M&A – FairOdds Network

August 8, 2024

Penn CEO Snowden: “Don’t believe everything you read” on M&A, points to late August NY launch

Penn Entertainment CEO Jay Snowden refused to comment on speculation of competitors teaming up to acquire the operator during Thursday's quarterly earnings call. Instead, he talked up deeper and deeper integrations with partner ESPN.
On Thursday’s (8 August) earnings call, Snowden said the company will be live in the biggest legal market in the US – New York – by the start of the college football season. He also addressed the controversial winners’ surcharge that DraftKings is floating. But his main focus was acquisition rumours.

The ESPN Bet launch last November brought the premier sports media brand into the betting sector. Snowden said it was a milestone moment. But it hasn’t yet translated into a podium position for Penn Entertainment.

Blended market share across six states averaged 6% for March, and investors have started to question Penn’s digital strategy. This led to rumours of a sale, suggesting Boyd Gaming would bite. Those rumours evolved into a joint approach with ..

August 2, 2024

Betsson bolsters betting tech with Sporting Solutions acquisition

Betsson Group has agreed a deal to acquire Sporting Solutions’ trading, pricing and sports betting risk-management offerings from FDJ Group.
Announcing the deal, Betsson said it would integrate Sporting Solutions’ advanced pricing feeds for both pre-match and live betting, strengthening both its B2C and B2B sportsbook offerings.

Established in 2007, Sporting Solutions is a UK-facing business but also operates in Canada and South Africa, working with several major operators and lotteries including 888Sport, Ladbrokes Coral, SkyBet, William Hill and Norsk Tipping and Betsson, who have partnered with the platform for over 10 years.

Sporting Solutions will continue to provide services to its B2B betting partners, it said in a statement on LinkedIn.

The acquisition remains subject to regulatory approvals and certain other conditions. Once the deal gains the necessary clearance, as expected by both parties, the acquisition will close. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed..

July 23, 2024

DraftKings sells VSiN to Musburger Media

DraftKings has sold the Vegas Sports Information Network (VSiN) to Musburger Media for an undisclosed price after first acquiring the network for $70m in March 2021. The deal was announced on Monday (22 July).
As part of the deal, VSiN’s original founders, Brian Musburger and Bill Adee, will take back control of the company. The two men founded the sports betting network in 2017 and guided it through the original 2021 sale to DraftKings. The network features 18 hours of daily original betting-focused content and streams 24/7.

In a statement on Monday, Musburger said the “original vision for VSiN still holds” despite the relatively quick sell-off.

“We truly appreciate the work we’ve done with DraftKings and look forward to continuing to collaborate on future projects,” he said. “Bill and I couldn’t be more excited about leading VSiN into the future and cementing our position as a trusted authority in sports betting.”

DraftKings thanked VSiN “for a great relationship” and said it “..

July 15, 2024

Weekend Report: DraftKings to divest VSiN, Bermuda’s banks slow casino launch and more

Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB covers the news you may have missed over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This week we’ve got news of DraftKings cashing out of its big media bet, Bermuda’s casinos struggling for acceptance in the banking sector and more.

DraftKings turns off VSiN?

DraftKings could be preparing to sell off its sports betting media specialist Vegas Sports Information Network (VSiN), according to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming.

Original owner Brent Musburger is allegedly set to take back control of the TV and radio network, which was acquired by DraftKings for $70m back in 2021. Active since 2017, VSiN broadcasts 18 hours of content a day, across multiple markets and streaming platforms, at one time showing Betting Across America, a BetMGM-backed sports betting programme.

While the sale is not confirmed it would take a significant media asset out of DraftKings’ stable, although it still maintains a distribution deal with Meadowlark Media, as well as its own streaming..

July 8, 2024

EveryMatrix buys FSB in all-cash acquisition

EveryMatrix chief executive Ebbe Groes described the supplier’s acquisition of betting and igaming platform provider FSB Technology as its “most ambitious acquisition to date”, giving its OddsMatrix sportsbook division a foothold in the African, Irish and UK markets.

FSB’s full end-to-end turnkey solutions, including its player account management software and horse racing products, will strengthen the OddsMatrix platform and generate “immediate additional revenues and cross-company synergies”, EveryMatrix said.

“This is our most ambitious acquisition to date, by value, size and complexity,” EveryMatrix chief executive Ebbe Groes commented.

FSB Deal ACCELERATES EVERYMATRIx’S regulated market rollout for sports betting, says CEO Ebbe Groes

“This transaction facilitates our long-term growth strategy of entering and growing within a greater number of regulated markets, including the UK, Ireland and Africa, where many FSB clients operate.

“It also allows us to accelerate this process, ..

July 5, 2024

Report: Flutter may join Boyd in bid for Penn Interactive assets, including ESPN Bet

As activist investors are pushing Penn Entertainment to divest its digital gaming arm, The Deal is reporting Flutter and Boyd Gaming may partner on an agreement. Boyd has a 5% ownership stake in Flutter, and partners with Flutter's FanDuel in the US for retail and digital sports betting.

Penn stock was up 4.22% at midday on Friday on receiving the news, while Flutter stock was essentially flat after a morning uptick. Boyd Gaming stock was also relatively flat after an early rise reacting to the news.

“Adding Flutter into the equation with Boyd of a potential Penn acquisition makes it more than interesting,” gaming consultant Brendan Bussmann told iGB. “It’s a back door into the ESPN brand for online, but would also give a brick-and-mortar presence to Flutter.”

On Friday (5 July) Seeking Alpha wrote “Flutter (FLUT) may want to partner with Boyd Gaming (BYD) as the owner of FanDuel is interested in Penn’s interactive assets, according to a report from TheDeal.com on Friday, whi..

July 1, 2024

Weekend Report: PH senator pushes POGO ban, FanDuel’s strong week in NY and more

Welcome to the Weekend Report, where iGB updates you with the stories you may have missed over the last few days. This week we cover POGOs in the Philippines, as well as stopping off in New York, New Hampshire, Thailand and Brazil.

Philippine senator renews call for online gambling ban

Philippines Senator Joel Villanueva is pushing for his 2022 legislation banning Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) and all forms of online gambling to progress through the country’s legislature.

First filed in September 2022, Villanueva’s Senate Bill 1281 aims to repeal all legislation granting the power to regulate online gambling and criminalise the vertical. Those found to have placed, received or otherwise unknowingly transmitted a bet or wager online would face either a prison sentence of up to six months or a fine of PHP500,000 (£6,736.74/€7,943.75/8,524.33).

Villanueva urges PAGCOR to intensify investigation on POGOs and other forms of online gamblinghttps://t.co/dDChQ5jZSZ
— DZRH..

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..

April 2025
Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

Tag: M&A