Soft2Bet Relaunches Player Experience Academy at SBC Summit 2026

Soft2Bet will relaunch its Player Experience Academy on 29 September at SBC Summit 2026, offering a targeted half-day session for senior leaders in iGaming. Framed as part of the Education+ programme at Lisbon’s MEO Arena, this initiative promises a practical toolkit for balancing player engagement, retention, and compliance—three priorities operators face as markets mature and regulatory pressures tighten.

Player Experience Academy: Focus, Format, and Audience

The Player Experience Academy, now entering its second year, runs as an Education+ event at the SBC Summit. Soft2Bet has positioned the academy as a hands-on, applied programme, specifically for executives responsible for player strategy. The agenda covers:

• Behavioural design principles for digital interaction
• Insights into player psychology and motivation
• Personalisation in product journeys
• Retention frameworks that target sustainable growth

Presentations, panels, live demonstrations, and workshops are included, reflecting a shift from theoretical debate to actionable methodologies.

Bridging Engagement and Compliance in iGaming

Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, commented that effective engagement mechanics often come from outside traditional iGaming, referencing video games, retail, and broader entertainment.

“Some of the most effective engagement mechanics in iGaming came from outside the industry. Video games, retail and entertainment have shown how missions, progression systems, battle passes and personalised rewards build stronger and more lasting customer relationships. This Academy will explore how operators can adapt those ideas while recognising the industry's regulatory responsibilities.”

The session will address how gamification can support retention and monetisation without undermining player protection obligations—a topic closely watched by regulators and compliance teams alike.

Practical Execution Over Theory

Soft2Bet’s General Counsel, David Yatom Hay, stated that this year’s Academy is meant to go beyond conceptual discussion.

“The second edition of the Player Experience Academy is designed to move beyond theory and focus on execution. It will provide the frameworks, insights and strategies needed to create stronger player engagement, improve retention and generate measurable commercial results.”

This focus suggests a shift towards giving delegates concrete methodologies rather than high-level dialogue, with tools operators can adapt to in-market scenarios.

Agenda: Behavioural Design, Psychology, Retention

Soft2Bet previewed the agenda as covering multiple facets of modern player management:

• Behavioural Design: Techniques to build healthy habits for player interaction
• Player Psychology: How different motivations drive ongoing engagement
• Personalisation: Leveraging data to deliver custom experiences
• Retention Frameworks: Models for sustainable player value and regulatory alignment

The format includes expert talks, panels with practitioners, live demos of specific techniques, and interactive workshops. Details on specific speakers and the session timetable are pending announcement.

Attendance, Registration and Next Steps

The Player Experience Academy takes place at Sala Tejo within the MEO Arena on 29 September, as part of the SBC Summit 2026. The sessions target senior decision-makers across product, compliance, and marketing functions within the iGaming sector. Soft2Bet said that registration and full agenda details will follow in a later communication.

For industry professionals interested in the themes of player management, engagement, and regulatory best practice, the Academy extends Education+’s offer of targeted, practical learning at the year’s largest industry event in Lisbon.