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Inspired Announces Agreement To Acquire Novomatic UK’s Gaming Technology Group
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Anticipated to Diversify and Broaden Scale and Scope of Inspired’s Footprint and Product Offering
Inspired Entertainment, Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Gaming Technology Group (“NTG”) of Novomatic UK Ltd. (“Novomatic UK”), a division of NOVOMATIC GROUP, a leading international supplier of gaming equipment and solutions, for the EUR equivalent of US$120.0 million in cash.
Inspired is a leading supplier of Category B2/B3 gaming terminals in the UK, and NTG is a leading supplier of Category B3, C and D gaming terminals to pubs, arcades, motorway service areas and holiday resorts in the UK. Following the transaction, Inspired would be positioned to supply an extensive range of products and services across the UK and Europe, and beyond. Upon closing the acquisition, Inspired would manage more than 75,000 gaming machines in the UK and Europe.
“The potential acquisition of NTG is transformational for Inspired, enabling us to dramatically increase the size, scale and scope of our business by combining our highly complementary, but largely non-overlapping, businesses,” said Lorne Weil, Executive Chairman of Inspired Entertainment. “We expect to leverage our superior game content, technology, operational capabilities and respective footprints to augment the existing growth trends for our enterprise.”
NTG is comprised of the following six companies:
- Gamestec Leisure – Primarily serving the UK pub sector through the placement of gaming machines on a managed service basis and delivering service support to the bingo and self service betting terminals sectors.
- Playnation Limited – Serving the UK holiday and leisure industry, including holiday parks, motorway service stations, bowling alleys, airports and independent holiday resorts through revenue share arrangements with operators.
- Astra Games Limited – Gaming machine manufacturer, selling Category B, C and D gaming machines to pubs, adult gaming centers, and holiday resorts.
- Bell-Fruit Group Limited – Primarily selling Category C machines, both analog and digital, and exporting machines to key European geographies.
- Harlequin Gaming Limited – Game development studio for Astra and Bell-Fruit.
- Innov8 Gaming Limited – Gaming machine developer supplying Category B3 and C gaming machines within the NTG and to external customers.
Mr. Weil continued, “Inspired and NTG currently operate in different segments but have much in common in terms of providing resources for our customers and their consumers. This combination would provide additional resources for our core businesses and combine the great content and machine portfolio from each. We expect to be able to deliver meaningful value to our shareholders as the acquisition is integrated.”
Improved Operating Efficiencies
Inspired expects to achieve $12.3 million to $13.3 million of synergies through shared costs and increased scale. Inspired also expects to be able to make efficient use of shared manufacturing, engineering, software development, field maintenance and customer service to drive growth and cost savings after the transaction closes. Inspired further expects to reduce capital deployed in the pub gaming sector following the closing of the transaction, as the sector continues its ongoing digital transformation.
Complementary Businesses Leveraging Core Competencies
Inspired plans to draw on the core strengths of Inspired and NTG to broaden offerings, bring differentiated gaming products to new sectors and geographies, accelerate key growth initiatives and offer enhanced capabilities, systems, field service and content. The addition of NTG is expected to help diversify Inspired’s UK business and expand into contiguous customer segments with very little overlap of existing customers. Inspired’s position and expertise in server based gaming is expected to accelerate NTG’s development initiatives to transition the pub gaming sector from analog to digital gaming machines.
Inspired and NTG are both known for their product innovation and creative content. Together, the companies expect to offer an expansive combined game and machine portfolio to customers. Inspired and NTG are also well positioned to capitalize on further converting NTG’s game library for online deployment.
Transaction Terms and Execution
Inspired has agreed to acquire NTG for the EUR equivalent of US$120 million, subject to certain customary adjustments. This consideration represents a multiple of approximately 5.5x NTG’s pre-synergy Adjusted EBITDA of £17.1 million, or $21.7 million[2], for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2018, and 3.5x after adjusting for the mid-point of estimated run-rate annual synergies of £9.6 million to £10.6 million, or $12.3 million to $13.3 million, as if they were achieved January 1, 2018.
The acquisition, which is subject to the approvals of regulatory authorities and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close during the third quarter of 2019. In conjunction with the proposed transaction, Inspired is expected to refinance its existing indebtedness with a new £220 million GBP-equivalent term loan and £20 million revolving credit facility. Inspired has obtained committed financing for the transaction, and the transaction is not subject to a financing contingency. The committed financing is expected to result in a reduction in cost of debt capital.
