As iGaming tech companies reach parity in product and performance, brand is becoming the critical differentiator. At the NEXT Summit 2025 in Valletta, industry leaders gathered to explore how branding is evolving from surface-level design to a core business function. Among them was Valentina Bagniya, Chief Marketing Officer at SOFTSWISS, who shared how aligning brand with long-term business strategy is now non-negotiable. 

Valentina Bagniya emphasised that a brand cannot be treated as a surface-level asset or a late-stage add-on. Instead, it must be deeply rooted in a company’s core purpose and vision — informing not just marketing but product decisions, leadership choices, and cultural tone.

“When we are talking about brand development and brand strategy, we should always start from the foundation – business goals, business needs, and the long-term plans of a company,” Bagniya explained.

SOFTSWISS’s approach — and its recent industry recognition — offered a timely case study. The company’s ‘Grab Success’ campaign, inspired by the Maltese crab as a symbol of perseverance and precision, was awarded Best Marketing Campaign at the European iGaming Awards 2025. It has also won praise at the 2023 and 2024 EGR Marketing & Innovation Awards, highlighting a consistent strategy rooted in storytelling and market insight.

“These campaigns reflect our belief in purposeful storytelling, built on insight and a deep understanding of what our partners value,” she added.

Bagniya stressed that B2B brands must now evolve beyond rational messaging. “In maturing markets, brand is what sets you apart,” she said. She also called for the industry to integrate responsible gambling into brand identity, not just compliance, to build lasting trust.

The panel discussion addressed how branding in B2B iGaming is entering a new chapter. Drawing on her background in regulated industries such as tobacco and alcohol, Bagniya outlined a three-stage model of brand maturity.

In the first stage — Product Over Brand — companies focus on speed and profit. Now, iGaming is entering the second phase: “Product is no longer the differentiator — platforms are similar, bonuses don’t give added value, and user expectations are high. This is a period to build Brand as Emotion & Differentiator.”

Some brands, she said, are moving into the third phase — Brand as Trust — where branding anchors long-term reputation: “Reputation, regulation, and purpose start to shape how companies are evaluated. This is where brand becomes a strategic tool — not a decoration.”

She concluded with a call to action: “If you think brand doesn’t matter in B2B or regulated industries – just wait. The question is not if your brand matters, but when you realise it”

From its headquarters in Malta, SOFTSWISS is positioning itself not just as a tech innovator, but as a brand builder — a sign that the future of iGaming will be written by companies that treat branding not as an afterthought, but as strategy.

For more information about SOFTSWISS and its award-winning campaigns, visit www.softswiss.com.