iGaming Industry
Pokies Company Aristocrat Moves To Mobile Gaming With $1.3B Acquisition
The Sydney-based gambling machine manufacturing giant Aristocrat Leisure has enjoyed its prominence in the gambling industry for years as the second largest manufacturer of slot machines in the world. Now the company is moving into the digital gaming world as they have completed a billion-dollar takeover of a US-based casual gaming company known as Big Fish Games.
Big Fish Games Acquisition
Aristocrat welcomed 2018 with an announcement that they’ve completed the acquisition of Seattle’s Big Fish Games for $1.3 billion. Founded in 2002, Big Fish Games is the developer and distributer of many popular PC and mobile games such as the popular Mystery Case Files series. The company has developed both premium paid and free-to-play social casino games such as Big Fish Casino, Gummy Drop! and Fairway Solitaire. Big Fish Casino continues to be the company’s most successful title, regularly ranking in the top five most popular apps in the US.
The acquisition of Big Fish Games solidifies Aristocrat’s efforts in recent years to establish itself as a top player in the online social gaming market. As the online gambling industry continues its strong growth in the recent years, Aristocrat’s decision to tap the younger and more technologically savvy market will see the company looking to take advantage of the massive digital gaming push.
Aristocrat Expanding With Each Acquisition
The Australian pokies giant completed a strategic acquisition prior to its deal with Big Fish Games. Aristocrat bought out Israeli gaming company Plarium for $635 million a few months prior to the Big Fish acquisition. The Plarium deal started in August and was completed in December and added to Aristocrat’s impressive portfolio – Vikings: War of Clans which is Plarium’s most successful title.
Back in 2014, Aristocrat also acquired Video Gaming Technologies for $1.3 billion to secure its strength in the gambling machine business in North America. According to Adam Krejcik, analyst at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, Aristocrat saw an estimated $292 million in digital revenue in the period that ended September 30, 2017. This is a 41 percent increase in digital revenue from 2016, which includes a $93-million boost in social casino games revenue.
Riding its digital growth momentum, the Big Fish Games acquisition will further Aristocrat’s position in the digital gaming sphere. The deal has effectively doubled the size of the company’s growing digital arm, which now accounts for 38 percent of Aristocrat’s total revenue. It has also made Aristocrat, the second largest provider of social casino games in the world, next to Chinese-owned Playtika. Aristocrat’s wide range of social casino offerings now include free-to-play online poker, table games, slots and bingo games for the smartphone and PC.
The $1.3 billion sum that Aristocrat is paying to acquire Big Fish is very close to the amount Churchill Downs paid when it bought the company in 2014.
In a statement, Trevor Croker, chief executive officer of Aristocrat, said “The strategic and financial benefits of this acquisition are highly compelling. Big Fish’s digital-first social casino content and industry leading meta-game capability and applications are highly complementary to Aristocrat’s existing and industry-leading land-based digital content business.”
Aristocrat Taking A Chance On Big Fish Games
Indeed, after the Big Fish Games acquisition, Krejcik estimates Aristocrat’s digital arm to generate over $1.1 billion in revenues and $250 million in EBITDA by the end of 2018. If Aristocrat plays their hand well, they may well be poised to overtake American video game developer Zynga, who currently has a $3.5 billion market value.
Aristocrat first came out with their plans to buy out Big Fish in November 2017 and the news was flagged by several of their investors. According to Macquarie Research, Big Fish has not been performing as well as its rivals in the digital segment for the past few years. The company was only able to deliver 2 percent revenue growth when its segment has been continuously growing at 15 per cent a year. Because of this, the acquisition announcement back in in November pulled Aristocrat’s share price at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) down to almost 7 percent.
As with many mergers, the new acquisition comes with various risks. Krejcik mentioned that the difficulty in merging the two large-scale social gaming companies emanate largely from the fact that Aristocrat’s operations will be widespread in San Francisco, London, Israel, Oakland, Ukraine, and Seattle. The company will have to focus on global operations and look to diversify its offerings across the global digital gaming landscape.
