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Arctic7 evolves within and beyond gaming after two studio acquisitions

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Game development company Arctic7 has today announced the acquisition of Narwhal Studios and Star Fort Games. The two acquisitions represent a sizable evolution in Arctic7’s capability – introducing a plethora of experience from some of the leading creatives in both the video game development and virtual production space.

The acquisition of LA-based Narwhal Studios marks Arctic7’s first expansion into virtual production, further advancing their capacity when delivering top-level entertainment and experiences through immersive content. With film and TV virtual production being Narwhal Studios speciality, their acquisition additionally broadens Arctic7’s scope beyond just video games. Similarly, Arctic7 will be expanding its video game development foundations with the acquisition of Ottawa-based Star Fort Games – helping to cement Arctic7’s expertise in the games industry and expanding their reach and studio capabilities to Canada.

With studios based in Austin, Montenegro and now Los Angeles and Ottawa, Arctic7 has continued where they left off in 2022. The company now has more than 100 people across the world, collaborating together to inspire, going above and beyond in delivering exceptional entertainment with heart and depth.

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Media production company Narwhal Studios is at the forefront of virtual production and is continuing to innovate in the space. The team has utilized their skill and experience in some of the largest shows and films in the world, such as The Mandalorian, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Black Adam. For Arctic7, the acquisition of Narwhal Studios not only expanded its impact within game development, but
now across multiple industries. The acquisition follows the recent appointment of Narwhal founder Felix Jorge as Chief Communications Officer at Arctic7.

Co-founder Felix Jorge of Narwhal Studios comments: “By joining forces with Arctic7, we plan to bring the virtual art department and ICVFX to a wider audience than ever before. We are supercharging the techniques and processes we created, and developing the training programs and virtual production tools necessary to launch the next generation of film, TV, and game productions.”

Welcoming Star Fort Games to the Arctic7 family will also allow the Austin-based company to leverage the independent game studio’s work across multiple platforms, from global mobile titles to blockbuster console games. Their understanding of what makes a game fun, knowledge of games as a service and expertise on what top trends are going to entertain consumers means they excel at making engaging and
entertaining games.

Studio head Lindsay Daggit at Star Fort Games comments: “We are thrilled to be joining the Arctic7 studio family and so excited for this next chapter of Star Fort Games. I am most excited about the new opportunities this partnership will provide for our people and our studio as a whole. Combining our strengths with the other Arctic7 studios in a complementary fashion will allow us to achieve new heights together.

CEO and co-founder of Arctic7 Igor Efremov comments: “Our aim at Arctic7 is to create amazing entertainment experiences for our partners. The acquisition of Narwhal Studios and Star Fort games enables us to further expand our ability to do that. Narwhal’s experience in virtual production – working with the world’s premier intellectual property – represents an exciting step for us, not least given the growing cross media opportunity in gaming. Similarly, Star Fort’s abilities in creating games across platforms, together with games as a service also adds further exciting capabilities for us.’’

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CEO of Expanse Studios

Expanse Studios (GMGI) Enters the U.S. Sweepstakes Market

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North American Expansion Kicks Off Through Strategic Partnership with Moozi

Golden Matrix Group’s game development division, Expanse Studios, has officially entered the U.S. sweepstakes market, marking a significant milestone in its North American growth strategy. This move is powered by a strategic content partnership with Moozi, one of the most dynamic sweepstakes social casino platforms in the region.

With Moozi now featuring over 50 of Expanse Studios’ top-performing games—including immersive slots, crash games, and table games—this partnership positions GMGI to capture a share of the $5.6 billion U.S. sweepstakes market, projected to more than double to $11 billion by 2025 (Eilers).

Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios, commented:

“This partnership signifies our formal entry into the U.S. market, showcasing the innovation and player-first experiences that define Expanse Studios. Collaborating with Moozi enables us to deliver advanced gaming content to a growing audience in North America, a key region for our global growth.”

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James Anderson, Moozi’s CCO, added:

“Expanse Studios has set a high bar for engaging and innovative gaming experiences. Their addition to our platform elevates Moozi’s offerings and strengthens our mission to lead the U.S. sweepstakes social casino space.”

This launch underscores Expanse Studios’ commitment to innovation and its long-term growth trajectory in regulated markets. By entering the North American sweepstakes market, Expanse Studios takes a bold step in expanding its footprint while delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences.

