M&A Archives - Bookielink

April 11, 2024

BetMakers acquires Racelab Global assets

BetMakers Technology Group has completed the acquisition of assets from Racelab Global, an international supplier of racing wagering products and technologies.

Under the acquisition agreement, BetMakers will pay a total consideration of AU$1.5m (£779,316/€910,620/US$977,501) to take ownership of the Racelab assets. However, there is a clawback clause of up to $500,000, dependent on key customer obligations within 30 days of closing.

BetMakers said that the deal represents a “highly strategic acquisition” for the business. It adds race form, preview and statistics technology to its ecosystem, as well as proprietary fixed-odds pricing technology and associated algorithms.

Racelab assets include ProForm informatics and enhanced content and Odds Engine pricing and trading technology.

Other benefits include potential to further expand services in the harness and greyhound form and preview racing sectors. In addition, BetMakers said the deal provides an ongoing partnership with global r..

April 11, 2024

BlueBet agrees to acquire Betr wagering business

BlueBet Holdings has entered a binding asset sale agreement to acquire the Betr wagering business and create an enlarged organisation in Australia with increased scale and market share.

Announced today (11 April), the deal will see BlueBet issue approximately 265.4 million fully paid shares to Betr shareholders. This equates to around 56.9% of BlueBet’s current shares.

A potential deal has been in the works for some time. Yesterday (10 April), BlueBet added fuel to the fire by requesting a trading halt on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) amid talk of an acquisition.

The deal remains subject to a series of closing conditions, including the support of BlueBet shareholders. BlueBet has “unanimously” recommended shareholders vote in favour of the merger, saying it will create material value.

If these conditions are met, BlueBet says it expects to complete the merger by 1 July.

BlueBet chair hails “transformational” moment

“This is a transformational moment for BlueBet,” says Mich..

April 9, 2024

CDI completes United Tote stake sale to NYRA

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has finalised the sale of a 49% stake in its United Tote subsidiary to the New York Racing Association (NYRA).

The deal, agreed in August 2022, sees NYRA Content Management Solutions, a subsidiary of the NYRA, acquiring the stake. Financial terms of the United Tote sale were not disclosed by CDI.

United Tote primarily supplies totalisator systems, services and equipment. It also provides a range of technology services to process bets and pay-outs and pari-mutuel tote services.

The original deal said CDI would work with NYRA to provide a pari-mutuel solution through United Tote to reach customers. It was also agreed the United Tote pari-mutuel settlements business would be excluded from the sale and remain with CDI.

NYRA is a not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in New York. These include Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens; Belmont Park in Elmont; and Saratoga Race Course in Sarato..

March 21, 2024

Penta working with JP Morgan to explore “strategic options” for Fortuna

Investment group Penta Investments is working alongside JP Morgan to explore the potential sale of Fortuna Entertainment Group.

Penta is exploring its options for Fortuna, which currently operates in Poland, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, running sites and betting shops under the Fortuna, Casa Parulior and PSK brands.

Any sale of Fortuna could purportedly be worth up to €2bn (£1.7bn/$2.2bn), according to Reuters which broke the news. Penta acquired a 79.8% stake in Fortuna in 2017, having first bought into the company in 2005, before launching a takeover bid in 2018.

While not ruling out an exit, Penta is evaluating alternatives that would best help the development of the Fortuna franchise, the business told iGB, while ensuring sustainable growth and the creation of long-term value.

“As discussions are in their early stages, it’s premature to speculate on the specific outcomes,” Penta said. “However, the possibility of a majority sale remains within the realm of..

January 30, 2024

“It’s showtime!” – BetMGM bets big on the UK

In a heavily saturated UK market, BetMGM’s entry in 2023 certainly made a splash. Sam Behar, BetMGM’s UK director, believes the key to the operator’s early success is bringing that unique Las Vegas experience across the Atlantic.

BetMGM launched in the UK in August in partnership with MGM-owned LeoVegas to much fanfare and, five months on, the results have spoken for themselves.

With a series of flashy sponsorships that have well and truly put BetMGM on the map in the UK, its Las Vegas ties have been put on show for all to see. Despite the high expectations, BetMGM has still managed to surpass Behar’s initial lofty projections.

“It’s been an unbelievable first five months entering the UK – especially given the way we did,” Behar says. “We had a unique ambition to make things work and we’ve certainly made a big splash, which is excellent.

“Of course we always thought it would, but it’s made a much bigger impact than even we could have anticipated and, even though we had high hopes..

January 30, 2024

FairPlay Sports Media announces Quarter4 purchase

FairPlay Sports Media (FPSM) has announced the acquisition of deep-learning neural network Quarter4 (Q4), hoping to “unleash” the full potential of its proprietary data and technology platform.

FPSM underwent a rebrand from Oddschecker Media Group last week and has now announced its first purchase. The price of the deal for the Toronto-based Q4 remains undisclosed.

Q4, founded in 2019, specialises in predicting sports outcomes, as well as providing unique data and content opportunities.

FPSM says the move aligns with the company’s objective to “transform BetTech”, benefitting consumers, publishers and operators worldwide.

FPSM brands will leverage Q4’s prediction technology in combination with the group’s price movement data across “millions of sports events”.

Stuart Simms, FPSM’s group chief executive, declared: “The acquisition of Quarter4 is a significant milestone for our group, giving our various brands the ability to unleash our already market-leading data and tech platform ..

January 24, 2024

Road to ICE 2024: Entain’s sports betting acquisitions spark trouble

On the road to ICE, iGB will prep you for the biggest show of 2024 with this new series covering the latest developments since 2023's show.

