Game of Thrones Released on Bet365 Games, SkyBet Sell 80% Stake in Company

Welcome to the monthly slots round up and it’s been a busy month this December.

There has been a host of Christmas promotions on many sites but also some big news elsewhere too.

This includes the release of one of the most eagerly anticipated slots for many years, as well as some huge news from the corporate world involving one of the UK’s biggest gambling sites and it is these two big stories we’ll be focusing on this week.

Let’s start with arguably the biggest slot release of the year, which was announced on 1^st December 2025, when Microgaming announced that after 10 months of development, the brand new Game of Thrones slot was ready for release.

Game of Thrones slot released

Big news for slots fans this December as the eagerly awaited Game of Thrones slot from Microgaming was released on the first of the month. Just 10 months after Microgaming secured the rights to develop a game based on the George R R Martin series of books and the HBO TV series, the game has arrived, or rather two versions of it have.

Microgaming have developed a 15-payline version which allows players to play from 0.15p to £3 per spin and a 243-ways to win version which is slightly more expensive to play with spins costing from 0.30p up to £6.

Rather than try to wow prospective slots players with a myriad of never-seen-before features, the actual gameplay on Game of Thrones is very simple, ideal for a beginner to play but also engaging enough to ensure that the more experienced slot enthusiast has enough to keep them playing.

The first thing that strikes you about the game is the presentation. There is a certain rustic element to the TV series and the earthy tones so prominent on the TV screen are echoed in the slot. Add to that a superb soundtrack, certainly one of the best musical accompaniments to any slot available today, and you have a slot that looks and sounds fantastic.

In terms of gameplay, there are the usual Jack to Ace symbols across the reels plus the symbols for each of the four houses upon which the stories are based, Baratheon, Lannister, Stark and Targarayen. There are also stacked Game of Thrones wilds across the reels and when these are landed, they give you an increased chance to win a big prize. The base game is simple to follow, easy to understand and you do seem to win regularly, although the majority of these wins are small.

The key to unlocking the deeper elements of the game come from the scatter symbol, which is the famous sword throne from the TV series. Land two of these and one of the thrones turns into a flaming dragons egg which reveals a random cash prize based on how much you have wagered on that spin. Land three or more scatters and that takes you into the free spins round and this is where things get a little more interesting.  Now you must select which house your loyalties lie with.

Each house offers a number of free spins and a multiplier. The more free spins you choose, the smaller the multiplier, the fewer the free spins you choose, the higher the multiplier. Then you have to consider that each house will also have additional house symbols on the reels, with the more spins you opt for meaning the more of these additional house symbols you get on the reels, thus you have more chance of landing a winning spin. Once you have won money in free spins you can then enter the Game Trail mode, where you get to see snippets of video from the TV series, as well as the chance to spin a coin.

Correctly predict the outcome of the spin and you can double your winnings up to four times depending on how many times you want to gamble. The more gambles you are successful with, then the more of the map of Westeros and Essos you will uncover.

The Game of Thrones slot may not have all the bangs and whistles of some other slots, but it captures the essence of the TV show and series of books perfectly. It is fun, enjoyable to play and has an excellent reward system with frequent smaller wins and the chance of a big jackpot too.

You can play either the 15-payline or 243-ways to win versions of Game of Thrones at Bet365 Games right now. Not signed up with Bet365? Create a new account today to qualify for a Bet365 welcome bonus offer.

Sky sell 80% of business to CVC: What’s the future for SkyBet, Sky Poker, Sky Vegas etc?

In a move that will come as a surprise to many of its customers, Sky Bet, who own all the sites on the Sky gambling platform, such as Sky Bet, Sky Vegas, Sky Casino, Sky Poker and Sky Bingo have decided to sell an 80% stake in their business.

Sky have sold its shares to CVC Capital Partners, a private equity house who have been busy trying to buy shares in several major British betting companies. CVC are reported to have paid around £800m in total for the 80% shareholding, with Sky retaining a 20% stake and a place on the board of directors. CVC tried to buy Betfair last year, so it is not surprising that they are continuing investing in the thriving British gambling market.

In 2025, the company along with Cinven purchased William Hill for £825m. Speaking after the announcement of the deal, which is expected to be rubber-stamped in early 2025, CVC managing partner Rob Lucas stated: “The partnership between CVC and Sky will provide a strong platform to support Sky Bet’s ongoing success at this exciting point in its development.”

So what does this news mean for Sky’s many customers, including the thousands who enjoy slot games on the Sky Vegas, Sky Casino and Sky Poker sites?

Well the good news is that the valuation of Sky Bet from CVC does seem to indicate that the company is expecting SkyBet to considerably expand its operations.

Therefore, the future of the sites as they are look secure. Indeed, it is highly likely that Sky will continue their development. Having released the new-look Sky Casino this year (focusing predominantly on casino table games, allowing Sky Vegas to focus more on slot gaming) it is plausible that further new sites, or at least the development of current sites, will continue.

So Sky customers shouldn’t notice too big a difference in their site just yet, but it will be interesting to see how 2025 pans out once the CVC deal has been concluded and the new majority shareholders have their say in how the business needs to be run.      

If you want to try your hand at Sky's newest casino site, now is a great time considering that new players can get a £20 Sky Casino bankroll just for creating a new account.