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Interview with SOFTSWISS COO Andrey Starovoitov about iGaming and Crypto

Published

4 years ago

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Reading Time: 7 minutes

 

SOFTSWISS offers comprehensive software solutions to online casinos and bookmaking websites. The company was the first to integrate crypto payments into its Online Casino Platform. SOFTSWISS COO Andrey Starovoitov agreed to answer some of our questions regarding the potential of cryptocurrencies in iGaming.

  • Hi Andrey, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions. SOFTSWISS is the first online gambling software company to start working with cryptocurrencies as early as 2013. What makes SOFTSWISS’ solution more advanced compared to others?

First and foremost, it would have to be our experience and expertise in dealing with cryptocurrencies, as well as understanding the potential opportunities crypto gambling presents for the operator. We made sure to incorporate crypto into all possible aspects of our product solutions. They are designed to manage cryptocurrencies with ease and enable the flexible integration of new coins for operating purposes.

Today SOFTSWISS offers not only a set of individual products but also an entire ecosystem to start crypto gambling operations from scratch. The product line includes important elements such as an Online Casino Platform, Game Aggregator, the Sportsbook Platform, the Jackpot Aggregator, a Jackpot as a Service solution, the Affilka affiliate platform. Another important advantage is the partnership with CoinsPaid, which offers a crypto payment processing gateway and a business crypto wallet.

All products are adapted to work with cryptocurrencies. For example, the Game Aggregator has already had 44 game studios customising their portfolio to use the most popular coins like Bitcoin, Etherium, Litecoin, Tron, Dogecoin, etc. The Online Casino Platform is the backbone of crypto operations and, in conjunction with crypto processing by CoinsPaid, allows operators to launch payments in any altcoins on the market.

Crypto betting, in general, is mainstream. Everyone was stunned by the recent news that world-famous Canadian rapper Drake bet over $1 million in Bitcoin on a Super Bowl LVI match. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is fully adapted for this purpose. Our experience working with the strongest crypto brands on the market allows SOFTSWISS to be at the top of the crypto gambling niche. Understanding trends in cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology undoubtedly allows us to state that our products are currently leading the way in the B2B sector when it comes to crypto gambling solutions.

  • SOFTSWISS offers both White Label Solution and Crypto Casino Solution. What are the advantages of Crypto Solution and who would you advise to consider this option?

The Сrypto Solution is worth considering for all operators, as cryptocurrencies give access to a wider audience and more countries than the standard fiat currencies. The crypto audience is young and marketing to it is an investment into the future, an opportunity to enter something long-term. Crypto is here to stay.

But I would point out that it is the current market leaders, who should consider looking into crypto. We are at a turning point in the gambling industry. The gap between classic casinos and second-wave crypto gambling casinos such as Stake, Roobet, BC.GAME, Duelbits, Rollbit is now too evident. The young audience of the new casinos is very different from the classic online casino. 

We can highlight a strong demand for community building among players through forums, integrated casino chat rooms, increased interest in competitive elements, and a surge in new channels of engagement via streaming on Twitch and TikTok. And these are just a small part of these differences. It will be quite difficult to catch up with these new crypto casinos if market players miss out on the opportunities crypto offers, as new leaders in this niche emerge.

One of the significant benefits of using cryptocurrencies is the Conversion Rate and the Acceptance Rate (the rate that reflects the percentage of successful deposits). These rates are significantly higher when compared to fiat methods, as the average acceptance rate on the SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform is close to 99%. Funds transfer speed is also better in comparison with some fiat methods. 

With Cryptoprocessing by CoinsPaid, we credit crypto to the player’s balance immediately, even if the transfer itself has not reached the CoinsPaid crypto wallet yet. Moreover, we minimise risks with various advanced tools. In addition, it is worth noting that the transaction cost in crypto is significantly cheaper than in fiat currencies.

All of these factors directly impact the player conversion rate and, consequently, the operator’s success.

  • Crypto projects often involve high risks. How do you help your crypto clients develop and avoid risks in the iGaming industry?

As I see it, the potential risks in the case of cryptocurrencies are negligible and barely different from those of a classic casino. Of course, some operators are wary due to their lack of experience in using cryptocurrencies, but SOFTSWISS is the right partner to help reduce the risks to a minimum by providing expertise and innovative product solutions. 