Source: European Gaming News…
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Source: EEGaming.
eCOGRA, a leading international authority in Testing, Inspection and Certification services for the iGaming industry, has secured new regulatory approvals across three key jurisdictions: Arizona, Indiana and Panama. With these developments, eCOGRA strengthens its position in the U.S. and Latin American markets, offering excellence in compliance through their Quality, Speed, and Service promise.
This strategic expansion allows eCOGRA to conduct independent compliance audits and certification services in each region, addressing the growing demand for rigorous regulatory oversight in the fast-evolving global iGaming industry.
Securing approval in Arizona, where eCOGRA has now been licensed as an Event Wagering Ancillary Supplier, enables the International Testing Laboratory (ITL) to audit event wagering licensees in line with Arizona’s expanding regulatory landscape. Indiana, which introduced online sports betting in September 2019, has authorised eCOGRA to perform regulatory compliance audits, providing licensed operators with crucial assurance in meeting the state’s high standards.
In Panama, the Board of Gaming Control officially recognised eCOGRA as an Authorised Entity for Compliance Certification, specifically for slot machines and gaming software. This endorsement reinforces eCOGRA’s role as a trusted partner for operators seeking to meet stringent regulatory requirements in Latin America’s emerging iGaming sector.
“Our recent approvals in Indiana, Arizona, and Panama underline our dedication to continually expand our offering, to support our growing portfolio of clients with their global growth plans. We are committed to ensuring that we bring the same quality, speed and service that marks us out to both our clients and regulators in these dynamic markets,” said Will Shuckburgh, Group CEO of eCOGRA.
Bradley Khoury, Chief Technology Officer at eCOGRA, said: “Securing licensure as an Event Wagering Ancillary Supplier in Arizona and an Authorised Entity in Panama underscores our dedication to supporting responsible and sustainable iGaming operations. We are committed to driving trust and accountability within the industry by providing compliance solutions that uphold the highest standards.”
BetConstruct, a global leader in the iGaming industry, is going to showcase its cutting-edge solutions at the highly anticipated Global Gaming Expo (G2E), taking place from October 7-10.
As the premier event for the global gaming industry, G2E serves as a hub for innovation, driving growth by bringing together industry professionals from around the world to foster business opportunities.
Taking place at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, this all-in-one event features both an education program from October 7-10 and an expansive expo hall running from October 8-10.
BetConstruct’s stand is 5230, where the team will showcase an exciting range of products, including the newly launched the Last Battle, a novel loyalty system that is the byproduct of BetConstruct’s commitment to innovation. The company will also demonstrate its comprehensive Sportsbook and Casino Suite, along with DECA, its next-level decentralised casino platform, and Umbrella, an AI-powered risk management solution. These offerings are designed to meet the needs of a diverse range of operators, ensuring seamless and engaging experiences for players across the regulated market.
Amusnet has announced its participation in the 23rd edition of G2E Las Vegas (Global Gaming Expo) at The Venetian Expo from October 7-10. As one of the largest expos globally, G2E provides a platform for the company to showcase products across its Online Casino, Live Casino, and Land-based verticals, positioning Amusnet as a prominent all-casino provider in the competitive iGaming industry.
“We are excited to attend G2E Las Vegas 2024 to present our latest online casino portfolio and Type S slot cabinets: our first-ever product series for Land-based casinos, designed to offer a competitive edge by combining Amusnet’s top-notch game portfolio with an immersive player experience. Our focus is on delivering solutions that maximize performance and cater to the evolving needs for both online and land-based casinos,” said Borislav Marinov, Head of Business Development, Land-based, at Amusnet.
Alongside its technical excellence, the premium Type S series showcases the company’s award-winning titles, including 20 Golden Coins, Extra Crown, Fruits & Gold, and Cocktail Rush. It also features Amusnet’s popular four-level bonus game, Jackpot Cards, along with other exciting features like Free Spins, Buy Bonus, Pick Me Bonus, and Symbol Upgrade.
Amusnet will host an activation featuring its premium slot cabinets at the upcoming expo, offering attendees the opportunity to experience the thrill of Type S in real time and win exciting gifts.
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