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Nazara acquires majority in ad tech company Datawrkz
Nazara Technologies Limited an India based, diversified gaming and sports media company announced that it has entered an agreement to acquire a 55% stake in programmatic advertising and monetization company Datawrkz valuing the company up to INR 225 Cr (approx. USD 30M) linked to CY 22 EBITDA performance.
Nazara will acquire a 33% stake (INR 60 crores payable of which INR 35 crores is partly payable in cash and the balance consideration of INR 25 crores will be paid either in cash or swap of shares) in the first tranche by April 22. Nazara reserves an option to acquire an additional 22% in the second tranche that is expected to close in Q4 FY23.
Founded in 2013 by Senthil Govindan, IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Datawrkz is a global advertising technology firm focused on accelerating user and revenue growth for clients through highly optimized digital advertising. With offices in the US, Singapore, and India, the firm functions as an Independent Trading Desk to power digital media strategy, planning and execution. Datawrkz’s self-serve product suite for advertisers – Vizibl, includes a Demand Side Platform as well as a Customer Data Platform. On the supply side, Datawrkz generates higher revenue for publishers through AdPrimus, its Supply Side product set that drives higher user engagement, mediates between demand sources, and enables audience segmentation. For the calendar year 2021, Datawrkz posted a combined revenue of INR 90.7 Cr (approx. USD 12.1M) and EBIDTA margin of 12% with around 70% of its revenue coming from the US as per CY 2021 unaudited financial statements.
Datawrkz tech offerings will enhance in-house capabilities of Nazara for optimizing its customer acquisition spends as well as enhance yields on ad monetization of its large consumer base. This ad revenue monetization is expected to assist many of the companies in the ‘Friends of Nazara’ network.
Further, there is an increasing symbiotic relationship between gaming companies and ad tech companies worldwide as a combination of the two will be value accretive for both businesses. With this transaction, Datawrkz aims to establish itself as a key player in gaming, covering both demand and supply side offerings for the gaming ecosystem in the US and India.
Said Nazara Technologies CEO Manish Agarwal, “We, at Nazara, are looking to build strong gaming ad tech offerings globally with the partnership with Datawrkz. We strongly believe that growth of gaming focused ad tech will be exponential in the coming decade across geographies with the growth of gamers and game publishers across freemium, web3.0 and skill based real money gaming.”
He further adds, “Ad tech companies with deep data processing capabilities and first party data ownership will emerge as winners in gaming focused ad tech and will help Datawrkz to create value for itself as well as for Nazara shareholders.”
Nitish Mittersain, Founder & Joint MD of Nazara Technologies said, “As always, it’s a great moment for us to welcome a new friend to our ‘Friends of Nazara’ network and I believe Senthil and the entire Datawrkz team will add great value to what we are building at Nazara over the next few years”
Datawrkz founder Senthil Govindan said, “We had started this company with a vision to disrupt the digital advertising space. Datawrkz was already on a fast track to achieve our objective with rapid growth and satisfied clients around the world. Through our partnership with Nazara, I see our pace accelerating further. While Datawrkz will be able to immediately bring our natural strengths to bear within the existing Nazara fold, this also gives both sides a tremendous opportunity to build global advertising and publisher monetization products with a sharp focus on the gaming vertical.”
Having acquired multiple companies over the past few years, Nazara has placed itself in a leading position in esports, interactive gaming and gamified early learning space with the ‘Friends of Nazara’ network. Nazara has acquired a majority stake in Nodwin Gaming Pvt. Ltd (57.05%); Next Wave Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. (52.38%), which operates World Cricket Championship (WCC), the largest mobile-based cricket simulation game, in addition to investment in Absolute Sports Private Limited, which operates Sportskeeda (63.90%) and Paper Boat Apps Private Limited (50.91%) – gamified early learning subscription app and OpenPlay – Skill Gaming (100%).
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Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: This is a classic “Cross-Sell” play. Meridianbet has already spent seven years building a sports betting database in Belgium. By securing this B+ license, they can now monetize those same users with higher-margin casino products (slots, table games) without needing to acquire new traffic from scratch. With the Belgian casino sector growing at 20% year-over-year, this is a significant revenue unlock for the GMGI portfolio.
The Full Story
Meridianbet, the sports betting and gaming operator owned by Golden Matrix Group Inc. (NASDAQ: GMGI), has successfully expanded its regulatory footprint in Europe by securing a B+ online gaming license in Belgium.
The new license (B+ 4016) authorizes the company to launch a comprehensive online casino platform—featuring slots, table games, and automated live games—starting in January 2026. This move significantly broadens the operator’s capabilities in the country, complementing its existing sports betting operations which have been active in the Belgian market for seven years.
