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Merkur Sportwetten Makes Structural, Personnel Changes Focused on Online Growth

Published

5 years ago

October 4, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Merkur Sportwetten has divided its product team into two departments – a “Digital Operation” team and a “Technology & Delivery” team. While the Digital Operation team concentrates on the commercial success of the digital business, the Technology & Delivery team focuses on the provision of customer-oriented and high-quality products.

The Digital Operation team is led by Andy Bentley. After having served the company as a consultant since November last year, the 40-year-old joined Merkur Sportwetten as Chief Operating Officer of Digital on 1 July 2021. In his new role as Head of the Digital Operation Team, he is responsible, among other things, for increasing the growth of the online business, for providing first-class customer service, and for defining the online product range.

“As a team, we have a clear vision: to create the best omnichannel experience across Europe. I’m very excited to be a part of this vision and to accompany Merkur Sportwetten on this journey as well as to drive it forward,” Bentley said.

The Technology & Delivery segment will be the responsibility of Adam Lomax as Director of Technology & Delivery B2C. The 42-year-old has been with the Gauselmann Group since 1 March 2021 and was initially responsible as Program Director for the provision of the platform and systems for the international land-based and online market. In his new role as Director Technology & Delivery, Adam Lomax has been responsible for the new and further development of Merkur Sportwetten products since 1 July 2021.

“I am thrilled to be working in such a future- and quality-oriented company. Splitting up the product team enables us to respond to the needs of our customers and business partners in an even more targeted and effective way. This presents an exciting opportunity to reshape the way Merkur Sportwetten drives international growth,” Lomax said.

“The new structure within our product team provides valuable resources and a more targeted focus on developing our online business. Now that we have well-established platform and technology partners, the team’s focus has to shift from ‘build and develop’ to ‘deliver and grow,’” Markus Ettlin, the Management Spokesperson at Merkur Sportwetten GmbH, said.

“With the appointment of Andy Bentley and Adam Lomax, we have been able to attract two experienced and proven experts and are thus taking a big step on the long-term path becoming the best omnichannel provider in the whole of Europe,” he added.

ELA Games

ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus

Published

46 minutes ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-releases-spirit-of-savanna-slot-with-player-choice-bonus

The new 5×3, 10-payline title features Hold and Win or Free Spins selection and three jackpot tiers.

ELA Games has released Spirit of Savanna, a new online slot that introduces a player-choice bonus mechanic alongside Hold and Win, Free Spins, and three jackpot tiers.

Spirit of Savanna runs on a 5×3 reel grid with 10 paylines and is rated volatility 4 out of 5, according to the supplier. RTP is listed across two ranges: 93.98-94.16% and 96.01-96.12%.

The main differentiator is how a Wild symbol contributes to a winning combination. Instead of triggering a fixed feature, the game prompts players to choose between seven Free Spins or a Hold and Win bonus.

Both bonus paths include a Repeat Win feature that carries the value of the triggering win into each spin of the bonus round. The Free Spins feature can also retrigger using the same Wild-combination logic. The game includes three jackpot tiers, with the Grand Jackpot available either by landing two Antelopes or by filling an entire row with coins during Hold and Win.

The post ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Games Global

Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios

Published

46 minutes ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

games-global-launches-candy-combo-2-power-combo-with-slingshot-studios

Games Global has released Candy Combo 2 Power Combo, developed with exclusive studio partner Slingshot Studios. The new slot follows the original Candy Combo Power Combo and expands the title’s Link&Win gameplay and Power Combo mechanics.

The 5×3, 20-payline game is set in a pastel candy theme and uses five “candy jar” characters above the reels to collect matching symbols and trigger Link&Win modifiers. The Power Combo flow activates a Link&Win bonus played on a 5×4 grid, where cash coins remain in place as new symbols land.

Returning mechanics include Connector symbols with multipliers of up to 10x for completed rows, Collector symbols that gather visible cash values, and Jackpot symbols that award fixed prizes when four matching symbols are collected.

New features include Adder, which adds values to all other landed symbols, and Extender, which unlocks a second independent reel set to extend the Link&Win round. Games Global said up to five features can be active within a single Link&Win round, culminating in Super Power Combo, where all features are active at once. The game also includes Hot Mode, which adds extra feature symbols to the reels, and Upsizer, which offers an option to enhance the Link&Win feature at a cost before the bonus begins.

Richard Vermaak, Creative Director at Slingshot Studios, said: “Candy Combo 2 Power Combo builds on its predecessor – one of our most successful titles – by expanding how features interact within the Link&Win format.

“The addition of new jars and the ability to combine multiple mechanics introduces more variation across each round, while staying true to the core gameplay players recognise.”

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “Slingshot Studios has done a brilliantly at evolving a well-established concept by adding depth and flexibility to its feature set.

“The result is a bright, engaging title that enhances a proven mechanic while offering players more ways to experience its core gameplay.”

The post Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Acquisitions/Merger

LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino

Published

46 minutes ago

May 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

lcky-group-agrees-to-acquire-denmark-igaming-operator-royalcasino

LCKY Group has entered into an agreement to acquire RoyalCasino, an iGaming operator focused exclusively on Denmark. The companies said the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.

LCKY Group said the deal will expand its footprint in Denmark and increase exposure to what it described as “sustainable revenue streams in a well-regulated and stable jurisdiction.” The company also said the acquisition supports its multi-brand strategy in the Danish market.

LCKY Group expects the transaction to be immediately accretive, estimating an 18–20% increase in group revenue and a 29–31% increase in EBITDA.

Richard Brown, CEO of LCKY Group, said: “This is a highly strategic and financially compelling acquisition for LCKY Group. RoyalCasino brings both strong market presence and high-quality earnings in Denmark, a market that aligns closely with our focus on regulated, sustainable growth. The transaction enhances our scale, strengthens our competitive position, and provides clear opportunities to drive synergies and long-term value creation. We look forward to working closely with the RoyalCasino team to realize these opportunities.”

Per Petersen, CEO of RoyalCasino, said: “RoyalCasino is one of the largest online casino operators in Denmark, a market known as both well-regulated and high-value. Our industry is characterised by high levels of innovation and competition, and here we see the combination of RoyalCasino’s local expertise and LCKY’s international scale and iGaming pedigree as an excellent recipe for shared success. We look forward to introducing LCKY to our Danish customer base.” Partis acted as financial advisors to RoyalCasino on the transaction.

The post LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.