Tel Aviv-based Optimove, the player engagement platform behind the Positionless Marketing framework, has signed an agreement to acquire Smartico, a bootstrapped iGaming CRM company that pioneered gamification-led marketing. The transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks, with financial terms undisclosed. This marks the fourth acquisition for Optimove since 2018 and signals a significant consolidation in the iGaming CRM market as two leading platforms join forces.
Market Context and Company Backgrounds
The global online gambling market was valued at $95.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to nearly double to $185.17 billion by 2033. The launch of new regulated jurisdictions and increasing compliance complexity are driving surging demand for advanced CRM and player engagement tools. Both companies argue that this acquisition positions them to better serve operators navigating this rapidly evolving landscape.
Optimove was founded in 2009 (originally as Mobius Solutions) by Pini Yakuel and Shachar Cohen, who met as students at Tel Aviv University. The company bootstrapped for its first five years before raising $20 million from Israel Growth Partners in 2016 at a $100 million valuation. A $75 million growth equity round led by Summit Partners followed in 2021. Optimove says it has been profitable since inception and now employs more than 550 people across offices in Tel Aviv, New York, and London. Its platform provides AI-powered player segmentation, multichannel campaign orchestration, and predictive modeling through the OptiGenie AI toolkit and Opti-X personalization engine.
Smartico was founded in 2019 in Bulgaria by co-founders Arman Gal, Sergey Kobitskiy, Anton Antropov, and Yuval Mechoullam, who brought prior experience from established iGaming technology companies including Playtech and 888. The company remained fully bootstrapped. Its core insight was unifying CRM and gamification—traditionally treated as separate functions—into a single platform. Smartico’s product suite now includes CRM automation, gamification tools (missions, levels, badges, tournaments), free-to-play mini-games, a bonus engine, customizable jackpots, and AI-powered predictive modeling for player lifetime value.
Deal Structure and Strategic Intent
Under the agreement, both companies will continue to operate independently. Smartico’s leadership will maintain full decision-making authority over their company’s direction and day-to-day operations. Despite shared ownership, the two platforms plan to continue developing competing products, framing internal competition as an intentional strategy to produce better outcomes for iGaming operators.
Optimove CEO Pini Yakuel stated that Smartico stood out among competitors by being the first to combine gamification and CRM marketing into a product category that iGaming operators widely adopted. He noted that the category now has two leading platforms — one directly built by Optimove and one backed by it. Smartico co-founder Arman Gal emphasized that retaining independence is meaningful to his team, and the partnership provides additional resources to scale faster and continue innovating in player engagement.
The Smartico acquisition is Optimove’s fourth such deal, following the purchase of PowerInbox’s DynamicMail business in 2018, data integration company Axonite in 2020, and no-code gamification platform Adact in March 2022. Through these acquisitions, Optimove is building a full-stack player engagement ecosystem covering CRM, gamification, data integration, and AI.
Market Implications
The online gambling industry’s sustained growth and regulatory tightening mean operators increasingly rely on automated compliance tools and personalized marketing. The Optimove-Smartico merger is expected to reduce customer acquisition costs, enhance player loyalty, and provide deeper insights through cross-platform data integration. Industry analysts view this acquisition as further consolidating Optimove’s leadership in iGaming CRM and potentially triggering additional M&A activity in the sector.