Aquisitions/Mergers
Stake expands into Italy through strategic acquisition of Idealbet
Stake has acquired Italy-based sports betting and remote gaming operator Baldo Line s.r.l, a company previously part of the Octavian Group, and will acquire Idealbet.it, aiming to bolster global expansion efforts and strengthen its market position, furthering its commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment to players.
This pivotal strategic acquisition marks Stake’s continued growth into new markets, following its acquisition of Betfair Colombia in November 2023, which announced its entry into Latin America.
Through this acquisition, Stake will introduce a portfolio of innovative gaming options to players in Italy. The combination of Idealbet’s established presence and Italy’s mature, substantial market provides Stake with a robust foundation for growth in the region.
Following the acquisition, Stake will establish a local presence in Italy by opening an office in Italy to expand on its team of employees. Idealbet will continue to operate under its own brand within the Stake portfolio.
Commenting on the significance of the acquisition, Brais Pena, Chief Strategy Officer at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind Stake, said: “This acquisition aligns with our strategic ambitions to increase our global footprint, particularly in an established region like Italy, and marks a significant milestone for Stake. We’re thrilled to work with Idealbet to provide the best experience for our customers.”
Commenting further on the acquisition, Simone Pachera, Chief Executive Office at Octavian said: “We’re excited to collaborate with Stake and usher in a new experience for our customers, further expanding the market in Italy. Since acquiring Baldo Line, we have built a strong foundation for Idealbet through our AGP gaming platform and HubCasino aggregator.
“Now, we are thrilled to transition operations to Stake, a globally renowned brand with a proven track record of delivering exceptional player experience. We are confident that Stake will significantly enhance the growth of Idealbet and bring renewed energy to our players, as well as the entire Italian online gaming market.”
Stake is the world’s leading brand in the betting and gaming category. Since 2017 Stake has introduced cutting-edge technology and innovative gaming options for players. Stake is committed to player safety, keeping gambling fun, safe and entertaining by providing comprehensive tools and resources aimed at helping customers understand and manage their gambling activities.
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Aquisitions/Mergers
ENDEAVOR ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT BUYOUT OF OPENBET AND IMG ARENA
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Aquisitions/Mergers
OKTO Acquires Aplauz CH GmbH and Expands in Swiss Market
OKTO has announced the full acquisition of Aplauz CH GmbH, the Swiss subsidiary of Aplauz Financial Services Ltd. This strategic acquisition strengthens OKTO’s presence in the Swiss market, enabling the company to expand its customer base and introduce innovative payment services in the market while maintaining and enhancing the existing infrastructure of Aplauz CH GmbH in the region.
Under OKTO’s ownership, Aplauz CH GmbH will continue to deliver its Aplauz prepaid payment service through online merchants and retail distribution partners, now rebranded as OKTO.VOUCHER. The transition will be seamless, ensuring uninterrupted service for all partners and consumers.
Aligned with its growth strategy, OKTO also introduces OKTO.CASH to the Swiss market—a fast, direct cash-to-online payment solution already established across multiple European markets, including Romania, Greece, Czech Republic, Germany, Cyprus, Italy and Serbia.
Aplauz CH GmbH, now under OKTO’s leadership, holds the necessary regulatory approvals from the Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) VQF to offer both OKTO.VOUCHER and OKTO.CASH services in Switzerland.
Thanos Mondanos, OKTO’s Head of Business Strategy, said: “Welcoming Aplauz CH GmbH into the OKTO Group marks a significant step forward in our international growth strategy. This acquisition reinforces our commitment to expanding in high-potential markets like Switzerland, allowing us to deliver a stronger portfolio of payment solutions that meet evolving customer demands. We are confident that Aplauz CH GmbH’s established presence, combined with OKTO’s innovative payment technologies, will create substantial value for both users and partners in the region.”
Mathias Wratschko, Senior Distribution Manager at OKTO, said: “This is a pivotal moment for OKTO, our Swiss partners and users. Through the acquisition of Aplauz CH GmbH, we’re set to elevate both transaction volumes and customer experience in Switzerland. By expanding the rebranded OKTO.VOUCHER service and launching OKTO.CASH, we’re enhancing Swiss payment options in a way that promises substantial revenue growth for our partners and increased satisfaction for consumers.”
Goran Abramović, Director of Aplauz Financial Services Ltd., said: “We are thrilled with the successful sale of our Swiss consumer business and have every confidence in OKTO’s capacity to drive further growth in this segment within the Swiss market. Aplauz Financial Services remains fully committed to supporting the Swiss market by continuing to provide our cutting-edge voucher issuing technology platform to OKTO and offering ongoing technical support to our valued partners. We look forward to seeing the positive impact OKTO will bring to this evolving market.”
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Aquisitions/Mergers
FDJ’s tender offer for Kindred succeeds, creating a European gaming champion
La Française des Jeux (FDJ) announces the success of its tender offer for Kindred Group plc, a leading player in the online betting and gaming sector in Europe.
At the end of the offer period ending on 2 October, 195,659,291 Kindred Swedish Depository Receipts (SDRs), representing 90.66% of the Group’s capital, were tendered. FDJ had also acquired 2,400,000 Kindred SDRs directly from Veralda, representing 1.11% of the Group’s share capital.
With the condition precedent of controlling more than 90% of Kindred’s share capital1 fulfilled, FDJ decided to complete the acquisition of Kindred Group plc. Settlement-delivery for Kindred shareholders who have tendered their SDRs to the offer will take place from 11 October and FDJ will implement a squeeze-out procedure on Nasdaq Stockholm.
In addition, FDJ announces that it is extending its offer until 18 October 2024 at 5 p.m. CEST to enable Kindred shareholders who have not tendered their shares to do so on unchanged terms, i.e. SEK 130 per SDR. Settlement and delivery will take place from 29 October.
Kindred is one of the top five online betting and gaming players in Western Europe, present in seven of the top ten European markets, chief among them the Netherlands, the UK, France, Sweden and Belgium. It offers a comprehensive online offering (sports and horse betting, poker and casino), operating brands such as Unibet and 32Red.
This transaction of nearly €2.5 billion creates a European champion with a diversified and balanced profile, based on monopoly activities, primarily lotteries, in France and Ireland, and on online sports betting and gaming activities open to competition in Europe.
The new combined group resulting from this offer will generate around 26% of its revenue internationally, and its online gaming range open to competition will account for around 27% of its business.
Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of the FDJ Group, said: “I am delighted to announce today the acquisition of Kindred, a leading European player in the competitive online betting and gaming sector. Kindred has strong brands, recognised technological excellence and an attractive growth and profitability profile, all of which will bolster FDJ’s strengths. The two groups also share high standards for responsible gaming and a business model that combines performance and responsibility. This acquisition creates a new European champion that intends to pursue its strategy of sustainable and profitable growth for the benefit of all its stakeholders.”
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