Optimove will cut 10% of its workforce as the iGaming marketing services provider restructures around artificial intelligence, chief executive Pini Yakuel confirmed in a LinkedIn statement. Yakuel described the decision as “painful” but said it was driven by a push for innovation.
The company founder said the cuts are intended to make Optimove “faster, sharper, and even more innovative,” and signalled that AI would shape both the product and the way the business operates.
You will see us lead with AI not only in our product, but also in the way we operate, support you and help you navigate your own challenges and opportunities in this new era.
Remaining staff to receive AI training
Employees who keep their jobs will be given AI training to, in Yakuel’s words, “shape the next version of this company.” He said the decision was taken while Optimove remains financially healthy and retains a wide client base, framing the move as a forward-looking restructuring rather than a response to financial distress.
Yakuel addressed the departing staff directly in his statement, thanking them for their contribution and committing to support them through the transition. The company has not published a headcount figure for the reduction, and the precise number of roles affected was not disclosed.
Part of a wider sector pattern
Optimove is the latest iGaming firm to tie workforce reductions to AI adoption. Affiliate and media group Gambling.com Group confirmed in May that it would cut around 25% of its staff, roughly 150 roles, as part of a transition that incoming chief executive Kevin McCrystle described as a shift to an “AI-first” company. That restructuring is expected to deliver around $13m in annualised savings, with about half realised in the second half of 2026. Gambling.com reported flat Q1 2026 revenue of $40.4m, while adjusted EBITDA fell 43% to $9m and the company swung to a net loss.
iGaming supplier Bragg Gaming Group announced a separate round of cuts in January, reducing its global workforce by approximately 12% in the first quarter. The Toronto-based provider said the restructuring would cost around €1m in termination charges while generating annualised savings of up to €4.5m. Bragg has set a target of becoming an AI-first company by 2027, with AI-enhanced products in more than 90% of game launches and AI affecting around three-quarters of its operational workflows.
Layoffs follow Smartico acquisition
The Optimove cuts come weeks after the company agreed to acquire CRM provider Smartico, in a deal announced on 6 April. Terms were not disclosed. The two companies are continuing to operate fully independently, with Smartico’s founders retaining control of strategy and day-to-day operations.
What impressed us about Smartico is the combination of product strength, service excellence and the way the company has been built.
The acquisition was Optimove’s fourth since 2018 and brought together two of the leading CRM marketing platforms in iGaming at a point the company described as a transition from a growth phase to a more mature market. Optimove’s recent commercial activity also includes integrations and partnerships with suppliers such as EGT Digital and EveryMatrix.
AI efficiency versus headcount
The cluster of announcements points to a consistent pattern across iGaming B2B suppliers, where AI adoption is being used to justify leaner organisations and flatter management structures. At Gambling.com, management has said AI now generates around 80% of new engineering code. The question facing operators and suppliers watching these moves is whether AI-driven efficiency gains hold up against the loss of institutional knowledge that accompanies double-digit workforce reductions, a trade-off that will become clearer as the affected firms report through the second half of 2026.
Source: Optimove
