SOFTSWISS and Pentasia Unveil 2026 iGaming Talent Trends Report to Drive Efficient Hiring

Malta, March 17 – SOFTSWISS, a global iGaming technology provider, in partnership with Pentasia, a leading iGaming recruitment consultancy, presents the 2026 iGaming Talent Trends Report, an in-depth industry study analysing the current state of the iGaming talent market and its development trajectory.

The report provides a structured overview of the iGaming workforce landscape in 2026, examining hiring dynamics, talent availability, market shifts over the past year, and strategic recommendations for the year ahead. The 2026 iGaming Talent Trends report is based on combined proprietary data from SOFTSWISS and Pentasia, including survey responses from over 90 B2B and B2C industry leaders, and operational workforce insights across regulated markets.

As iGaming companies transition from rapid expansion to operational maturity, many employers still rely on short-term hiring tactics rather than structured workforce planning. This approach increases exposure to cost volatility and talent gaps. The report highlights key developments to watch: starting from a broader growing need for cross-skilling within teams to maintain flexibility, to upcoming regulatory changes, such as the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which will make compensation transparency an essential part of employer branding.

Natalia Perkowska, Deputy Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS, sums up the expectations for the year ahead: “Three things for 2026: be clear – ambiguity is expensive. Move with intent – good candidates don’t wait forever. Treat hiring as a partnership, not a transaction. And finally, the best candidates are not convinced by perfection. They’re convinced by honesty, competence, and leadership they can trust.” 

The report is structured into five analytical sections, each addressing a specific dimension of the talent market.

• iGaming Talent Market Overview compares B2B and B2C hiring dynamics, compensation trends, and mobility patterns 

• 7 Key Trends That Shape the Current Tech & iGaming Talent Market identifies structural developments such as AI integration in workflows, and evolving skill requirements

• Candidate vs Employer Market analyses whether 2026 reflects a power shift toward employers or candidates, and their decision-making drivers.

• Employer Branding in iGaming – More Important than Ever evaluates how brand positioning and transparency influence talent acquisition outcomes.

• The Case Studies section provides practical frameworks for efficient hiring.

“Experienced candidates choose where they can have a clear impact with strong alignment on compensation, flexibility and growth. Product-led environments appeal to those motivated by shaping roadmaps and solving complex problems. Brand-led teams attract marketers focused on acquisition and retention at pace. In both cases, transparent processes and trust in the employer’s approach influence decisions,” said Alastair Cleland, Managing Director at Pentasia.

The 2026 iGaming Talent Trends report is available for download on the SOFTSWISS website. 

The discussion of the report’s insights in Malta will be followed by an online event: LinkedIn Live Panel from SOFTSWISS in partnership with Pentasia. Titled Stop Losing Talent: 7 Smart Steps for Hiring in 2026, the panel will take place on 20 March at 13:00 CEST as the first session of the publicly available SOFTSWISS LinkedIn Live Panel Series. Registration is now open here.

The 2026 iGaming Talent Trends Report continues the company's industry-wide analytics approach, following the Sportsbook KPI guide for smarter betting analytics and 2026 iGaming Trends report that covered AI adoption, responsible gambling, betting formats, and regulatory change across global markets.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 40,000 casino games, Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

About Pentasia

Inspiring careers in digital. Est. 2001, Pentasia is a specialist digital recruitment agency for leading iGaming and Payments brands. Hiring candidates across the skill spectrum. Pentasia's clients include global online brands and emerging start-ups. With 20+ years in iGaming, our candidates lead many of the world’s most iconic brands: sportsbetting, casino, slots, poker, bingo and social gaming. As our reputation has grown, our client list now spans all specialisms within the digital sector, from eCommerce to digital media, software to analytics.