SOFTSWISS shares exclusive insights from upcoming 2026 iGaming Trends Report: marketing trends
Focus Gaming News exclusively previews the “iGaming Trends 2026” report by SOFTSWISS, unveiling key digital marketing insights set to dominate the industry.
Press release.- Ahead of the official release of the 2026 iGaming Trends Report on November 3, SOFTSWISS shares exclusive excerpts on marketing trends – revealing how brand power, authenticity, and trust are overtaking short-term promotions as the main drivers of success in igaming.
Developed in partnership with NEXT.io, this year’s report consolidates insights from an industry-wide survey of over 350 iGaming professionals, an AI-powered analysis of 120,000+ media headlines, and in-depth qualitative interviews with 30 SOFTSWISS experts, offering one of the most comprehensive data-backed outlooks of the market for 2026.
In an increasingly saturated market, the 2026 iGaming Trends Report reveals that differentiation now depends on trust and consistent brand experience, rather than bonuses or feature-heavy promo campaigns.
Valentina Bagniya, chief marketing officer at SOFTSWISS, shares: “Across industries, initially, products sell themselves; then, brands create the personality that sets companies apart. Today, trust is a differentiator. Building a brand is a long-term strategy – it takes time, consistency, and effort. But in the end, brand is what remains when bonuses expire, products converge, and attention is scarce.”
Survey data shows that while influencers remain an important channel of the acquisition mix, their dominance has decreased from 44 per cent to 34 per cent since 2023, giving way to long-term brand partnerships and authentic content.
Operators are also turning to more strategic metrics, such as Top of Mind, Consideration, and Purchase Intent, to measure brand equity, proving that marketing success is no longer about short-term clicks but about lasting credibility. A brand’s reputation shapes the entire player journey, from first impressions to long-term loyalty, and directly impacts profitability.
At the same time, companies are investing in owned ecosystems and community-driven initiatives to strengthen engagement and reduce acquisition costs.
The 2026 iGaming Trends Report will be officially released on November 3. Readers can gain early access by joining the waiting list.
SOFTSWISS will present the report live at the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon during the SiGMA Central Europe Summit on November 5. A four-hour event will feature Ivan Montik, founder of SOFTSWISS, Heathcliff Farrugia, COO of SiGMA, and Pierre Lindh, CEO of Next.io, in an exclusive keynote and panel unveiling the year’s most influential trends.
