Simon Hammon led Relax Gaming as CEO from July 2022 to October 2024. On his watch, the slot studio made its US debut in New Jersey with BetMGM. He’s now a co-founder of Big Daddy Gaming, a Malta-based slot studio, and he runs Hammon Advisory Ltd.
Who Is Simon Hammon?
Simon Hammon is a slot industry leader who has spent more than 15 years building online slot games. He’s best known for his run at Relax Gaming, where he rose from Chief Product Officer to CEO.
Before Relax, he held product roles at NetEnt, one of the biggest slot suppliers of the past two decades.
Simon Hammon’s Career at NetEnt
Simon Hammon joined NetEnt in 2010, while the Swedish supplier was growing fast across Europe. Before that, he spent three years as a freelance consultant in affiliate, bingo, and casino work.
He was part of the product team when NetEnt launched Starburst, one of the most famous slots ever released. Later, as Chief Product Officer, he set NetEnt’s plans for its games, mobile products, platform, and new countries.
Simon Hammon at Relax Gaming: From CPO to CEO
Hammon joined Relax Gaming as Chief Product Officer in January 2018, working from Gibraltar. Relax was then moving toward a platform and aggregation model, and he helped shape that shift.
In July 2022, the board promoted Simon Hammon to CEO, replacing Tommi Maijala. Kindred Group owned Relax at the time.
His years in charge covered Money Train’s growth and Dream Drop, a network of progressive jackpot slots. Dream Drop won Product Launch of the Year at the 2023 Global Gaming Awards. By April 2024, it had made 14 players millionaires.
Under his leadership, Relax also signed PG Soft, adding PG titles to its Silver Bullet aggregation platform.
| Year | Milestone |
| 2007 to 2010 | Freelance consultant in affiliate, bingo, and casino work |
| 2010 | Joins NetEnt’s product team |
| 2018 | Joins Relax Gaming as Chief Product Officer |
| 2022 | Named CEO of Relax Gaming |
| 2023 | Dream Drop wins Product Launch of the Year |
| Dec 2023 | Relax launches in New Jersey with BetMGM |
| Apr 2024 | Relax names Martin Stålros as his successor |
| Oct 2024 | Leaves Relax Gaming and launches Hammon Advisory |
| Dec 2024 | Joins Revolver Gaming as a board advisor |
| Oct 2025 | Co-founds Big Daddy Gaming |
How Simon Hammon Took Relax Gaming Into the US
Relax’s North American story began in Ontario in 2022, where it was among the first suppliers to go live. The bigger prize came in December 2023, when it launched in the New Jersey online casino market. New Jersey’s Division of Gaming Enforcement granted the vendor transactional waiver that made it possible.
Relax trades in the US as RLX Gaming. Its first US partner was BetMGM, which added RLX slots like The Great Pigsby and Epic Joker.
That groundwork paid off quickly. RLX went live at Pennsylvania’s regulated online casinos in June 2024, shortly after Simon Hammon handed over the CEO role.
Keep in mind that Relax games only appear at state-licensed casinos where RLX holds approval. Before you look for them, check which US states allow online casinos.
Why Simon Hammon Left Relax Gaming in 2024
Relax announced in April 2024 that Hammon would step down. He remained in the job until October 2024, helping Martin Stålros, the company’s longtime Chief Operating Officer, take over.
Hammon described the move as his own decision. In an October 2024 Gambling Insider interview, he said he’d achieved what he set out to do. He felt it was time for others to lead the company’s next stage.
Chairman Patrik Österåker publicly credited Hammon with helping build Relax into the business it had become.
Big Daddy Gaming and Hammon Advisory: What Hammon Is Building Next
After Relax, Simon Hammon set up his own consultancy, Hammon Advisory Ltd. It helps gaming companies shape product strategy and grow in regulated markets, often at board level.
In October 2025, he co-founded Big Daddy Gaming with Daniel Eskola, a former Relax and Kindred executive. Erland Hellström, formerly of Evolution, runs the studio as CEO, with backing from gaming fund Castech.
The studio’s motto is “Reel Fun. Real Value.” Hammon argues that the slot market has grown stagnant and crowded with copycat games. The studio’s first four titles included Bonbon Boom! and Redneck Dynamite, and it signed with ComeOn Group in January 2026.
| Feature | Relax Gaming | Big Daddy Gaming |
| Hammon’s role | CPO, then CEO (2018 to 2024) | Co-founder |
| Launched | 2010, in Malta | 2025 |
| Business model | Aggregator and in-house studio | Slot studio |
| Known for | Money Train, Dream Drop jackpots | Humor-led slot themes |
| US presence | Yes, as RLX Gaming | No US launch announced |
The Bottom Line
Simon Hammon has worked on hit slots for more than 15 years, from Starburst to Money Train. He also led the push that brought Relax games to US players for the first time. Watch Big Daddy Gaming to see if his new studio follows the same path into US states.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simon Hammon still the CEO of Relax Gaming?
No. Hammon left Relax Gaming in October 2024, about six months after the company first announced his planned exit. He now focuses on Big Daddy Gaming, which he co-founded in 2025, and on his consultancy, Hammon Advisory Ltd.
Who replaced Simon Hammon at Relax Gaming?
Martin Stålros took over as CEO after Relax announced the change in April 2024. He joined Relax in January 2015 and served as its COO for almost a decade. Before that, he held roles at Kindred’s Unibet and at Ladbrokes.
What is Big Daddy Gaming?
Big Daddy Gaming is a Malta-based online slot studio that launched in October 2025. Simon Hammon and Daniel Eskola co-founded it, while Erland Hellström serves as CEO. The studio mixes proven game mechanics with humor-driven themes built to keep players coming back.
Did Simon Hammon work on Starburst?
Yes, Hammon was on NetEnt’s product team when the studio launched Starburst. He later became NetEnt’s Chief Product Officer, and Starburst grew into one of the most widely played online slots anywhere. That hit-slot background still shapes his work at Big Daddy Gaming.
Can US players play Relax Gaming slots?
Yes, but only in certain states, where Relax operates as RLX Gaming. It’s live in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, at operators such as BetMGM, DraftKings, and Fanatics Casino. You’ll need to be 21 or older and physically located in one of those states.
