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Gaming Meets Business – Hamburg Games Conference 2024 brings the international games industry together
The 15th Hamburg Games Conference (HGC) gathered about 365 international trade visitors and 42 speakers from 255 companies in Hamburg on March 5 and 6. At the business conference, participants exchanged views on the status quo of the games industry and made valuable contacts in the historic Altonaer Museum. With a focus on current topics such as waves of layoffs and studio shutdowns as well as impulses for the future of the industry, the Hamburg Games Conference is once again positioning itself as a fixture in the games industry’s event calendar. On the first day of the conference, Hamburg’s First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher gave a welcome address and took a tour of the conference to learn more about the current challenges facing the games industry.
The program offered a total of 17 talks, 5 panel discussions, the workshop “The Current Challenges for Public and Private Funding in Europe” with Prof. Odile Limpach, the roundtable “State of the Art of Artificial Intelligence Use Cases in the Games and Entertainment Industries” with Dr. Ralph Oliver Graef and Fabian Stösser, and the Indie Arena Booth Pitch Royal. In the Expo Area, 20 games companies and service providers, including Alibaba Cloud, Giants Software, Reactional Music, and several indie studios, presented themselves to trade visitors, who were also able to meet up in 470 meetings and an exclusive get-together event via the MeetToMatch matchmaking platform.
With the theme “Gaming meets Business”, the two stages focused on investments and licensing, current M&A trends, AI and technological innovations in game development, case studies on best practices, and panels on the state of the games industry.
Thanks to the free opportunity tickets sponsored by industry partners Plitch, InnoGames, Chrono Games, Marchsreiter Communications, Polaris, Immutable and IGDA, 70 people affected by layoffs were able to attend the HGC and benefit from the comprehensive program and matchmaking opportunities.
“In the current situation where waves of layoffs are the order of the day, our Opportunity Ticket campaign is our contribution to allowing those affected by layoffs to get in touch with potential employers. There is so much talent in the games industry and the industry needs to keep these experts,” says Wolf Lang, Managing Director of Super Crowd about the Opportunity Ticket campaign.
Exclusive in-person event with tailor-made matchmaking
“On its two conference days, the Hamburg Games Conference once again set topics, facilitated new collaborations, and made Hamburg the top choice for all things games. Whether in the lecture halls, in the Expo area, or the Meet to Match area, the need for exchange in the industry could be felt everywhere,” commented Dr. Ralph Graef, Managing Partner of GRAEF Rechtsanwälte.
Many international games companies on-site
The Hamburg-based companies Sunday, Bigpoint, The Sandbox, InnoGames, and 1SP Agency Holding supported HGC 2024 as enablers and on the Advisory Board. Many thanks also go to further sponsors Alibaba Cloud, 4Players, Bytro, Photon, Playa Games, Threaks, Tiny Roar, gamigo, Giant Games, Reactional Music, Neox Studios and Québec.
Speakers at this year’s Hamburg Games Conference came from the renowned companies Remedy Entertainment, Keen Games, Metacore, Thunderful Group, The Sandbox, Animoca Brands, Bigpoint, InnoGames, Sunday, Gamelight, London Venture Partners, Gamesindustry.biz, WINGS Interactive, Chrono Games, Lowbirth Games, Tabbler, Gamelight, Agnitio Capital, stillalive studios, Drake Star Partners, ROCKFISH Games, Spielworks, SpielFabrique 360°, Layer, The Sandbox, Rise and Play, Whow Games, 1SP Agency Holding, VIZTA Digital, Super Crowd Entertainment, GRAEF Rechtsanwälte, PATI, Dotemu, Team17, INSTINCT3 and Azerion.
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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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