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Sandsoft Opens New Studio in Riyadh
Sandsoft, an innovative mobile-first game developer, publisher and investor, has announced the opening of Sandsoft Riyadh, a mobile games development studio based in the heart of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Creating over 80 exciting career opportunities in the region, the studio is the first step in Sandsoft’s significant investment in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) gaming ecosystem.
Sandsoft is driven by seasoned games industry veterans, including its CEO David Fernandez, who whilst at King expanded the legendary Candy Crush and Bubble Witch IPs; as well as Rovio veteran and Head of Publishing, Miikka Lindgren.
Sandsoft has recently invested in major IP-linked mobile titles including Rambo: Strike Force, and Pacific Rim: Breach Wars, and has recently started to invest significantly into new and emerging technologies and projects in the gaming space such as blockchain.
Sandsoft Riyadh will be led by Yahsir Qureshi, who has more than a decade of experience across some of the most successful AAA and free-to-play games ever released, most recently while building FIFA’s Ultimate Team at EA. The Riyadh studio will act as a worldwide headquarters for Sandsoft, which is committed to nurturing local talent through a first-of-its-kind paid internship programme in the MENA region, Press Start. Launching this year and targeting emergent KSA talent who are passionate about entering the global games industry, the programme will allow a select group of game creators to develop their own games with the support and resources of the wider Sandsoft organisation. Press Start creators will benefit from the guidance of Sandsoft’s seasoned games industry figures while keeping the autonomy to decide what game they want to develop.
Sandsoft is the gaming arm of Ajlan & Bros Holding company, one of the region’s largest corporations, providing the Riyadh Studio with access to unrivalled infrastructure.
“Sandsoft Riyadh will contribute to making Saudi Arabia a global gaming powerhouse, in alignment with the national strategy for games and esports that His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently launched, as a pivotal and important step to start a new phase for this sector, following Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Sandsoft’s studio in Riyadh will be an important part of this vision by identifying and upskilling MENA talent, and combining it with the very best of global games industry expertise to create an international gaming dream team across development, publishing, and investment,” Abdulaziz Alajlan, Managing Director of Sandsoft, said.
“We have established a world-class mobile gaming team that’s poised to position Sandsoft as the premier MENA games company, and we’re excited to be expanding our local footprint. A key mission is to discover and attract the best and brightest local game development talent, and to nurture it with the expertise of leaders from gaming’s top international firms,” David Fernandez, CEO at Sandsoft, said.

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Fast Track releases new AI Player Churn Model
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
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
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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