Connect with us

Latest News

Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

Opera, the browser developer and consumer internet brand, announced its acquisition of YoYo Games, creator of the world’s leading 2D game engine, GameMaker Studio 2, for approximately $10 million. The tuck-in acquisition represents the second building block in the foundation of Opera Gaming, a new division within Opera with global ambitions and follows the creation and rapid growth of Opera’s innovative Opera GX browser, the world’s first browser built specifically for gamers.

Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera, said: “With Opera GX, Opera had adapted its proven, innovative browser tech platform to dramatically expand its footprint in gaming. We’re at the brink of a shift, when more and more people start not only playing, but also creating and publishing games. GameMaker Studio2 is best-in-class game development software, and lowers the barrier to entry for anyone to start making their games and offer them across a wide range of web-supported platforms, from PCs, to, mobile iOS/Android devices, to consoles.

Annette De Freitas, Head of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships, Opera Gaming, added: “Gaming is a growth area for Opera and the acquisition of YoYo Games reflects significant, sustained momentum across both of our businesses over the past year. Our new Opera GX browser hit 7 million MAUs in December, 2020, up 350% year over year, while YoYo Games’ GameMaker engine achieved 400K new registered creators in 2020. We’re tremendously excited by the opportunities the combination creates not only for our combined users, but also for the expansion of Opera’s gaming community.”

Stuart Poole, GM at YoYo Games who will remain with the business alongside technical lead Russell Kay stated, “For over twenty years, the vision behind the GameMaker engine was to not just create more games, but expand development within and beyond the game studio. We think the transaction with Opera – whose products are known, trusted and used worldwide by millions of people every month- represents a massive opportunity to accelerate fulfilment of that founding vision, during a period of exceptional growth for both companies.”

“We are very excited to start working with the team at YoYo Games,” said Krystian Kolondra, EVP Browsers at Opera. “We see the Game Maker Studio platform as being an ideal acquisition to complement our global ambitions in gaming, and to help drive awareness and traffic to our Opera GX gaming browser.”

Opera GX, YoYo Games and GameMaker will unite under Opera Gaming, focusing on innovating across the gaming, game development, and browser experience. “We look forward to further growing Opera GX and driving the growth of GameMaker as part of a broader ecosystem, making it more accessible to novice users and developing it into the world’s leading 2D game engine used by commercial studios,” continued Krystian Kolondra. “Opera Gaming will be focusing on accelerating the growth of this emerging ecosystem, combining the 7+ million highly engaged gamers using Opera GX with millions of GameMaker creators. We are also thrilled to continue realizing synergies between YoYo Games’ products and Opera GX.”

GameMakerStudio is an integrated game development software, performance-tuned 2/2.5D engine that fuels many games, including multi-million hits like Risk of Rain, Undertale, or Hyper Light Drifter on an extensive range of mainstream platforms. Starting to build games with Game Maker Studio requires little to zero coding skills. Due to its extensive functionalities and ease of use Game Maker Studio lowers the barriers to entry and empowers a variety of creative people to make their games come alive and share them with the world.

Kolondra explained further: “Performance is essential to even 2D gaming, and sustaining that performance across mobile devices and laptops as well as variable bandwidth and connectivity requires thinking outside of traditional application silos. The line between building good games and good browsers has been eroding for years – with gaming interactivity across internet connections ramping up and browsers growing more multi-function and sophisticated. Traditionally the two types of technology compete for hardware and bandwidth resources. But as Opera GX proved, there was a better way to address that competition and improve the experience across both functionalities. YoYo Games’ team, development expertise and studio relationships lay the groundwork for turning the Opera GX vertical into a new kind of horizontal. This horizontal opportunity is why we’re building Opera Gaming and its infrastructure – so that we can further integrate gaming and browsing in ways beneficial to both in terms of not only monetization, but also experience.”

Powered by WPeMatico

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Canada

CasinoCanada announces partnership with Slota Casino

Published

on

casinocanada-announces-partnership-with-slota-casino

CasinoCanada.com has entered into a partnership with Slota Casino aimed at increasing the platform’s visibility and directing traffic from non-regulated Canadian markets.

As part of the collaboration, CasinoCanada will prepare and publish informational materials describing Slota Casino’s features and game offerings.

The partnership includes ongoing content development, efforts to increase platform visibility and user acquisition activities across CasinoCanada’s media channels.

CasinoCanada is an online casino guide focused on the Canadian market, operated by SEOBROTHERS.

Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR at SEOBROTHERS, commented:

“We focus on delivering accurate information about the Slota Casino platform while maintaining consistent content updates and supporting steady traffic growth across our channels.”

Slota Casino was launched in 2024 by GBL Solutions N.V. under a Curacao licence.

Slota Casino is operated by the Slota Partners affiliate program.

The platform provides access to more than 12,000 online casino games from 130 providers, including Play’n GO, Endorphina and Games Global.

A representative of Slota Casino said:

“We’re genuinely excited about teaming up with CasinoCanada. This is a major step forward for us.

The Canadian market has enormous potential, and partnering with a portal as respected as CasinoCanada gives our brand the visibility and credibility it deserves in this region.”

