2025 was a busy year for sportsbook supplier BETBY. It achieved several company operational milestones, welcomed a whole raft of new staff, launched new products and secured new licences.
But in iGaming, as we all know, standing still is falling behind. In a rapidly evolving and intensely saturated market, operators and suppliers must keep developing to remain relevant.
And as we reach the new year, it is always a nice time to take stock and work out what will drive customer demand in the coming 12 months.
To do just that, SBC News sat down with BETBY’s CEO Leonid Pertsovskiy, who explained why the company accomplished five years worth of work in 2025, how operators can bask in World Cup glory this summer and why a trio of chess legends choose to work with the sportsbook software provider.
SBC: Looking back, what were the moments that really defined 2025 for you?
Leonid Pertsovskiy: 2025 was probably the most dynamic year in BETBY’s history. We were extremely active across all fronts in order to sustain the growth momentum we’ve built over the past few years (around +200-300% annually, depending on the metric).
We completely redefined our approach to trading and risk management; we became the only supplier able to offer the crypto betting market a solution that genuinely satisfies both operators and players; we reimagined our internal company structure; opened two new offices; built full-scale teams in Latin America and Asia; attended a couple of dozen industry conferences worldwide; received more than a dozen awards; nearly doubled our headcount; secured two new local licences; launched a brand-new chess product; doubled the Betby.Games offering; released what we believe is the best Bet Builder and promo mechanics suite on the market; significantly raised the level of customer support; successfully repelled dozens of DDoS attacks; developed several truly groundbreaking product innovations that I can’t disclose yet; and delivered what many consider the most elegant and intelligent marketing campaign in iGaming.
In short, in one year we covered a journey that would normally take five – and one we can genuinely be proud of.
SBC: How do you see regulatory shifts impacting suppliers in 2026? Will BETBY focus more on emerging markets?
LP: We currently follow a reactive model when it comes to regulation. If any of our existing partners need support with local regulatory requirements in order to enter a new market, we are fully aligned and ready to assist. What we don’t do at this stage is enter a new market first and then look for clients afterwards, simply because we cannot compromise the level of service we provide to our current partners.
For that reason, we don’t feel the regulatory pressure as acutely as some others in the market. We have always followed strict compliance standards and continue to do so responsibly. For us, regulation is a continuous, well-respected process and we consistently allocate the necessary resources to meet all regulatory requirements.
SBC: With the World Cup standing as a once-in-a-cycle peak for player engagement, turnover, and acquisition across the betting industry, what are the essential foundations operators need to maximise its potential, and how does BETBY enable them to succeed?
LP: Like any sporting event of this magnitude, the World Cup requires special attention and that’s the first thing operators need to fully understand and reflect in their marketing strategies both ahead of and during the tournament.
All acquisition and retention activities must be planned very carefully. Our partners know that BETBY provides them with maximum support in this area, including schedules, communication plans and promotional campaign recommendations. I would also advise operators to prepare for significantly increased load on their IT infrastructure.
That said, we shield our clients from most of these concerns by ensuring platform stability and automatic scaling of all critical services. The key requirement is that the operator’s platform is capable of handling a data flow that can increase up to tenfold during major World Cup matches.
SBC: What operational advantages does BETBY gain from in-house trading, and how does this benefit operators?
LP: In-house trading allows us to fully implement a hybrid trading model. We take the best the feed and data provider market has to offer, while avoiding areas where market coverage is either subpar or unjustifiably expensive.
As a result, our partners receive consistent quality at a predictable cost, are not exposed to third-party downtime, and can offer sports content that is properly localised by geography.
In simple terms, operators get a superior sportsbook both in terms of coverage and risk management. This is crucial, because only in-house trading allows for full synchronisation between trading operations and risk management.
SBC: Do you see esports becoming a true alternative revenue stream to real sports?
LP: I think it’s time to stop thinking of esports as something separate. It is an integral part of any complete sportsbook solution. We don’t view football separately from basketball, we need both. Esports should be treated the same way: as a mandatory product component.
That said, esports has historically been one of our strongest areas, without question. And once again, in-house trading is what allows us to maintain our leadership position. We don’t simply consume what the market offers — in esports, we are market makers ourselves.
SBC: How should sportsbook technology evolve to meet Gen Z expectations, and where does AI play a practical role?
LP: As you know, we were the first B2B sportsbook to establish a dedicated internal AI Labs division. We did this long before AI became mainstream, fully understanding the potential it holds. Beyond delivering market-leading betting tips and automated risk management, our AI Labs team is deeply focused on personalisation. For us, this is no longer something extraordinary — it’s standard functionality.
Every single user receives content that is most relevant, clear and convenient specifically for them. We see recommendation accuracy exceeding 98%. For operators and players alike, this is a completely seamless experience that requires no additional effort. Users simply feel comfortable and enjoy interacting with the product. Spotify’s ability to recommend the next perfect track doesn’t surprise anyone anymore — and our users have come to expect the same level of adaptive, personalised experience from their sportsbook.
SBC: Which content trends will last, and how important is regionalised content in LatAm?
LP: This directly ties back to the previous answer. Personalised content is essential for all users — not just in Latin America. This is simply the new normal. Entering local markets without properly adapted content is, frankly, reckless. I wouldn’t recommend anyone doing that.
SBC: Which parts of the sportsbook UX remain outdated, and what will be the biggest challenge in 2026?
LP: There is a clear gap in the fact that sportsbook users still can’t experience the speed and volatility typically associated with casino products. In some cases, you can create fast bets with very high odds, but they remain fixed-odds products. We are planning to release something entirely new in the first half of 2026 to address this challenge. It will help rebalance the growing shift toward casino and restore betting’s appeal for a new generation of users. I’m confident you’re going to like it.
SBC: What does bringing Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Levy Rozman together at ICE Barcelona represent for BETBY in 2026?
LP: Leaders Choose Leaders — that’s the message behind one of the most successful marketing campaigns of 2025. By bringing Magnus, Hikaru and Levy to ICE, we aim to prove that our industry is in no way inferior to other sectors built around technology, innovation and sport.
Quite the opposite — iGaming should become an attractive industry for young talent and investment, where people are proud to work and eager to build truly innovative products.