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Opera buys owner of GameMaker and starts a Gaming division

Published

5 years ago

January 22, 2021

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.”

B2Tech

B2Tech to Present at SiGMA Africa 2026 in Cape Town, Showcasing Its Integrated Betting Ecosystem

Published

22 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

b2tech-to-present-at-sigma-africa-2026-in-cape-town,-showcasing-its-integrated-betting-ecosystem

B2Tech will present at SiGMA Africa 2026, highlighting its omni-channel platform technology and continued growth across regulated African jurisdictions. The company’s participation underscores its focus on delivering a unified framework connecting core platform infrastructure, operator brands, marketing services, and embedded payments.

SiGMA Africa brings together iGaming and digital entertainment stakeholders, including licensed operators, affiliates, regulators, investors, and suppliers. With African regulation evolving rapidly, the summit will explore compliance, licensing, market entry strategies, and financial solutions.

Integrated Platform Solutions

B2Tech designs best-in-class sportsbook and casino platform technology, optimized for mobile-first deployment and regulated markets. The platform includes:

Localization features: multi-currency support and compliance aligned with market-by-market obligations
Operational tools: risk management, performance analytics, and regulatory adherence
Scalable infrastructure: supporting efficient and consistent operations across multiple jurisdictions

B2Tech powers numerous licensed sportsbook and iGaming operations across Africa, combining global technology standards with local operational expertise. The company enables operators to adapt to evolving regulations while maintaining scalable, high-performance systems.

YellowBet: Pan-African Sportsbook & iGaming Brand
Within the B2Tech ecosystem, YellowBet operates as a pan-African sportsbook and iGaming brand powered by B2Tech’s proprietary platform. Centralized control ensures performance, reporting, and regulatory compliance at a group level, while maintaining market-specific flexibility to provide tailored betting experiences. Learn more: yellowbet.com

Africa Bet Partners: Structured Affiliate Program
The Africa Bet Partners program supports affiliate acquisition across regulated African markets with defined commission models, reporting transparency, and localized promotional alignment. This enables affiliates to access regulated markets in a controlled and compliant manner. More info: africabetpartners.com

PayAlo: Embedded Payments Infrastructure
Integrated payments are delivered via PayAlo, embedded in B2Tech’s platform and compatible with API integrations for third-party platforms. PayAlo supports deposits and withdrawals across jurisdictions while ensuring compliance, synchronized reporting, and unified transaction monitoring.

SiGMA Africa 2026 Presence
At Booth 73, attendees can meet B2Tech’s leadership team to discuss platform architecture, market expansion, and ecosystem development, and learn how a centralized, integrated platform model supports regulatory compliance and sustainable operations.

About B2Tech
B2Tech is a technology provider specializing in sportsbook and casino platform solutions for regulated African markets. B2Tech empowers licensed operators with scalable, compliant technology, enabling growth across multiple markets under a single unified management system.

Contact
Norman Itumo Nthiwa
B2Tech Communications
[email protected]

The post B2Tech to Present at SiGMA Africa 2026 in Cape Town, Showcasing Its Integrated Betting Ecosystem appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Atlaslive

Atlaslive Shortlisted in Five Categories at GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026

Published

22 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

atlaslive-shortlisted-in-five-categories-at-gamingtech-cee-awards-2026

Atlaslive, a leading B2B iGaming platform provider, has been shortlisted in five categories at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026. The awards are part of the HIPTHER Prague Summit, scheduled for March 24–25, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic.

The company has been nominated in the following categories:

Best Online Casino Provider in CEE
Online Casino Innovator of the Year (CEE)
Best iGaming Platform Provider (PAM) in CEE
Best Live Casino Provider in CEE
Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE

These nominations highlight Atlaslive’s presence across platform infrastructure, live casino solutions, sportsbook operations, and product development.

Anastasiia Poltavets, CMO at Atlaslive, said:

“This recognition across five categories reflects the breadth of our platform. We focus on building infrastructure that performs under scale, supports multi-vertical growth, and adapts to evolving regulatory standards. Being shortlisted in both casino and sportsbook categories confirms that our approach delivers measurable impact across the full iGaming ecosystem.”

The GamingTECH CEE Awards spotlight innovation, operational performance, and leadership within the Central and Eastern European gaming and technology sector, recognizing companies contributing to platform development and service quality across regulated markets. Online voting is now open, and industry peers can cast their vote via the official GamingTECH CEE Awards page. Winners will be revealed during the awards ceremony at the HIPTHER Prague Summit in March.

Atlaslive continues to develop scalable, performance-focused iGaming infrastructure for operators across regulated markets.

About Atlaslive
Atlaslive is an iGaming platform provider delivering a dynamic platform for live operations and regulated growth. Casino, Sportsbook, and unified All-in-One solutions are available via White Label, Turnkey, and API integration models, enabling operators to launch faster, scale confidently, and retain full control over their business and growth strategy.

The post Atlaslive Shortlisted in Five Categories at GamingTECH CEE Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Atlaslive

Atlaslive Marks Responsible Gambling Day and Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment

Published

22 minutes ago

February 27, 2026

Wladimir P.

atlaslive-marks-responsible-gambling-day-and-reaffirms-long-term-commitment

On February 17, Atlaslive joined the global iGaming community in recognizing Responsible Gambling Day—a moment to reflect not only on industry growth but on how that growth is managed. Sustainable expansion is not driven by scale alone; it relies on responsibility, transparency, and player empowerment.

This year, regulators, operators, and advocacy organizations across Latin America and Europe emphasized the same principle: effective player protection depends on prevention, education, practical safeguards, and transparent processes.

As regulatory frameworks mature, licensing requirements increasingly embed stronger transparency and player protection standards. This reflects a shared understanding that regulated gambling can only succeed when operators, platform providers, and regulators align around harm prevention.

At Atlaslive, responsible play is embedded within the platform architecture. Configurable player limits and self-exclusion checks connected to market-standard exclusion systems ensure users retain control over their participation. The objective remains consistent: gaming should remain entertainment, not a loss of control.

Responsible gambling features at Atlaslive include:

GDPR-compliant data handling, ensuring strict privacy standards across regulated markets.
Built-in player controls, allowing users to set deposit limits, session time limits, cooling-off periods, and self-exclusion preferences.
Automated self-exclusion verification, including regulatory API integrations to prevent re-registration during active exclusions.
Real-time behavioral monitoring tools, enabling operators to identify and address potentially problematic gaming patterns.
System-level enforcement of player decisions, ensuring activated restrictions cannot be overridden manually.

These safeguards operate automatically and consistently, reducing ambiguity and supporting transparent enforcement of regulatory standards.

As expectations rise across markets, responsibility becomes measurable through system design, automated controls, and clear accountability, contributing to a more stable and sustainable gaming environment.

Anastasiia Poltavets, CMO at Atlaslive, said:

“Responsible Gambling Day isn’t about a one-day marketing message. It’s about a year-long commitment — one that operators, regulators, and technology providers share. When the industry embraces responsible play not as a burden but as a foundation, we move closer to a future where gaming remains a source of entertainment, not a cause of harm.”

About Atlaslive
Atlaslive is a B2B software development company that specializes in creating a multifunctional and automated platform to optimize the workflow of sports betting and casino operators. Key components of the Atlaslive Platform include Sportsbook, Casino, Risk Management and Anti-Fraud Tools, CRM, Bonus Engine, Business Analytics, Payment Systems, and Retail Module.

The post Atlaslive Marks Responsible Gambling Day and Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.