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Match Poker Online Officially Launches To “Sportify” the Game of Poker

Published

4 years ago

February 10, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Poker players around the world now have the opportunity to play the game they love in a truly unique format. The Match Poker Online app officially launches on Feb. 14 (Feb. 15 in Australia/Asia time zones) and transforms poker into a sporting competition – giving players the opportunity for the first time to realistically compare their own skills against others.

What sets Match Poker Online apart? The game truly gauges where a player stands by having players across the platform play the same hands. Players can work on their skills by comparing their own play and decisions to others around the world who have played exactly the same hand.

For the first time, players can finally answer questions like: “Should I have raised in this position preflop instead of flat calling? Has this guy got the nuts or is he bluffing? Can I take this pot with a bluff or will I get caught?”

The app is packed with features, statistics, excellent graphics, and exciting gameplay. You can even compare your own play against friends in a fantasy sports-style competition. There’s no longer a need for arguing or debate on which players are better based on conjecture and insufficient data. With Match Poker, all that data is now available.

When playing, you’re not just competing against the players at your table, but against players seated at other tables in the same seat you are. All players in that seat are dealt the same two “hole” cards and see the same flop, turn, and river.

“It’s not poker as you’ve ever played it before – it’s a Battle Royale where you compete against opponents playing the same hand as you to survive elimination,” Match Poker Online head of customer relations Jake Colman says. “This makes it a pure test of skill – a sport – an official mind sport. And, for the first time in the history of poker, you can obtain an official world ranking. No other poker experience gives you this.”

The Battle Royale version kicks off the app’s launch. Players win chips at their normal poker table, but their real opponents are the players in the same seat at other tables. These same users receive the exact same cards. In this way, the luck of the cards has no effect on a player’s result compared to the others. If your full house was smashed by quads, so was theirs – the only question being “did you score better than them?”

“Match Poker shows you how better players played exactly the same cards, offering a unique learning experience,” Colman says. “Plus, the app collects stats on your play and uses them to tell you if you are playing too aggressively, too passively, too loose, or too tight.”

Here’s a look at what’s ahead for Match Poker Online users in the coming months:

After launch, the year will be split into “Seasons” with players battling to move through the rankings toward a place on their country’s national team.
Match Poker will hold national events of almost every ranking level. This is all overseen by the International Federation of Match Poker, which has its sights set on making Match Poker an Olympic sport.
Players can leverage the Match Poker database of thousands of results for every hand played. This allows for unique insights into how you can become a better poker player.
The “Famous Hands” feature will allow players to relive some of the biggest hands in poker history and replay these moments themselves.
More features and game types will be unveiled.

The release comes after years of development and now offers players some high-powered insight on their poker skills as well as plenty of fun. How do you match up? Download and find out.

Match Poker Online will be available in the App Store and Google Play Store beginning a few days before the official launch date.

ELA Games

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

Published

17 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

17 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

17 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.