Winter Star

About Winter Star

An issue raised by Giannis Vasiliadis, director of WBAS, was the limited access to recipients’ banking information. This limited data can hint at suspicious activity but cannot conclusively verify gambling transactions.

Data Protection Commissioner Maria Christofidou said her office had reevaluated a 2022 legal opinion and now recognised a potential legal basis for more granular access to banking information.

Various MPs voiced concerns about the risk of privacy violations in accessing this data, and the potential social stigma around the information being shared.

About Winter Star

Veikkaus’ international B2B subsidiary, Fennica Gaming, continued rapid expansion in H1 2026, with revenue increasing by 80.6% to €10.3 million from €5.7 million in the previous year. 

This growth reflects the launch of eInstants and iCasino products across various markets, including Italy, Canada, parts of Germany, Mexico, the Czech Republic and Iceland. 

Veikkaus stated that Fennica now operates in 21 markets across three continents and gaming verticals. Fennica secured an UAE online supplier licence last year. 

What is Winter Star?

As work on Game in a Box progressed, Yggdrasil began to see an opportunity extending beyond its own production process.

Historically, building a game studio meant putting all the necessary components in place – from developers and mathematicians to QA and compliance, as well as the underlying systems and integrations. Alternatively, a business looking to enter the market could acquire an existing studio.

Both routes require significant investment. However, as Curwen, adds: “There are plenty of people in this industry with great ideas, brands, audiences or distribution who don’t want to build an entire slot studio from scratch.”