Hacksaw Gaming Pivots to Prediction Markets as Slot Revenue Growth Slows

Hacksaw Group, the Stockholm-listed iGaming technology provider, has entered the prediction markets sector with a newly launched B2B platform designed to give operators an integrated path to participate in one of gaming's fastest-growing categories. The October 15 announcement signals a strategic shift for the company, which has built its reputation primarily on online slots, scratch cards, and crash games delivered through a B2B supply model across multiple regulated jurisdictions.

The move comes at a critical inflection point for Hacksaw's business trajectory. On October 12, the company disclosed that Q3 2026 revenue growth had decelerated sharply to approximately 11-12%, compared with 31% growth in Q2 2026 and 44% year-over-year expansion in 2025. CEO Ana Vrabic Verdir attributed the slowdown to softer market conditions and weaker game performance, though the company maintained its long-term financial targets. That context transforms the prediction markets launch from opportunistic expansion into something more urgent: a necessary diversification as the company's core slots business faces headwinds.

Regulatory clearance was secured ahead of the launch. Malta's Gaming Authority extended Hacksaw's B2B Critical Gaming Supply License to cover Type 3 Gaming Services, enabling the company to provide peer-to-peer prediction market services under the MGA's regulatory framework. That approval unlocks Hacksaw's ability to distribute the platform across its existing operator relationships, a structural advantage that CEO Verdir and Operational CEO Marcus Cordes both emphasized in their statements.

The prediction markets opportunity appears substantial. Hacksaw cited Bernstein research estimating annual prediction market trading volumes could reach approximately $1 trillion by 2030, representing a capital allocation narrative that justifies the platform investment to investors concerned about near-term growth deceleration. Cordes noted that the platform was developed using existing technology and development resources without expanding Hacksaw's cost base, a disciplined approach that avoids margin pressure during a period of softer trading conditions.

Industry context matters here. Prediction markets occupy regulatory gray zones across most jurisdictions, with legal clarity fragmenting along national and subnational lines. Hacksaw's Malta-based regulatory approval provides a foothold, but the real value lies in whether the company can navigate operator compliance requirements across its existing customer territories. The platform targets operators who already integrate Hacksaw's slot and crash game offerings, minimizing sales friction through existing relationships and technical infrastructure.

The strategic calculus reflects a maturing iGaming supplier market. As consolidation pressures and regulatory saturation have compressed growth rates across the sector, suppliers increasingly require product diversification to sustain investor confidence. Hacksaw's core slots business remains profitable and growing, but double-digit expansion rates no longer satisfy public equity markets accustomed to the 30-40% trajectories of recent years. Prediction markets offer a category with genuine white space, particularly in jurisdictions where sports betting and casino gaming are saturated.

The launch also reflects confidence in Hacksaw's technology platform. Building a prediction markets engine represents material engineering complexity, particularly around order-matching, liquidity management, and settlement mechanics. Hacksaw's decision to leverage existing platform infrastructure rather than acquiring or licensing external technology suggests the company believes its architecture can support the distinct operational demands of peer-to-peer prediction trading alongside traditional iGaming products.