DoubleDown Acquires Whow Games in €65 Million Deal

DoubleDown Interactive has reached another substantial milestone in its ambitions to bolster its global presence with the acquisition of Whow Games, a free-to-play social casino game developer based in Germany. The deal, valued at €65 million ($76.24 million), consists of a €55 million ($64.51 million) upfront payment and a performance-based earn-out of up to €10 million ($11.73 million).

Whow Games Seems a Perfect Fit for DoubleDown’s Strategy

The acquisition transfers ownership of Whow Games from Dutch digital ad tech firm Azerion, which has been offloading its gaming portfolio to focus on its core advertising, AI, and cloud services. The transaction follows Azerion divesting its social card games vertical for over €81.3 million ($95.35 million).

Whow Games, headquartered in Hamburg, is best known for its social casino titles such as MyJackpot and Lounge777. The company also boasts well-received white-label offerings for corporate partners. Its browser and mobile games have gained a loyal fan base across Europe, particularly in Germany. For DoubleDown, the deal provides access to the lucrative European social gaming space.

The Whow Games acquisition marks DoubleDown’s second significant European expansion in recent years. In 2023, it acquired Malta-based SuprNation AB, expanding its foothold in the UK, Sweden, and the Isle of Man. Analysts believe Whow Games will complement DoubleDown’s broader offerings, bringing scale, a high-quality user base, and in-house expertise in social game development.

Azerion Remains Focused on Its Unique Digital Infrastructure Solutions

For Azerion, the deal represents another milestone in its multi-year shift toward non-gaming high-growth verticals such as digital infrastructure and privacy-centric advertising. The company recently launched its Azerion Intelligence program, which will provide locally-hosted cloud and AI tools for European organizations, helping them gain independence from increasingly contentious US tech giants.

Sebastiaan Moesman, chief strategy officer at Azerion, framed the Whow Games sale as a natural step in the company’s transformation and a win-win for both parties. He noted that this development would deliver long-term value to shareholders as the company remains perfectly positioned to capitalize on shifting digital infrastructure trends while leaving Whow Games in safe hands. 

“We are excited to take this further step to strengthen our digital advertising business. This sale enables us to dedicate even more resources and attention to realizing our growth and expansion plans.”

Sebastiaan Moesman, Azerion chief strategy officer

Industry experts expect DoubleDown to incorporate Whow’s activities into its broader marketing, development, and analytics ecosystem while preserving the brand identities that have resonated with players. While many gaming firms are pulling back from uncertain or saturated markets, DoubleDown sees the potential for growth in Europe, especially in the social space where engagement remains robust and regulatory friction is relatively minimal.