Big Daddy Gaming®, the high-profile newcomer to the slots industry, has finalized a major commercial agreement with ComeOn Group. This partnership marks a significant milestone for the studio, which was founded by a trio of industry heavyweights from Relax Gaming and Evolution.

The deal will see Big Daddy Gaming’s debut portfolio integrated across ComeOn Group’s international brand stable, with a specific focus on high-traffic Swedish brands like Snabbare and Hajper.

Reel Fun. Real Value: The Studio’s DNA

Launched in late 2025, Big Daddy Gaming® entered the market with a mission to disrupt what its founders describe as an “oversaturated and stagnant” supply chain. The studio’s philosophy, Reel Fun. Real Value., aims to combine humorous, high-quality creative content with a commercial model that prioritizes long-term operator profitability.

Leadership & Strategic Backing

The studio’s rapid ascent is fueled by the combined experience of its founding team:

• Erland Hellstrom (CEO): A former commercial executive at Evolution, known for managing tier-one operator relationships during periods of hypergrowth.

• Simon Hammon (Co-Founder): Former CEO of Relax Gaming and a key figure in the early success of NetEnt.

• Daniel Eskola (Co-Founder): Former Chief Product Officer at Relax Gaming and product leader at Kindred.

The venture is further supported by capital from Castech, a gaming-focused investment fund, ensuring the studio has the financial runway to scale its technical infrastructure.

Sweden: The First Major Regulated Milestone

The partnership with ComeOn Group aligns perfectly with Big Daddy Gaming’s recent regulatory success. On November 11, 2025, the studio secured its B2B supplier license from the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen).

“Securing the SGA licence is a major validation of our compliance standards and technical readiness,” said Erland Hellstrom, CEO at Big Daddy Gaming®. “Sweden is an essential market in our growth strategy and securing this approval allows us to immediately begin servicing our operator partners here.”

Deployment Timeline & Key Markets

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ClearStake, the London-based player verification platform, has announced the appointment of industry veteran Luke Cousins as a Commercial Advisor. The move comes as ClearStake accelerates its growth following a successful £1.5 million funding round in late 2025.

Cousins brings over 15 years of experience to the role, having previously served as Commercial Director at Playbook Engineering. His background includes senior positions at Pentasia and consultancy work for major brands like Unikrn (Entain), Hypometer, and Moja Group.

Scaling the “ID by Bank” Revolution

Cousins will focus primarily on the commercial rollout of ID by Bank, a product designed to solve the “drop-off” problem in UK iGaming by replacing manual document uploads with instant, bank-verified identity checks.

How ID by Bank Transforms Onboarding:

• Instant Verification: Players verify their name, address, and DOB directly through their banking app in under 30 seconds.

• Reduced Fraud: Uses biometric authentication via banking apps to eliminate deepfakes and document tampering.

• Increased Conversion: Already proven to significantly boost First Time Depositor (FTD) rates by removing friction at the point of registration.

“ClearStake is tackling one of the most persistent problems in UK iGaming – player drop-off at the point of verification,” said Luke Cousins. “ID by Bank is a genuinely practical solution that improves conversion without compromising on compliance.”

Strategic Growth and Backing

The appointment of Cousins follows a string of high-profile additions to the ClearStake advisory board, including:

• Paul Myatt: Former NetEnt and Aspire Global executive (Sales & Marketing).

• Alistair Boston-Smith: Former Bede Gaming executive (Strategy Advisor).

The company’s recent £1.5m funding round attracted a “who’s who” of industry investors, including Savvas Fellas (MrQ CEO), Michael Brady (Bede Gaming founder), Max Wright (White Hat Gaming founder), and Paddy Power.

Partnership Momentum

ClearStake’s technology is already integrated with leading UK operators such as tombola, MrQ, and Ivy Casino. The platform’s ability to provide “audit-ready” data has made it a preferred choice for operators navigating the UK Gambling Commission’s evolving affordability and AML frameworks.

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eGaming Integrity, a leading compliance and internal audit advisory firm, has announced the launch of its Safer Gambling Audit Service. This new independent assessment is designed to provide operators with a structured, evidence-based review of their player protection controls, filling a critical gap as established third-party certification schemes wind down.

The service comes at a pivotal time for the UK market. With the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) increasing its enforcement focus on “active” rather than “passive” monitoring, and the closure of the GamCare Safer Gambling Standard in late 2024, operators are seeking new ways to demonstrate robust governance to boards, investors, and regulators.

A Structured, Audit-Led Approach

Unlike high-level reviews or generic “tick-box” certifications, the eGaming Integrity service utilizes a rigorous internal audit methodology. The audit evaluates how safer gambling protocols function in real-world scenarios rather than just assessing policy documents.

Key areas of the assessment include:

• Customer Interactions: Sampling and testing of real cases to ensure interventions are timely and effective.

• Financial Vulnerability: Reviewing the effectiveness of financial risk triggers and affordability checks.

• Governance & Oversight: Evaluating how the Board and senior management monitor compliance and mitigate risk.

• Internal Controls: Testing the “markers of harm” systems to ensure they identify risky behavior as it develops.

Filling the Gap Left by GamCare

The launch specifically addresses the industry vacuum created by the sunsetting of the GamCare Safer Gambling Standard. While GamCare has transitioned away from providing operator audits to focus on treatment and financial sector collaborations, eGaming Integrity is among the first to bring a professional, audit-led alternative to market.

“Businesses are operating in a regulatory environment that demands clarity, consistency, and credible assurance,” said Robert Penfold, Head of Internal Audit at eGaming Integrity. “Our Safer Gambling Audit provides an independent view of how well controls are functioning in practice, giving Boards the information they need for effective oversight.”

Aligned with 2026 Regulatory Changes

The audit is mapped directly against the UKGC’s Social Responsibility Code requirements. This is particularly relevant given the upcoming regulatory changes on January 19, 2026, which introduce stricter rules on:

• Socially Responsible Incentives: A ban on mixing product types (e.g., “Bet £5 on sports, get 20 casino spins”).

• Wagering Requirements: New limits on how bonuses can be structured to protect vulnerable players.

Operators who undergo the audit receive a detailed report, a management letter with prioritized recommendations, and a regulatory mapping index to help them prepare for official UKGC assessments.

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