Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN) announced that its subsidiary Expanse Studios has signed a content distribution agreement with Casino Portoroz d.d., one of Slovenia's leading gaming operators. This marks Expanse's first operator agreement in Slovenia, and its certified titles will be available on Casino.si, the operator's online platform. The deal follows the certification of Expanse's games for the Slovenian market by Gaming Laboratories International, LLC, a global testing and certification firm.
Slovenia's online gaming market is one of the most tightly regulated in Europe. The government grants online concessions only to Slovenian-registered companies that already hold a land-based concession, and the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia supervises the market. This structure limits the number of licensed operators and makes per-title certification mandatory for every supplier. These conditions raise the cost of market entry but make operator relationships more durable once established.
Casino Portoroz d.d. is a significant player in Slovenia, operating Grand Casino Portoroz, Grand Casino Lipica, and Grand Casino Mons Ljubljana, as well as the Casino.si online platform. It was the first holder of a Slovenian online casino concession, and Grand Casino Portoroz, established in 1913, is the oldest casino in the country.
This agreement adds Slovenia to a growing list of EU-regulated markets where Expanse Studios holds certified content, including Malta, Portugal, Sweden, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Latvia. The studio's business model pairs jurisdiction-level certification with direct operator integrations, with player acquisition costs borne by the operator. Expanding certified distribution across regulated European markets supports Meridian Holdings' strategy of growing B2B revenue alongside its B2C operations.
“Slovenia is a closed market with a demanding certification process, which is exactly why we deemed it worth entering,” said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios. “Casino Portoroz has been in this business for more than a century and holds one of the hardest positions to obtain in European online gaming. Starting there sets the standard for how we build in this market.”
Ksenija Bezek, Head of Online Operations at Casino Portoroz d.d., added, “We are delighted to welcome Expanse Studios to Casino.si as they enter the Slovenian market. Their commitment to certification and regulated operations aligns closely with our focus on providing Slovenian players with a safe, reliable and high-quality gaming experience. With a diverse portfolio spanning slots, strategy titles and roulette games, Expanse brings valuable new content to our platform. We look forward to building a successful, long-term partnership together.”
This entry into Slovenia is part of Expanse Studios' broader expansion in regulated European markets. By securing a partnership with a century-old operator holding one of the most exclusive licenses in the region, Expanse positions itself for long-term growth in a market with high barriers to entry. For the industry, this deal underscores the importance of regulatory compliance and certification as keys to accessing lucrative but closed markets.
