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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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GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia

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GoldenRace, leading B2B provider of Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has become the first and only Virtual Sports provider officially authorised to operate in Colombia’s Retail betting market under the new ACDV regulation.

The certification is based on ACDV (Virtual Racing and Sports Betting) standards, published by Coljuegos, Colombia’s national gambling authority, at the end of last year (2024) as part of a new regulatory framework for Virtual Sports in the Retail sector, outlined in Resolution No. 20241200028984.

With this updated certification now in force, GoldenRace proudly leads the way, allowing betting shops across Colombia to legally continue offering its award-winning Virtual Sports portfolio – including bestsellers like Virtual Football, Horse Racing, and Greyhound Racing – fully compliant with the latest national requirements.

“This process involved extensive testing at a prestigious, internationally accredited laboratory,” explained  Julio César Duque, LatAm Director at GoldenRace. “For us, it’s a clear confirmation of the strength of our portfolio and how well our solutions perform in Colombia.”

With the ACDV certification now active, the company is expanding its market-leading Virtual Sports content to Retail, giving local operators more.

“After a successful GAT Colombia 2025 and with the Peru Gaming Show on the horizon, we’re thrilled to keep growing in LatAm,” added Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of Softquo, the Holding behind GoldenRace. “Colombia holds a special place for us: it’s home to one of our offices and our reforestation initiatives. We are deeply proud that its Retail operators can now enjoy the best of GoldenRace through this new certification.”

The post GoldenRace becomes the first and only Virtual Sports provider certified for Retail in Colombia appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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DBET partners with Swedish Basketball Association for multi-year sponsorship deal

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Immense Group is proud to announce that its sport betting brand DBET has entered a multi-year strategic partnership with the Swedish Basketball Association (SBBF) and the top leagues SBL Women and SBL Men. The collaboration, which will kick off with the Women’s European Championship 2025, marks a significant step in DBET’s ongoing commitment to deepening its presence in Sweden’s sports landscape and enhancing the experience for Swedish basketball fans.

As part of the partnership, DBET will sponsor the senior national teams and the SBL leagues, SBL Dam and SBL Herr. The deal will extend through to the Men’s World Championship 2027, providing ample opportunity to engage with Swedish sports fans across multiple platforms and events.

“Partnering with DBET, a dynamic and innovative player in the betting market, is an exciting opportunity for Swedish basketball,” says Susanne Jidesten, Chairwoman of the Swedish Basketball Association. “Together, we can broaden the reach of Swedish basketball and create new engagement opportunities for both fans and players.”

Launched in 2024, DBET has quickly gained recognition in the Swedish gaming market with a focus on responsible gaming and community involvement. This new collaboration with Swedish basketball underscores DBET’s commitment to growing its brand presence while supporting the expansion of Swedish basketball on both the national and league levels.

“We are excited to partner with Swedish basketball, a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity in Sweden,” says Jesper Kärrbrink, Group CEO/Chairman of Immense Group. “This partnership will help us engage with Swedish sports fans and strengthen DBET’s position in Sweden’s sports betting market.”

This collaboration builds on DBET’s growing presence in Swedish sports, including its recent partnership with football legend Anders Svensson and its involvement with the Swedish Bandy Association. DBET remains committed to expanding its reach in the Swedish sports sector through strategic alliances with iconic teams and athletes.

The post DBET partners with Swedish Basketball Association for multi-year sponsorship deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Eberhard Dürrschmid CEO at Golden Whale

Golden Whale to broaden horizons with Logrand partnership

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Pioneering data-driven service provider teams up with fast-growing Mexico-focused online casino group to extend its operations into Latin America for the first time

With Golden Whale’s mission to extend its innovative data-driven services to every corner of the globe continuing to pick up pace, the company has announced it has formed a new partnership with Logrand Entertainment Group that will see it enter Mexico in 2025.

Rightfully recognised as one of the fastest growing markets in the Latin American region, over the coming months Golden Whale will work with Logrand’s Strendus.mx online casino brand to implement a number of AI and ML-backed solutions that will enhance the platform’s operations.

Already one of the country’s best-loved online gambling destinations, Strendus.mx was the first Mexican site launched by Logrand and currently offers customers a market-leading selection of over 4,000 slots, table games and live casino options as well as a dedicated sports betting hub.

Active since 2017, Strendus.mx has steadily built up a loyal following among Mexican players thanks to its generous promotions, popular loyalty scheme and engaging gamification mechanics – all of which are major areas where Golden Whale’s solutions can add further value.

In addition to its commitment to innovation and customer engagement, Strendus.mx also maintains a strong focus on corporate social responsibility. This year, the brand has further strengthened its efforts by supporting a variety of charitable initiatives, including programs that promote donations to institutions dedicated to helping children affected by catastrophic illnesses. These activities reflect Strendus’ broader vision of not only delivering top-tier entertainment but also contributing positively to the communities in which it operates.

Given the wealth of player data the site has accumulated since its launch, there will be plenty of information that can be run through Golden Whale’s advanced AI and ML modules to optimise Strendus.mx’s operations, and both companies are excited about the opportunities ahead.

Eberhard Dürrschmid, CEO at Golden Whale, said: “Many iGaming companies have already woken up to the benefits that Golden Whale’s powerful AI and ML-backed technology can bring, so the next step for us is making sure our solutions are available in as many markets as possible. This new partnership with Logrand will enable us to breach new frontiers in Latin America via the Strendus.mx casino brand and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact we can make there.”

Eduardo Pelaez, COO Online at Logrand Entertainment Group, said: “Launched in 2017, Strendus.mx is already one of Mexico’s flagship online casino brands – but we want to push this legacy further. By partnering with Golden Whale, we’ll be able to harness the power of AI and ML to deliver an even more personalised experience to Strendus.mx’s customers, helping us cement our position as both a genuine innovator and a true market leader in the LatAm region.”

The post Golden Whale to broaden horizons with Logrand partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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