Scientific Games has expanded its supply of unique iGaming content and production capabilities by the acquisition of ELK Studios, a leading and innovative European game developer. 

Scientific Games scales up production capacity

This highly synergistic purchase of a brilliant online casino content studio represents another critical step toward the Firm’s objective of becoming the world’s leading cross-platform global game company.

ELK Studios is a Stockholm-based developer with a long history of creating meticulously built games that incorporate advanced mathematics, stunning artwork, and a mobile-first approach. The highly profitable digital studio’s best-selling titles include Wild Toro II, Kathmandu, and Cygnus. Additionally, the studio’s games feature the groundbreaking X-iterTM tool, allowing players to leap right into the action via a selection of predetermined unique modes. Elk’s addition to Scientific Games’ family of brands represents “another key stage” in the organization’s quest to improve its quality in the developed market. Additionally, the Company’s ability to create gaming content has been bolstered by the increase of the Stockholm-based engineer’s in-house games library.

The acquisition comes off several significant, content-focused transactions as the Company accelerates its investment in and expands its footprint in digital markets. By incorporating ELK Studios into its in-house games portfolio, the Company has bolstered its capacity for developing creative, engaging iGaming content. It will expand ELK’s top-ranked scope into the United States and Canada while enhancing its position as a leading content provider in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Barry Cottle, President, and CEO of Scientific Games stated that “The acquisition of ELK Studios reaffirms our commitment to making targeted, value-adding investments that expand our cross-platform content capabilities,” “The ELK Studios team is talented and complements our in-house teams and expertise. The extremely synergistic combination of their top-ranked games and our market-leading OpenGaming ecosystem enables us to expand our distribution in the United States and Canada. I am overjoyed to have them join our team.”

ELK Studios is already live with a broad range of operators via the market-leading OpenGamingTM ecosystem, with its titles proving extremely popular with prominent operators in the United Kingdom and Europe. The studio will continue to work independently on exciting new titles while leveraging Scientific Games’ extensive range of resources, including commercial scale, market expansion, assistance in the United States and Canada, game IP, and data analytics tools.

Scientific Games’ most recent agreement follows the Company’s ongoing acquisitions of space designer Lightning Box and premium live gambling club arrangements provider Authentic Gaming.

Quotes from the Press Release

Dylan Slaney, CEO iGaming at Scientific Games, said: 

“We’ve had strategic cooperation with ELK Studios for several years, and its games have performed phenomenally throughout the OpenGaming platform. ELK is one of the most forward-thinking and successful studios in iGaming. Their passion and enthusiasm for creating exceptional games are contagious. They will be critical in assisting us in providing players with even more immersive and engaging experiences in the future.”

 Filip Säfbeck of ELK Studios added:

“This deal is the result of many years of hard effort by a team that is completely dedicated to creating high-quality online gaming experiences. We believe that now is the ideal time to join the Scientific Games team, as our aspirations to expand through innovation and into the United States and Canada are entirely aligned. We have seen firsthand how Scientific Games can take our games to the next level through our OpenGaming relationship. This acquisition establishes a strong foundation for us to supply a diverse assortment of thrilling new slots to online casino partners worldwide more smoothly than ever.”

Scientific Games’ latest acquisition comes on the heels of high-profile iGaming acquisitions of Lightning Box and premium live casino solutions provider Authentic Gaming. Dylan Slaney, Scientific Titles’ CEO of igaming, added: “We’ve worked closely with Elk Studios for some years, and its games have performed admirably across the OpenGaming landscape.

“Elk is one of the most innovative and accomplished studios in the industry. Their enthusiasm for delivering rounds of unmatched quality is intoxicating. They will play a critical role in supporting us in providing players with much more vivid and engaging encounters.”