Canada
Leading Mobile Entertainment Company Jam City to Become Publicly Traded Company Through Merger with DPCM Capital, Inc
Jam City, Inc., a leading mobile entertainment company behind some of the world’s highest grossing and most enduring mobile games, and DPCM Capital, Inc., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company led by Emil Michael, announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that will result in Jam City becoming a publicly listed company. The transaction values the combined company at an enterprise value of $1.2 billion. Upon closing, the combined company will operate as Jam City Holdings, Inc. and its Class A common stock is expected to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “JAM”.
In conjunction with the closing of the business combination, Jam City will use the cash proceeds to acquire a leading Montreal-based mobile game publisher Ludia, Inc. (“Ludia”) from FremantleMedia Canada Inc. (“Fremantle”), bringing together two highly creative leaders in mobile gaming and further strengthening Jam City’s market position and global player network. The combined company’s well-balanced, diversified portfolio of critically acclaimed, top grossing games is expected to include Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery; Cookie Jam; Panda Pop; and Jurassic World Alive. It is also expected to benefit from a strong pipeline of tentpole owned and licensed game releases with leading brands such as DC, and some of Disney’s biggest brands, which are expected to accelerate organic growth for the next several years.
“We have built and are scaling one of the world’s leading mobile entertainment platforms by bringing art – including storylines, characters and game mechanics – together with a powerful technology platform that leverages data to drive user acquisition and live game operations,” said Chris DeWolfe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Jam City. “We expect going public will provide us with a source of capital to accelerate our growth and advance our strategic priorities, while acquiring and teaming up with Ludia adds compelling new intellectual property and gaming genres to our catalog. Together, we believe these transactions will advance our vision to create premium, social mobile games that are an enduring part of our players’ lives.”
The combined company will be led by Chris DeWolfe and the rest of Jam City’s highly experienced management team including co-Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer Josh Yguado, and Chief Financial Officer Jae Yu. Denmark West, founding partner and Chief Investment Officer of Connectivity Ventures and former executive at BET, Viacom Media Networks and Microsoft, will join the combined company’s Board of Directors. Existing Jam City stockholders are expected to own approximately 65% of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock of the combined company at close, assuming no redemptions by DPCM Capital stockholders. Netmarble Corporation (“Netmarble”), Jam City’s valued strategic investor, will own a significant portion of the combined company.
A group of leading institutional investors, along with Netmarble, DPCM’s sponsor, and members of the combined company management teams have committed to a private investment of $100 million in Class A common stock of the combined company that will close concurrently with the business combination and, subject to any redemptions by DPCM Capital’s shareholders, there is approximately $300 million currently held in DPCM Capital’s trust account. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to finance the $175 million acquisition of Ludia from Fremantle, provide liquidity to an early investor, and pay fees and expenses associated with the transaction. It is expected that the combined company will have approximately $115 million of cash on its balance sheet, which is anticipated to be used to accelerate growth by introducing new games that appeal to broad global audiences, continuing to enhance its proprietary technology, and pursuing future M&A opportunities and other strategic initiatives.
“We believe our central technology platform, Jam City Live, is what sets us apart and provides us with a sustainable competitive advantage by driving performance and growth to create enduring franchises,” said Yguado. “We believe that games are the next-generation of social engagement, and that our longstanding relationships throughout the global gaming ecosystem provide us access to a rich pipeline of untapped, accretive growth opportunities that we are poised to capitalize on.”
“We believe Jam City is at the forefront of mobile gaming, and its unique Games-as-a-Service model has proven to sustain player retention and drive monetization,” said Emil Michael, Chairman and CEO of DPCM Capital. “We are proud to partner with Chris, Josh and the team in their efforts to continue Jam City’s growth and further define the company as a category-defining entertainment brand.”
Combined Company Overview
As a well-capitalized leader in mobile entertainment, we believe Jam City is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the large, fast-growing global mobile gaming market, a market which includes more than 2.7 billion players and that is expected to exceed $205 billion in revenue by 2023, according to Newzoo.
Jam City benefits from a world-class talent base, a global studio network and a proprietary technology platform that enables it to consistently deliver deep, rich and engaging mobile entertainment experiences that appeal to fans around the world. In addition to introducing new game franchises, Jam City has fueled growth through a successful and scalable M&A strategy that involves acquiring assets and studios that have created deep entertainment experiences and leveraging Jam City Live to improve game performance.
