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Unwrapping seasonal games with Gaming Corps, Booming Games, 1X2 Network and Apparat Gaming

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With the festive season fast upon us, we spoke with four game studios to understand the opportunities that come with Christmas slots and some of the challenges they face in developing them

 

Just like the retailers and their eagerly anticipated Christmas TV ads, it’s that time of year again when studios unwrap their Christmas-themed slots. These games often dominate casino game lobbies for the next few weeks, allowing operators to cash in on the festive fun.

But with such a short shelf-life, these games can be challenging to develop. They need to come with a captivating theme that stands out from the other Christmas and themed slots, combine a striking design with a big sound, and still put players on the edge of their seats with every spin.

In short, they need to deliver in the same way as any other game leaving the studio’s production line would. But with such a short window of time in which to monetise these games, developers must balance the resources required to produce them with the return they will generate.

Many studios simply reskin an existing, proven game from their portfolio, but others believe they must still go through the full development cycle if they are to deliver the quality players expect. This includes Gaming Corps, whose Christmas cracker – Xmas Plinko – has just hit the market.

 

Connor Blinman, Head of Games at Gaming Corps, said: “Christmas games are hugely popular and can generate significant revenues even though they are only played for a handful of weeks. But to hit the mark with players, the game must deliver the fun, thrills and big win potential they have come to expect.

“This year, we wanted to bring some Christmas magic to the plinko format which is now hugely popular in markets across the world. We are the first Christmas-themed plinko game to hit operator lobbies, and bringing together a festive theme and soundtrack with the plinko experience was something we knew players would enjoy.

“Xmas Plinko has been through the full development cycle to ensure it provides the quality to not only meet but exceed player expectations. This includes rebuilding our plinko engine from the ground up, allowing for better game performance and delivering the best quality to players.”

With Xmas Plinko, players are encouraged to jingle all the way and drop into the holiday spirit as they watch their baubles cascade down the tree and land among the presents where they have the chance to win 3,200x their stake.

The game sits at the high end of the volatility scale – because there can never be enough excitement at Christmas – and has a return to player of 97.05%.

Some studios really do get into the Christmas spirit, and that’s certainly the case at Booming Games. The developer recently launched its festive title, Holly Jolly Bonanza.

You can’t not feel the festive fun when firing up the reels on this five-reel, six-row slot, which is packed with enough joy to make you feel like a kid on Christmas morning. There are plenty of bonus features to unwrap, too.

This starts with a stocking filler – when a win forms, winning symbols are removed and new symbols cascade down like snow from the sky, filling the spaces and potentially forming new wins. The cascades keep coming until there are no more win combinations available.

The festivities keep going with Free Spins. These are triggered when four Scatter symbols come down the chimney and land anywhere on the reels, awarding ten Free Games. If three or more Scatters land during Free Spins, another five Free Games are awarded.

But that’s not all. Random Multipliers can appear at any time during Free Spins, with a max Multiplier of up to 100x for truly Santa-sized wins. Of course, if you’re name is on the naughty list and you still want to unwrap Free Spins, there’s the option to Buy the Bonus.

 

Moritz Blume, Director of Product at Booming Games, said: “The holiday-themed slots, particularly those centred around Christmas, exemplify how seasonal games can significantly enhance the studio’s overall performance.

“These games actively engage in various Christmas promotions, collaborating with both operators and affiliates, providing an additional boost to their performance.

“With Holly Jolly Bonanza, we have dropped several popular bonus features that appear in our other titles firstly because it makes for thrilling festive gameplay, but also so that players get a taste of what Booming Games’ slots are like if they haven’t played them before.”

Of course, Christmas slots are just one season that studios produce games for with Halloween being another popular holiday. But there really is no limit to the imagination of studios looking to deliver games around popular events.

Apparat Gaming, the developer of slots with a German accent, launched its October Bier Frenzy title ahead of the world-famous Munich Oktoberfest which took place back in September. Again, the studio looked to deliver thrilling gameplay alongside the theme via Free Spins with a Collector mechanism in the Beer Frenzy Bonus.

