SOFTSWISS is set to deliver four hours of insights on the future of iGaming at the SiGMA Central Europe Summit on 5 November 2025. The 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon will take place from 12:00 to 16:00 on the People, Partners & Performance Stage, featuring keynotes and panels with global industry leaders. For the first time, the 2026 iGaming Trends Report will be unveiled live — exclusively at this event.
The Marathon will open with a keynote by Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS, followed by a high-level panel featuring Heathcliff Farrugia, COO of SiGMA, and Pierre Lindh, CEO of Next.io. In this session, experts will deliver ‘the ultimate forecast duel’ – analysing what drives results in 2025 and revealing the disruptive moves set to reshape growth in 2026.
Across four hours, the programme will address the industry’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. Here is the full agenda for the Marathon:
Opening
The marathon will begin with a 10-minute keynote, “Structuring the Unknown: Trends That Will Shape iGaming,” delivered by Ivan Montik, Founder of SOFTSWISS. In his presentation, he will discuss how data-driven trend reports influence the market and why industry professionals should pay closer attention to them.
Following the keynote, three experts will join Ivan Montik for the panel “Gaming Trend Wars: 2025 Reality vs. 2026 Game-Changers”. The discussion, moderated by Montik, will feature Heathcliff Farrugia, COO of SiGMA; Pierre Lindh, CEO of Next.io; and Denis Ristic, CEO of Popiplay.
Together, they will deliver an in-depth forecast session examining the forces that shaped the 2025 market and identifying the disruptors set to define the year ahead.
Cybersecurity, Brand Power and the Content Engine – Exploring the Future
The marathon will then shift its focus to the future of cybersecurity. In his keynote, “Cybersecurity in 2026 Is Not Just About Tech – It’s About Your Business,” Artem Bychkov, Deputy CSO at SOFTSWISS, will explore where the field is heading and what the industry must prepare for in 2026.
Next, Valentina Bagniya, CMO at SOFTSWISS, will moderate the panel “Reputation Rules: Winning the 2026 iGaming Market with Brand Power”.
In this panel, Dr Andreas Ditsche, CEO at iGaming.com Group GmbH; Alexandre Tomic, Founder of Alea; Barb Tasci, Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer at RevPanda; and Martin Zarian, Co-Founder of Factory 39, will explore how strong brand perception drives market advantage and long-term value protection.
In the panel “The Content Engine: Engineering Next-Level Game Aggregation Strategies”, Kate Puteiko, CMO at BGaming, Leonid Matison, Head of Customer Success at FlexPlay, and Alena Tsuranova, CCO at Megafair, will join moderator Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of Game Aggregator at SOFTSWISS, to discuss how to create engaging, scalable content for global audiences.
Geographical Focus
The Marathon will expand its perspective with the session “LATAM Unlocked: The Next Billion-Dollar iGaming Frontier,” moderated by Olga Resiga, CBDO at SOFTSWISS. The panel will feature insights from Ricardo Rosada, Co-CEO & Board Member at BandBet; H.E. Lucimara Batista dos Reis, Honorary Consul of Brazil in Malta; Roberto Regianini, Executive Vice President at UX Group; and Matt Sahakian, Gaming Consultant. The discussion will explore Latin America’s rapidly evolving iGaming landscape, driven by cultural trends, innovative payment solutions, and regulatory advances.
Continuing the geographical focus, Miranda Guliashvili, Head of Regional Growth at SOFTSWISS, will moderate the panel “Africa’s Edge: Responsible Gaming as the Ultimate Market Differentiator”. Zsuzsanna Zeibig, General Manager at EGT Kenya, and Jeremiah Maangi, CEO of iGaming AFRIKA, will highlight how responsible gaming practices can align ethics with profit, defining future leaders in Africa’s growing market.
AI Integration and Brain Vs. Heart Battle
The next panel, “AI That Delivers: Integrating Technology into iGaming Workflows & Strategy”, will feature four experts: Dan Morrison, Director of New Business at Fast Track; Luigi Caputo, CEO of Behaveme; Harmen Brenninkmeijer, Executive Chairman at NYCE International; and Roberto Regianini, Executive Vice President at UX Group. The conversation will cover how AI transforms iGaming operations through automation, personalisation, data privacy, and regulatory readiness.
The marathon will conclude with a session moderated by Alexey Chepkov, COO at SOFTSWISS, titled “Brains or Heart? Data vs. Creativity in the Battle for Player Loyalty. The panel will feature Oliver De Bono, CEO of Quantum Gaming, Christopher Bartolo, CTPO at Wildz Group, and Hebert Gaban, CCMO LATAM at KBET. Together, they will focus on the importance of combining data and creativity – a trend expected to shape the year ahead and capture players’ loyalty.
With contributions from SOFTSWISS experts alongside global executives, regulators, and innovators, the 2026 iGaming Trends Marathon promises to spark debate and deliver practical insights for every corner of the ecosystem.
To be among the first to access the full 2026 iGaming Trends Report, interested professionals can join the waitlist and receive the publication as soon as it is released.
