Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet: “MEGA Islands turns gamification into a persistent player journey”

Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer explains how motivational engineering is evolving beyond traditional mechanics, blending casino and sportsbook engagement into a unified, habit-forming experience.

Exclusive interview.- As competition intensifies across the global igaming landscape, operators are increasingly looking beyond short-term engagement tactics to build lasting player relationships. In this context, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer, Yoel Zuckerberg, spoke to Focus Gaming News about how the company’s MEGA Islands product redefines gamification through persistent progression, cross-vertical integration and deeper personalisation, aiming to transform player interaction from episodic activity into a continuous, evolving journey.

Yoel, Soft2Bet has been a pioneer in “Motivational Engineering.” From a product standpoint, how does MEGA Islands evolve the concept of gamification beyond the traditional badges and leaderboards we see in the industry?

At Soft2Bet, we have always viewed motivational engineering as broader than a mere reward mechanic. Traditional gamification in igaming has often focused on isolated moments such as a badge, a leaderboard position or a short-term reward. Those tools can drive activity, but they rarely create lasting engagement. With MEGA Islands, Soft2Bet wanted to move gamification from a feature into an ongoing system where every session contributes to something bigger.

The difference is that progress carries forward. Players build an island that grows with them, which creates a sense of ownership and gives them a stronger reason to return. Once gamification becomes part of the core experience rather than an overlay, it starts driving stronger habits and a deeper connection with the platform. That is where MEGA Islands starts to feel less like a promotion and more like part of the product itself.

The “persistent progression layer” is a cornerstone of this new engine. What was the core design philosophy behind allowing players to build and grow their own islands across different sessions?

Too often, players complete a task, collect a reward and then start again when the next promotion begins. That can lift short-term activity, but it does not build much attachment. At Soft2Bet, we wanted every session to leave a visible mark, so players feel they are developing something over time.

That continuity creates investment. When players return to an environment that reflects their progress, the experience feels more personal and more rewarding. It also gives MEGA Islands real staying power, because it removes the reset effect that limits many campaign-led mechanics and helps turn progression into a habit rather than a one-off interaction.

You mentioned that MEGA Islands fit naturally across both Casino and Sportsbook. How challenging was it to design a retention loop that appeals to both a slot player and a sports bettor simultaneously?

It was one of the main product challenges because casino and sportsbook users behave very differently. Casino play is continuous and high frequency, while sports betting is shaped by fixtures, timing and anticipation around specific events. That is where the Soft2Bet team had to be careful; a progression system built too closely around one rhythm can feel natural for one audience and forced for the other. That is exactly where motivational engineering has to be carefully designed.

We did not try to force both behaviours into the same pattern. Instead, we designed MEGA Islands as an engagement layer above both verticals, so casino players still get a strong sense of momentum while sports bettors have a reason to stay connected between events. That is also where Motivational Engineering has to work differently, because the value for a sports bettor often sits between events, while the value for a casino player comes from ongoing momentum.

“We designed MEGA Islands as an engagement layer above both verticals, so casino players still get a strong sense of momentum while sports bettors have a reason to stay connected between events.”

Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO at Soft2Bet

MEGA Islands introduces a “plundering” mechanic. This adds a social and competitive layer to the experience. How does adding this “active” path influence long-term player engagement compared to passive reward systems?

Plundering shifts the player from passive recipient to active participant. Passive reward systems can work, but over time, they become predictable because the loop is based on collection rather than action. Once players are given moments where choice, timing and risk matter, the experience becomes more engaging.

That has a direct effect on long-term retention. Plundering adds competitive tension and keeps the progression loop from becoming repetitive. Instead of simply claiming rewards, players are making decisions, which makes the experience feel more alive and sustainable.

As CPO, you are focused on performance. What specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) did you see during the initial Lodur release that convinced you MEGA Islands was ready for a full-scale launch?

At Soft2Bet, we focused on behavioural signals rather than headline metrics. During the initial Lodur launch, the strongest indicators were higher session frequency, longer session duration and repeat engagement with the progression layer. Players were not just trying the feature once. They were coming back to it.

That was the real signal. When players return consistently and keep engaging with progression across sessions, it shows the system is creating a real habit rather than a short spike in interest. That gave us confidence that MEGA Islands was ready for a wider rollout.

Every market is different. How much flexibility does the MEGA Suite give operators to customise reward triggers or difficulty levels within the MEGA Islands engine to suit their specific player base?

Operators are not working with the same audience, market conditions or regulatory requirements, so the system has to adapt to them, not the other way round. Within MEGA Islands, operators can adjust reward triggers, progression speed, difficulty levels and parts of the in-game economy to suit different player behaviours.

That level of control matters because effective gamification is never one-size-fits-all. A casual market may need a different balance from a market with more experienced players, and the same applies across the casino and sportsbook. Giving operators room to fine-tune the experience helps them match the product to their brand, their users and the market they serve. For Soft2Bet, that flexibility is essential because operators need tools they can shape around real player behaviour.

“Operators are not working with the same audience, market conditions or regulatory requirements, so the system has to adapt to them, not the other way round.”

Yoel Zuckerberg, CPO at Soft2Bet

With the launch of MEGA Islands, Soft2Bet is clearly doubling down on gamification. Without giving away too many secrets, how do you see the MEGA ecosystem evolving over the next year to keep up with increasingly competitive markets?

Over the next year, the focus will be on making the MEGA ecosystem more connected and more personal. At Soft2Bet, we already know gamification works best when it is built as a persistent layer rather than a standalone feature. We expect MEGA to become more tightly integrated across the full player journey, with deeper personalisation, smoother progression and a closer link between engagement and long-term value.

Operators also need more than generic retention tools in a competitive market. They need systems they can shape around their brand, audience and commercial goals. That is where MEGA will keep growing, through deeper product integration, greater flexibility and a bigger role in helping operators build stronger, longer-term player relationships.