Among possible risks, the only thing that operators may be concerned about is the fear that cryptocurrencies are too volatile and their exchange rates can vary significantly. For example, this could lead to losses in settlements with gaming operators. The functionality of the SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform will allow the game itself to be run on fiat, while the player balance will be fixed in crypto. This makes it possible to perform all settlements with game providers based on fiat currencies and minimise the potential risk of loss on exchange rate differences.

Secondly, this is more of a concern than a risk, I would call the traffic sources. Indeed, crypto traffic is still emerging and is in an active growth stage at the moment. It is different to the, if we can now call it that, ‘classic online casino audience’. There is definitely an opportunity for operators to convert existing fiat traffic into crypto through tech solutions like Utorg, Changelly, or Moonpay, which let you buy cryptocurrencies directly from a casino site. Streaming also works great for a crypto player acquisition, as streaming services often have a younger target audience.

  • What cryptocurrencies does the SOFTSWISS Crypto Casino Solution support? How are the supported cryptocurrencies  selected and can we expect new additions?

The SOFTSWISS Crypto Casino Solution enables operators to work with any coins, primarily due to the platform’s flexibility and the integration with Cryptoprocessing by CoinsPaid.

While CoinsPaid enables casinos to instantly convert payments from players into any of 20 fiat currencies. This way the player’s fiat balance is not subject to volatility and is fixed at the time of deposit.

The SOFTSWISS Online Casino Platform can convert the player’s crypto balance into fiat at the time of betting. Casino players can play any game with their crypto balance, even if it (the game) does not support crypto.

This approach is used by all market leaders in crypto gambling and has a number of undeniable advantages. It provides access to a larger number of gaming studios and producers for players who typically prefer to deposit and play in crypto.

The second advantage is that adding new coins is much faster and does not depend on the game provider. And finally, the risks in the case of crypto value volatility are reduced, as the payment to the game producers is based on fiat currencies.

The fast process of adding new coins is important. Already we are seeing a gaming community forming around specific coins, such as Tron, and the emergence of new high-growth cryptocurrencies, such as Shiba Inu, requires an immediate response from operators to market demands.

  • If we look at the Game Aggregator’s 2021 statistics, we can see that the share of crypto from all currencies has doubled: from 20% to about 40%. How do you explain this growth in popularity of crypto among players? Are there any advantages to using cryptocurrencies compared to regular money?

It is safe to say that we have seen the second wave of crypto gambling and the re-emergence of the concept of crypto gambling itself in 2021. The rapid rise in the value of Bitcoin led to the growth of crypto adopters globallyand, consequently, the crypto casino audience. But the key factor was the entry of so-called crypto dice operators like Stake, Roobet, BC.GAME, Duelbits, Rollbit into the iGaming market as we know it. Crypto dice operators had already established a community of crypto adepts. They primarily presented in-house developed games (for example, Stake Originals) based on provably fair technology that allows them to verify the fairness of winnings. The confluence of these circumstances has influenced a resurgence of interest in crypto gambling. 

On the player’s side, the use of cryptocurrencies offers a number of advantages, mainly speed and ease of use in the case of payouts. Anonymity is also a significant factor for a part of the audience.

  • Is there room for novelty in the iGaming industry? Can blockchain technology further revolutionise it or are the opportunities offered by cryptocurrencies mostly exhausted already?

In my view, blockchain technology will significantly impact the industry in the near future. There are clear indicators of it and it will be the audience’s demand for innovations that will improve the player experience, and it’s not just the use of cryptocurrencies in gambling. We are only just arriving at the formation of the crypto-gambling niche. Things like blockchain-based decentralised casino, NFT, and provably fair technology will be integrated into the market in the foreseeable future. By the way, SOFTSWISS is already considering the introduction of NFT technology in gambling.

  • Although cryptocurrencies are increasingly more popular and becoming mainstream, some people are still sceptical about their reliability. Do you see a long-lasting future for cryptocurrencies? Is crypto gambling just another passing trend, or is it here to stay?