“The proposed financing is at a lower interest rate than our existing debt and is a major step in improving Inspired’s capital structure,” said Stewart Baker, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Inspired. “Pro forma for the acquisition, adjusting for the mid-point of estimated run-rate annual synergies, the proposed financing implies net leverage of 3.0x[3]. It will position us with a stronger balance sheet and extended maturities, while also reducing our cost of capital which we believe will allow us to have more flexibility to capitalize on meaningful opportunities to grow our business.”
Casino Operations
The casino assets of Astra Games Limited are not included in the potential transaction. At or prior to the closing of the Acquisition, Astra will transfer to Novomatic UK Gaming UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NOVOMATIC GROUP, assets to the extent related to its casino operations.
Financial and Legal Advisory
Nomura served as financial advisor to Inspired. Sidley Austin LLP and Addleshaw Goddard LLP served as legal advisors to Inspired. Nomura and Macquarie Capital have provided financing commitments to support the transaction.
About Inspired Entertainment, Inc.:
Inspired is a global games technology company, supplying Virtual Sports, Mobile Gaming and Server Based Gaming systems with associated terminals and digital content to regulated lottery, betting and gaming operators around the world. Inspired currently operates approximately 35,000 digital gaming terminals and supplies its Virtual Sports products through more than 40,000 retail channels and over 100 websites, in approximately 35 gaming jurisdictions worldwide. Inspired employs more than 650 employees in the UK and elsewhere, developing and operating digital games and networks.
SOURCE Inspired Entertainment, Inc.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Inspired Announces Agreement To Acquire Novomatic UK’s Gaming Technology Group
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Tom Horn Gaming is expanding its portfolio with the release of 243 Zeus Fruits, a slot that combines two proven player favourites – fruit slots and Greek mythology. The game delivers short feature cycles, multipliers, and higher stakes through the supplier’s QuickX mechanic.
Set against the backdrop of Mount Olympus, 243 Zeus Fruits blends the familiar symbols of a classic fruit slot with the power of Zeus. Players can enjoy 243 ways to win, with medium volatility, an RTP of 95.02, and maximum exposure of x100. The Wild 243 Respin feature frequently triggers wins, adding multipliers of up to x5 to maintain engagement and replayability.
The inclusion of QuickX encourages higher bets and appeals to bonus hunters and high-value players, while the game’s mobile-first design ensures smooth play across all devices. These elements combine to offer a straightforward, fast-paced slot that suits a wide range of players.
“243 Zeus Fruits continues our strategy of refreshing proven themes with features that increase both player enjoyment and operator returns,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming. “The mix of classic fruit game with a mythological layer provides familiarity with added depth, while QuickX is expected to contribute to longer sessions and higher average revenue per user.”
Targeted at markets across Europe and further afield, 243 Zeus Fruits offers strong cross-sell potential, appealing to a broad audience from fans of traditional fruit slots to players drawn to narrative-based titles. Its combination of simplicity, speed, and modern features positions it as a versatile addition to casino lobbies worldwide.
243 Zeus Fruits will be available to operators worldwide from 28 October.
The post Fruits meet Gods in Tom Horn Gaming’s latest release, 243 Zeus Fruits appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Discipline Meets Drive: Kyrylo Korobka from Ready To Fight Joins GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives
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Lisbon’s streets set the pace for Season 2 of GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives—the drive-time podcast where iGaming’s sharpest voices speak freely, in motion. Hosted by Yevhen Krazhan, Chief Sales Officer at GR8 Tech, Episode 3 spotlights Kyrylo Korobka, Executive Director at Ready to Fight by Oleksandr Usyk, for a candid ride through the intersection of boxing, technology, and business execution.
Korobka leads operations at RTF, the ecosystem co-founded by the heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on a mission to digitize boxing. Before, he had a career in international corporations and held a CMO role within a major crypto project. He has helped steer large-scale events and partnerships, including the Usyk vs. Dubois blockbuster, while advancing new tech initiatives like a cross-border payments solution and federation partnerships for the next generation of fighters.
