Aquisitions/Mergers
The Chiliz Group acquires OG Esports, reuniting with original co-founders to launch new era
-
Chiliz Group acquires 51% of OG Esports, investing to grow the team, expand operations, and strengthen fan and player engagement.
-
Xavier Oswald, a former co-founder and shareholder of OG, becomes CEO, while OG co-founders Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs launch a new strategic project consolidating the team’s competitive foundation.
-
Socios.com becomes the exclusive platform for $OG Fan Tokens, $OG will act as the showcase for blockchain-based utility.
The Chiliz Group, the world’s leading blockchain provider for the sports and entertainment industry and operator of Socios.com, today announced it has acquired a 51% controlling stake in OG Esports, one of the most iconic and innovative names in global esports.
Founded in 2015 by legendary Dota 2 players Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, OG is the first team in history to win back-to-back titles at The International. Since then, OG has expanded into Counter-Strike, Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, building one of the most successful and culturally significant organisations in esports.
OG has a track record of delivering a fan-driven culture through innovation and launched the $OG Fan Token in 2020. The $OG Fan Token recently became the first esports Fan Token to surpass a $100 million market capitalization, driven by surging global demand for digital fan assets. Having delivered exclusive voting rights, VIP experiences, merchandise, and direct access to the team for fans worldwide, $OG represents a thriving $100m+ digital fan economy.
As part of the acquisition, Xavier Oswald will take on the role of CEO of OG, guiding the organisation into its next chapter, while co-founders Johan “n0tail” Sundstein and Sébastien “Ceb” Debs will lead a new strategic project consolidating the team’s competitive foundation, driving innovation at the intersection of esports and Web3.
At the same time, Socios.com will become the exclusive wallet and engagement platform for $OG Fan Tokens, establishing $OG as the flagship example of the new fan economy. The token will now showcase how fan assets can evolve – serving as the blockchain layer for tickets, merchandise, in-stadium perks, and digital content, while also integrating real-world assets and club revenues through mechanisms like buybacks to deliver deeper influence and tangible value to supporters.
Through The Chiliz Group’s global network of more than 80 leading sports properties, OG will now be able to expand into new countries and markets, building a larger international footprint and new commercial opportunities. Backed by the financial strength of a global group, OG will become more resilient and sustainable, ensuring long-term stability while focusing on what matters most: players, fans, and innovation.
More details about the acquisition will be released in the coming weeks.
“OG has always been about community and innovation, and since 2020 it has demonstrated that Fan Tokens can create genuine economic value and meaningful engagement,” said Alex Dreyfus, CEO and Founder of Chiliz. “With a $100 million fan token economy already established, OG represents the perfect case study for what’s truly possible when we place Fan Tokens at the centre of the fan economy. This acquisition allows us to showcase the next evolution – Fan Tokens 2.0.”
“This marks the start of a bold new era for OG,” said Xavier Oswald, incoming CEO of OG. “With Chiliz as our majority partner, we can scale our teams, grow our global community, and unlock a new dimension of engagement through the $OG Fan Token. We’ve always believed that fans should be at the centre of everything we do, and now we have the tools and the backing to make that vision a reality.”
“With Chiliz, we share a common vision based on strong values: passion, transparency, and the power of communities.” said Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, co-founder and historic figure of OG Esports. “From winning back-to-back Internationals to competing against OpenAI Five in a world-first showcase of human-AI collaboration, OG has always been about pushing boundaries. This alliance will allow us to stay true to our identity while continuing to grow.”
“This agreement marks the beginning of a new competitive cycle,’ added Sébastien “Ceb” Debs, two-time world champion with OG. “We want to once again become a major force on the international stage and inspire a new generation of players and fans. With the support of Chiliz, we now have the means to build an ambitious and sustainable project.”
The post The Chiliz Group acquires OG Esports, reuniting with original co-founders to launch new era appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aquisitions/Mergers
Merkur Group Strengthens its Market Presence in Spain
Reading Time: < 1 minute
Merkur Slots Spain has completed the acquisition of a total of eleven arcades operated by arcade operator Operjoku S.L.U. in the Basque Country. In addition, the subsidiary of Merkur Group, headquartered in Palma de Mallorca, will take over the operation of gaming machines in 108 bars previously serviced by Operkale S.L.U., a specialist in the placement of gaming machines in gastronomy in the autonomous region of northern Spain. Implemented in cooperation with the Spanish distributor Merkur Dosniha, the acquisition marks a significant milestone in the expansion of the company’s brand presence, representing its first entry into Spain’s highly profitable hospitality installation segment.
With this step, the East Westphalian corporate group continues its international growth trajectory. Meik Sellenriek, Management Board Member, Merkur Operations at Merkur.com AG, welcomed the development: “Spain is a market of great importance and long-term potential for the Merkur Group. This acquisition clearly underlines that. We are proud to welcome around 50 new employees to the company and look forward with confidence to strengthening our market position.”
Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member, Merkur Games at Merkur.com AG, said: “There are strong synergies between the Merkur Group’s business divisions. The successful acquisition of Operjoku and Operkale demonstrates how effectively we leverage these synergies to support our sustainable growth. We are particularly pleased to now offer our innovative gaming machines and games in our own arcades and bars in the Basque Country – one of Spain’s most economically powerful regions.”
The post Merkur Group Strengthens its Market Presence in Spain appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Aquisitions/Mergers
Nederlandse Loterij Acquires Lotify
Reading Time: < 1 minute
The Dutch Lottery (Nederlandse Loterij) has completed the full acquisition of Lotify. Lotify supports sports associations, sports clubs, charities, events and businesses in organising fundraising lotteries and competitions. With this acquisition, the Dutch Lottery strengthens its position as an innovative and responsible gambling provider.
Since 2021, the Dutch Lottery has held a majority stake in Lotify. The platform offers a comprehensive solution for organising lotteries and competitions that comply with all legal requirements: from permits and technology to participant communication, draws and payouts.
Arjan Blok, CEO of the Dutch Lottery, said: “The Dutch Lottery has almost 300 years of experience organizing fun and responsible games of chance. As a fully integrated part of the Dutch Lottery, Lotify can leverage our knowledge, network, and impact even more effectively. This allows us to support even more sports federations, clubs, and charities. Especially in these times, they are looking for new ways to raise funds.”
Guy van Iperen, founder of Lotify, said: “After four years of intensive collaboration, the time has come to transfer Lotify to the Dutch Lottery. This is in line with the agreements we made in 2021, when the Dutch Lottery acquired a majority stake. I look back with pride on what we have built together and am confident that the platform will continue to grow under this new owner. This way, Lotify can help even more organizations generate additional funding.”
The post Nederlandse Loterij Acquires Lotify appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Andrew Brown CEO Goma Gaming
EveryMatrix acquires Goma Gaming to boost front-end development firepower
Reading Time: 2 minutes
EveryMatrix has acquired UX specialist Goma Gaming to boost the Group’s front-end development firepower.
Specialising in delivering innovative front-end solutions for the betting industry, the Goma Gaming team bring 20 years consumer product design and digital UX experience.
The acquisition will instantly enhance EveryMatrix’s existing front-end capabilities with experience from both sports betting and casino projects that have included delivering bespoke solutions for tier-1 brands.
The Goma team will continue to operate as a standalone unit, side-by-side with the existing EveryMatrix front-end division.
Its capacity will be upscaled to provide additional bandwidth and capabilities to the Group’s sports and casino products with the objective of delivering superior customer experience and even more alternatives for EveryMatrix clients.
Goma Gaming’s UX player experience platform has delivered strong results for tier-1 operators, generating higher retention and longer engagement with an average 30% margin uplift, while adding enhanced functionality for next generation players.
Ebbe Groes, Group CEO & Co-founder EveryMatrix, said: “Our front-end development has made huge strides, creating bespoke sites and features for some of our largest customers such as Bet-at-home and the Hungarian Lottery.
“The addition of Goma means we will immediately have more front-end firepower to deploy and deliver to both existing and new sports and casino turnkey customers who require differentiation that moves the dial when it comes to higher retention, engagement, margin and revenues.”
“I’d like to welcome Andrew and his team and look forward to having them with us to further accelerate our rapid business growth.”
Andrew Brown, CEO, Goma Gaming, said: “We’ve made great progress developing Goma in the last five years, but joining the EveryMatrix Group now means we have greater resources to rapidly scale our capacity whenever it’s needed and to make an even bigger impact.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way and enabled us to get us to this stage. We can’t wait for the next phase of our journey as part of EveryMatrix.”
The post EveryMatrix acquires Goma Gaming to boost front-end development firepower appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Asia6 days agoPacific Online-backed Buenas PH Inks Partnership with YGS Live’s Battle of the Streamers to Support Ethical iGaming
-
Aviamasters6 days agoBGaming’s Viral Hit Aviamasters™ Gets an Exciting X-Mas edition
-
Christmas slot6 days agoSpinomenal marks the start of the holiday season with Majestic Santa
-
Big Sugar Bonanza Xmas6 days agoStakelogic adds festive flavour to fan-favourite with Big Sugar Bonanza Xmas
-
Africa6 days agoLogifuture-powered Bet9ja releases Moses Itauma mini-series ahead of Jermaine Franklin fight
-
B2B gaming software6 days agoExpanse Studios Secures Romanian Class 2 B2B Gaming License
-
Compliance Updates5 days agoThe UAE Gambling License May Become the Most Valuable to Get in 2026
-
Christmas slot6 days agoMillion Games Launches Rudolph’s Gone Rogue – A Frenzied Christmas Slot of Wild Wins



