Gaming
Anzu Completes $48 Million Series B Funding Round From Bandai Namco and Others
Round brings new investors on board, including Emmis, PayPal Ventures, Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, Evolution, and Simon Equity Partners
Anzu, the most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising solution, announced a $48 million Series B funding round, significantly increasing its valuation and adding several new high-profile investors. The new round will also include converting the SAFE notes and investors exiting with a 10x valuation increase.
The funding round was led by Emmis Corporation, one of America’s most respected media, sports, and entertainment companies, with additional investments from PayPal Ventures, Evolution, Simon Equity Partners, and Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, a corporate venture arm of a Japanese multinational entertainment company, Bandai Namco Entertainment. Existing Anzu investors include Sony Innovation Fund, NBCUniversal, WPP, Bitkraft, Samsung Next, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) Ventures, Axel Springer and Marquee Ventures — the venture capital fund anchored by the parent company of the Chicago Cubs.
In-game advertising continues to grow as more advertisers and developers become aware of the enormous opportunity it presents to reach a new market of gamers. On the heels of Anzu’s recent hire of Nerissa MacDonald, EVP Global Sales, the company will use the funding to continue to build out its global leadership team. Anzu will also seek to grow its U.S. footprint by developing teams across the country. The funding will allow Anzu to remain independent and fully focused on its mission to make advertising in games better.
“We are thrilled to close our Series B funding round and bring some exciting new investors on board,” said Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder and CEO of Anzu. “We are confident that in-game advertising has the potential to be a multi-billion dollar market, and Anzu is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this huge opportunity. Over the past year, we have achieved some significant milestones towards our vision, and have connected with more exclusive AAA games and premium content, expanded our measurement capabilities for advertisers, and secured patents for our unique intellectual property.”
On the new funding, Emmis Corporation Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smulyan said: “In-game advertising is ready to become the next major advertising category as marketers connect their brands with billions of cloud, PC, console, and mobile gamers worldwide. We look forward to partnering with Anzu as it delivers the technology and business system to make in-game advertising a large part of every marketer’s media buying plans.”
PayPal Ventures Managing Partner James Loftus said: “As the clear market leader in the nascent space of in-game advertising, Anzu brings highly sophisticated advertising into complex, 3D environments. We’re excited to support Anzu as they build on their proprietary technology, broaden their robust ecosystem of partners and expand their team in the U.S. and globally.”
ADG
Arizona Department of Gaming Reports $43.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2025
The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) announced today $43,926,346 in tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund for the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2025. This amount represents an
approximate 3.6 percent increase when compared to the same quarter of FY 2024.
The Arizona Benefits Fund receives 88 percent of tribal gaming contributions, providing significant dollars to support instructional improvement in schools, trauma and emergency care, tourism, and wildlife conservation throughout the state.
FY 2025 Qtr 1 Total: Tribal Gaming Contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund.
“We are pleased to report yet another increase in the first quarter of the FY 2025, reflecting steady growth in the state’s tribal gaming industry,’ said Jackie Johnson, Director of ADG. “This growth highlights the continued strengtht
of the partnership between the state and our Arizona tribal partners. Notably, cumulative tribal contributions to the Instructional Improvement Fund have now surpassed $1 billion, demonstrating the significant and ongoing impact of tribal gaming on education and communities across Arizona.
Per the Arizona Tribal-State Gaming Compact, Tribes with casinos also contribute a percentage of their Class gross gaming revenue to cities, towns, and counties. Currently, there are 25 Class Il casinos in Arizona, which ADG
regulates in partnership with Arizona tribes. Since FY 2004, approximately $2.3 billion in cumulative contributions
have been received by the state and its cities, towns, and counties.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY the world leader in live gaming solutions, unveiled its revolutionary Qorex 2 electronic gaming terminals at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2024. This innovative platform boasts completely redesigned terminals offering unparalleled configuration options to suit any casino floor.
Players can enjoy a seamless gaming experience with a simple touch screen interface. The extensive library features both live and RNG games, including Roulette, Roulette Xtra, Sic Bo, and Baccarat, along with customisable side bets, catering to diverse preferences.
Built for continuous operation, the Qorex 2 features upgraded hardware for unparalleled performance and reliability. The terminals showcase cutting-edge software with improved graphics, delivering an immersive and visually stunning gameplay experience.
The Qorex 2 empowers operators to tailor the gaming environment to their specific needs through customisable side bets. This feature caters to a wider audience and enhances player engagement on the casino floor.
“We’re thrilled to showcase groundbreaking innovations at G2E 2024 such as our new Qorex 2.” says Tristan Sjöberg, TCSJOHNHUXLEY Executive Chairman. “With its advanced features, including enhanced multi-game functionality, customisable side bets, and a focus on player experience, the Qorex 2 is designed to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience for both players and operators.”
As TCSJOHNHUXLEY continues to push the boundaries of gaming technology, the Qorex 2 platform is designed to be adaptable and scalable. Stay tuned for exciting developments that will further enhance the gaming experience for players and operators alike.
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