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Leadership transition within the Merkur Group
Paul Gauselmann steps down from the group’s executive management / Michael Gauselmann assumes the roles of Chairman of the Supervisory Board and the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation / Lars Felderhoff is appointed new Chairman of the Management Board
A new chapter is dawning for the Merkur Group as company founder Paul Gauselmann is set to retire as Management Board Chairman on 1 October, stepping back from the company’s executive leadership. For 67 years, he has shaped the destiny of the group, transforming a part-time one-man business into an internationally acclaimed group of companies with total sales revenues of around 4 billion euros and external sales revenues of over 2.7 billion euros. “I have consistently devoted my energy to the company’s welfare, and at the same time to the benefit of our approximately 15,000 employees,” he stated. “Now the time has come to entrust my life’s work to the younger generation,” explains Paul Gauselmann. Lars Felderhoff, 48, CFO of the Merkur Group, will assume the role of Chairman. He will be supported by Jürgen Stühmeyer (64), Management Board member with responsibility for sales, and Manfred Stoffers (70), Management Board member with responsibility for marketing, communications and political affairs, as vice-chairs. “I am delighted that this trio is taking over the helm. They are outstanding leaders with a deep understanding of the company,” adds Paul Gauselmann, who will continue his association with the company as a member of the Gauselmann Family Foundation.
A generational shift is also taking place on another level: Michael Gauselmann (68) is set to assume the role of Chairman of the Supervisory Board from Manfred Grünewald (89) on 1 October. He will also succeed Paul Gauselmann as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gauselmann Family Foundation. As the sole shareholder of the group, the Foundation is the hub for all fundamental strategic decisions. “I am thrilled that my son Michael is embracing this important responsibility and will contribute his international experience to our company,” states Paul Gauselmann. Michael Gauselmann, a business administration graduate, joined the group in 1982 and worked across all business segments. He advanced internationalisation by establishing the subsidiary Atronic in 1993, overseeing all foreign operations. For a decade, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Management Board before becoming Co-Chairman of the Group Management Board, sharing responsibilities with Paul Gauselmann from 2004 to 2012. From 2013, he was involved in the then Gauselmann Family Council and, from 2016, in the Gauselmann Family Foundation.
Lars Felderhoff will assume responsibility for executive management as the new Group Chairman. He has overseen the finances and organisation of the Merkur Group since 2018. He started his career in 2000 at the subsidiary Atronic. From 2007 to 2011, he expanded his expertise at the gaming group GTech (now IGT) and at Metro Cash & Carry International, a wholesale group. Felderhoff rejoined Merkur in 2011 as the Commercial Director of the adp Merkur subsidiary. In that capacity, he was in charge of commercial operations for the Merkur business segment, encompassing over 40 companies both in Germany and internationally. As a native of Rahden, he has close ties to the region and understands the roots of the corporate group. “The challenge is immense, and naturally, we will not be able to fill the shoes of an entrepreneur like Paul Gauselmann one-to-one. However, the company is robust and agile enough to continue setting new benchmarks in the future.”
He is assisted by the Management Board’s Vice-Chairs, Jürgen Stühmeyer and Manfred Stoffers. Stühmeyer, who hails from Minden, has dedicated 37 years to the Eastern-Westphalian company, starting as a trainee in 1987 and progressively advancing through the ranks. In his function as the Management Board member responsible for sales, he has directed the strategic orientation and commercial success of the entire Merkur pillar since 2007. Manfred Stoffers joined the company in 2011 as a consultant to the Chairman of Gauselmann AG, and was appointed Management Board member responsible for Marketing, Communications and Political Affairs in 2015.
Paul Gauselmann expressed great satisfaction with the top-level personnel changes, stating, “Reorganising the company by the time I turn 90 has been my wish for some time. We have accomplished this very well and are ideally positioned for the future, particularly as my son Michael, both a member of the Gauselmann family and an experienced entrepreneur, will continue to be involved in the most critical decisions.”
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13 gambling company executives in appeal against ATG’s proposal to raise gambling tax in Sweden
BOS – The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling – is today submitting a letter to the government. The letter is signed by 13 gambling company executives and BOS’s secretary general. In the letter, the signatories urge the government not to support the gambling company ATG in their proposal to raise the general gambling tax in favour of a reduction in the tax on horse racing.
As a main argument, the signatories highlight the fact that the level of the gambling tax affects the proportion of consumers who choose to gamble on the legal licensed gambling market, and that too many consumers are already opting out of the safety of the licensed market with its extensive consumer protection.
“Horse betting has a channelisation rate of between 98-99 percent. Online casino, according to the most optimistic estimates, has a channelisation rate of between 72-82 percent. The higher the tax, the greater the risk that the consumer will choose unlicensed gambling, where neither gambling tax nor consumer protection exists. To then lower the gambling tax for horse betting, which already has a very strong channelisation, and raise it for online casino, which has a very weak channelisation, would be completely incomprehensible. At least for those who prioritize consumer protection,” says BOS Secretary General Gustaf Hoffstedt.
You can read the full letter here: Letter to Government on ATG gambling duty
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FBMDS proudly unveils the Momentum Series, a crash gaming collection built to deliver fast-paced thrills, immersive visuals, and strong retention for online casino operators worldwide with the Piñata Rush, Magical Garden and Arctic Jumper titles.
