Gaming
Bidstack secures $11m to become best-funded in-game advertising company
Bidstack, the in-game advertising and video game monetisation platform, today announces it has raised a total of USD $11 million in a new round of funding. This includes a $6 million strategic investment from digital platform cybersecurity world leader, Irdeto, and brings Bidstack’s total funding to $42 million – the most raised for any company in the in-game advertising industry to-date.
This is the first strategic investment in Bidstack’s seven-year history and will fuel the pioneering company’s US growth strategy following the recent hire of Jude O’Connor as Chief Revenue Officer. With more than 80 staff across five international locations, Bidstack now has the infrastructure and talent in place to take on the huge, untapped opportunity for in-game advertising in the US market. Bidstack has already run award-winning in-game campaigns for brands such as Marriott Bonvoy, Paco Rabanne, and Doritos, and works with world-leading game publishers such as Codemasters, and Take-Two Interactive.
Irdeto entered the video games industry with the acquisition of anti-cheat software company Denuvo. The company’s suite of software products are used by a majority of leading console, PC, and mobile titles, creating extensive synergies with Bidstack’s ever-growing developer and publisher network, and breadth of ad formats which now includes rewarded video in addition to in-game and in-menu.
James Draper, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Bidstack, commented
“I am pleased to share that we have secured our first strategic investment, from Irdeto B.V. Irdeto, part of the Multichoice Group, is established as one of the world’s leading cybersecurity businesses, with their gaming division Denuvo being trusted as a leading anti-cheat middleware across the world’s most celebrated gaming platforms and franchises. Irdeto’s positioning across the gaming and entertainment space will lead to many opportunities for our two companies to collaborate going forward, as strategic partners.”
Globally, the in-game advertising market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11% to 2030, from its current estimated valuation of $7.6 billion. This figure represents just under 1% of the $850 billion global advertising market, despite more than three billion people playing games on a daily basis.
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ARK Games
Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games
Flexion has signed a partnership with ARK Games to bring Fishing Travel to its growing portfolio of titles on the alternative app stores. The game will launch on the Amazon Appstore, Samsung Galaxy Store, Samsung Instant Play, Xiaomi GetApps, Epic Games Store and ONE store during during Q2 2026.
Fishing Travel is currently a Top 30 Grossing Casual game in the US alone. It has over 1 million downloads on Google Play and a 4.5-star user rating.
Flexion handles the technical work of bringing a game to alternative channels. This approach relies on 20 years of expertise and a deep bench of alternative market experts. On average, Flexion adds more than 10% in incremental revenue to the titles it represents. Its current portfolio includes 37 top-grossing games, including four titles that have reached the Top 10 grossing charts on Google Play.
As part of this agreement, Flexion will use its Exprexion Markets service to manage the technical requirements and platform relations for ARK Games.
“The old playbook for mobile growth is broken. For too long, developers have been forced to rent their audiences from a duopoly that takes a 30% cut of every dollar earned. We are providing the independence studios need to expand. By using Exprexion Markets, we help partners like ARK Games reclaim their margins and reach global audiences on their own terms,” said Jens Lauritzson, CEO of Flexion.
The mobile market is shifting towards alternative distribution as a strategic necessity. High store taxes and rising acquisition costs have made the traditional model difficult for many studios to sustain. Flexion acts as a partner in scaling revenue and securing earned margins without the typical upfront costs.
“We built Fishing Travel to be a high-quality simulation, and we want to reach the widest possible audience of enthusiasts,” said Xie Xiaoran, BD Director, ARK Games.
Fishing Travel is an exploratory fishing game where players choose from a variety of settings—lakes, rivers and the open ocean. Each location hosts unique species that require specific skills to catch.
The post Flexion Enters into Partnership with ARK Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Brasilia
BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future
BiS Brasília is confirmed for June 2–3, bringing a strong focus on responsible governance and the future of the gaming and betting industry in Brazil.
The event will take place on June 2–3 at the Royal Tulip Brasília Alvorada hotel.
The event will gather key stakeholders, authorities, and industry leaders to discuss major developments shaping the sector.
In its second edition, the event expects a 20% increase in attendance compared to last year.
“Reaching the second edition of BiS Brasília represents the consolidation of an essential space for dialogue between the private sector, authorities, and experts at a decisive moment for the Brazilian market.
Brasília is the center of the country’s major regulatory discussions, and bringing together key ecosystem players in the federal capital reinforces the event’s commitment to building a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable industry,” said Alessandro Valente, the cofounder.
Tickets are available at: https://brazilianigamingsummit.com/brasilia/
About BiS Brasília
In its second edition, BiS Brasília is an event dedicated to the iGaming and betting ecosystem, fostering dialogue between the private sector, public authorities, and society on the development of Brazil’s regulated market for gaming, casinos, and lotteries.
The event brings together business leaders, regulators, and industry experts to discuss key strategic topics such as Brazilian regulation, taxation, integrity, innovation, responsible gaming, compliance, AML / anti-money laundering, licensing, sports integrity, government relations, advertising, and CONAR standards.
BiS SiGMA South America is part of the SiGMA World events portfolio, one of the leading global platforms for B2B business networking and events focused on the gaming and betting industry.
The post BiS Brasília focuses on responsible governance for Brazil’s gaming and betting future appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
casino games
Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity
Tequity Publishing has launched K-Pop Drop, a Burst Game from Mirror Image Gaming, with an exclusive first release on Stake. The game went live on 11th May 2026 and will be available only on Stake initially, before expanding to Tequity’s wider operator network the following week.
According to the companies, K-Pop Drop is an anime-inspired Burst Game featuring escalating multipliers and interactive mechanics. The title includes potential multipliers of up to 5000x and follows a character called Sakura as she progresses through gameplay features including boosts, landing zones, bonus triggers, and hazards.
“K-Pop Drop immediately stood out to us as the type of modern, high-energy content we believe is becoming increasingly important within the market,” said Dominic Sawyer, VP Growth at Tequity. “Players today are looking for more interactive, entertaining experiences that feel highly engaging from the first second of gameplay. Mirror Image Gaming has done a fantastic job creating a game with real personality and strong replayability, and we’re excited to launch it first with Stake before rolling it out across the wider network.”
Mirror Image Gaming CEO Gray Wagner said the Stake launch is intended to broaden the game’s reach. “We wanted K-Pop Drop to feel fast, unpredictable, energetic, and memorable – something that instantly stands out both visually and through gameplay,” said Wagner. “Working with Tequity Publishing and launching first with Stake gives the game an incredibly strong platform from day one, and we’re excited to see players experience it.”
Tequity said K-Pop Drop will become available to its wider operator network from the week commencing 18th May.
The post Tequity Publishing launches Mirror Image Gaming’s K-Pop Drop with Stake exclusivity appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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