With the addition of Ludia, Jam City’s game portfolio will include seven forever franchises, which it considers its most enduring games with at least $100 million in lifetime bookings and receive ongoing Jam City support. Our forever franchises are anticipated to include Cookie Jam; Panda Pop; Genies & Gems; Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery; Bingo Pop; Disney Emoji Blitz[1]; and Jurassic World games (Jurassic World: The Game, Jurassic World Alive).[2] These franchises are diversified across game genres and types of intellectual property, with no single game contributing more than 20% of Jam City’s and Ludia’s combined $570 million total bookings in 2020. By leveraging its strengths to improve performance across Ludia’s portfolio, Jam City expects to generate $868 million in bookings and $112 million in Adjusted EBITDA in 2022, representing 23% and 30% CAGRs, respectively, from 2019 to 2022E.
“Joining forces with Jam City enables us to leverage their technology platform to further enhance performance across our portfolio and collaborate on exciting new projects,” said Alex Thabet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ludia. “This combination is expected to benefit our collective stakeholders and create new avenues for sustained growth.”
In 2020, Jam City was a top 10-featured game publisher in the U.S. across the App Store and Google Play. Together with Ludia, Jam City has built an engaged global player network of 31 million monthly active users and 1.3 billion cumulative game installs as of fourth quarter of 2020. Jam City and Ludia also generated a combined 3 billion total hours played and 9 billion advertising impressions last year.
Powered by WPeMatico
GeoComply, the global leader in geolocation security and fraud prevention, today announced the appointment of Kip Levin as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective Tuesday, March 4th. This strategic move reinforces GeoComply’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions and driving success for its customers.
Kip Levin brings a wealth of experience to GeoComply, having served in various senior leadership roles at Flutter Entertainment over the past decade including CEO of the US business and President of FanDuel. Prior to that he spent 12 years at Ticketmaster where he led the product and ecommerce teams and oversaw the company’s expansion into mobile and resale. His proven track record in driving growth and innovation within dynamic, technology-driven markets positions him to enhance GeoComply’s ability to serve its customers.
This transition allows co-founder Anna Sainsbury to step into the role of Executive Chairman, where she will focus on strategic vision and governance, ensuring GeoComply continues to anticipate and meet the evolving needs of its customers. Co-founder David Briggs will shift his focus to Product and Innovation, leveraging his expertise to drive cutting-edge solutions as he moves from his previous role as CPTO.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kip Levin to GeoComply,” said Anna Sainsbury, Executive Chairman. “His extensive experience and strategic vision are perfectly aligned with our commitment to delivering exceptional value to our customers. I am confident that under his leadership, GeoComply will continue to innovate and expand its global footprint, ensuring we remain at the forefront of geolocation security and fraud prevention. This transition enables me to dedicate more time to our long-term strategic direction, focusing on how we can better serve our partners.”
Kip Levin expressed his enthusiasm for joining GeoComply, stating, “I am incredibly excited to join GeoComply, a company with a strong reputation for innovation and a commitment to customer success. The opportunities in this space are immense, and I look forward to working with Anna, David, and the entire GeoComply team to build on the company’s success and drive further growth for our clients. My experience in scaling businesses and driving product innovation will be instrumental as we navigate the evolving landscape of geolocation technology, ensuring we provide our customers with the most reliable and effective solutions.”
David Briggs, focusing on Product and Innovation, added, “With Kip joining us, I am eager to dedicate my full attention to driving innovation and developing groundbreaking solutions that directly address our customers’ challenges. This is an exciting time for GeoComply, and I am confident that our combined expertise will enable us to deliver even greater value to our clients, strengthening our partnerships.”
GeoComply is poised for continued success as it leverages Kip Levin’s leadership and the founders’ renewed focus on strategic vision and innovation. The company remains committed to providing its clients with the most reliable and advanced geolocation security and fraud prevention solutions, acting as a trusted partner in their success.
The post GeoComply welcomes Kip Levin as CEO, driving customer-focused innovation and growth appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC has reminded the public to be cautious of a series of social media scams that imitate B.C. casinos and trick individuals into providing their financial details on illegitimate websites.
