Latest News
With 50 Million Master Bakers, ‘Bake It’ Is Now Kwalee’s 2nd-Biggest Mobile Game
Kwalee’s Bake It has officially passed 50 million downloads, making it the publisher’s second most-downloaded hypercasual game to date. Its impressive download count is topped only by Draw It (95 million+ downloads).
Released in May 2020, this tactile game about baking perfect cakes and treats took the mobile game market by storm – it ranked at #1 in the ‘Simulation’ category in 20 countries, and achieved close to 10 million downloads in the first month alone!
Bake It gives the player a chance to explore their delicious itch for culinary baking. Players bake monumental cakes, dressing them with a smorgasbord of sweet toppings and icing and sprinkles and candies – based on what the customer’s sweet tooth craves, of course.
2020 was a testing time for Kwalee, as it was for everyone. The company — headquartered in Leamington Spa — faced the challenge of swapping the shared physical space of its studio with a remote, digital development environment due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic.
Bake It, Kwalee’s first game launched under these circumstances, proved to be the standard-bearer in the firm’s impressive adaptation to remote working. Kwalee began 2020 as a developer and publisher with just over 60 staff, all firmly UK and office-based, and now finds itself with more than 160 team members, across 13 countries and three offices – Leamington Spa, Bangalore and Beijing.
CEO David Darling expressed his thoughts on the game’s success and its role in Kwalee’s development as a globally-distributed team:
“Seeing the success of Bake It along with a few other hit games of ours, like Object Hunt and Shootout 3D – it gives us confidence in remote working as the new model for our work culture. There’s a lot of potential we’re seeing in working this way to bring more hit games in the long term, especially with a globally-distributed team, so we’re excited about that.”
For an even greater insight into the making of Bake It, Kwalee’s Head of Development Simon Platt published an article soon after the game’s release that dove deep into the team’s experience of handling both development and publishing of Bake It during the pandemic.
Between opening up permanent remote opportunities for candidates globally and working alongside the overseas offices in Bangalore and Beijing, Kwalee’s teams have had to keep their work structure consistent online whilst meeting project goals simultaneously. It has ultimately paid off, with the recent remote releases skyrocketing in the charts.
Kwalee is currently running a challenge for third-party developers called Hypercasual Heroes, in which developers have the chance to get their games published by Kwalee and potentially secure a slice of that Bake It-style success – along with incredible, limited-time awards including a Tesla Model 3 car and $100,000 in advances with uncapped profit share to follow! Open for submissions until 31st August, developers can simply upload their 15-second gameplay video to Kwalee’s new publisher portal in order to be eligible.*
In the case of Bake It, the cherry on top was provided by the fact that interest in baking shot up during the first lockdown, often cited as a therapeutic and productive outlet to bust stress and anxiety. Bake It certainly hit the sweet spot in this regard but more than a year on, it’s also showed impressive longevity.
Bake It continues to receive updates from Kwalee’s dedicated team of designers and developers, who tailor the experiences for all kinds of players so anyone could become the best baker they can be. Android users and iOS users can find Bake It available for download on Google Play Store and App Store respectively.
Kwalee has been nominated in both Best Developer and Best Publisher categories at the upcoming Mobile Games Awards, and you can visit the official website for more information on joining our global team or getting your game published with us.
casino
Plaza Hotel & Casino adds DJ Exodus to free Cinco de Mayo party on May 5
Downtown Las Vegas event runs from 4 p.m. around the Carousel Bar under the Main Street dome, with themed food, drinks and a large piñata.
Plaza Hotel & Casino will host its Cinco de Mayo celebration on Tuesday, May 5, starting at 4 p.m., in and around the property’s Carousel Bar in downtown Las Vegas.
The event is free to attend and will feature DJ Exodus, according to the casino. The DJ is scheduled to play a mix of “top radio hits with a mix of Latin music” under the Plaza’s Main Street dome.
The property said the party will also include “downtown’s largest piñata” and a photo area with themed props.
Food options listed for purchase include churros from Churros 101 and street tacos and esquites from Fresh Mexican Grill. Carousel Bar will run drink specials, including Modelo Draft 16 oz ($11), Modelo Michelada ($14), Mi Campo Margarita ($14), Mi Campo Blanco Shot ($10), and Mi Campo Reposado Shot ($12). Nearby, Pinkbox Doughnuts will offer Cinco de Mayo-themed doughnuts.
More information is available at plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/cinco-de-mayo/.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino Cinco de Mayo event page; https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/entertainment/cinco-de-mayo/ Primary source for event details, timing and location provided by the operator.
