Ezugi Ezugi
A live casino provider founded in 2012 and acquired by Evolution in 2018, it is now a brand within the Evolution group. It is best known for bringing Indian card games like Andar Bahar and Teen Patti to live play.
| English | Ezugi |
|---|---|
| Classification | Providers |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Field | Live casino (real-time dealer games) |
| Parent company | Evolution (acquisition announced in 2018) |
| Deal value | Up to $18 million |
| CEO | Kfir Kugler (as of 2021) |
| Studios | 12 (as of 2021) |
| Signature games | Andar Bahar, Teen Patti, Lucky 7 |
| Key markets | New Jersey, South Africa, India, Latin America |
Overview
Ezugi is a live casino provider that streams games run by real dealers on video. It was founded in 2012 and was acquired in 2018 by Evolution, the No. 1 company in the live casino industry. After the acquisition, it kept the Ezugi name and operates as a separate brand within the Evolution group.
Ezugi doesn’t make slots, so there are no games registered on AI Slot. It is often mentioned in the industry as a company that brought region-specific card games to live play and entered strictly regulated markets early.
Timeline
| Period | Details |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Company founded |
| 2016 | Entered the US (partners in New Jersey and Oklahoma) |
| November 2018 | Evolution announced the acquisition for up to $18 million ($12 million upfront + $6 million contingent) |
| Around 2018 | 20 games, 9 regional studios, 6 languages, about 100 operators |
| May 2020 | Began supplying live games in South Africa together with Evolution |
| Around 2021 | 12 studios, more than 20 games, more than 200 operators |
When the acquisition was announced, the deal was expected to close in early 2019. As of 2021, the CEO is Kfir Kugler.
Bringing Indian Card Games to Live Play
Ezugi’s signature products are online live versions of card games that friends in India play together. The best known are Andar Bahar, Teen Patti, Bet on Teen Patti, and Lucky 7, which was newly created for Indian players.
- Andar Bahar: A card is placed face up in the middle, and you guess which side, “Andar (inside)” or “Bahar (outside),” a card of the same rank will appear on first.
- Teen Patti: An Indian card game where hands of three cards are compared by rank.
The company said these games are popular not only in India but also in African markets. In 2021, it named India and Latin America as strategic markets and announced plans to add Hindi, Spanish, and Portuguese studios. Live games also have a house edge set by each game’s rules, and you can read about the features of each game type in the casino game types entry.
Licenses and Markets
According to industry media coverage in 2021, Ezugi entered the regulated markets of New Jersey in the US and South Africa early, and operated in Romania, Belgium, Hungary, and Bulgaria in Europe. It also held a Curaçao license.
Over roughly 18 months in the same period, it newly received certifications in Italy, Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Isle of Man, Colombia, and Argentina, as well as a notice of recognition from the Malta MGA.