Soft2Bet: The battle for screen time

Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there. You reach for your phone first thing in the morning, mindlessly scrolling through feeds until it’s time to start the day. And then, after work, that familiar urge returns as you unwind. And what do you do to relax? More scrolling. I’m no exception. It’s a habit I struggle with, too. In today’s digital world, we are constantly bombarded with distractions that compete for our attention, and capturing attention has become a critical skill for businesses and individuals alike. Casino and igaming operators are included in this brutal brawl for our attention. But we might be swinging at the wrong opponent: each other. 

Social media giants like TikTok, Meta and YouTube are dominating this online arena, constantly presenting us with trending videos, personalised feeds and social updates. Meanwhile, many in our industry stay busy fighting among ourselves, unaware that we’re missing out on a massive opportunity to better engage with our audience

Entertainment powerhouses

Those social media giants are like heavyweight champions, boasting billions of users and consuming a significant portion of our daily lives. The numbers paint a clear picture in the ever-growing battle for our attention. Here’s a breakdown of their dominance:

TikTok: the trending social media video network with a staggering 1.8 billion active users glued to its platform for an average of 68 minutes a day.

YouTube: the old-school video king; reigning supreme with 2.5 billion active users spending an average of 48 minutes in the space every day.

Meta: encompassing Facebook, Instagram and more, the social media original holds a whopping three billion active users, who dedicate an average of 57 minutes of their day on the platforms combined.

Altogether, on average, that’s two and a half hours users spend on these platforms, every single day. 

With all this considered, the question is: how can gaming operators not only stop fighting themselves but also how can they possibly compete? There is an answer and it lies in motivational engineering. 

The ace up our sleeve

The maxim “quality brings attention” holds immense significance and cannot be ignored. While several casual games successfully engage players with exceptional gameplay, stunning visuals and innovative mechanics, the online casino industry often fails to offer the same level of quality and attention to detail. This is a significant disparity that sets the gaming industry apart, and it cannot be overlooked.

Soft2Bet’s Motivational Engineering Gaming Application (MEGA) platform is a proprietary gamification engine designed to enhance player engagement in the casino and sportsbook sectors and therefore revenue for partners. This approach is Soft2Bet’s secret weapon – the knockout punch in the fight for user engagement and revenue.

But let’s back up and talk about attention some more. Motivational engineering is about tapping into the fundamental human drive for progress, achievement and pure fun. It’s the art and science of shaping user behaviour, gently grabbing attention before steering them toward goals that benefit both the user and the platform. According to our internal data, users who engaged with motivational engineering features were nearly 50% more likely to re-engage.

Keeping users engaged can be a real struggle for some. But with MEGA, it is easy. The secret? Gamification. We create an environment where users feel like they’re constantly winning: racking up achievements, levelling up and maybe even making some new online buddies along the way (because who doesn’t love a little community?).

The key? Freshness. We don’t bore users with the same old stuff. We’re constantly throwing new challenges, quests and rewards their way.

It’s like a never-ending treasure hunt, keeping players motivated to want to find what they might discover next. Plus, the anticipation of what that might be keeps them glued to the platform, afraid they’ll miss out on the next big win.

From red to blue

Soft2Bet personalises the game to each user. Think collecting items and trading cards that are unique and actually cool. These features make users feel they own a piece of the action and nudges them from being passive players to invested champions.

We also inject some fun into the traditionally boring onboarding process. It’s more than points and leaderboards. Our challenges are engaging, our bonus games are exciting, both keeping players motivated and coming back for more. 

Soft2Bet creates a positive reinforcement loop by recognising user actions with instant feedback and rewards. This keeps users motivated as they learn the ropes, ultimately leading to a smoother and more enjoyable experience for everyone. Gamification isn’t only about entertainment, it’s about creating a clear path to understanding the entire platform and maximizing its potential.

Our industry, locked in a red ocean of competition, struggle to differentiate in this crowded space. Gamification with motivational engineering offers a kind of blue ocean strategy to compete in new markets against the real competition. This approach isn’t about mimicking social media tactics; no, it’s about creating an entirely new experience, one that goes beyond passive scrolling and taps into the core human desire for progress and achievement.

Imagine – instead of feeling constantly bombarded with demands for your attention, you genuinely enjoy the experience and feel a sense of accomplishment.Motivational engineering gamification unlocks this potential, creating a win-win scenario for both users and businesses. With it we can steal back valuable attention and transform screen time into a space for genuine fun and progress.

About Uri Poliavich

Uri Poliavich is the founder and CEO of Soft2Bet. With over 14 years of complex industry experience in various management and C-level positions, his leadership has driven growth and success, making Soft2Bet one of the top B2B providers in the igaming industry. Poliavich is a performance and growth-oriented leader skilled in identifying profitable business opportunities, securing stable business deals and leading business development associates.