This is triggered when three Scatters land anywhere on the reels. When this happens, the soundtrack of the Bavarian brass band changes to a famous Oktoberfest party song – the lyrics basically say the drunker you are, the easier it is to sing.

Free Spins are then awarded and as they play out, players collect the Beer symbols that are served onto the reels. If the player collects 40 of these symbols, an additional 10 Free Spins are awarded with any winnings from the Beer symbols Multiplied by x2, x3 or x10.

During Free Spins, players need to keep their slightly blurry eyes peeled for the Beerman as when he appears together with the Beer symbols, he drinks them all and Collects all of the values that are on the symbols.

If there is a Wild but no Beer symbols, he cheers the bar with a “Prost” and turns random symbols into Beers before collecting their values.

 

Thomas Wendt, Co-founder, and Director at Apparat Gaming, says the mechanics of the themed game are just as important as the theme itself.

“While players are often drawn to themed games around that seasonal event, they still expect to be entertaining and for the game to deliver the excitement and big-win potential they are seeking.

“That is exactly what we have done with October Bier Frenzy, paying great attention to the gameplay and in particular the Free Spins/collector feature. By doing this, we increase the longevity of the game beyond the time the Munich Oktoberfest takes place.”

Themed games have been around for many years, and there’s a strong appetite among players to engage with them. This presents opportunities for studios to produce seasonal slots, but they absolutely must nail the quality and experience of these games – no gimmicks, if you like.

1X2 Network is another studio that gets into the festive spirit with two games hitting operator stockings this year – Sweet Candy Christmas and Megaways Jack Frost from its Iron Dog Studio brand.

The latter is the latest instalment in the developer’s Megaways Jack series, which has been a hit with players. By taking what is essentially a game franchise and launching a Christmas special, the studio believes its Christmas slot will top the charts.

It sees players venture to the North Pole where they are treated to a stunning, snowy experience packed with bonus features including winning symbols that freeze and shatter to be replaced by new ones, as well as reels that lock in place with an enchanting icy border that gradually freezes the entire reel.

If that wasn’t enough, Free Spins can be triggered with players taken into an icy snowstorm where Multipliers and the Jack Frost feature come into play. Jack Frost showers the player with bonuses such as Symbol Swaps and Wilds in both Free Spins and the base game.

 

Alex Ratcliffe, CPO at 1X2 Network, said: “’Tis the season to be jolly, and what better way to get into the spirit of the season than by developing not just one but two Christmas-themed slot games.

“This year, we decided to leverage our popular Megaway Jack series by adding a Christmas game to the series. This allows us to tap into the existing popularity of the game and to deliver a fun, festive experience to players with a brand and mechanic they already know and love.

“Our other seasonal slot, Sweet Candy Christmas, is just as fun to play and combines the ever-popular Scatter Pay mechanic with the most wonderful time of the year. The candy theme set in a Winter Wonderland has one last surprise for eagle-eyed players who may recognise who is driving Santa’s sleigh.”

Some studios are clearly up for the challenge and enjoy the benefits of developing and launching themed games, both in the near term while they are “in season” and also in the long-term kickback in the form of stronger operator relationships and player awareness.

Of course, pick the right theme – such as this year’s St Patrick’s Day release Leprechaun Charms – and you can end up with a fun, themed game that can be played all year round. So, a slot game for life, not just for Christmas. “

 

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Ex-Binance exec Ryan Horn joins Press Box PR as Growth and Business Development Advisor

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Press Box PR, an award-winning digital PR agency specialising in betting, gaming, sport, consumer, retail, and hospitality, has announced the appointment of former Binance sports partnerships leader Ryan Horn as its new Growth and Business Development Advisor.

Horn will work closely with Press Box PR’s leadership team to drive strategic growth initiatives, advise on international opportunities, and support clients navigating the fast-evolving intersection of sport, payments, gaming, and emerging technologies.