2023 was a tough year for Entain, with its heavily pursued strategy of sports betting mergers and acquisitions leading to questions over the company’s future, ultimately costing chief executive Jette Nygaard-Andersen her job.

Entain acquired Polish sportsbook operator STS Holding in August, before also finalising its purchase of Angstrom Sports in October. While those two deals were outlined as particularly beneficial by Nygaard-Andersen, she was out of a job before the full potential of the moves could be reached.

Nygaard-Andersen, who had led Entain since January 2021, resigned in December amid growing pressure, in part down to her use of the company plane, but largely because of the several expensive acquisitions made under her tenure.

Nygaard-Andersen’s exit was another sign of the waning confidence in Entain, which manifested itself a..

January 18, 2024

Gamma Intermediate completes sale of 6.4% stake in Lottomatica

Gamma Intermediate has completed the sale of 16 million Lottomatica shares, representing a 6.4% stake in the Italian company.

Despite the sale, worth €152m (£130.5m/$165.5m), Gamma Intermediate retains a majority stake of 65.4% in Lottomatica.

Gamma Intermediate completed the deal at €9.50 per share, with the sale conducted through an accelerated bookbuilding process. The placement was made to institutional investors, with no public offering in any country.

Lottomatica expects the final settlement to be on or around 22 January. Gamma Intermediate has agreed to a 90-day lock-up for its remaining shares in Lottomatica.

Lottomatica plotting growth trajectory with SKS365 purchase

In November, Lottomatica agreed a deal to acquire 100% of the share capital in the Italian-facing operator SKS365. Lottomatica stated the purchase will strengthen its position in the Italian market, while also expanding its brand portfolio.

In november, lottomatica acquired 100% of the italian-facing operato..

December 18, 2023

Sun International acquires Peermont in ZAR7.3bn deal

South Africa's Sun International has agreed the purchase of Peermont, including its flagship Emperors Palace resort and online brand PalaceBet.

The deal, announced on Monday, is worth ZAR7.3bn (£313m/€363.2m/$396.6m). Sun International labelled the move a “unique opportunity”, acquiring a “world-class and highly cash generative” company in Peermont.

The agreement sees Sun International obtain Peermont’s 11 properties across South Africa and Botswana. The online sports betting site PalaceBet is also included.

Emperors Palace is a leading casino resort in Gauteng, with 1,695 slot machines, 69 gaming tables and 757 rooms. In Sun International’s announcement, it pointed to the resort’s “unique proximity” to the OR Tambo International Airport as an opportunity to attract “high net-worth customers”.

The move was backed by the group’s investors, with 62.54% of shareholders providing written support for the purchase. Sun International believes the transaction will “enhance the qualit..

December 13, 2023

Bill Hornbuckle on MGM Resorts’ global growth ambitions

MGM Resorts’ home town of Las Vegas evolved beyond all recognition during Bill Hornbuckle’s time in gaming, but it’s not the only show in town. He’s eyeing up expansion across a range of global markets and expanding into new channels.

Things are booming in MGM Resorts’ home town, but it’s much more than a Vegas-based business. Hornbuckle leads global development efforts and having taken MGM into Macau he’s still looking east.

MGM Resorts looks east

Japan’s ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism certified plans for a $10bn integrated resort in Osaka in April. After finalising agreements with Osaka Prefecture and City, construction can begin on the property.

Marginally closer, opportunities are emerging in the United Arab Emirates. First Wynn sealed an agreement for a resort in Ras al-Khaimah. Then a federal regulator, the General Commercial Gambling Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) emerged paving the way for resorts in other Emirates.

MGM is focused on Dubai, Hornbu..

December 5, 2023

BetMGM expects to reach $500m EBITDA by 2026

BetMGM aims to reach 25% market share in the US by 2026, as well as delivering $500.0m (£396.1m/€462.2m) in positive EBITDA.

BetMGM set the 2026 goal after revealing it expects to be at the higher end guidance for 2023. In the current financial year, revenue should be between $1.80bn and $2.00bn, according to CEO Adam Greenblatt.

At an investor presentation yesterday (4 December), Greenblatt detailed how BetMGM, a joint-venture by Entain and MGM Resorts International, was expecting to be self-funding from 2024 onwards.

The business sees next year as an investment period, having already proved profitability in 2023. While it expects to achieve a profitable H2 2023, BetMGM expects negative EBITDA for 2024 in what it bills as an “investment year”.

Investment plans

When pressed on how much cash was available to invest, Greenblatt and CFO Gary Deutsch would not disclose the exact amount. However, the pair said plenty of money is available to “compete and invest for growth at the hi..

December 4, 2023

ESPN Bet: The view from the top

Hot off the launch of ESPN Bet, Mike Morrison, vice-president of sports betting at ESPN, explains how sports betting’s biggest launch is set to upend the market – and what he thinks makes it the premier choice for sports fans.

When we first spoke with Morrison in August, he was adamant about ESPN Bet’s potential to be the best sportsbook on the market. At the time it had only been weeks since ESPN had clinched its $1.5bn (£1.18bn/€1.37bn) deal with Penn Entertainment, officially choosing the operator to manage the ESPN Bet sportsbook.

Just over three months later, ESPN Bet has burst onto the scene. With the launch being so highly anticipated, the best place to start is by establishing how it went.

“Really smooth,” according to Morrison. “We’re thrilled. Everything is working very well. Some of the early reviews we’ve seen are really good. Teams are energised and excited on both sides.”

ESPN Bet launched in 17 US states on 14 November

The whirlwind saw ESPN Bet hit 17 US states on ..

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