Highly deceptive, these scams share fraudulent posts and advertisements exploiting the logos, names, and exterior images of local B.C. casinos, and may claim to offer players exclusive bonuses and promotions if they register with their website or mobile application. BCLC warns that none of these sites are associated with casinos in B.C. or BCLC.
PlayNow.com is the only online gambling website permitted to operate in B.C. BCLC’s official apps are BCLC Lotto!, PlayNow Poker BC, and PlayNow BC Sportsbook. All BCLC-operated social media accounts, such as BCLC, PlayNow BC, PlayNow Sports, Lotto BC and Casinos BC, are verified with a checkmark.
While BCLC and its casino partners continue to work on having the posts removed, British Columbians should stay vigilant when it comes to these predatory and sophisticated scams.
To protect themselves, individuals are encouraged to:
• Be on alert when a website or app asks for personal or financial information. BCLC’s verified websites and apps will never ask for your social insurance number (SIN), banking information or credit card details online to claim a prize from a B.C. casino.
• Carefully check the URL and domain of the website to verify its legitimacy. Often, scammers will use a similar URL and domain to legitimate websites with a minor spelling difference.
• Always verify the company and its services are real before providing any personal information.
• Look out for other red flags, such as the suggestion of fees or taxes to be paid on a prize. There are no fees or taxes on prizes won in Canada.
If individuals feel unsure about an account, post or advertisement claiming to represent a B.C. casino, they can contact BCLC directly by calling the Customer Support Centre at 1-866-815-0222, or using the live chat resource on corporate.bclc.com or PlayNow.com.
The post BCLC Reminds Public to be Cautious of Illegal Online Casino Scams appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Wyzia, the pioneering Canadian online payment solutions provider for regulated markets, is celebrating the renewal of its highly successful ongoing partnership with Betty, Ontario’s premier online slots casino.
This partnership, which began in 2023, is key to Wyzia’s expansion across North America. It supports players of Betty, an online casino catering to female players whose business is supported by Wyzia’s innovative, secure, and robust payment management solutions.
Wyzia is at the forefront of Canada’s fintech landscape, pioneering seamless online payment solutions for regulated markets. Its innovative platform connects merchants directly to all Canadian financial institutions, simplifying transactions and empowering businesses with reliable, efficient financial tools.
“We’re thrilled to celebrate a year of working with Betty with the renewal of our agreement,” said Guy Fietz, Group CEO at Wyzia. “Our collaboration has not only expanded our reach but enhanced the payment experience for Betty’s growing community of players.
“We look forward to continuing this successful collaboration and driving further innovation in the online gaming industry.”
Betty is the only platform created specifically for Ontario slot players. In 2024, Betty has enjoyed unprecedented growth, with a tenfold increase in net revenue since January and over 1000% growth in active players across Ontario.
By fostering a fun, safe, and supportive environment, Betty has harnessed the power of the female gaming audience to create a unique online casino experience. Betty focuses on transparency, community-based play, and gamification of the traditional slot experience.
This player-focused model has allowed Betty to stand out from other services, resulting in phenomenal growth and the ability to retain female players at a rate three times higher than their male counterparts.
Additionally, Betty automatically processes 99% of withdrawals, so players quickly receive their funds, a crucial benefit for online slot players.
“Our partnership with Wyzia has been instrumental in providing our players with a seamless, fast, and secure payment experience,” said Chavdar Dimitrov, Founder and CEO at Betty. “We are excited about the growth we’ve achieved together and are committed to delivering even better services to our community in the future.”
The post Wyzia Renews Canadian Partnership With Betty appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Asia7 days agoTencent Cloud Recognised as a Leader in Omdia Market Radar for Games in Asia & Oceania, Solidifying its Position as a Global Gaming Industry Innovator
-
Latest News7 days ago
Playtech Publishes its Third Responsible Gambling Report Exploring Consumer Insights in Latin American Gambling Industry
-
Latest News7 days ago
Belatra expands content distribution with BSW collaboration
-
Latest News7 days ago
Week 9/2025 slot games releases
-
Latest News7 days ago
Fast Track has shifted its online presence to fasttrack.ai
-
Latest News7 days ago
Feel the fear in Dracula’s Spinsanity from Silverback Gaming
-
Latest News7 days ago
Playson cranks up the heat in 3 Chillies and Joker: Hold and Win
-
BetNow7 days agoMGCB Issues Cease-and-Desist Order to BetNow