During the ride, Kyrylo opens up about:
- His role as Executive Director of Ready to Fight
- Co-organizing a major fight for Oleksandr Usyk and overseeing broadcast, marketing, and operations
- Partnering with boxing federations and the mission to digitize boxing for the next generation
- His path from international corporations and a crypto CMO role into sports business
- Why his day-to-day is more “business” than “sport”
- What it’s like working with a superstar like Usyk and meeting other legendary athletes
- A standout partnership: Queensberry Promotions (founded by Frank Warren)
- How his view of iGaming evolved beyond “just casino”
- Learning from setbacks: treating failures as lessons and not repeating mistakes.
- His #1 “champion rule”: discipline and consistency at every stage.
“Boxing at the elite level is discipline, preparation, and execution—exactly how winning platforms are built,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech and host of Bet It Drives. “Kyrylo shows how Ready to Fight thinks like a tech company: digitize the sport, empower the community, and move fast with the right partners. That’s the GR8 way: performance first, innovation always.”
It’s been almost a year since GR8 Tech started its partnership with Ready to Fight. As RTF’s exclusive Partner in Tech, GR8 Tech brings a scalable, high-performance sportsbook and iGaming platform, top event coverage, smart margin management, and a geo-specific approach, while RTF channels champion-level vision to digitize boxing for fighters and fans. Together, they’re rolling out exclusive sports fashion drops, new features, and digital activations to bring the boxing world closer through great tech.
Watch or listen to Season 2, Episode 3 with Kyrylo Korobka on:
Season 2 of Bet it Drives launched with Rasmus Sojmark and kept pace with Tiago Pereira. The podcast continues with the upcoming episode featuring Kelly Kehn.
The next chapter of iGaming belongs to champions who play smart and bold. Meet GR8 Tech at booth 5028-2 during SiGMA Central Europe 2025 in Rome, November 3–6, and discover the Heavyweight Rulebook built for operators ready to scale, localize, and win.
The post Discipline Meets Drive: Kyrylo Korobka from Ready To Fight Joins GR8 Tech’s Bet It Drives appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) has announced the winners of the IAGR International Regulatory Awards 2025, with regulators from Australia, Nigeria and Denmark taking home trophies during the IAGR Toronto conference.
IAGR President Ben Haden, who served on the judging panel, said this year’s winners demonstrate measurable progress and sustainable outcomes.
‘Our judges looked for clear problem definitions, robust interventions and evidence of impact. The 2025 winners show how thoughtful reforms, strong governance and targeted education can improve consumer protection and market integrity over the long term,’ said Haden.
- Regulatory Excellence Award: NSW Independent Casino Commission (Australia)
For leading a three-year, milestone-driven remediation of Crown Sydney following the Bergin Inquiry — eliminating junkets, strengthening financial-crime controls, enhancing harm-minimisation and reforming governance.
- ‘The NSW Independent Casino Commission is proud to be recognised for its dedication to restoring the expected standards at Crown Sydney. This has included three years of intense remediation which has completely transformed the casino’s governance, culture, safety and compliance functions.
- ‘The NICC has proven that it is possible to enact long lasting change and in doing so has set a new standard for Australian casino operations.’ – Murray Smith, Acting Chief Commissioner, NSW Independent Casino Commission
- Regulatory Innovation Award: Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority (Nigeria)
For SAFEPLAY, Africa’s first regulator-led, multi-operator self-exclusion platform — centrally managed by the regulator and integrated with operator systems — creating a consistent, replicable model for consumer protection.
- ‘We are honoured to receive the IAGR Regulatory Innovation Award for our SafePlay initiative. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to responsible gambling, player protection, and data-driven regulation that puts the welfare of Lagos residents at the heart of our innovation.’ – Bashir A. Are, Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries and Gaming Authority
- Best regulatory campaign: Danish Gambling Authority (Denmark)
For an interactive, school-based education programme that engages young people with practical demonstrations and surveys evidencing shifts away from gambling ‘to make money’ towards safer play and awareness of help services.
- This marks the second consecutive year that the Danish Gambling Authority has received the Best regulatory campaign award. ‘I’m very proud that IAGR has bestowed The Danish Gambling Authority with this award. It’s crucial that young people understand that gambling is designed so the player always loses in the long run. By conveying this message, we hope to promote a balanced attitude toward gambling and I’m extremely honoured that our efforts are recognised internationally.’ – Anders Dorph, Director, Danish Gambling Authority
These awards underscore the importance of collaboration, innovation and dedication in the global regulation of gambling.
The post IAGR announces winners of 2025 Regulatory Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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