Latest News
Top-Tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend $21 Million on Custom Tech
Top-tier mobile game publishers are investing more than $21 million to build and maintain internal technology and tooling. That’s the startling headline of new research from mobile game development company, Metaplay, which also dives into the hidden, human costs of game programmers who are diverted to work on tech instead of gaming content.
Based on a survey of 125 senior executives at large mobile game development companies in the United States, the data shows that large publishers are spending an average of $21,662,784 to build and maintain their backend tech. Respondents, all of whom are C-level execs or tech team leads at companies with at least 50 staff, were asked questions relating to the size of their tech teams, how long they had been working on internal tools, and their teams’ remuneration. They said:
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$138,864 is the average salary of an employee working on internal tech at major publishers in the United States
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52 is the average number of employees working predominantly in internal tech
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36 months is the average number of months the companies surveyed had been building internal tech (just over three years)
Beyond the hard numbers, there are human costs associated with the in-house development of backend tech. Almost three-quarters (74%) of respondents said their game programmers had been impacted by being redeployed to work on internal tech as opposed to gaming content. Of those who had redeployed staff, 41% said that doing so had slowed the game development process, 34% said it had increased ‘crunch’ working practices, and 34% said this led to higher employee turnover.
Teemu Haila, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Metaplay, commented:
“As a company which has spent almost four years focused entirely on building backend tech for mobile games, even we had to do a double-take when we saw these stats. Shipping a long-lasting hit game was already very challenging, but the current state of the mobile gaming market means investment at this level without any guarantee of success is incredibly risky. We’re trying to fix the binary choice of ‘build vs buy’ when it comes to backend tech – where ‘build’ means expensive and ‘buy’ means unscalable, so mobile devs can focus on making great content.”
Matt Wilson, mobile gaming advisor and investor, said:
“This research shows that building internal tech is becoming prohibitively expensive as well as distracting game-makers from their day jobs. As an investor, I generally want to see as much capital as possible to go towards developing the product. Many companies still suffer from an ‘if it’s not built here, it’s not good enough’ mentality but, while that may have been true in the past, it’s certainly not always the case now.”
Further key findings from the research:
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Top-tier game studios in the US are most likely to be developing strategy games (58%) and shooters (57%). They’re least likely to be working on hypercasual (22%) and card-collecting games (18%)
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Respondents’ companies are most likely to outsource or use third-party tooling for security and compliance (43%), multiplayer and/or matchmaking (42%), and game logic server hosting (41%). They’re least likely to outsource observability tooling (26%), and data pipelines (14%)
As well as being available as a whitepaper here, the research has today been released as a hard copy book which is available at Nordic Game Conference stand D6, or on request from Metaplay.
The post Top-Tier Mobile Game Publishers Spend $21 Million on Custom Tech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
HIGHLIGHT GAMES LIVE IN ROMANIA WITH FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
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London-based video virtuals and instant win games specialist Highlight Games Limited today announces that its flagship soccer products are now live online in Romania with the Fortuna Entertainment Group.
Highlight’s premium SOCCERBET games which feature genuine archive footage from some of the biggest leagues and teams in football are now available to Fortuna’s online customers in Romania via its Casa Pariurilor and Fortuna Romania brands. Available iterations of the product include Italian Football featuring Serie A, Spanish Football featuring LaLiga and English Football featuring English Premier League teams.
Steven Holmes, CEO, Highlight Games said: ‘I’m delighted to see our SOCCERBET portfolio go live with FEG in Romania. This launch represents another significant milestone in our expansion across regulated European markets, and we look forward to building on our partnership with Fortuna and bringing even more compelling content to its customers in the months ahead.’
Erik Klems, Group RNG Product Manager, Fortuna Entertainment Group added: ‘We are excited to introduce Highlight Games’ SOCCERBET products to our Romanian customers. The combination of authentic archive football footage and innovative gameplay brings something genuinely fresh to the market and perfectly complements our existing portfolio. At FEG, we are committed to offering players the best and most engaging experiences available, and this partnership with Highlight Games supports that mission. We anticipate a strong reaction from players and see great potential for continued collaboration.’