- Plaza Hotel & Casino official website; https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/ Reference point for property information and related entertainment listings.
The post Plaza Hotel & Casino adds DJ Exodus to free Cinco de Mayo party on May 5 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
AI
BetConstruct AI sets SBC Summit Malta 2026 stand to demo iGaming ecosystem
Supplier plans product demos at Stand C50 on April 29–30, including sportsbook, casino aggregation, affiliate tools, retail and AI suite.
BetConstruct AI will exhibit at SBC Summit Malta 2026 on April 29–30, taking Stand C50 in Malta to present its iGaming product ecosystem to operators and other industry stakeholders.
The company said it will demo multiple components including its Sportsbook Platform, Casino Platform, Affiliate Ecosystem, Retail Solutions and AI Suite. BetConstruct AI stated its Sportsbook Platform includes more than 140,000 pre-match events and over 12,000 monthly esports live events.
For casino, BetConstruct AI said its Casino Platform integrates 350+ providers via a unified aggregation API. It will also spotlight its Affiliate ecosystem, which it said includes 7,000+ vetted affiliates supported by AI-based scoring.
On omnichannel, the supplier said its Retail Solutions are designed to connect land-based and digital channels. The company’s AI suite will also be part of the stand presentation, including CRM AI, Umbrella AI, an AI Game Recommendation System and Betting Mate AI, which it said covers “everything from churn prediction and risk management to real-time personalisation and conversational betting.”
BetConstruct AI said a focus at Stand C50 will be “the Best Sportsbook for the World Cup 2026,” supported by two “zero-cost products” — Powerfull for pre-tournament engagement and Bet on League for an in-tournament hub — which it said require “zero development effort from operators.”
More relevant data as follows:
- SBC Summit Malta; https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-malta/ Official event page for dates, location, and exhibitor information.
- BetConstruct; https://www.betconstruct.com/ Company site for product and platform background referenced in the announcement.
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA); https://www.mga.org.mt/ Primary regulator in Malta; useful context for readers tracking Malta-based iGaming activity.
The post BetConstruct AI sets SBC Summit Malta 2026 stand to demo iGaming ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
earnings
Meridian Holdings returns to profit on $50.1m Q1 2026 revenue, up 17% YoY
NASDAQ-listed MRDN posts $2.3m net income and cuts net debt 62% after recent rebrand and ticker change.
Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN), the Las Vegas-headquartered gaming and technology group, reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $50.1 million, up 17% year over year, and net income of $2.3 million. The company said it was the first profitable quarter under the Meridian Holdings brand, following a rebrand and the start of trading under the MRDN ticker on the NASDAQ Capital Market less than two months ago.
Meridian also reported a lower debt position versus the prior year. Total debt fell by more than half year over year, while net debt decreased 62% to $13.4 million. The company ended the quarter with $16.2 million in cash.
“This quarter marks an important milestone in our growth journey,” said William Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Holdings. “We delivered revenue in line with our guidance, exceeded our profitability target, and continued strengthening our balance sheet, all while expanding our presence across regulated markets and investing in proprietary technology. We are well-positioned for sustained growth through 2026 and beyond.”
Meridianbet, the group’s main operating subsidiary, generated $34.9 million in Q1 revenue, up 26% year over year, representing nearly 70% of group revenue, the company said. Meridian reported nearly 500,000 new customer registrations in the quarter (+41% YoY) and active users up 21% to 333,700.
Across other units, Expanse Studios expanded to 1,519 active operator sites and secured new regulatory certifications in Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, and Portugal, while continuing certification efforts in Ontario, Canada. RKings Competitions posted sales of $7.7 million, Classics for a Cause reported VIP subscriptions surpassing 10,000 for the first time in 12 months, and Mexplay more than tripled new registrations year over year to 74,000.
For Q2 2026, Meridian guided to revenue of $51 million to $53 million, implying 18% to 23% year-over-year growth.
More relevant data as follows:
- Meridian Holdings quarterly results; https://meridian-holdings.com/quarterly-results Source for the full earnings release, investor deck, and call replay referenced in the announcement.
- Meridian Holdings investor relations; https://meridian-holdings.com Company site for corporate background, filings links, and investor materials.
- NASDAQ: MRDN quote and company profile; https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/mrdn Independent listing page to corroborate ticker, exchange, and market data context.
The post Meridian Holdings returns to profit on $50.1m Q1 2026 revenue, up 17% YoY appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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