Designed “for emotions” and “born to captivate”, the Momentum Series includes three high-performing titles — Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper — that redefine the crash genre with dynamic gameplay, deep personalization, and stunning 3D environments.
The Momentum Series was created to give players more control, excitement, and emotional connection while providing operators with games designed for longer sessions and better retention metrics. Each title combines intuitive gameplay with high volatility, 97%+ RTP, and a responsive, mobile-first design, ensuring performance across devices and browsers. Players can personalize their experience with auto bets, double bets, and auto cashouts, adapting each round to their individual risk strategy.
Piñata Rush offers a colorful, multiplayer crash gaming experience set in lively Mexican-inspired streets. Players can track others’ progress in real time and enjoy a community-driven atmosphere that keeps engagement levels high. With 97.06% RTP and features such as Multiplayer, Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and a configurable Max Bet from 100x to 1000x, this crash game provides vibrant entertainment across Android, iOS, Mac OS, and Windows.
Magical Garden immerses players in a lush 3D fantasy world where serenity meets suspense. This single-player experience blends calm and thrill through Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out functions, allowing personalized strategies and a Max Bet configurable from 100x to 1000x. With 97% RTP, it offers operators a high-performing product with wide cross-platform compatibility.
Arctic Jumper brings adrenaline to the frozen north with a fully 3D single-player experience. Its immersive visuals and smooth performance are enhanced by Auto Play, Auto Cash-Out, and customizable betting options that match each player’s risk profile. Operating at 97% RTP, this title delivers consistent engagement and retention potential for competitive markets.
“The Momentum Series represents FBMDS’ evolution into crash gaming — a genre built on emotion, timing, and control,” said Renato Almeida, Director at FBMDS. “With Piñata Rush, Magical Garden, and Arctic Jumper, we’re delivering fast, flexible, and emotionally charged experiences that empower both players and operators.”
FBMDS brings a winning portfolio of innovative iGaming solutions, blending tradition with cutting-edge technology to deliver engaging, reliable, and profitable gaming experiences for operators worldwide. With a focus on slots, table games, video bingo, and now crash games, FBMDS empowers partners to scale and succeed in competitive markets.
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- Sunny feel-good vibes for everyone: Cozy Coast now available for iOS and Android
- New trailer highlights entertaining storytelling, merge-2 puzzles, and diverse gameplay elements
- Upcoming updates with new events and challenges for long-lasting fun
A beach adventure with heart: InnoGames, one of Germany’s leading developers and publishers of mobile and browser games, today launches Cozy Coast worldwide, bringing sunny feel-good moments to smartphones and tablets. The game is now available for free on the App Store and Google Play Store. Players in selected regions have already explored the Mediterranean island of Calista and experienced the captivating story of the two protagonists Mia and Elara. The unique mix of merge-2 puzzles, exploration, and heartfelt moments is clearly resonating with players, earning 4.8 on the App Store and 4.6 on Google Play out of 5 stars.
With today’s launch, InnoGames expands the game’s language support. Alongside the existing languages German, English, and French, Cozy Coast is now also available in Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish.
New Features, More Events: Regular Updates for Lasting Fun
In Cozy Coast, players accompany best friends Mia and Elara on a journey across the picturesque Mediterranean island of Calista. For Mia, the island is filled with childhood memories, but its former charm has faded. Together, they set out to restore the island. The gameplay centers on merge-2 mechanics: By skillfully combining items, players fulfill the wishes of island residents, collect resources, and restore buildings to unlock new areas of Calista. Along their journey, Mia and Elara encounter interesting characters, discover secrets, and explore the environment.
Check out the trailer on youtube: youtube.com/watch?v=hpacBlPfio4
Since the initial launch of Cozy Coast in selected regions, the development team has steadily expanded the merge-2 adventure. Customizable portraits, 3D decoration events, special quests with unique rewards, and advanced challenges for experienced players ensure there’s always something new to discover. The holiday season has also arrived: players can earn daily rewards, including the festive avatar “Winter Elara”.
Key Features of Cozy Coast
- Merge items: Strategically combine items to create new and higher-value objects
- Restore the seaside promenade: Renovate abandoned buildings to unlock new areas
- Adventure in paradise: Follow best friends Mia and Elara as they discover hidden places and uncover the secrets of a corporation with questionable intentions
- Characters with personality: Meet fascinating characters. Every encounter comes with a story – sometimes touching, sometimes mysterious, but always full of emotion
- Fresh challenges every day: Participate in competitive, daily, weekly, and seasonal events like exploration quests, puzzle collections, decoration and special story-driven missions to receive exciting rewards and enjoy lasting gameplay
- A personal touch: Use portrait customization to bring individuality and personality to every adventure.
- Unwind in a Mediterranean setting: Experience stress-free gameplay paired with a captivating story of friendship, courage, and hope
- Free to play without restrictions: Available worldwide on iOS and Android (except in Russia and China)
Cozy Coast is available on the App Store for iOS and on Google Play for Android.
For the latest news about the game, visit the official website or follow Cozy Coast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
The post Cozy Coast Launches Worldwide: Beach Adventure from InnoGames Now Available appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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