With offices in London and Manchester, Press Box PR is renowned for securing earned media coverage across gambling, sports, consumer, finance, hospitality, and catering publications. The agency also helps brands increase visibility in AI-generated answers, citations, and large language model (LLM) recommendations. Press Box PR was named PR Agency of the Year at the 2026 European iGaming Awards.

Horn brings over 20 years of experience at the crossroads of global sport, commercial partnerships, and digital innovation. He has collaborated with major organisations including FIFA, UEFA, the International Olympic Committee, Formula 1, and the Rugby Football Union, helping connect global brands with some of the world’s largest sporting audiences.

He co-founded Brandtix, a sports data intelligence company that introduced a data-driven approach to sponsorship measurement, and later held senior roles in the global advertising sector, including Chief Business Development Officer at Euro RSCG, managing sponsorship strategy and campaigns for top-tier brands.

More recently, Horn led sports and digital asset partnerships at Binance, working with figures and organisations such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Mike Tyson, and Italian Serie A club Lazio, with a focus on the convergence of sport, digital payments, fan engagement platforms, and online gaming ecosystems.

In his role at Press Box PR, Horn will provide strategic insight on emerging areas shaping modern sports business, including AI-driven fan engagement, tokenised commerce platforms, global payments infrastructure, and the digital transformation of sport.

Alex Donohue, Founder and Managing Director of Press Box PR, said:
“Ryan has spent his career at the intersection of sport, technology, and commercial innovation. His experience and network will be hugely valuable as we expand internationally and support clients across sport, betting, and fintech.”

Horn added:
“The digital transformation of sport is creating entirely new commercial ecosystems. I’m excited to join Press Box PR and help clients navigate and communicate their role in this evolving landscape.”

The post Ex-Binance exec Ryan Horn joins Press Box PR as Growth and Business Development Advisor appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Choice Gaming

Choice Gaming: Expanding Across Slots, Crash, Instant and AI Live Casino

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Choice Gaming produces and distributes content across four key verticals: slots, crash games, instant formats, and live casino offerings via its dedicated Kiss division. The company maintains full control over concept development, visual direction, and release scheduling, ensuring a cohesive and strategically aligned portfolio.

Collaboration-Driven Product Development
A cornerstone of Choice Gaming’s approach is integrating public figures and cultural collaborators directly into the design of its games. In the crash segment, Evra Crash was developed in partnership with football legend Patrice Evra, incorporating his likeness, persona, and competitive identity into the game’s mechanics and presentation.

In the instant category, Mono Choice was created alongside contemporary artist Alec Monopoly. The title embeds elements of his signature artistic style throughout the creative execution, extending well beyond surface-level branding.

The collaboration approach also extends to live casino offerings. As part of its cross-vertical strategy, the company launched Evra Sic Bo, a live table game featuring Patrice Evra’s identity integrated into the format.

Live Casino: Kiss Division
Through the Kiss division, Choice Gaming operates an AI-driven live casino infrastructure. Kiss AI Live Casino replaces traditional fixed studios with digitally generated environments and AI-controlled dealers. Operators can customize dealer appearance, ethnicity, attire, language, atmosphere, and studio design without altering the table structure.

The live portfolio includes multiple Sic Bo tables, each offering distinct dealer presentations and visual styles, creating differentiated table experiences within a scalable framework.

Slot Portfolio
Choice Gaming’s slot catalogue features fully in-house developed titles designed for multi-market deployment. Each release adheres to a defined concept and visual framework, avoiding reused layouts or re-skinned games. The company’s roadmap includes continued expansion of slot themes and innovative design directions throughout the year.

Crash and Instant Segments
Beyond collaboration-led releases, the crash and instant categories continue to grow with titles built around streamlined mechanics, clear visual identity, and structured gameplay positioning.

Scaling with Control
Choice Gaming continues to expand across all verticals while retaining complete oversight of production, creative direction, and collaborative integration, ensuring consistent quality and innovation across its portfolio.

The post Choice Gaming: Expanding Across Slots, Crash, Instant and AI Live Casino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Groove

Groove Rolls Out Next-Gen Instant Tournaments Solution

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In an industry where player attention spans diminish rapidly, leading platform and aggregator Groove has launched what could be the most valuable weapon in the fight for engagement: their groundbreaking Instant Tournaments Tool.

