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£90m sale of nDreams provides exit for Mercia

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nDreams – a leading UK virtual reality (VR) studio that specialises in developing and publishing VR games – has been acquired by Stockholm-based Aonic AB in a £90.3m ($110m) deal.

The transaction provides an exit for nDreams’ investor Mercia Asset Management, which held a 33.2% direct stake in the company. It achieved a total return of £30.2m, consisting of £26.4m in cash and a £3.8m stake in Aonic, and representing a 2.7x return on investment and a 18.4% IRR.

nDreams, which is headquartered in Farnborough, was founded by Patrick O’Luanaigh in 2006. The company has more than doubled the size of its team, from around 100 at the start of 2001 to 250, including 195 developers working across four studios on a range of high- potential projects. These include recent launches Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, in collaboration with Sony Pictures Virtual Reality and Meta, and the Meta Quest chart topper Powerwash Simulator VR.

Aonic is diversified video gaming group with a strong position in the VR and augmented reality (AR) industry and made an initial $35m investment into nDreams in March 2022. This investment helped support nDreams’ acquisition of Near Light Limited, a Brighton-based VR and AR game development studio, organic investment into new game developments as well as its broader growth strategy.

Mercia was one of the first investors to anticipate the growth of VR. Its initial £0.3m investment in nDreams was made in March 2014, prior to Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus VR, which is regarded as a landmark deal in the industry. Mercia initially invested through its managed funds, later using capital from its own balance sheet.

Julian ViggarsCIO of Mercia Asset Management and nDreams’ board member, commented: “When we first invested in nDreams we had a high conviction in the potential of VR gaming, and this realisation is a strong validation of that thesis. We have proactively supported nDreams since 2014 and are pleased that we will continue to benefit from their continuing growth as part of Aonic, through our partial reinvestment. We look forward to nDreams continuing on its exciting VR and AR journey within a larger gaming group and congratulate Patrick O’Luanaigh and his nDreams team on all that they have achieved thus far

Dr Mark PaytonCEO of Mercia Asset Management PLC, said: “This trade sale represents another profitable outcome for Mercia, realising a significant return which is above our current holding value, predominantly in cash.  This latest successful exit further adds to our strong debt free cash position, which now stands at circa £60m. We look forward to announcing Mercia’s Interim Results on 28 November 2023.”

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Fast Track releases new AI Player Churn Model

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Fast Track has announced the release of a new AI-driven Player Churn Prediction Model, now available to all partners within its CRM platform. The model enables operators to identify players at risk of churning as early as the first day of inactivity, supporting more proactive and efficient retention strategies.

Built on Fast Track’s proprietary machine learning platform, FTML, the model uses seven sub-models to analyse player behaviour and make accurate predictions tailored to each operator’s player base. The system continuously trains itself on live data, ensuring predictions remain relevant and effective over time.

The Churn Model is already in use by several Fast Track partners and is fully integrated into the platform’s core workflows. Once activated, operators receive clear, actionable insights into which players are likely to churn, along with data-informed recommendations on timing and incentive levels for re-engagement.

“Churn is one of the most impactful use cases for AI in player engagement,” said Simon Lidzén, Co-Founder and CEO of Fast Track. “With this model, operators can focus their efforts where it matters most; targeting players who are truly at risk with the right offer at the right time. It’s a smarter, more cost-effective approach to retention.”

The Churn Model addresses a common challenge in the industry – overuse of reactivation bonuses – by helping teams deliver more relevant and timely incentives based on predictive insights, not guesswork.

To support the launch, Fast Track will host a live webinar on Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 16:00 CEST, offering a walkthrough of the new Churn Model and its practical applications. Save your spot at app.livestorm.co/fast-track/save-your-players.

 

The post Fast Track releases new AI Player Churn Model appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Evolution and Hasbro sign exclusive online live casino and slots partnership agreement

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Evolution today announced it has signed a multi-year agreement with Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, to be their exclusive licensing partner for online live casino and slot games for MONOPOLY and other Hasbro Games titles.

