Merkur Group is looking to boost its presence in the US market, confirming the acquisition of White Hat Studios.
It builds on momentum for Merkur, after the firm added the Nevada-licensed game and machine supplier Gaming Arts to its portfolio.
Andy Whitworth, President of White Hat Studios, stated: “Joining Merkur Group is an exciting moment for everyone associated with White Hat Studios and, fundamentally, it is the best possible move to realise our ambitions for future growth and product innovation. Working alongside the hugely experienced Merkur team will open new possibilities for us across iGaming and enhance our ability to develop a world-class omni-channel proposition that will benefit both operators and players.”
Lars Felderhoff, Chair of the Merkur Management Board, commented: “White Hat Studios has delivered impressive growth since its launch. We look forward to working with the team to continue the U.S. success story and, in turn, Merkur’s expansion in regulated iGaming.”
White Hat boats a strong slots portfolio including the ‘House of Brands’ slot collection, the 7s Fire Blitz game series, and the Jackpot Royale progressive network.
Michael Gauselmann, Chairman of the Merkur Supervisory Board, added: “Having made early inroads into the online space in Europe via our Blueprint acquisition in 2012, I am delighted by this latest development and am confident that White Hat Studios will be a great addition to our group.”
The White Hat Gaming platform and white label businesses are not part of the transaction and will remain under their current ownership.
A key incentive of the acquisition is Merkur Group accelerating its U.S. expansion, with the move complementing its recent acquisition of Gaming Arts, the Nevada-licensed game and machine supplier.
Merkur has shown a strong appetite for expansion beyond Europe in 2026, with Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member, Merkur Games, stating following the Gaming Arts acquisition: “The acquisition is a key element of our re‐entry strategy into the US market, one of the most respected and strictly regulated gaming markets worldwide.
“With Gaming Arts, we are now able to place Merkur products directly in a wide range of US jurisdictions. This marks an important step in expanding our international growth beyond European borders.”