The post CasinoCanada announces partnership with Slota Casino appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Brazil

Esportes da Sorte has renewed its official sponsorship of the Parintins Folklore Festival for the 2026 edition

Published

on

esportes-da-sorte-has-renewed-its-official-sponsorship-of-the-parintins-folklore-festival-for-the-2026-edition

Esportes da Sorte has renewed its official sponsorship of the Parintins Folklore Festival for the 2026 edition.

The brand reinforces its strategy of promoting Brazilian culture after fostering an exchange between the North and Northeast regions during the Pernambuco Carnival.

Esportes da Sorte announced the renewal of its official sponsorship of the Parintins Folklore Festival for the 2026 edition.

Scheduled to take place from June 26 to 28, the event is part of the brand’s strategy to strengthen Brazilian cultural expressions and support the regional creative economy.

The continuation of the partnership follows a cycle of cultural integration promoted by the company over the past year.

In 2026, the group brought artistic references from the Parintins Festival to Recife Carnival by inviting Amazonian visual artist Iran Martins to design the brand’s parade float at Galo da Madrugada.

The project incorporated movement mechanisms and aesthetic elements inspired by the “bumbás” universe into the visual language of frevo.

Beyond brand exposure, the investment in Parintins is part of a positioning strategy focused on valuing Brazilian cultural identity and strengthening initiatives with strong regional ties.

“Our presence in Parintins goes beyond a branding action. It is a commitment to valuing Brazilian culture and the professionals who drive this creative ecosystem.

By bringing together references from the Parintins Festival and Recife Carnival, we show how different cultural expressions in the country can dialogue and create new connections.

We want to continue expanding this impact and contribute to keeping the bumbá tradition strong,” said Marcela Campos, Vice President of Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, owner of Esportes da Sorte.

Economic growth and new Bumbódromo

The Parintins Festival 2026 is expected to generate around R$193.2 million, a projected 5% increase compared to the previous edition. The forecast also includes approximately 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, as well as the arrival of around 126,000 tourists.

The audience will be welcomed in the new Bumbódromo, a structure with capacity for up to 25,000 people per day, which will become part of the festival’s expansion in the coming years.

Esportes da Sorte

Esportes da Sorte is one of Brazil’s leading sports betting platforms, with 100% national operations and a license granted by the Ministry of Finance (SPA/MF) to Esportes Gaming Brasil — the group that also owns the Onabet and Lottu brands.

The company is part of a Great Place to Work certified group and generates around 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. Its pillars include innovation, commitment to responsible gaming, and support for sector regulation.

It maintains strategic partnerships with institutions such as ANJL, IBIA, Sportradar, EBAC, and IAA, strengthening control practices, problem gambling prevention, and user protection.

In addition to sports betting, Esportes da Sorte invests consistently in sports, culture, and social projects. It is a master sponsor of clubs such as Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária, and Náutico, as well as supporting major cultural events like Galo da Madrugada, Carnival celebrations in cities such as Recife, Olinda, Salvador, Maceió, Natal, Caicó, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, and the Parintins Festival. The brand also expands its digital presence through creative campaigns and influencer partnerships, strengthening its connection with audiences across online platforms.

The post Esportes da Sorte has renewed its official sponsorship of the Parintins Folklore Festival for the 2026 edition appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Canada

Digicode to showcase Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada 2026

Published

on

digicode-to-showcase-diger-suite-at-sbc-summit-canada-2026

Digicode will showcase its Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada, taking place in Toronto from May 19–21, 2026.

At the event, the company will highlight how its product suite addresses evolving technical and partnership demands in Canada’s regulated iGaming market.

As the market moves beyond initial entry and into a phase defined by performance, scalability, and compliance, operators are re-evaluating their technology foundations.

Digicode’s Diger Suite is built to support this shift, offering a modular architecture that enables faster adaptation to regulatory changes, improved system reliability, and more efficient operations.

Aligned with the summit’s 2026 theme, “Partnerships, Performance, and Market Reality,” Digicode will demonstrate how its technology supports sustainable growth.

The Diger Suite equips operators with tools to manage complex integrations, streamline localized payment processing, and ensure compliance with responsible gaming requirements.

Its AI-driven framework automates backend workflows while maintaining strict standards for security and uptime.

“The Canadian market has entered the phase of operational maturity where the focus is no longer on expansion alone but on improving efficiency and long-term profitability,” said Elkhan Shabanov, CEO of Digicode Americas.

Operators are looking for solutions that not only meet regulatory demands but also enable them to scale efficiently and maintain control over their platforms.”  

During the summit, Digicode’s team will engage with industry stakeholders on topics including AI adoption in product development, modernization of legacy systems, and the transition away from traditional SaaS and revenue-share models toward full platform ownership.

The company aims to help operators regain control of their technology stack, reduce dependency on third-party vendors, and build scalable, compliant solutions tailored to their business needs. 

About Digicode

Digicode is a full-cycle AI-enabled product development company that designs and delivers enterprise digital solutions for organizations in complex, regulated environments.

Digicode supports clients with enterprise systems, integrations, and long-term software development. The company operates internationally and prioritizes projects where ownership and technical responsibility remain with the client.

The post Digicode to showcase Diger Suite at SBC Summit Canada 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania