Looking back on 2025, how was Soft2Bet’s experience of the first-ever ICE Barcelona?   

ICE Barcelona set the tone for the year and, thanks to new formats and educational initiatives, provided valuable opportunities for the exchange of ideas that many companies went on to implement throughout 2025. Combining education and networking gives the industry the opportunity to share best practices, learn from one another and keep raising standards – creating the right environment for open discussion and practical takeaways. 

What has been the biggest challenge in your preparations for ICE 2026? 

Both the industry and players are demanding new standards of engagement, as well as fresh approaches to retaining high-value players. Standard incentives no longer inspire sustained activity. Engagement now depends on meaningful progression, personalisation, and storytelling. This is precisely what we are working on delivering at this year’s ICE, largely through Soft2Bet’s MEGA; which not only offers innovative gamification elements, but also helps identify, engage and elevate players into high-value segments. 

ICE 2026 has confirmed the theme of the show will be ‘Growing the Power of Play.’ What does this phrase represent to Soft2Bet, and how do you hope to be a part of this ideology in 2026?  

For Soft2Bet, the power of play lies in the experience. It is about focusing on meaningful entertainment that turns the traditional iGaming experience into an effortless, engaging player journey. Put more simply, we are moving from a transactional approach to a relational one.  

In 2026, we aim to grow that power by building experiences that are not only more tailored and localised, but also more personalised and more impactful for players and partners alike. 

Soft2Bet won multiple Global Gaming Awards at ICE Barcelona 2025, including some senior leadership recognition. How do you reflect on these achievements one year on?   

These awards belong to the people behind Soft2Bet; talented, aligned and delivery-focused professionals who turn strategy into products, products into strong brands and brands into market success. 

What makes me most proud is how our teams inspire collaboration with partners and industry leaders. We know how to build brands that resonate with players, and this recognition reinforces our disciplined focus on our own benchmarks and long-term strategy. 

If you were running ICE Barcelona 2026, what key topics would you want to see covered, respectively, in discussions of European regulation, iGaming, and sports betting?  

ICE has set strong standards in recent years by tracking industry trends and turning them into formats that move the conversation forward. There is a serious focus on high-quality networking, and the same level of emphasis on the content their users, readers and wider audience receive. This is one of the strongest sides of ICE Barcelona, and Soft2Bet would be happy to support educational projects, initiatives, roundtables and discussions focused on:  

· European regulation and safer play: I’d want sessions that are aligned across markets and genuinely practical, with clear guidance on responsible marketing, affordability and risk checks, product and UX expectations, and what day-to-day compliance looks like in reality. 

·  iGaming and sports betting: I’d put a spotlight on localisation and player-centred design, showing how brands can build experiences that feel native in each market. 

· Hands-on education: I’d add more live workshops and demos, so partners can see casino and sportsbook gamification in action, understand the thinking behind it and leave with ideas they can use straight away.