Expanse Studios Enters Slovenian Market Through Partnership With Casino Portoroz

International gaming developer Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of NASDAQ-listed Meridian Holdings Inc., has signed its first official operator agreement in Slovenia. The partner is Casino Portoroz d.d., one of the country's leading gaming operators. Through this cooperation, Expanse Studios' certified titles will be available on the Casino.si platform. This marks a significant milestone for the provider, as the Slovenian market is considered one of the most strictly regulated spaces within the European Union. Only companies that already hold a physical casino concession in Slovenia are permitted to operate online.

The collaboration follows an extensive certification process by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI). In Slovenia, a blanket license is not possible; instead, every single game title must be separately tested and approved. These high regulatory hurdles mean that the number of licensed operators remains small, which for providers like Expanse Studios, results in high durability for their partnerships. The portfolio includes a wide range of titles, from slots and strategy games to roulette.

Numbers and facts

Grand Casino Portoroz has a long tradition, having been established back in 1913. It is regarded as the oldest casino in Slovenia. In addition to its main location, the company operates Grand Casino Lipica, Grand Casino Mons Ljubljana, and the online presence Casino.si. Expanse Studios itself contributes a portfolio of over 80 proprietary titles to the cooperation. The company is already active in numerous other regulated markets, including Malta, Portugal, Sweden, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, and Latvia. The parent company, Meridian Holdings, operates in more than 25 international markets in total.

"Slovenia is a closed market with a demanding certification process, which is exactly why we deemed it worth entering. 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." - Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios

Ksenija Bezek, Head of Online Operations at Casino Portoroz d.d., emphasized the importance of safety and quality for Slovenian customers. She views the cooperation as a valuable enrichment of the content on Casino.si. Expanse Studios' business model relies on direct integration with operators, where player acquisition costs lie with the operator, while the studio provides the technological foundation.

Background

Slovenia regulates the online market strictly through the Financial Administration of the Republic of Slovenia. The structure dictates that online concessions are only granted to companies registered in the country. This creates an exclusive market that is often difficult for global providers to access. Meridian Holdings is strategically using its B2B division, Expanse Studios, to tap into additional revenue streams through licensing alongside its traditional B2C business (Meridianbet Group). The strategy aims to grow in regulated European markets through certified content.

Why it matters for German players

Although this deal primarily affects the Slovenian market, it highlights a trend relevant to German players: the increasing importance of strict local regulation. In Germany, the State Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021) governs the market. German players are only permitted to play at providers listed on the official whitelist of the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL). Similar to Slovenia, games in Germany must be certified, with additional strict limits such as 1 Euro per spin and a monthly deposit limit of 1,000 Euros via the LUGAS system. The expansion of providers into regulated markets like Slovenia indicates that studios are increasingly adapting their software to the technical requirements of national authorities. Players in Germany should therefore always check if a casino holds a GGL license to remain legally protected.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

For operators of GGL-licensed casinos in Germany, the expansion of studios like Expanse offers the chance for new, verified material. Since the GGL places high demands on player protection and anti-manipulation measures, providers that have already successfully passed certifications in Slovenia or Sweden are often better prepared for the German market. The cooperation with traditional land-based operators like Grand Casino Portoroz could also serve as a model for German casinos looking to further expand their online offerings under GGL supervision. Quality and regulatory compliance are increasingly becoming the decisive competitive advantage over unregulated black market offerings from overseas.