LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / June 16, 2026 / Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN) has announced a new brand partnership in Brazilian sport with Dejan Petkovic, the football legend known across Brazil simply as "Pet," who will serve as the company's Global Brand Ambassador. In 2001, a small team in Europe launched a gaming company called Meridianbet. Twenty-five years later, that company operates across 25+ regulated markets on four continents, trades on NASDAQ under the ticker MRDN.
https://x.com/meridianbet_ofc/status/2059599376071135669
The story between those two points is unusual in an industry often defined by rapid expansion.
Built in Hard Markets
Meridianbet did not grow up in a mature, stable regulatory environment. It developed across multiple European markets, where operating legally meant navigating constantly evolving frameworks across different jurisdictions. From the beginning, the company's approach was to operate only where it could be licensed and to build its own technology rather than rely on third-party platforms.
That discipline extended beyond compliance. In the markets where it operates, Meridianbet has actively contributed to shaping responsible gaming legislation by advocating for mandatory self-exclusion tools and professional education standards for operators. Where regulations established a minimum standard, the company voluntarily implemented additional measures, including self-exclusion programs and strict age verification systems across its online and retail network, regardless of whether local laws required them.
Today, Meridian Holdings holds licenses across Europe, Africa, and Latin America and develops its technology in-house through its B2B division, which includes game studio Expanse Studios and platform provider GMAG. More than 1,200 people work across the group, including over 100 software engineers. Female representation across the company exceeds 60%, a figure that stands out across many industries, including gaming.
A Different Idea of Player Engagement
The company's leadership describes its commercial philosophy as centered on long-term customer engagement and responsible participation rather than high-value wagering activity.
Its approach emphasizes sports and gaming as forms of regulated entertainment, with a focus on creating a sustainable customer experience through responsible gaming tools, compliance standards, and long-term relationships.
This philosophy is reflected in the company's investment in responsible gaming infrastructure beyond regulatory requirements, as well as corporate social responsibility initiatives across its operating markets. These initiatives include support for healthcare, education, and community programs, together with initiatives that allow eligible players in certain markets to direct a portion of promotional or charitable contributions toward organizations of their choice, subject to local regulations.
The NASDAQ Chapter
In 2024, the company became publicly listed on NASDAQ, completing a rigorous due diligence process covering financial reporting, corporate governance, and ownership structure.
Since then, Meridian Holdings has presented at major American investor conferences alongside companies such as Dell, IBM, DraftKings, and FanDuel. The company's most recent quarter was its strongest on record, reporting $50.1 million in revenue, representing 17% year-over-year growth, and achieving its first GAAP-profitable quarter, with Adjusted EBITDA ahead of guidance.
Brazil
When Brazil's regulated betting market opened in January 2025, Meridianbet was among the first operators granted a definitive federal license by the Ministry of Finance-License No. 0086/2024, valid through 2029. Brazil's licensing framework is considered among the most rigorous in the industry, with a limited number of federal licenses and comprehensive compliance requirements.
The company has continued building its Brazilian operation in a methodical manner, consistent with its historical market entry strategy.
The partnership with Dejan Petkovic, announced in May during a gala event in Rio de Janeiro, represents a significant step in that strategy. The collaboration includes a content and brand platform anchored by one of the most respected figures in Brazilian football, including the launch of Pet TV, a multimedia platform with Meridianbet serving as the founding strategic partner.
The connection is notable: Meridianbet was founded in 2001, the same year Petkovic's celebrated 89th-minute free kick for Flamengo became part of Brazilian football history. Twenty-five years later, the two stories come together through this new partnership.
The Long Game
The global betting industry continues to consolidate, and companies that remain competitive often share several common characteristics: proprietary technology, regulatory discipline, and a long-term operating strategy. Meridian Holdings has spent the past 25 years building all three.
Brazil represents the next stage of that journey, and the company intends to approach the market in the same way it has approached previous expansions: secure licensing first, build carefully, and establish a long-term presence.
About Dejan Petkovic
Dejan Petkovic was born on September 10, 1972 in Majdanpek, Serbia. He began his professional career at Radnicki Niš and went on to play for Red Star Belgrade - European champions in 1991 - before moves to Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Racing Santander. In 1997, he joined Vitória in Brazil, beginning a relationship with the country that would define his career and life. Over more than a decade, he played for Vitória, Flamengo, Vasco da Gama, Fluminense, Santos, Atlético Mineiro, and others, accumulating 167 goals and becoming one of the most decorated and beloved foreign players in Brazilian football history. He retired in 2011, has lived in Brazil ever since, and serves as an Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia in Brazil.
About Meridian Holdings Inc.
Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN), headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an established B2B and B2C gaming technology group operating across 25+ international regulated markets. The Company's B2C division is led by Meridianbet Group, a leading online sports betting and gaming operator founded in 2001 and licensed across Europe, Africa, and South America. Meridian's B2B division - comprising game developer Expanse Studios and iGaming platform GMAG - develops, licenses, and distributes proprietary gaming technology to a global client base. Additional subsidiaries include RKings Competitions (pay-to-enter prize competitions in the UK), MexPlay (regulated online casino in Mexico), and Classics for a Cause (Australia's leading subscription-based digital memberships and trade-promotion lottery). The Company's software automatically declines gaming or redemption requests originating in the United States, in strict compliance with U.S. law.
For more information, visit www.meridian-holdings.com or email ir@meridian-holdings.com
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws, including statements regarding the Company's expansion strategy in Brazil and other markets and the anticipated benefits of its brand partnership with Dejan Petkovic. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including those described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Meridian Holdings undertakes no obligation to update these statements.
Media Contact
Stuart Brown
s.brown@evertisedigital.com
SOURCE: Meridian Holdings Inc.
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/meridian-holdings-nasdaq-mrdn-marks-25-years-and-highlights-glob-1178095
