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Aquisitions/Mergers

FDJ’s tender offer for Kindred succeeds, creating a European gaming champion

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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.”

The post FDJ’s tender offer for Kindred succeeds, creating a European gaming champion appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Aquisitions/Mergers

Nazara Acquires UK-Based PC & Console Gaming Publisher Curve Games For INR 247 Crores

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Nazara Technologies Limited, India’s only publicly listed gaming company, announced the acquisition of 100% ownership in Curve Digital Entertainment Ltd (“Curve Games”), a highly reputed UK-based publisher of PC and console games for INR 247 crores (GBP 21.7 million).

This strategic move strengthens Nazara’s presence in gaming, unlocking access to platforms, genres, and geographies in the US $100 bn+ global PC and console gaming market. The acquisition is consistent with Nazara’s established business strategy of building a diverse portfolio of businesses through targeted acquisitions across interactive gaming and sports media.

Curve Games brings a robust publishing track record, with globally recognized titles that have collectively seen over 100 million downloads. Its presence spans key gaming markets including North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe.

In calendar year 2024, Curve generated INR 263.5 crores (~GBP 24.4 million) in revenue,  EBITDA of INR 114.4 crores (~GBP 10.6 million) and PBT of INR 49.6 crores (~GBP 4.6 million).

Strategic Fit with Nazara’s Vision

The acquisition is aligned with Nazara’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its global publishing capabilities, and follows a series of similar strategic transactions executed over the years, reaffirming Nazara’s commitment to long-term, value-driven growth through the gaming lifecycle. Curve’s publishing capabilities in the PC and Console space and its diverse portfolio will accelerate Nazara’s global ambitions and enable cross-platform IP development with long-term value creation.

Commenting on the acquisition, Nitish Mittersain, CEO of Nazara Technologies, said: “Curve’s proven expertise in PC and Console publishing makes them an ideal partner as we expand our focus beyond mobile into high-quality, cross-platform gaming. This acquisition deepens our capabilities, brings exceptional IP into our fold, and strengthens our mission in building Nazara as a global gaming powerhouse from India. Curve will also serve as a gateway to the world for Indian game developers.”

Stuart Dinsey, Executive Chairman of Curve Games, added: “Joining the Nazara family is an exciting new chapter for Curve. Nazara’s ecosystem, access to emerging markets and long-term orientation make them a strong strategic partner. We are aligned in our vision of building a leading global indie publishing platform, and we look forward to the next phase of growth together.”

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Aquisitions/Mergers

MAKE AGENCY INCREASES SPORTS BETTING AND iGAMING POSITION WITH STRATEGIC ACQUISITION OF INDUSTRY SPECIALIST TWO-UP

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Make Agency (in conjunction with DXG Group), through its subsidiary, Two Up Investments, Ltd, has announced the acquisition of the assets of digital product agency Two-Up.

Make Agency, a leading London-based digital creative agency, has strategically acquired the assets of Two-Up Agency, a specialist digital product business renowned for its work within the sports, sports betting, and iGaming sectors. This acquisition significantly expands Make Agency’s capabilities and reinforces its commitment to delivering cutting-edge digital solutions to clients within these key industries.

The acquisition brings Two-Up’s established expertise and track record in creating innovative digital products to Make Agency. Based in London and Poland, Two-Up provides technical solutions to prominent online gaming brands, offering best-in-class technology tools and in-depth market knowledge to clients including Stats Perform, At The Races, and NewsUK.

Two-Up’s proficiency in user experience, user interface, design and development – alongside a deep understanding of the specific demands of the sports-betting and iGaming sector – perfectly complements Make Agency’s existing creative and strategic marketing strengths.

Industry experts join forces

The acquisition unites two industry experts: Robbie Morris, the former CEO of Two-Up, and Eugene Delaney, the COO of Make Agency, who will now also take on the role of Managing Director for Two-Up.(Ex-Podium/PA Media, Spotlight Sports Group and Flutter).

“We are pleased to integrate the valuable assets and expertise of Two-Up into the Make Agency family,” said Eugene Delaney. “Their specialised knowledge and impressive portfolio within the sports, betting, and iGaming sectors will be invaluable as we continue to grow and enhance our offerings in these key verticals. This acquisition allows us to provide our clients with an even more comprehensive suite of digital solutions, specifically tailored to the unique demands of this dynamic market.”

Robbie Morris added, “Joining forces with Make Agency represents an exciting new chapter. We are eager to integrate our expertise and collaborate with their talented team to deliver exceptional digital experiences for clients within the sports and gaming landscape. We believe this union will create significant synergies and allow us to continue to deliver innovative solutions in this specialised area.”

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Nazara’s subsidiary Absolute Sports acquires TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com

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Absolute Sports, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies and the parent company of Sportskeeda.com, announced today that it has signed definitive agreements, subject to closing conditions, to acquire two IPs, TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com. These business assets will be acquired from Titan Insider Digital. These IPs add to the already dominant global position of Absolute Sports in the combat sports publishing industry.

TJRWrestling and ITRWrestling established in 2009 and 2020 respectively, have built a robust audience base within the wrestling fan community through their high-quality and in-depth combat sports news and content coverage. Together, they currently attract 1.7 million monthly active users and generate 4.6 million monthly pageviews, predominantly from North America. They generated $722K (~INR 6.1 crore) in revenue in 2024.

The transaction, valued at $1.25 million (~INR 10.5 crore), will be an all-cash asset purchase via the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Sportskeeda Inc., and is expected to close within the next 45 days.

This strategic acquisition bolsters Sportskeeda’s position in the combat sports segment and expands its presence in the U.S., home to the world’s largest pro-wrestling fanbase. The integration of these platforms will also create deeper engagement opportunities for fans and advertisers across digital formats.

Ajay Pratap Singh, CEO of Absolute Sports, commented: “ITRWrestling and TJRwrestling are two of the most respected voices in the global wrestling community. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our vision to be the leading go-to destination for wrestling content worldwide. It also reinforces Absolute Sports’ dedication to expanding its footprint in the fast-growing U.S. media market through a targeted and impactful M&A strategy.”

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