This groundbreaking advancement enables operators to envision, set up, and initiate high-stakes tournaments straight from Groove Command’s back-office faster than it takes to make a pot of coffee, no developers needed, no delays, only sheer competitive excitement at the speed of now.

The development team, under the guidance of Product Development Head Shay Kababie, observed with pleasure as the initial live test occurred. An experienced casino operator, who was initially doubtful, launched a $10,000 Blackjack Blitz with only a few clicks. The outcome? A sudden increase in players, soaring engagement statistics, and revenue boosts, all happening before lunchtime arrived.

“This alters everything,” the operator said, observing leaderboards illuminate in real-time.

For years, creating tournaments involved managing intricate technical specifications, relying on overloaded development teams, and hoping that everything would run smoothly at launch. Groove’s approach completely eliminates these obstacles.

The new advancement in the Groove Command platform is already causing a stir in the iGaming industry, as beta testers indicate significant increases in player involvement and earnings.

“This isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a fundamental shift in how operators compete,” says Rachel Tourgeman, Head of Partnerships at Groove. “Our partners have been begging for a solution that keeps pace with player demand. Now they can create high-stakes tournaments faster than most teams can schedule a meeting. We’re seeing operators launch tournaments around live sports events, viral trends, even competitor outages, all in real time.”

Operators can now react to market trends with the quickness of day traders, identifying an opportunity in the morning and profiting from it by afternoon. Looking to take advantage of a competitor’s downtime? A competition exists for that. Looking to reconnect with inactive VIPs? The ideal challenge is merely a few clicks away.

This advancement integrates effortlessly into the Groove Command ecosystem, the most robust back-office platform in the industry. In this scenario, establishing a tournament is merely one tool in a well-equipped arsenal. Operators have total control over their operations, encompassing detailed game management, real-time financial analysis, compliance protections, and now, immediate competitive experiences that engage players continuously.

The consequences are significant. While rivals may take days or weeks to set up tournaments, operators using Groove can experiment, refine, and enhance various tournament formats in just one afternoon.

The platform’s user-friendly interface masks its advanced features, customizable prize formats, interactive leaderboards, and specific player segmentation can all be effortlessly set up via a sleek dashboard.

“Speed has become the ultimate competitive advantage in iGaming,” explains Kababie. “We’re not just giving operators tools, we’re giving them the ability to outmanoeuvre competitors at a strategic level. The team that can launch a perfect tournament when a trending slot drops, or capitalise on a major sporting event in real-time, that’s the team that wins.”

Looking ahead, Groove’s roadmap promises even more disruptive innovations, including AI-driven tournament suggestions and automated optimisation algorithms. But for now, the message to the industry is clear: the tournament landscape has changed forever, and operators who hesitate will find themselves hopelessly outpaced.

Yahale Meltzer, Co-Founder and CEO of Groove, explains the strategic advantage: “For years, operators have been trapped in a cycle of slow, expensive tournament development. We’ve broken that cycle. Now when an operator sees Messi score a hat-trick or Drake tweet about a new slot, they can capitalise immediately. That agility is worth millions in today’s market.”

Perfectly incorporated into the Groove Command platform, the Instant Tournaments Tool complements a range of operator-centric innovations such as real-time analytics, automated compliance verification, and data-informed game suggestions. The user-friendly interface of the system enables operators to configure personalized rules, prize frameworks, and qualification criteria effortlessly through easy dropdown menus, eliminating the need for coding skills.

In the future, Groove has hinted at new features such as AI-driven tournament enhancement and large-scale cross-operator events. However, as Meltzer observes, “The true revolution is occurring at this moment, in the possession of operators who realize that speed is the new greatest competitive edge.”

Meltzer states, “The tournament arms race has changed permanently and Groove has just given operators the nuclear codes.”

The post Groove Rolls Out Next-Gen Instant Tournaments Solution appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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