The post HIGHLIGHT GAMES LIVE IN ROMANIA WITH FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Finland Finalises Gambling Reform Framework: Market Opening Set for 2027
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Finland is preparing to usher in a new era for its gambling industry, with a comprehensive reform that transitions the country from a state monopoly to a regulated, licensed market. According to updates received by Nordic Legal, the Administrative Committee of the Finnish Parliament has completed its report, confirming the core elements of the reform. While the legislation has yet to be formally published, it is expected to pass without further amendments.
This reform marks a significant shift in Finland’s gambling landscape and introduces a well-defined roadmap that operators and suppliers should begin preparing for now.
Key Milestones in Finland’s Gambling Market Reform
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B2C licence application opens: March 1, 2026
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Opening of the gambling market: July 1, 2027
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B2B licence application opens: July 1, 2027
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B2B licence requirement enforced: July 1, 2028
In addition to these regulatory changes, the Finnish government is reportedly exploring mechanisms for enhanced player protection. One such initiative under consideration is the introduction of loss limits that would apply across all licensed operators, signalling a strong commitment to responsible gambling.
Nordic Legal: Your Strategic Partner for Finnish Market Entry
With deep expertise in the Nordic gambling sector, Nordic Legal is uniquely positioned to assist operators navigating the Finnish licensing process. Drawing on experience in Denmark and Sweden, the firm brings regulatory insight, a streamlined methodology, and local expertise to ensure clients are well-prepared for this market transformation.
Why Choose Nordic Legal?
1. Familiarity with Your Business
For existing clients operating in Denmark or Sweden, Nordic Legal leverages its existing understanding of your organisation and technical infrastructure. This continuity accelerates the process and avoids duplication of effort.
2. Regulatory Expertise
Years of engagement with Danish and Swedish regulators allow Nordic Legal to anticipate regulatory expectations, resolve potential issues early, and smooth out the application journey.
3. Proven Nordic Methodology
Nordic Legal applies a tested framework to each licence application, including:
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Reusing existing documentation where possible
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Mapping technical and certification requirements in advance
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Aligning responsible gambling strategies with Finnish standards
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Co-managing projects through your current contact and our Helsinki team
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Constructive engagement with regulatory authorities when needed
Finland Licence Application Package
To support a seamless entry into the Finnish market, Nordic Legal offers a comprehensive application service that includes:
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Translation of all required documents
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Step-by-step application guidance
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Completion of application forms
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Full project management
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Direct communication with the Finnish Gambling Authority on your behalf
Operators aiming to enter the Finnish market are encouraged to begin preparations early. Nordic Legal’s package ensures that you will be ready when the application process opens in 2026.
Thinking of Entering the Finnish Market?
Whether Finland is part of your expansion strategy or you need a clearer understanding of how the new legislation affects your operations, Nordic Legal is ready to help. With expert knowledge of the requirements, the process, and the business context, we provide the guidance and support you need to move forward confidently.
For more information about our Licence Application Package or a personalised assessment of the Finnish market, please contact Nordic Legal directly.
The post Finland Finalises Gambling Reform Framework: Market Opening Set for 2027 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
NuxGame & Gamblers Connect Enter a New Partnership
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Gamblers Connect is pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with NuxGame, a premier B2B software provider specialising in API-first, modular iGaming solutions.
This collaboration is designed to significantly enhance NuxGame’s brand visibility and solidify its authority across the critical regulated and emerging markets our operator network serves. NuxGame, which has been successfully developing and expanding operator projects since 2018, offers comprehensive Turnkey Casino and Sportsbook Platforms.
The company’s technical strength is unmatched, featuring a massive aggregated content library of over 16,500 games from more than 130 studios, alongside advanced, market-specific tools like its Telegram Casino Software and specialised Sweepstakes Casino Platform.
Gamblers Connect will showcase how NuxGame’s modular, API-first architecture allows clients to quickly launch a fully branded platform, easily scale into complex verticals like crypto, and benefit from full compliance support, including their Romanian Class II B2B Licence and GLI-19 Certification.
By offering transparency around risk management and a comprehensive support system, Gamblers Connect will de-risk the initial onboarding process for operators.
This strategic alliance underscores NuxGame’s commitment to delivering technical excellence and our dedication to providing our audience with trusted, high-value industry partners.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “Our partnership will leverage Gamblers Connect’s high-authority platform to connect NuxGame directly with decision-makers seeking fast, scalable, and compliant software solutions. Our cooperation will focus on delivering expert content and deep technical insights into the platform’s core advantages.”
The post NuxGame & Gamblers Connect Enter a New Partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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