SOFTSWISS, a global strategic partner for the iGaming industry, today presents the 2027 iGaming Trends report – a benchmark for the industry. Co-authored with WorldGaming (ex Clarion), the new edition features a cross-sector comparison as well as an entirely new chapter drawing on expertise from beyond the sector itself, including from Amazon Web Services.
The 2027 iGaming Trends report by SOFTSWISS is available to download for free. Based on a survey of over 500 experts and analysis of more than 480 000 media headlines, it is the biggest research tracking industry trends, shifts, and narratives.
South Africa features in the report’s regional outlook as one of Africa’s markets to watch closely. Citing H2 Gambling Capital data, the report values South Africa’s online gambling market at US$3,89 billion (roughly R63 billion) in 2026, with 84% of gross gambling revenue generated onshore. The finding lands shortly after SOFTSWISS published preliminary findings from its own local survey of 1 000 South African adults on player protection. This consumer-focused survey found that among unemployed respondents, demand for spending-limit tools sits at 35,3%, against an overall figure of 43,2%, even though unemployed respondents were the group most likely (22,1%) to say they would use a financial windfall to pay off debt.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the report that first brought together insights that the industry uses to plan ahead. Supported with Tier-1 case studies, it provides real-life examples of business growth, market expansion, and performance.
The 2027 edition has the new ‘Beyond iGaming’ chapter comparing iGaming with e-commerce, sports, film, gaming, streaming, e-pharma, and crypto in terms of market size, growth, regulatory load, and digital maturity. Looking outside the sector provides a broader perspective that proves iGaming’s economic footprint.
Alexandra Kavelich, Deputy CMO at SOFTSWISS, comments: “The next competitive advantage in iGaming will not come from content alone. It will come from regulatory readiness, secure payment journeys, intelligent risk management, relevant customer communication, and platforms that can respond quickly to changing regulations. Fintech, e-commerce, and streaming have already set the standard in these areas. iGaming operators that adapt those lessons effectively will be better positioned to grow responsibly and profitably.”
WorldGaming (ex Clarion) – a general partner and co-author of the report – adds a regional outlook on how regulatory and market shifts will shape the industry in 2027, including which jurisdictions are projected to grow faster, the key trends to watch, and how important local roots really are for different markets. Robin Harrison, Global Content Director B2B at WorldGaming (ex Clarion), explains: “The industry is simultaneously becoming more global and more local. Regulation, tax, payments, competition and player behaviour vary significantly from market to market. Scale can get you into more jurisdictions, but it definitely doesn’t guarantee success. The next generation of leading operators is the one that understands where the local friction is, how to ease it, and execute effectively.”
South African operators illustrate that local friction directly. Provincial licensing authorities set the rules today and tax online betting at between 6% and 9% of gross gambling revenue; National Treasury has also proposed a further national tax of 20%.
Non-iGaming voices join pool of co-authors and partners
The report features key findings and data from non-iGaming experts:
- Amazon Web Services’ co-authored analysis of how AI is moving from pilots into production across gaming, betting, sports, media and fintech, tracing the shift from AI as copilot to core workforce and from assistants to autonomous systems
- Dataset from H2 Gambling Capital on GGR growth, as well as trends for key regions and action points for businesses to keep up
- Pentasia’s hiring outlook, highlighting the skills and roles that are likely to shape the iGaming future
Experts separate hype from reality in live panel on report findings
SOFTSWISS will present the 2027 iGaming Trends report at stand B501 at SBC Summit Lisbon 2026. To discuss the key findings, the company will host the panel discussion “2027 iGaming Trends Report | Five Years of iGaming: Which Trends Endured, Which Faded, and What Comes Next?” at 16:10 Lisbon time (17:10 SAST) on 29 September. Based on insights from the report, the panel will show which trends reflect industry change, how early ideas have translated into business results, and what operators should focus on for the upcoming years.
The full 2027 iGaming Trends report is now live and available for download here.