I understand people’s scepticism about crypto. It is hard enough to understand how, in the modern world, something can have a huge value with essentially no connection to anything physical. Cryptocurrencies are a soap bubble to such people, but that’s not entirely true. We are seeing major changes in the global economy, where the value of an asset is influenced by the general public’s hype, interest, and trust. Bitcoin is certainly here to stay, and though the technology has aged, it has inherent value and has established trust among its community of users.

Obviously, cryptocurrencies are with us forever, and I don’t see any factors affecting the decline in interest. Naturally, some fluctuations in the value of Bitcoin, as the most popular and, I would say, the most basic cryptocurrency, could affect the interest of some as an investment tool. However, as the experience of previous fluctuations shows, the subsequent growth attracts more new adopters. Overall, we are witnessing iterative growth in both value and audience volume. 

The price and value of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies is driven by the demand for ease, speed and cost of a transaction.These factors provide the underlying value of cryptocurrencies in the world to its audience. It is hard to imagine whether it would be possible to transfer a large amount of fiat currency between different continents at the same speed and cost per transaction that cryptocurrencies provide. For this reason, despite the speculative peaks in Bitcoin’s value, we will see a steady trend of new audience growth in the future.

SOFTSWISS offers easy solutions to iGaming operators. The company’s products include several other services beyond its leading crypto integration solution, such as its Game Aggregator, bringing together more than 150 casino game vendors, or the Jackpot Aggregator, allowing iGaming brands to launch custom jackpot campaigns and promotions to enhance customer experience.

Find out more about SOFTSWISS!

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The White Label Dilemma: Finding the Right Balance for Your iGaming Business

Published

1 day ago

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August 27, 2025

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It’s not just black and white label

Yoni Sidi, CEO at Wiztech, says white labels are all about striking the balance between pros and cons, but for some, it’s impossible to achieve and that’s why it’s important to consider other options.

 

For most operators, a white label solution seems to offer the best route to market. But is that actually the case?

I’ve been working in the industry for more than two decades now, and over that time, I’ve worked on both sides of the fence – so on the white label operator side and on the white label provider side. This gives me a deep understanding of the pros and cons of white label solutions, and this understanding ultimately led me to launch Wiztech. To answer your question more directly, white labels are always about striking the balance between the pros and cons they present – for some operators, a balance can be found, but for others, it can’t. Ultimately, it comes down to knowing what you want from your platform or technology stack, and whether a white label can meet those requirements with the budget and resources you have available to you.

 

So, what are the pros and cons of a white label platform?

There are plenty of upsides to white labels, and that’s why they’re used by so many operators. The main advantages are speed to market and cost effectiveness – you can literally go from first discussions to your online casino being live in a matter of weeks. The upfront fees are relatively small, and, in most cases, you pay a revenue share back to the platform provider. This can tighten margins a little, but it means you don’t have to have a large capital reserve to get going. Another benefit is that you can take on as much or as little of the operation as you like – for some, they will let the platform provider take care of the operational aspect while they focus solely on marketing and customer acquisition. Other upsides include licensing, with the white label partner securing and being responsible for the licences they hold.

Drawbacks. The biggest for me is the lack of differentiation you get with a white label. The many brands that run on the platform often look very much the same, just with different logos and branding. After a few months of operating your online casino, you’ll likely notice friction points that you’ll want to address, but the rigid nature of white-label platforms means it’s incredibly difficult to smooth out even the smallest of bumps in the road. It’s also incredibly difficult to roll out unique features and functionality as the development team is usually working through a backlog of requests – most of which are for the friction bumps that need ironing out. Factor in the frequent regulatory changes that happen, and the need for the development team to respond to them, and it’s easy to see how hard it can be to improve the experience being offered to players.

 

How can operators strike a balance between the pros and cons of white labels?

It comes down to understanding the capabilities of the platform provider and whether they offer customisation and localisation. If they don’t, the operator needs to determine if this is a price they’re willing to pay in exchange for the speed to market and cost effectiveness that white labels provide. Of course, some white label providers do offer support and are happy to help when it comes to developing and deploying bespoke features and functionality. But in my experience, most don’t have the capacity for this, even if they say they do. For me, the balance is found by accepting the limitations of white labels and working within the (often pretty rigid framework) they provide. There are plenty of examples of operators that have done this and have gone on to run very successful brands in highly competitive markets.