Targeting the Largest Market Segment The strategic rationale behind the license is clear: Casino is now the dominant force in Belgian gambling. According to the Belgian Gaming Commission, the online casino vertical generated €455 million in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) in 2023, representing a 20.2% year-over-year increase.
By entering this vertical, Meridianbet gains access to the largest and fastest-growing segment of a market that generated a total of €944.6 million last year.
Tech-First Entry Meridianbet plans to deploy its proprietary AI Casino Recommender technology for the Belgian launch. This system analyzes player behavior and preferences in real-time to deliver personalized game suggestions, a crucial differentiator in a highly concentrated market where just ten operators account for 94% of all online wagers.
Regulatory Context Belgium is known for having one of Europe’s strictest regulatory frameworks, characterized by rigorous compliance standards and player protection protocols. Securing this license validates Meridianbet’s operational standards and deepens its foothold in a “mature” market that is notoriously difficult for new entrants to penetrate.
The post Meridianbet Doubles Down on Belgium: New Casino License Unlocks €455m Market Segment appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: In the iGaming affiliate space, the five-year mark is a critical survival threshold. Many media startups fade away before reaching it. LinkDataMedia’s decision to rebrand now is a classic “graduation” signal. By shedding their startup skin for a more corporate, “blue-chip” aesthetic (the stability-focused blue triangle), they are telling operators and partners that they are no longer just an affiliate project, but a stable infrastructure partner ready for larger commercial deals.
The Full Story
LinkDataMedia, the parent company behind the popular affiliate portal Gamblers Connect, has announced a comprehensive corporate rebrand to coincide with its fifth anniversary.
The overhaul includes a completely refreshed brand identity, a redesigned logo, and a fully revamped website, all of which are now live. The move is described by the company not as a mere cosmetic update, but as a strategic pivot designed to distance the business from its “startup roots” and reflect its current status as an established player in the competitive iGaming media landscape.
Visualizing Maturity The new visual language features a modernized blue triangular logo, a shape chosen to represent “stability and forward momentum.” The digital user experience has also been streamlined, offering partners a cleaner interface that aligns better with the company’s matured operational capabilities.
Management Commentary Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder and CEO of LinkDataMedia, commented on the significance of hitting the half-decade milestone in such a volatile industry:
“Surviving the first five years in business takes more than luck. It takes belief, resilience, and the right people around you. This milestone, and the rebrand, reflect exactly that.”
Implementation The new branding has already been deployed across the main corporate website and is currently being rolled out across LinkDataMedia’s social media channels and internal communication platforms. As the company enters its sixth year, the refreshed identity aims to set the stage for a new phase of expansion and innovation.
The post LinkDataMedia Drops ‘Startup’ Look with Major 5th Anniversary Rebrand appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona
Editor’s Take
Why this matters: As ICE makes its historic move to Barcelona, established tech providers like Win Systems are under pressure to bring their “A-game” to the larger venue. The focus here isn’t just on cabinets; it’s the ecosystem. By highlighting WIGOS (their CMS) alongside WIN PAY, Win Systems is positioning itself as an infrastructure partner, not just a hardware supplier. The debut of the Gold Club Colors roulette specifically targets the growing demand for visually customizable electronic table games (ETGs).
The Full Story
Win Systems, the global provider of technology for the gaming and entertainment industry, has confirmed its product roadmap for ICE Barcelona 2026, the sector’s most significant international event taking place from January 19 to 21.
Exhibiting at Stand 3M30 at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via, the company will leverage the new venue to showcase a broad portfolio designed to cover the entire casino floor—from management systems to the gaming floor itself.
Systems and Fintech At the core of the showcase is WIGOS, the company’s flagship Casino Management System (CMS). WIGOS is widely recognized for connecting thousands of machines across multiple countries, and the Barcelona display will focus on advanced tools that streamline daily operations and optimize player retention.
Complementing the CMS, Win Systems will present WIN PAY, its secure transaction platform. As cashless and seamless payment solutions become standard requirements for operators, WIN PAY offers the necessary efficiency and security controls for modern gaming environments.
Hardware: Roulette and Slots On the hardware side, Win Systems is refreshing its electronic table game offering with the new Gold Club Colors electronic roulette. The Gold Club line has long been a staple in the company’s portfolio, known for its compact footprint and reliability; the “Colors” iteration promises to maximize visual impact on the floor.
Alongside the roulette, the company will display its latest slot hardware, including the Sublime and Rhapsody cabinets. These units are designed to house the company’s extensive game library, which has been adapted to suit diverse market profiles from Europe to Latin America.
Strategic Goals Win Systems aims to use the three-day event to reinforce its 30-year legacy in the industry. The company described its participation as a commitment to “continuous innovation,” inviting operators and regulators to explore how their integrated solutions can improve in-room performance.
The post Win Systems to Debut New ‘Gold Club Colors’ and WIGOS Upgrades at ICE Barcelona appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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