Blink and the iGaming world has already changed. The corporate environment operates at a rapid speed: new businesses emerge suddenly, others disappear unexpectedly, and numerous ones are propelled by hype rather than true worth. It frequently resembles a disordered competition where many lose their balance, and only a few succeed in remaining on their feet.
The truth is, strong leaders are not chasing the quickest win. They are focused on creating something solid enough to last long after the noise dies down.
Enter Uri Poliavich, who’s not here to chase headlines or break records just for the trophy cabinet. He’s looking for something sturdier—balance, backbone, and yes, a little style.
The Foundations of a Leader
Let’s hit rewind. Uri Poliavich was born in Ukraine back in 1981, but life quickly threw him a plot twist. At 14, out of Ukraine and into Israel—a new language, different codes, all the rules upended. You adapt or you get left behind. That’s not a theory, it’s the survival manual for immigrants everywhere.
Army service in Israel? Not exactly a vacation. You learn discipline whether you want it or not; teams matter, and plans can unravel fast. So you roll with it. Then, the university came calling. Uri studied law at Bar-Ilan University and walked away with an LLB—and possibly a well-developed appreciation for legal fine print. Don’t let anyone tell you legal thinking is just about loopholes: it’s about clarity, risk, details most people miss. All of it, stitched together, becomes a pretty handy toolkit.
So what do you get when you mix immigrant grit, military order, and the sharp focus of a lawyer? Well, in this case: a leader with enough tools to build something real.
The Rise of Soft2Bet Under Uri Poliavich
Fast forward to 2016. Rather than splash into iGaming with wild claims or empty promises, Uri Poliavich launches Soft2Bet with a slow nod to doing things right. Not fast at all costs—right. Soft2Bet’s success? Nineteen regulated markets on its list already and counting. “Regulated” isn’t the most exciting word at conferences, but it means playing by the book in Sweden, Denmark, Romania, and as far as Ontario.
Technology as the Engine Behind Growth
What fuels all that expansion? Tech, obviously, but not the kind that makes anyone’s job harder. Soft2Bet didn’t slap its name on someone else’s platform. They built their own. No more frantic late-night calls when another company’s system hiccups. Custom-made means control, flexibility, and a fighting chance against the infamous “the server’s down again” chaos.
Then there’s MEGA (Motivational Engineering Gaming Application). The pitch: make games actually fun. Not just time-fillers but platforms packed with smart gamification. Players linger. Platforms perform. Suddenly, boredom’s not on the invite list. So well received, in fact, it got “Product Launch of the Year” at Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2025.
Soft2Bet Invest is the company’s €50 million investment arm, created to support and scale emerging iGaming startups with strong ideas and long-term potential. The mission: help the next wave innovate instead of rehashing old solutions. Picture it as a hand up to tomorrow’s problem-solvers—without making them reinvent every plank in the boat.
A Philosophy of Balanced Leadership
If you’re waiting for Uri Poliavich to bang on a table and yell, don’t hold your breath. Leadership, as he sees it, works best with a light touch—but a steady one. Progress is king, sure, but only with both feet on the ground.
Let’s boil down his approach:
- Grow, but only in markets where trust and rules matter.
Invest in real technology—not just shiny toys, but tools that make life better for everyone who plays or works there.
- Build a culture where “responsibility” isn’t just a slide in HR training.
It works. Ask his trophy shelf—there’s some hardware there for a reason.
Integrating Business and Social Impact
Here’s something off the usual CEO bingo card: for Uri Poliavich, impact doesn’t stop at revenue targets. In 2020, he helped establish the Yael Foundation. The initiative is not about appearances or publicity. It focuses on supporting meaningful causes and providing real help to Jewish communities that need it most.
Nobody’s logging foundation hours for photo ops. Uri’s serious about business being a platform that gives back. There’s a certain gravity here—a quiet sense that companies ought to be engines for good, not just machines for growth.
Why does it matter? Because, sooner or later, every “growth story” runs out of road. What you build outside the obvious boundaries is what hangs around.
Because here’s the real secret: balancing growth with accountability isn’t a slick talking point. It’s the root system for leadership that actually means something.