 

Is there an alternative to white labels?

The most obvious alternative is to develop a proprietary technology stack, but this approach comes with just as many, if not more, pitfalls. Building a platform from the ground up is incredibly expensive and tremendously risky, and this is why so few operators outside of the industry power players have been able to pull it off. And even those that do often encounter issues such as ongoing maintenance, tech debt, staffing and compliance. But there is a middle ground between white label and proprietary, and it can be found with smaller platform providers whose technologies offer the agility, flexibility and adaptability required for operators to launch highly customised, almost bespoke, online casinos and sportsbooks.

 

How does Wiztech fit into the platform mix, and how do you support your partners in achieving their goals in often highly competitive markets?

At Wiztech, we champion modular tech and the likes of AI and automation. By embracing these, we have been able to build powerful yet highly customisable casino and sportsbook solutions that are also fully compliant in tightly regulated markets. In our experience, being able to quickly respond to regulatory changes provides a competitive advantage to our customers. In Mexico, for example, our client Winpot has been able to deliver a unique player experience while always ensuring compliance. And this is against a backdrop where regulatory changes often come with very little notice. Our technology can adapt quickly while Winpot continues to capitalise on the growing demand for entertaining online casino products and experiences.

But just as important as our technology is our approach to our partners. This sees us undertake a comprehensive onboarding process where we spend a lot of time understanding the client’s “why” before we map out the “what” and the “how”. This has proved to be incredibly effective and ensures that our clients can get the most out of the flexibility of our platform and the high levels of customisation and personalisation it provides.

The post The White Label Dilemma: Finding the Right Balance for Your iGaming Business appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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The UX Revolution: Why Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Reflects the Industry’s Digital Shift

Published

3 days ago

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August 26, 2025

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

How Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Mirrors the Industry’s Shift Toward Seamless Digital Journey

The online gaming industry is a whirlwind of constant change, and to stay ahead, companies must evolve their digital presence. Juha Kauppinen, CEO of Gaming Corps, explains why the company’s recent website redesign was more than a simple visual update. It was a strategic move to better reflect the company’s growth, showcase its expanded portfolio, and create a seamless digital experience for partners and stakeholders.

 

 

What prompted the decision to redesign the website?

We had clearly come to a natural point in Gaming Corps’ growth, so the need for a redesign just naturally became obvious.

We’ve had many new game releases, record-breaking quarters, and the launch of our Remote Gaming Server, so it became clear to the team that we needed a website which better reflected who we are today.

It wasn’t just about a fresh look, it was about making it easier for partners to explore what we offer and connect with us in a more intuitive, seamless way.

 

How does the new site better reflect who you are as a business today compared to a year or two ago?

A year or two ago, we were still finding our footing and growing our portfolio.

But today, we’re a more established, ambitious company with a clear identity and vision. The new site reflects that shift – it’s more polished, more dynamic, and built to showcase not just our games, but our capabilities as a partner and platform provider.

 

What were the most important improvements you wanted to make during the redesign — and why were they important for your users or partners?

We wanted to ensure the website reflected how we present ourselves as a modern, innovative studio.

So, we now have a more modern, user-friendly design and a UX that’s more intuitive. What this means is that the site is easier to use, whether you’re a client, partner or stakeholder.

Speaking of partners, it’s now easier for them to understand what we do and explore our games.

We’re very proud of the Gaming Corps portfolio, so now we can showcase it much better, with clearer vertical distinctions between our Mine, Smash4Cash and Plinko games, etc.

When it comes to us as a company, we can now highlight our careers section to support our drive for talent acquisition and to keep growing our fantastic team.

Finally, the new site also gives more prominence to our investor relations, reflecting our position as a listed company and offering clarity on that.

 

Were there any common pain points, feedback, or gaps in the old site that influenced your approach to the new one?

The main product offering wasn’t clear to partners or visitors. The site design felt outdated and more suited to an early-stage company, and those days are long behind us now.

Our investor relations content wasn’t visible or prioritised enough, considering that we’re a PLC, and existing partners weren’t highlighted.

The old site just didn’t reflect who we are, what we do and what we can do. The new one does all of those things.

 

How important is your website today in terms of attracting or informing potential partners, clients, or stakeholders? Has that role changed in recent years?

