Shape Games

History & Founding

Shape Games was founded in 2018 by a team that included Risom, Chief Product Officer Nicolas Linde, and Chief Technical Officers Ole Gammelgaard and Philip Bruce. The founders had previously worked together at the design and technology agency Shape, and they saw an opportunity to build a dedicated frontend platform for the rapidly expanding iGaming industry. The company quickly established itself as a leader in native mobile frontend development, winning awards and securing contracts with state-owned operators in Scandinavia and later with operators in North America and South America.

Technology & Products

Shape Games’ technology stack is built around fully native code for iOS and Android, ensuring high performance and a seamless user experience. The frontend is modular and customisable, allowing operators to differentiate their brands and localise content. Key product modules include: - Personalisation: Uses machine learning to analyse betting history, preferences, and user behaviour to tailor the layout and recommendations for each player. - Social & Community: Offers insights into historical betting patterns, personal records, the ability to share recommendations with friends, create custom leagues, and earn trophies for milestones. - Retail: A native retail solution that shares the same codebase as the mobile app, designed for use in physical betting shops – from lightweight Android devices to full multi-tablet setups. - Control Panel: A back-office tool that gives operators full control over product layouts, promotions, game selection, and data storage, plus centralised customer engagement and retention analytics. - Customer Engagement & Retention Tools: Includes free-to-play games, loyalty features, and statistics aimed at increasing player acquisition, engagement, and retention.

Acquisition by Kambi

In September 2022, Kambi Group plc announced the acquisition of Shape Games for an upfront cash consideration of €38.5 million, plus a performance-related earn-out of up to €39.6 million (total potential consideration of €78.1 million). The deal brought together Kambi’s high-performance sportsbook with Shape Games’ best-in-class frontend technology. Kambi had already partnered with Shape Games on several tender processes for turnkey contracts, and the acquisition allowed Kambi to offer a more compelling and integrated sportsbook frontend to its operator partners. Shape Games continues to provide its services on a standalone basis to all operators, with a closer technical and commercial integration with Kambi enabling enhanced turnkey and modularised packages.

Market Presence

Shape Games serves a growing roster of partners in regulated markets around the world. Notable operator partners include Danske Spil (Denmark), Norsk Tipping (Norway), BetWarrior (Latin America), and JACK Entertainment (USA). In 2021, the company generated revenue of €7.6 million at an EBITDA of €2.8 million, and 2022 was forecast to deliver 100% year-on-year growth following several major partner wins.

Awards & Recognition

Shape Games has won multiple industry awards for its frontend and engagement technology, cementing its reputation as the leading frontend provider in the iGaming sector.