Merkur Group has agreed to acquire U.S. slots provider White Hat Studios, as the company moves to expand its operations in the regulated U.S. iGaming market. The agreement was announced Wednesday 15th July 2026 and is subject to regulatory approvals.

Merkur said the acquisition will support its U.S. expansion and complements its recent acquisition of Gaming Arts, the Nevada-licensed game and machine supplier. The group said it intends to use a combined portfolio spanning online-first and omni-channel games to support operator partners’ growth plans.

White Hat Studios launched in 2021 and the company said it was the first to launch online slots across all seven regulated states. Its portfolio includes the ‘House of Brands’ slot collection, the 7s Fire Blitz game series, and the Jackpot Royale progressive network.

Andy Whitworth, President of White Hat Studios, said: “Joining Merkur Group is an exciting moment for everyone associated with White Hat Studios and, fundamentally, it is the best possible move to realise our ambitions for future growth and product innovation. Working alongside the hugely experienced Merkur team will open new possibilities for us across iGaming and enhance our ability to develop a world-class omni-channel proposition that will benefit both operators and players.”

Lars Felderhoff, Chairman of the Merkur Management Board, commented: “White Hat Studios has delivered impressive growth since its launch. We look forward to working with the team to continue the U.S. success story and, in turn, Merkur’s expansion in regulated iGaming.” Michael Gauselmann, Chairman of the Merkur Supervisory Board, added: “Having made early inroads into the online space in Europe via our Blueprint acquisition in 2012, I am delighted by this latest development and am confident that White Hat Studios will be a great addition to our group.”

Merkur said the White Hat Gaming platform and white label businesses are not part of the transaction and will remain under their current ownership. White Hat Studios was advised by Oakvale Capital, with legal advisors CMS for White Hat Studios and Wiggin for Merkur.

CIRSA, a leading multinational company in gaming and entertainment and a leading company in the sector, announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Slots del Sol, Paraguay’s leading online casino operator.

The company operates a successful online casino offering through slotsdelsolonline.com, complemented by two casinos and two gaming halls in Paraguay. This omnichannel structure is fully aligned with CIRSA’s strategy.

With this acquisition, CIRSA enters Paraguay, an adjacent market that fits closely with the company’s international diversification strategy, offering a stable and growing economy with sustained development within a fully stable gaming regulation since long time ago.

This transaction will allow CIRSA to continue strengthening its omnichannel strategy, with a leading position in a structurally growing market. This accretive transaction is expected to be highly positive for the company in terms of value creation and profitability.

Joaquim Agut, Executive Chairman of CIRSA, said: “This acquisition reinforces CIRSA’s strategic commitment to accelerating growth in the online gaming space. Paraguay represents an attractive and highly stable regulated market, with strong fundamentals, and Slots del Sol provides us with a leading platform from which to continue expanding our online capabilities in the region.”

Antonio Hostench, CEO of CIRSA, said: “Slots del Sol has demonstrated exceptional performance, with outstanding capabilities in online operations. We are delighted to partner with its founding shareholders and are confident that we will be able to combine our global experience and best-in-class capabilities with their local knowledge and expertise to drive future growth. The transaction will contribute to improving the margins of our online gaming business.”