The worldwide deal, including the USA, covers online content from all Evolution brands, including Evolution, Ezugi, NetEnt, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming (BTG), Nolimit City and Livespins.

The new exclusive partnership for MONOPOLY and other Hasbro Games titles builds on a highly successful working relationship between the two companies. Evolution has already developed MONOPOLY Live and MONOPOLY Big Baller, two innovative online live casino game shows based on Hasbro’s world famous board game. Both are at the top of Evolution’s game line-up and are two of the best-performing games in all of online gaming.

As a result of the new partnership, Evolution will be the exclusive licensing partner for online casino games based on much-loved Hasbro Games properties. New games will launch from January 2026 onwards and will be showcased at ICE Barcelona 2026. Amongst the new Hasbro-based titles from Evolution brands will be Game Night, MONOPOLY Filthy Rich, MONOPOLY Roulette (all live online games with live presenters), and a number of online slot titles.

At Hasbro, we’re all about play—whether it’s classic board games or casino experiences. After a thorough RFP process, we’ve chosen Evolution as our exclusive partner for online live casino and online slots for Hasbro Games titles,” said Claire Hunter Gregson, Director Gaming Relationships. “We trust them to bring our brands to life in fresh, exciting ways for our adult fans and look forward to our partnership.

Todd Haushalter, Evolution’s Chief Product Officer, commented: “The combining of Hasbro and Evolution just feels right — we will make magic together! The bidding process was extremely competitive, but showing our commitment to innovation and excellence with MONOPOLY Live and MONOPOLY Big Baller, really helped! The team and I are incredibly excited to bring the Hasbro Games brands to all our various brands. I think MONOPOLY is the world’s best casino game brand, and we can do so many great things with it, and, of course, with many other Hasbro Games brands. It is hard to believe, but these are still the early days of online gaming, and with Hasbro we will forge a new chapter in our industry.”

 

The post Evolution and Hasbro sign exclusive online live casino and slots partnership agreement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Expanse Studios (GMGI) Obtains Croatian iGaming Certification

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Expanse Studios, the B2B game development division of Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has received official certification from Croatia’s Ministry of Finance for its flagship game Super Heli, with additional titles in the company’s 56-game portfolio expected to receive approval in the coming weeks for the EU member state.

The certification marks a strategic entry into a market that generated US$484.70m in 2024, with projected growth at a CAGR of 8.4% during 2024-2030. Super Heli, Expanse’s most popular crash-style game, becomes the first of the studio’s titles approved for the Croatian market, paving the way for broader portfolio distribution.

Tapping Into High-Growth European Market

Croatia represents a compelling opportunity for B2B gaming suppliers, with the Online Casinos segment alone projected at US$218.10m in 2024. According to iGamingToday’s latest market research, Croatia’s gambling market will reach €720.42 million by 2025, making it one of Europe’s fastest-growing regulated markets.

Among the key market benefits are:

  • Accelerating digital adoption – Internet penetration jumped from 76% in 2020 to 83% in 2023
  • Over 20.6 million tourist arrivals in 2023 following Schengen Zone entry
  • Over 500,000 Croatians expected to engage in regular online gambling by 2027

Strategic Value for the Company

The certification strengthens Expanse Studios’ European footprint at a critical juncture. With 56 proprietary titles and 500+ B2B partners globally, Expanse is expected to capture a meaningful share in the growing EU market.

“Croatia certification is more than market access—it’s validation of our content quality and compliance capabilities in demanding EU jurisdictions,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. “With our flagship title Super Heli already approved and more games in the pipeline, we’re very excited for the opportunities this markets brings us”

Competitive Advantage in Regulated Markets

Croatia’s regulatory framework favors established, compliant B2B providers. Operators must obtain licenses requiring significant capital investment, and only licensed casino games operators who have at least one brick-and-mortar casino can offer online gambling. This creates high barriers to entry and positions certified B2B suppliers like Expanse as essential partners for operators.

The post Expanse Studios (GMGI) Obtains Croatian iGaming Certification appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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