SOFTSWISS Report Puts AI and Regulation at Centre of 2027 Outlook

Online gambling operators’ ability to manage compliance, payments and artificial intelligence will increasingly shape their prospects, according to SOFTSWISS’ 2027 iGaming Trends Report.

Released on 29 September, the fifth edition was co-authored with WorldGaming and includes contributions from Amazon Web Services. SOFTSWISS says it draws on a survey of more than 500 experts and analysis of over 480,000 media headlines. Its findings point towards a sector where the systems supporting gambling platforms are becoming as commercially important as the games themselves.

Regulation Becomes Part of the Platform

The report describes a shift towards continuous, data-led supervision, with regulators gaining access to information across licensed markets rather than relying solely on individual operator audits.

National identity checks, shared self-exclusion registers and cross-operator deposit limits are among the tools discussed. Their availability and requirements vary between jurisdictions.

For operators, this places greater emphasis on systems that can meet local requirements and respond to regulatory changes. Expanding into another country requires more than translating a website or adding a payment method.

“Scale can get you into more jurisdictions, but it definitely doesn’t guarantee success.” - Robin Harrison, Global Content Director B2B at WorldGaming

HArrison's comments show how the report emphasises understanding the practical barriers in each market.

AI Moves into Everyday Operations

AI is also moving beyond experimental projects. According to the report, 52% of surveyed industry professionals identified it as the leading macrotrend for 2027.

AWS contributed analysis of the transition from AI assistants towards systems that perform multi-step tasks across gaming, betting and other digital industries.

The report recommends starting with lower-risk applications, protecting production data and monitoring performance before introducing greater autonomy. Human oversight and mechanisms to stop critical automated decisions remain central to that approach.

The commercial opportunity therefore comes with an operational challenge. Businesses need to establish where automation helps and where staff must retain control.

Payments and Tax Add to UK Pressures

Reliable payments are another competitive priority. The report links smooth transactions with player loyalty and identifies repeated payment failures as a reason customers leave.

For UK-facing businesses, investment decisions also sit alongside higher taxation. HMRC confirms that Remote Gaming Duty increased from 21% to 40% on 1 April 2026. This applies to remote gaming profits from UK customers, rather than every form of online betting.

Together, these pressures strengthen the case for assessing technology by its practical results: fewer failed transactions, effective compliance and better management of risk.

The SOFTSWISS report also looks beyond gambling to sectors including e-commerce and streaming, reflecting the increasingly broad range of digital services against which players judge their experience.