Soft2Bet has unveiled an exclusive documentary film in association with Reuters to highlight the philanthropic work of its founder and CEO, Uri Poliavich.
Titled ‘A Commitment to Culture and Innovation’, the film focuses on The Yael Foundation, the charity that Poliavich set up in 2020 aiming to increase access to education for Jewish communities in Europe and beyond.
Poliavich, who founded Soft2Bet in 2016, told viewers that “charity drives business”, adding that purpose and ambition can create meaningful impacts on communities.
Reflecting on his childhood in the Ukrainian SSR in the 1980s, Poliavich said: “I remember the feeling of hunger the most, not just hunger as a kid, but hunger to change your life.”
It was that hunger that drove Poliavich to earn a law degree, pursue a career in business development and, ultimately, found Soft2Bet. The firm has fostered ‘a culture of ambition and innovation’, showcased through its MEGA gamification engine and its online casino and sports betting solutions. In 2025, the company has 16 licences around the world and supplies its technology on a B2B basis.
The Yael Foundation comes off the back of this success, formed in 2020 to improve educational opportunities for Jewish children.
It supports 100 educational projects across 37 countries impacting roughly 13,500 children, and hosts a camp event each summer to bring children aged between 11-15 to Cyprus to “foster connections between these groups to strengthen their sense of Jewish identity and community”.
Poliavich noted: “Most people think that business drives charity initiatives, but for me, charity drives business pushing it forward.
“The very first time the business broke even, the idea was to create something that will allow other kids to have the feeling of being part of the Jewish community. That’s what pushed us to create the Yael Foundation.
“From the very first minute, we started donating to local schools in Ukraine, then elsewhere across Europe. Now we support around 70 schools.”
To watch the full film and learn more about Poliavich’s backstory, Soft2Bet’s growth in the last eight years, and the work of The Yael Foundation, click here.