 

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GamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline

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GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline received a record 55,228 calls and online chats from people experiencing gambling harm in 2023-24 – a 25% increase from the previous year – according to the charity’s Annual Report.

In a year marked by uncertainty over the future shape and structure of the gambling harms treatment sector following the previous government’s white paper on gambling reform, the charity continued to prioritise those at-risk of, or currently experiencing, gambling harm.

Of all calls and online chats that were responded to on GamCare’s Helpline in 2023/24, 41,070 (74%) were classed as supportive interventions. This includes supporting people with initial guidance and advice as well as delivering a seamless entry point into structured treatment services, with individuals completing treatment reporting a significant reduction in gambling-related distress and financial harm.

In March 2024, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities published an assessment of the gambling treatment system, highlighting that 57% of individuals engaging in treatment were referred by the National Gambling Helpline. This underscores the Helpline’s critical role in connecting people to the support they need. Over 9,100 free treatment sessions were delivered in the year to April 2024, with an average of just 2.1 days’ wait from point of referral.

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GamCare’s targeted programmes aimed at young people, women, and the criminal justice system provided training on how to spot the signs of harms and where to signpost into support for 10,344 professionals, and education for 53,324 young people, children and parents. The Women’s Programme, in partnership with organisations such as Refuge, trained 3,813 professionals to recognise and address gambling-related harm among women.

Margot Daly, Executive Chair of GamCare’s Board, says: “Throughout a challenging year and with heightened demand for our services, GamCare’s staff have got on with the job of preventing harm where possible and treating harm where necessary. While we expect important changes in the gambling harms landscape, we have been determined not to let this uncertainty affect our relentless focus on the people who really matter – those at-risk of or currently experiencing gambling harms.

“I would like to thank and pay tribute to our frontline staff who provide 24/7 support for all those at risk or in distress. I also want to thank GamCare’s senior executive team who have steered GamCare through a period of sustained change, and to my fellow trustees for their guidance, unwavering support and the time each has dedicated to ensuring that the charity stays on course and on mission.

“As we look ahead to how the future of the gambling harms sector is shaped, we are committed to working proactively with the NHS and other partners and commissioners to ensure that people are continually able to receive the right support at the right time.”

The post GamCare releases Annual Report following record breaking year of support on the National Gambling Helpline appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Kambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024

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Kambi Group plc (“Kambi”) has during the period 18 December to 23 December 2024 (the “Buyback Period”) repurchased a total of 40,000 ordinary B shares (ISIN: MT0000780107) as part of the share buyback programme, within the mandate approved at the Extraordinary General Meeting on 20 June 2024 (the “Programme”).

The objective of the Programme is to achieve added value for Kambi´s shareholders and to give the Board increased flexibility with Kambi´s capital structure by reducing the capital. The Programme is being carried out in accordance with the Maltese Companies Act, EU Market Abuse Regulation No 596/2014 (“MAR”) and other applicable rules.

During the Buyback Period, Kambi repurchased a total of 40,000 ordinary B shares at a volume-weighted average price of 99.13 SEK. From the beginning of the Programme, which started on 6 November, until and including 23 December 2024, Kambi has repurchased a total of 344,000 ordinary B shares at a volume-weighted average price of 104.94 SEK per share.

During the Buyback Period, Kambi has repurchased shares as follows:

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Date Aggregated daily
volume (number of
ordinary B shares)
Weighted average
share price
per day (SEK)
Total daily
transaction
value (SEK)
18 December 2024 10,000 100.00 999,967
19 December 2024 10,000 99.39 993,929
20 December 2024 10,000 98.86 988,588
23 December 2024 10,000 98.26 982,562

All acquisitions have been carried out on Nasdaq First North Growth Market in Stockholm by Carnegie Investment Bank AB on behalf of Kambi. Following the acquisitions and as of 23 December 2024, Kambi’s holding of its own shares amounted to 344,000 and the total number of issued shares in Kambi is 29,903,619 ordinary B shares. Under the Programme Kambi is authorised to repurchase a maximum of 3,127,830 ordinary B shares, up to a maximum amount of €12.0 million.

A full breakdown of all transactions carried out during the Buyback Period is attached to this announcement.

Information on the Programme is available on Kambi’s website, https://www.kambi.com/investors/share-information/

The post Kambi Group plc repurchase of shares during 18 December – 23 December 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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