In a recent interview, Ivan Montik, the founder of SOFTSWISS, discussed the significant evolution of his company, which has transformed from a startup into a mature, global enterprise. Montik noted that SOFTSWISS now boasts a comprehensive product ecosystem and strong leadership that enables it to operate successfully on an international scale.
Montik reflected on the early days of starting SOFTSWISS, characterizing it as a time filled with uncertainty. "You have a vision, make plans, and know where you want to go, but you can’t really predict what comes next,” he said. Today, he emphasizes, the company stands as a stable B2B entity with a solid foundation, a global presence, and extensive experience from years of expansion.
One aspect Montik takes great pride in is the retention of flexibility, which he believes was crucial to SOFTSWISS's initial growth. He expressed that the ability to continually seek new management strategies and adapt to market shifts distinguishes the company from others. This balance of growth alongside a startup's nimbleness remains one of SOFTSWISS's greatest strengths.
Turning to industry insights, Montik identified a waning assumption about the online gaming sector. For years, it has been perceived as a young, modern field primarily attracting a younger, tech-savvy audience, while still compared against traditional offline gambling. However, he pointed out, the reality is shifting. iGaming is now a significant industry, regulated in numerous jurisdictions and growing consistently year over year. He believes that the narrative surrounding online gaming as merely a challenger to offline gambling is outdated, as it is increasingly recognized as a mature sector, contributing substantially to the global economy.
Montik highlighted ongoing innovations in the sector, such as the emergence of prediction markets, which just a few years ago were not part of mainstream discussions. These developments are drawing new audiences into the iGaming space and expanding the industry’s reach.
Looking ahead, Montik predicts that successful companies in iGaming in five years will possess the trait of flexibility. He noted that large organizations often struggle to adapt quickly to changing markets, using the automotive industry as an example. He advised that maintaining agility while growing in size is critical for sustainable success.
He illustrated this point with SOFTSWISS's recent introduction of a prediction markets solution, which was swiftly developed and launched within just two months. Such rapid execution exemplifies the flexibility essential for future leadership in the industry.
Montik believes that as companies scale, they must also ensure that they remain reliable. He anticipates the need for balancing flexibility with compliance and trust as regulations become more sophisticated in the matured market.
Discussing SOFTSWISS's future, Montik stressed that growth should begin with tangible business metrics, particularly revenue and profit. He expressed the importance of surpassing market growth by introducing new products, entering untapped markets, and creating previously unavailable opportunities. He aims for SOFTSWISS to achieve an ambitious target of at least 20% annual profit growth, ideally around 30%, differentiating between mere participation in the market and proactive market shaping.
Montik also highlighted that SOFTSWISS’s growth is intertwined with its clients' success. By developing a comprehensive ecosystem of technology and services, SOFTSWISS supports operators aiming to thrive in regulated markets, resulting in mutual growth.
In closing, Montik emphasized the importance of their technology and infrastructure while wishing for people to recognize the dedicated team behind SOFTSWISS. He articulated a commitment to high professional standards: "do things in a way that you’ll be proud of later” — an ethos he believes applies across their products, services, and client partnerships. He hopes that anyone examining SOFTSWISS will see a professional, passionate company that takes pride in its work.
