Soft2Bet intent on expanding into the United States

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The Backstory

North America’s regulated opening narrows the field

Soft2Bet’s push into the United States comes as the country’s online casino market remains both lucrative and difficult to enter. Only seven states have legalized igaming: Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, West Virginia, Delaware and Rhode Island. That limited map has made each license, supplier approval and operator partnership more valuable, particularly for companies trying to establish U.S. relevance before broader legalization arrives.

The company is entering the discussion from a position familiar to many European suppliers and platform businesses: strong international licensing, a deep content roster and a need to translate those assets into a North American market dominated by a small group of large operators. Soft2Bet has said it holds 19 licenses globally and is already active in Canada and Mexico, while holding a New Jersey license. Its U.S. strategy is therefore less about starting from scratch than proving that its technology can solve problems for American operators in markets where competition, advertising costs and regulatory scrutiny are high.

The timing matters. Revenue data from the legal U.S. online casino states show a market that is still expanding rapidly even without significant new state launches. In December 2024, the seven legal jurisdictions generated an estimated US$778.6 million in igaming revenue, up from US$582.2 million a year earlier, according to Complete iGaming’s December U.S. igaming revenue report. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware set monthly records, underscoring why suppliers continue to seek footholds despite the slow pace of legislation.

Revenue growth raises the value of retention

The U.S. online casino opportunity has increasingly become a retention story rather than only an acquisition story. Operators in mature states have already spent heavily to build databases, and the next phase is extracting more value from existing players while keeping marketing costs under control. That is where Soft2Bet is positioning its gamification layer, which it says allows operators to deliver personalized missions, rewards, free-to-play features and other engagement tools on top of the front end.

The market data support that emphasis. Michigan’s online casinos generated US$244 million in gross receipts in December 2024, then set another record at US$248.2 million in January 2025, according to Complete iGaming’s January 2025 revenue report. New Jersey, the longest-running major U.S. igaming market, reported US$221.6 million in internet gaming win in January, up 20.9% from a year earlier. Pennsylvania generated US$210.1 million, a 40.5% increase from January 2024.

Those figures show that scale is growing, but they also highlight the intensity of competition. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, multiple national brands compete for the same pool of online casino customers. In Connecticut, DraftKings and FanDuel dominate through tribal partnerships. In Delaware and Rhode Island, single-provider or lottery-led structures create different constraints. For a platform provider, the opportunity is not simply to add more games. It is to help operators differentiate products that can otherwise look similar to players moving among apps with comparable slots, table games and promotions.

Delaware shows how suppliers are moving early

The recent movement by other content providers shows why Soft2Bet is emphasizing regulated-market credentials. Wazdan’s entry into Delaware through the state lottery gave it access to one of the country’s smallest but most symbolically important igaming jurisdictions. Delaware was among the first U.S. states to launch internet casino gambling, and its current lottery framework gives approved suppliers a route into a controlled market that is still growing from a small base.

Wazdan’s partnership with the Delaware Lottery expanded its U.S. presence beyond Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, adding games such as Hold the Jackpot, Cash Infinity and Sticky to Infinity to the state’s online offering. The deal, described in Complete iGaming’s report on Wazdan’s Delaware Lottery partnership, reflected a broader pattern: suppliers are not waiting for a wave of new state approvals before building U.S. distribution. They are assembling state-by-state credentials, proving compliance and using each approval to strengthen the case for the next one.

Delaware also illustrates how quickly a market can change when platform operations shift. Rush Street Interactive’s BetRivers took over the state’s igaming concession from 888 on Jan. 1, 2024, and January 2025 produced US$7.9 million in revenue, up from US$3.4 million in January 2024. For Soft2Bet and its peers, that kind of result reinforces the idea that better technology, product presentation and operations can materially improve performance even in a state with about one million residents.

Product innovation becomes the U.S. calling card

Soft2Bet’s North American pitch has been built around its Motivational Engineering Gaming Application, a gamification platform designed to create more personalized player journeys. The company showcased the product at the Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas after it won Product Innovation of the Year at the 2025 Global Gaming Awards Americas. That positioning matters because U.S. operators are increasingly looking for tools that can lift engagement without relying only on bonuses or costly media spending.

At G2E, Soft2Bet promoted the application as a way for operators to differentiate brands and improve loyalty, with demonstrations tied to performance and customer experience. The company also pointed to momentum in Ontario through brands such as ToonieBet. As described in Complete iGaming’s coverage of Soft2Bet’s G2E showcase, the platform is intended to combine personalization, engagement and responsible-play features.

That combination is important in the U.S., where regulators have shown sensitivity to aggressive promotional practices and where operators are trying to prove the sustainability of online casino revenue. Gamification can be a commercial advantage, but it also must be framed carefully. Features that encourage repeat visits need responsible-play controls, transparent mechanics and data-driven monitoring. Soft2Bet’s argument is that its platform can use behavioral insights to create more relevant experiences while giving operators a structured way to manage engagement.

Prediction markets add pressure on state lawmakers

The broader U.S. gambling policy environment is also shifting. DraftKings has signaled that it plans to spend US$200 million to US$300 million this year on prediction markets, a category that could reach customers in states where sports betting or igaming remains unavailable under state law. During an earnings call, CEO Jason Robins said the company sees prediction markets as opening “the entire other half of the country” to customer acquisition and product development.

That strategy, covered in Complete iGaming’s report on DraftKings’ prediction markets plans, carries implications for online casino legalization. Robins argued that the rise of sports predictions may push states to reconsider whether they want gambling activity occurring outside their own regulatory and tax frameworks. He also pointed to renewed igaming discussions in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, along with potential momentum in Midwestern states.

For suppliers such as Soft2Bet, that dynamic cuts both ways. Prediction markets could absorb marketing dollars and consumer attention, but they also may accelerate debate about state-regulated alternatives. If more lawmakers view online gambling as already present in adjacent forms, they may become more willing to legalize and tax casino products directly. Companies with licenses, tested technology and North American operating experience would be better positioned if that opening comes.

The stakes for Soft2Bet’s U.S. expansion

Soft2Bet’s challenge is to convert a broad international platform into specific U.S. commercial relationships. The company can point to a large content aggregation business, live dealer access and gamification technology, but U.S. operators will measure results through retention, lifetime value, compliance performance and speed to market. In states where the largest brands already have scale, suppliers must show they can improve economics rather than merely add features.

The opportunity is substantial. U.S. igaming revenue is already running at a multibillion-dollar annual pace with only seven states live, and the strongest markets continue to set records. At the same time, the limited number of legal states means expansion will likely remain uneven. Companies that invest now are betting that product differentiation and regulatory readiness will matter when the next states open.

That is the context for Soft2Bet’s U.S. ambitions. Its North American strategy is not only about entering more jurisdictions. It is about persuading operators that retention technology can become a competitive advantage in a market where acquisition is expensive, content is abundant and state-by-state legalization rewards companies that arrive prepared.