sense of belonging to a community, and trust drive audience loyalty. Rather than relying solely on notifications and promotional incentives, Soft2Bet’s team utilises gamification as another layer of immersion within the core platform interaction cycle.
The classic online casino journey typically looks like this:
- making a deposit;
- starting a session;
- winning or losing;
- leaving the portal.
The studio’s strategy adds an extra element: for regular activity on the website, visitors earn a metacurrency. Customers can use it in specific entertainment modes or exchange it for rewards within the system.
The company ran A/B tests to compare the behaviour of the group with access to the gamified mechanics against that without. The results showed that average session duration roughly doubled from an initial 20 minutes, while weekly visits increased from 3.3 to 14.1.
The expert emphasised that re-activating customers who have already left the platform is a costly endeavour for operators. In his view, the emotional component of the gambling experience can serve as a natural retention incentive, reducing reliance on large-scale re-acquisition campaigns.
Integrating Gamification Tools: Soft2Bet Example
The studio has focused on several mechanics designed to sustain user engagement beyond the core session. While each feature is effective on its own, the best results come from unique, well-thought-out combinations.
Key initiatives comprise the following:
- Token distribution. While spinning slot reels, gamblers accumulate special units which can then be transferred into a metagame. Activities within this model include collecting coins, progressively unlocking a map, competing against other enthusiasts, earning additional rewards, and more.
- Cross-industry mechanics. Using familiar elements from mobile and casual entertainment products can benefit online casino and sportsbook managers. Soft2Bet incorporates formats such as match-3 puzzles and virtual penalty shootouts, layering them onto the core functionality.
- MEGA11. It is a standalone project from the studio. The solution delivers a gamified football experience where players build teams, unlock new athletes, train their squads, and compete for rewards.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup became a creative push for the company. It developed several gamification tools in time for the international event and experimented to discover better marketing efficiency.
The 3 most anticipated products within the MEGA lineup are as follows:
- Shoot — an interactive soccer penalty quest with real-time action and switching between goalkeeper and striker roles.
- Touchdown — an announced player retention module centred on American football, creating an engaging layer for fans of NFL-like tournaments.
- Lock Target — an upcoming gamified mechanic involving predicting specific goals within a sports match.
These tools are not meant to transform the casino into a social entertainment platform. Instead, they help expand the ways users can interact with the existing gambling product. The extra features enhance audience retention and extend the player lifecycle.
Impact of Additional Mechanics on Business Metrics
To demonstrate the strategy’s potential, the company shared results from specific projects with its gamification tools already integrated. The resulting figures were rather impressive.
The initial implementation of MEGA11 recorded the following improvements:
- Daily user activity surged by 114%.
- Deposit conversion ratio jumped by 80%.
- NGR per participant increased by nearly 39%.
MEGA Shoot also yielded several noticeable accomplishments:
- Online customer retention growth reached up to 13% across the tested projects.
- During the World Cup, 32% of Soft2Bet’s client base engaged with the feature.
- Around 71% of players who participated in the quest subsequently launched a 2nd game.
Furthermore, the report highlights the broader impact of the tools on KPIs. For instance, ARPU and NGR rose by 45% and 65%, respectively, while deposit frequency climbed by 30%.
These figures are provided by the company and reflect the performance of its products. Thus, they should not be automatically extrapolated to the entire market or be viewed as a guaranteed outcome of implementing similar mechanics.
According to Mr Zuckerberg’s assessment, gamification supports a longer user journey. After a standard casino or betting session, consumers are presented with additional opportunities to interact with the platform. The studio expects this approach to sustain audience interest without relying solely on constant promotional incentives.
Brand Competitiveness: How Features Enhance It
Soft2Bet’s CPO identifies innovation as key in a market where operators often employ similar or even identical technological solutions. Many businesses work with the same game providers, betting feed suppliers, and payment systems. In such an environment, interactive features help differentiate a platform from competitors’ offerings.
The company continues to invest in developing and testing new concepts. The representative also noted that more operators are beginning to integrate such services into their websites.
In summary, Mr Zuckerberg urged industry stakeholders to embrace innovation more actively and experiment with the components that affect the user experience. The market’s primary objective is to ensure retention comes from the quality of interaction with the platform, rather than relying solely on bonus campaigns.
The expert concluded by saying that players do not need tricks. Most come to online casinos or wagering platforms for the thrill.
The Main Things About the Role of Gamification Tools
The evolution of marketing methods demonstrates how supplementary mechanics can become an integral part of a strategy for sustainable, long-term audience engagement. Mr Zuckerberg supports this point with positive results from his studio’s latest products.
Soft2Bet’s experience confirms the following:
- Emotional engagement can be a convenient and effective retention tool. The company has augmented a traditional CRM stack with meta-solutions, such as currencies and games. This approach helps foster user loyalty and reduces dependence on bonus-driven campaigns.
- Operators now have new ways to interact with their audience. Examples of these unique modifications include MEGA11, which lets players build teams and compete against others, and MEGA Shoot, a virtual soccer penalty quest.
- Gamification can provide brands with a distinct competitive edge. Against a backdrop of similar entertainment and payment solutions, new retention methods allow operators to create more touchpoints with gamblers and differentiate products.
Navigating and implementing brand-new promotional tools may be challenging. Feel free to contact Casino Market’s experts for comprehensive consultations and cutting-edge solutions with proven results.
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