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Azerion Acquires Remaining 49% Stake in 20-year-old Finnish Game Studio, Sulake Oy

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Azerion Holding B.V. (Azerion), a pan-European gaming and adtech company, reached an agreement with its co-shareholder, Elisa Oyj, to acquire the remaining 49% shares in Finnish game studio, Sulake Oy.
The studio is best known for publishing popular social games including Habbo, which has a monthly active user base of 800k across 115 countries. The studio is also responsible for the popular social mobile game Hotel Hideaway, which attracts 840k active players monthly.
Azerion has held a 51% stake in the game studio since 2018 and has been helping to drive revenue growth, which has increased by 46% on average year-on-year (January 2019 – December 2020). The transaction will enable Sulake to take full advantage of Azerion’s growing ecosystem. It will ensure the publisher can expand its global game communities, increase ingame monetization and strengthen its game development capacity. The deal also means Sulake’s gamers will be able to leverage promotions provided via the Azerion network, which continues to grow through acquisitions like Spil Games’ Portal business and Woozworld.
Umut Akpinar, co-founder and CEO: “Sulake has proven to be a great fit for our gaming and adtech platform and Elisa has remained a very loyal and supportive partner over the past years. Together, we re-energised the game studio, which is now a profitable and flourishing business.
We have full confidence in the current Sulake team. They are working well to develop a pipeline of new games while continuing to grow their existing games and communities. We support the decisions they are making and are committed to helping them achieve future plans.”
Valtteri Karu, Sulake CEO: “Azerion has been supporting us to grow and develop Habbo and Hotel Hideaway for over two years now so this acquisition feels like a natural continuation of our partnership. We’re happy to continue our journey with Azerion as there is a lot of synergy with Sulake and all the Azerion businesses.
With Azerion’s help and support we were able to modernize Habbo and to ensure its future, whilst working as an independent unit having full control over design and development decisions. This year we look forward to adding features and expanding Habbo and Hotel Hideaway. We will also be looking at possibilities to develop new games utilising our current game technology.”
The complete Sulake leadership and team of 96 will remain in place. The game studio will continue to operate from its base in Helsinki, Finland with full responsibility for existing games and improvements. This means that nothing will change for the Sulake game communities as a result of this acquisition.

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Buffalo 250 Anniversary

ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th

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Fourth of July-themed release reflects the studio’s push for market-specific content in regulated US-facing iGaming.

ICONIC21 has launched Buffalo 250 Anniversary, a Fourth of July-themed slot created to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary.

The game is centered on a buffalo and set against Independence Day fireworks, using imagery associated with US identity and the country’s upcoming semi quincentennial.

ICONIC21 said the release reflects its focus on building content around themes and player preferences that resonate in specific markets, with the US described as an increasingly important market for its partners and a key source of player engagement. The company develops live casino, RNG and slots content for regulated operators.

“The Fourth of July is one of those occasions that is recognised far beyond the United States, and the country’s 250th anniversary makes it especially significant,” said Edvardas Sadovskis, Chief Product Officer at ICONIC21. “The theme combines a distinctly American symbol with a moment that has real cultural relevance for players and operators alike.”

ICONIC21 added that it works with operators to shape its roadmap around player data, market demand and local relevance, and that it assesses follow-on titles using internal views, performance data and operator feedback. The provider said it has expanded beyond a classic casino portfolio — including roulette, baccarat and blackjack — into RNG and slots while keeping a market-specific focus for regulated environments.

The post ICONIC21 launches Buffalo 250 Anniversary slot themed around US 250th appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall

Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027

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Invite-only Copenhagen event at Better Collective HQ featured Nordic regulators and operators discussing compliance and channelisation.

Gaming in the Nordics has set plans for a full-size annual conference in Copenhagen starting in June 2027, following an invitation-only launch event held at Better Collective’s HQ in Copenhagen.

The launch event focused on the Nordics’ role in Europe’s iGaming market, with sessions on regulation and compliance. Morten Ronde, CEO of the Danish Online Gambling Association and Partner at Nordic Legal, said the region’s “pragmatism and willingness to be early adopters” could make Nordic jurisdictions the first to deploy “the next generation of innovative iGaming regulation.”

Anders Dorph, Director of Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden, discussed operator compliance, the role of Big Tech, and player monitoring. On the benefits of a regulated market, Dorph said Danish-licensed operators “are all very eager to be compliant. The industry [in Denmark] wants to be compliant. And that is a fact.”

From an operator perspective, Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall and Immense Group CEO Jesper Kärrbrink addressed market channelisation and player protection. Lindwall outlined three prerequisites for a healthy market with high channelisation: “1) a competitive product; 2) meaningful player protections; and 3) real enforcement.” He added: “We are in a business where there is harm,” and argued that protecting players requires channelisation because “We also need to be able to reach these players, which we can only do if they are inside of the regulated system.”

Gaming in the Nordics founder Willem van Oort said: “I think the Gaming in the Nordics Launch Event was a fantastic success… I am very much looking forward to repeating this experience next year on a larger scale.” Other speakers listed by the organiser included Better Collective co-founder and co-CEO Jesper Søgaard, Birgitte Sand (Birgitte Sand & Associates), Pekka Ilmivalta (Nordic Legal – Finland), Josh Hodgson (H2 Gambling Capital), Daniel Valiollahi (BOS), Rasmus Kjaergaard (Mindway AI), Jeffrey Haas (Blask), and day chair Peter-Paul de Goeij (QuodBonum.se).

The post Gaming in the Nordics launch event sets annual Copenhagen conference from 2027 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Africa

PopOK Gaming sponsors Botswana’s TT Cup Challenge horse racing event

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Organisers say the annual community race drew more than 3,500 spectators, with Botswana Gambling Authority and the Ministry of Sport and Arts involved.

PopOK Gaming has sponsored Botswana’s annual TT Cup Challenge Horse Racing Event, backing the community race as it drew what organisers described as its biggest crowd to date.

The company said this year’s TT Cup Challenge attracted more than 3,500 spectators from neighbouring villages. The event is positioned as a community sports fixture celebrating Botswana’s horse racing tradition.

PopOK Gaming said it worked alongside long-standing partners including the Botswana Gambling Authority and the Ministry of Sport and Arts, and with TT Cup founder Mr. Tymon and other sponsors, to support delivery of the event.

The company also used the event for stakeholder engagement, saying its team met with Mr. Kemorwale, CEO of the Botswana Gambling Authority, and the Hon. Minister of Sport and Arts, Jacob Kelebeng. PopOK Gaming said discussions covered the future of Botswana’s gaming sector, industry development, and opportunities for collaboration.

PopOK Gaming said the sponsorship forms part of its wider strategy to build partnerships in regulated markets while supporting community engagement and responsible industry development.

The post PopOK Gaming sponsors Botswana’s TT Cup Challenge horse racing event appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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