Optimove, the player engagement platform that has established itself as one of the two dominant CRM providers in the iGaming sector, has signed a deal to acquire Smartico — the company it itself backed and developed as a competitor — in a transaction that consolidates the market and removes an independent alternative from operator consideration.
The deal, expected to close within weeks, positions Optimove as the clear leader in a sector where CRM technology has become central to operator retention strategy.
The acquisition is structurally unusual because Optimove was directly involved in building Smartico as a CRM capability, making this an internalisation of a product it effectively created alongside. The strategic logic is straightforward: by consolidating both platforms, Optimove removes the competitive tension between two products that were increasingly serving overlapping markets and can instead offer a single, deeper solution that combines the strengths of each.
For operators, the consolidation narrows the field of independent CRM alternatives. Smartico had built a reputation for gamification mechanics and real-time personalisation tools that complemented rather than replicated Optimove’s strengths in predictive analytics and campaign automation.
Whether the combined platform maintains the innovation energy of both constituent parts is the question operators are likely to ask during the post-merger integration period.
The timing is significant. iGaming operators are entering a period of intensified competition as more regulated markets open and player acquisition costs climb. The ability to retain players through sophisticated engagement mechanics and personalised messaging has become as commercially important as initial sign-up incentives.
CRM technology that can predict churn, identify high-value players and deliver contextually relevant offers at the right moment is no longer a premium capability — it is a baseline expectation in mature regulated markets.
Optimove’s move also signals that the B2B technology layer of iGaming is consolidating as the B2C operator market matures, with larger players using acquisition to build defensible positions rather than relying purely on organic product development.
