Harrison Barrett, Soft2Bet: “Gamification offers operators a more sustainable way to build loyalty”

Harrison Barrett, VP of Business Development at Soft2Bet, spoke to Focus Gaming News about the company’s upcoming attendance at iGB L!VE, its expanding MEGA ecosystem and the role of gamification in driving player retention.

Exclusive interview.- Ahead of iGB L!VE 2026, Soft2Bet is preparing to showcase the latest evolution of its engagement-driven products, including MEGA Islands, MEGA11 and a new football-themed MEGA Engine set to launch during the FIFA World Cup. At the same time, the company continues to expand its presence in regulated markets, having launched five new brands during the first quarter of the year while strengthening its B2B turnkey offering.

In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Harrison Barrett, VP of business development at Soft2Bet, discusses the growing role of gamification in player retention, the commercial impact of engagement-driven products, the lessons learnt from MEGA11, and how the company is positioning itself for continued growth throughout the remainder of 2026.

What will Soft2Bet be showcasing at iGB L!VE this year, and which recent developments are you most excited to present to operators?

We will be showcasing our turnkey platform solutions and the expanded MEGA product range. We want to show operators how our technology can improve engagement, manage player journeys and support growth in competitive markets without creating unnecessary operational pressure.

We are particularly looking forward to sharing the latest MEGA developments, including MEGA Islands, MEGA11 and the launch of another football-related MEGA Engine during the World Cup. Each product serves a specific purpose in helping operators give players more reasons to return and interact with the brand.

MEGA has developed beyond a single engagement layer. It now provides operators with practical tools to support retention, product differentiation, and stronger commercial performance.

Soft2Bet has continued to expand its MEGA ecosystem with products such as MEGA Islands and MEGA11. How important is gamification today as a tool for player engagement and retention?

Gamification is now a core part of player engagement because operators are competing for attention in markets where players have never had so much choice, so the experience has to give them something more memorable than a standard betting or casino session.

MEGA Islands and MEGA11 add structure to the player journey through missions, progress, rewards and longer-term goals. With MEGA Islands, players can build their own island, collect resources, upgrade buildings and continue progressing across sessions.

MEGA11 brings the same thinking to the sportsbook, giving football fans a manager-style experience where they build a squad, make strategic decisions, and compete in leagues and match-ups.

For operators, this creates a stronger basis for retention because engagement becomes part of the product itself, rather than something added around it. The commercial impact of this approach is highly measurable. Recent internal data from our latest interactive football-themed PvP engine demonstrates exactly how powerful these mechanics are. Early results show a 17 per cent game engagement rate among active players, with 62.90 per cent of participants going on to play a second match.

Furthermore, players who interact with these gamified features consistently outperform non-players across all key indicators. The data reveals a 7.7 per cent uplift in Day 7 retention and a 75 per cent increase in median active days. The financial impact is even more substantial, with engaged players generating a 258 per cent higher median NGR alongside a 291 per cent increase in median turnover. Ultimately, by offering players this continuous, interactive layer on top of their standard sessions, operators can fundamentally transform their long-term commercial performance.

MEGA11 was designed to keep football fans engaged between matches. What has the initial response been from players and operators since its launch?

The initial response to MEGA11 has been very positive because it helps answer a question sportsbook operators face all the time. How do you keep football fans engaged between matches when there is no major tournament or headline fixture driving attention?

Football has huge peaks, and events like the World Cup can bring a major surge in interest, but they only come around every four years. Operators also need ways to keep players interested during quieter periods, when there is no headline fixture or major tournament driving attention.

MEGA11 gives fans an interactive, strategy-based football experience that adds progress and competition around the sportsbook journey. Players get something to stay engaged with beyond the match itself, while operators get another route to sustained engagement without relying solely on offers tied to a specific fixture.

“MEGA11 gives fans an interactive, strategy-based football experience that adds progress and competition around the sportsbook journey.”

Harrison Barrett, VP of business development at Soft2Bet.

Many operators are looking for alternatives to bonus-led retention. Do you believe gamification is becoming a more effective long-term strategy?

Bonuses still have a significant role to play, but they should not be an operator’s main retention strategy. If a player is only there for the next offer, it will not be long before they move on to another offer elsewhere.

Gamification offers operators a more sustainable way to build loyalty by giving players a reason to keep progressing, competing, and returning. With MEGA11, we have seen daily active players more than double, with median deposit value up 84.7 per cent, median NGR per user up 38.91 per cent, and conversion to deposit up 18.2 per cent.

Those results show how gamified engagement can support retention while also improving commercial performance. The value comes from pairing rewards with progress and something to work towards, helping operators reduce the pressure to rely on bonus spend alone.

Soft2Bet launched five new brands during the first quarter of 2026 and continues to expand into new regulated markets. What are the key factors you consider when entering a new jurisdiction?

The first consideration is always regulation because it shapes everything that follows. The platform, product setup, responsible gaming tools, reporting, and operational processes need to be ready to meet the requirements of that market.

Player expectations are also important, as each market has its own preferences around sports, casino content, payments, UX and brand tone. A launch works best when the product feels genuinely local from the start.

Soft2Bet’s brand launches in the first half of 2026 show the importance of that approach. The focus is always on entering markets with a clear plan, a secure technical setup, and a product experience that meets regulatory expectations and player demand without creating unnecessary operational friction.

Looking ahead, what are Soft2Bet’s main priorities for the remainder of 2026?

For the rest of 2026, we are focused on growing our B2B turnkey offering and expanding the MEGA product range in ways that deliver clear commercial value to operators.

Recent recognition at the SBC Awards Americas, alongside our EGR B2B Awards wins for Innovation in Mobile and Innovation in Casino Software, has added strong momentum behind our platform, back-office tools and MEGA. We want to build on that by expanding the MEGA engine’s API capabilities and making it easier for operators to bring gamified engagement to their own brands.

Regulated growth in North America and Europe will remain central to our plans. Operators need solutions that are flexible, compliant and commercially effective. Our role is to give them the technology and support to build successful brands in those markets.