DoubleDown Interactive, a leading gaming company delivering exceptional player experiences across multiple genres, announced that it has entered into a Share Purchase and Transfer Agreement with Azerion Tech Holding to acquire WHOW Games GmbH, a social casino developer headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.

The initial consideration for 100% ownership interest in WHOW Games is €55 million (approximately $64.7 million). An additional earn-out payment of up to €10 million, payable to Azerion at €5 million annually, is contingent upon WHOW Games meeting certain performance targets during each of the first and second year following the closing date. The acquisition will be financed through DoubleDown’s cash reserves and is expected to close during the third quarter of 2025.

DoubleDown intends to leverage WHOW Games’ proven expertise in the Europe market and partner-driven business model alongside its own operational strength, marketing capabilities and extensive gaming content to pursue growth opportunities in Europe, particularly in Germany. According to research from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming LLC, the European social casino market grew in 2023 and 2024 as compared to the overall market which has entered a mature stage. WHOW Games offers a versatile portfolio of social casino apps with proprietary brands such as MyJackpot and Lounge777 as well as third-party labeled social casino offerings including Merkur24 through strategic licensing agreements with prominent global brick and mortar casino companies.

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In Keuk Kim, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said: “This acquisition marks a significant step toward increasing our competitiveness in the growing German social casino market. Leveraging our combined operational expertise and enhanced scale, we aim to unlock valuable synergies. We are delighted to welcome the WHOW Games team to DoubleDown and look forward to working collaboratively on initiatives to drive growth across the business.”

Giovanni Valerio Valeriota, Chief Executive Officer of WHOW Games, said: “We are excited to begin this new chapter as part of the DoubleDown family. Their deep expertise in gaming makes them a natural fit for WHOW Games, and we believe that this partnership will accelerate our growth and innovation. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Azerion, whose support and strategic guidance during our time together has been instrumental in shaping WHOW Games into the strong and dynamic company it is today.”

Following an in-depth review by all relevant licensing and regulatory bodies, the Austrian gaming technology group NOVOMATIC has successfully completed its acquisition of the French Vikings Casinos group. This move will strengthen the company’s presence in one of Europe’s most important gaming markets and underscores its long-term focus on sustainable growth and international diversification.

Established in Falaise in 1998, the Vikings Casinos group is one of the leading casino operators in France and has over 300 employees. The company currently operates around 1,000 gaming terminals in more than 10 live casinos across the country, including prime locations along the Côte d’Azur. The acquisition will enable NOVOMATIC to substantially enlarge its portfolio of services in one of Europe’s largest gaming regions and forge ahead with its international growth strategy.

“The acquisition of Vikings Casinos is a key part of our efforts to build up NOVOMATIC’s presence on international markets in a targeted manner. France is one of the most dynamic and most challenging gaming markets in Europe. By making this investment, we are not only reinforcing our leading position in Europe but also demonstrating our clear commitment to our long-term global expansion strategy,” says Stefan Krenn, Executive Board Member of the NOVOMATIC AG.

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The fact that French regulatory approval has been obtained is not only a testament to the confidence in the expertise and reliability of NOVOMATIC, but also opens the door to plans for further developing the French casino business under the umbrella of a leading global gaming technology group.

Nazara Technologies Limited, India’s only publicly listed gaming company, announced the acquisition of 100% ownership in Curve Digital Entertainment Ltd (“Curve Games”), a highly reputed UK-based publisher of PC and console games for INR 247 crores (GBP 21.7 million).

This strategic move strengthens Nazara’s presence in gaming, unlocking access to platforms, genres, and geographies in the US $100 bn+ global PC and console gaming market. The acquisition is consistent with Nazara’s established business strategy of building a diverse portfolio of businesses through targeted acquisitions across interactive gaming and sports media.

Curve Games brings a robust publishing track record, with globally recognized titles that have collectively seen over 100 million downloads. Its presence spans key gaming markets including North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

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In calendar year 2024, Curve generated INR 263.5 crores (~GBP 24.4 million) in revenue,  EBITDA of INR 114.4 crores (~GBP 10.6 million) and PBT of INR 49.6 crores (~GBP 4.6 million).

Strategic Fit with Nazara’s Vision

The acquisition is aligned with Nazara’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its global publishing capabilities, and follows a series of similar strategic transactions executed over the years, reaffirming Nazara’s commitment to long-term, value-driven growth through the gaming lifecycle. Curve’s publishing capabilities in the PC and Console space and its diverse portfolio will accelerate Nazara’s global ambitions and enable cross-platform IP development with long-term value creation.

Commenting on the acquisition, Nitish Mittersain, CEO of Nazara Technologies, said: “Curve’s proven expertise in PC and Console publishing makes them an ideal partner as we expand our focus beyond mobile into high-quality, cross-platform gaming. This acquisition deepens our capabilities, brings exceptional IP into our fold, and strengthens our mission in building Nazara as a global gaming powerhouse from India. Curve will also serve as a gateway to the world for Indian game developers.”

Stuart Dinsey, Executive Chairman of Curve Games, added: “Joining the Nazara family is an exciting new chapter for Curve. Nazara’s ecosystem, access to emerging markets and long-term orientation make them a strong strategic partner. We are aligned in our vision of building a leading global indie publishing platform, and we look forward to the next phase of growth together.”

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