Our website has become a much more important touchpoint for us, especially as we’ve grown internationally and have expanded what we offer to our B2B clients.

Our site is often the first chance we get to make an impression on potential partners or stakeholders, so it needs to communicate who we are, what we offer, and where we’re going.

The role of our website has evolved – it’s no longer just a digital brochure; it’s a core part of how we connect and do business.

 

What would you say to other companies in the B2B iGaming space thinking about refreshing their digital presence?

Don’t underestimate the impact of a strong digital presence, because it’s more than just visuals.

It’s about clarity, usability, and showing your value at a glance.

Also, involve your people from across the company early on, as this helps create something that truly reflects your brand and speaks to your audience.

The post The UX Revolution: Why Gaming Corps’ Website Redesign Reflects the Industry’s Digital Shift appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Scale isn’t everything: Why agility is the new advantage in live casino

Published

4 days ago

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August 25, 2025

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Live casino’s rise has been meteoric, but the recent slowdown at the top end of the market suggests the next phase of growth won’t come from scale alone. As the sector matures, Ady Totah, CEO at LuckyStreak, explains why agility, hands-on management and a sharper product focus are fast becoming the new competitive edge.

 

There is a perception that the biggest live casino providers are the most capable. Is bigger always better?

It’s easy to assume that the biggest brands automatically deliver the best service, but with scale comes complexity. For larger organisations, adding new features or reacting to a regulatory update can take weeks or even months, especially when decisions span multiple time zones or teams have long approval chains.

At LuckyStreak, while we’re an established business with a large, dedicated workforce at our live dealer studio in Riga, our management team remains intentionally small and hands-on. In many ways, we operate more like a start-up, with fast, focused leadership at the core.

Myself and my co-founder Erez Cywier are closely involved in the day-to-day operations. This proximity shortens decision making processes, speeds up product assessments and empowers us to act quickly. We’re not tied down by long-winded protocols or bureaucracy.

A perfect example of this agility came when we saw an opportunity in the growing sweepstakes market. We already had the foundations but needed to adapt quickly. In just one quarter, we delivered compliant user interfaces, multi-coin virtual currency systems and configured both our own live games and third-party content to meet the unique needs of the sweepstakes audience. This is the kind of rapid pivot that is only possible when your decision-makers are hands-on.

 

How do boutique providers keep product planning sharp and strategic?

Knowing what matters and prioritising ruthlessly is what allows smaller providers to remain competitive in the market, when faced with more established, Tier 1 names. Speed, however, does not mean shortcuts.

We are sharpening our performance across the board and ensuring our roadmap gives us the flexibility to act when new opportunities arise. Effective product planning is all about focus. That means tuning out the industry noise, resisting trends for the sake of trends, and asking: what delivers real impact for our partners?

While some companies struggle under the weight of large and inflexible roadmaps, we have the luxury of being selective in what we build, and that makes our product roadmap  more actionable, more tailored and therefore more valuable to our partners.

 

How can providers keep up with rising regulatory pressures?

Operating across multiple jurisdictions means navigating a complicated patchwork of compliance frameworks, licensing rules and technical standards quickly.

Compliance is not a support function, but a core part of the business. For larger businesses, these regulatory changes may present disruptions, but our size and structure allow us to react quickly and stay ahead of the curve, without compromising on quality.

To maintain both speed and quality, we moved from traditional Agile sprints to a continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) model. Instead of bundling releases every two weeks, we push updates multiple times a week. This means we can react quickly to feedback, ship improvements faster, and keep our platform evolving without unnecessary delays.

 

Why is a more focused approach the future of live casino?

The criteria for what operators need from their live casino provider is changing. Reliability, flexibility, speed and compliance support are becoming just as, if not more, important than table count. We design everything with these qualities in mind, and we back that up with a strong culture of ownership and continuous delivery. This mindset allows us to innovate quickly, without sacrificing the robustness our partners expect.

In this new landscape, being lean, focused and responsive isn’t a limitation. In live casino, a genre requiring significant on-going operational investment, the providers that thrive are not always the biggest, but the smartest and the ones who can adapt fastest.

The post Scale isn’t everything: Why agility is the new advantage in live casino appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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