What Player Retention
Looks Like in
2025–2026
By the Solitics Team
Feb 2, 2026
Retention isn’t what it used to be. Players move faster, switch products effortlessly and expect every interaction to feel immediate and relevant, no matter the channel.
In this interview, originally published by NuxGame, their CMO Yanina Kaplya sits down with Deena Komisar, VP Marketing here at Solitics, to talk candidly about what’s changing in player behaviour and what operators should really focus on as we approach 2026.
We’re republishing this conversation here with permission, as it aligns closely with how we see the future of player engagement unfolding.
Yanina
Deena, now that we’re entering the final stretch of 2025, it’s obvious that players are changing their habits at high speed. What new behaviors is the Solitics team seeing that operators should be ready for in 2026?
Deena
Players are moving faster than operators can keep up with, honestly. They’ve gone from long sessions to quick bursts — logging in for a few spins, a quick bet or just to check results. Every minute counts now. They also switch products without hesitation. A player can move from a live bet to roulette and then to a crash game in minutes. It’s fluid, and that’s what makes it tricky. From our side, we’re seeing operators try to understand intent instead of just behavior. That’s a big change. The operators who can respond in real time with the right offer will succeed in 2026.
Yanina
I love how you described this fluidity — because it really is like water. Players slip from one activity to another without a single pause. And if the iGaming platform doesn’t flow with them, they’re gone. So let me ask you this… With regulations tightening worldwide, how can operators still provide effortless, personalized experiences without slowing down onboarding or gameplay?
Deena
It’s definitely getting tougher, but compliance and personalization don’t have to clash. The trick is making both things work from the same data, in real time. The problem for most operators is that their systems still work in batches, meaning by the time the data moves, the moment’s already gone. But when compliance checks and player interactions happen on the same live feed, you can make decisions instantly and keep every interaction feeling intuitive.
Say a player finishes KYC or reaches a deposit limit. The system can adjust messages or bonus visibility on the spot, without anyone touching it. That’s how you stay both compliant and relevant. At Solitics, that’s exactly the kind of infrastructure we focus on: connecting everything so operators can automate these decisions and maintain stable, consistent cross-channel engagement.
Yanina
That “moment’s already gone” line… so true. You feel it in marketing every single day. If you miss the player’s engagement window, even by a few seconds, it’s like knocking on a door after they’ve already walked away. Let’s go deeper into those moments. Another major shift we’re seeing is that cross-channel behavior is growing like crazy. Players jump from mobile to web to live content nonstop. How should operators adapt to this new pattern?
Deena
Players don’t really separate channels in their minds. It’s all one experience. They’ll get an email, open a push, then jump into a live game, and they expect everything to just connect. If the tone or offer feels out of sync, it stands out instantly.
That’s why consistency is so important. When a player places a bet on their desktop, then later watches the match from a pub and checks their in-play bets on mobile, it should all feel like one continuous session.
A lot of operators are starting to think this way. When everything’s running off the same data, the communication naturally feels smoother. That’s something we care a lot about at Solitics — helping brands keep that flow so players always feel like they’re in one connected ecosystem, no matter where they are. And we provide the infrastructure to make that possible.
Yanina
I support the “one continuous session” idea… because honestly, that’s the secret behind modern retention. Players shouldn’t feel like they’re jumping between five different worlds. It should feel like one brand, one energy. Now, speaking of engagement moments… Player reactions happen in seconds. What are the key “real-time moments” players value most today — and how can operators capture them?
Deena
It’s the emotional ones. Wins, near misses, deposits, live sporting events like penalties and score changes. That’s when players are most open to interaction. You don’t need fireworks. You just need relevance. A simple, well-timed message can do more than a big bonus if it lands at the right moment. Solitics is all about giving you the best chance to make that happen.
Yanina
Exactly! Operators often think they need giant promos, but sometimes the perfect three-word message during a live match means more than a €100 bonus. Timing means so much, and you explained it beautifully. Now let’s talk about something everyone keeps bringing up. AI is everywhere: sometimes it’s helpful, sometimes it’s all talk and no real impact. What practical AI use cases will help operators in 2026?
Deena
AI has, indeed, become part of everything we do. And that’s a good thing. In our space, it’s being integrated into every layer of how operators work: generating and refining end-user content, building smarter segments, even predicting loyalty so you can target players before they churn.
But what’s really exciting right now is what we call the AI Expert. It’s not just a chatbot; it’s a hands-on marketing partner inside the platform. You can ask it for marketing ideas, strategy advice or even to show you step-by-step how to build the journeys that will get you there. It understands your data, your KPIs and your player lifecycle, and it turns all that into something immediately actionable.
That’s the future of engagement in iGaming: agentic AI that automates the most demanding tasks so you can focus on crushing your KPIs. For now, we are proud that Solitics is leading the way.
Yanina
Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. This is the kind of AI operators actually need — a real partner that helps them decide and saves precious time. Solitics stepping early into this space sets a strong direction for the industry. The iGaming platform from NuxGame aims for the same goal: real-time capability and technology that helps operators grow. Deena, thank you for such a valuable discussion. This feels like a very natural place to wrap up, especially with so many changes ahead in 2026.
