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Inspired Announces Agreement To Acquire Novomatic UK’s Gaming Technology Group

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Inspired Announces Agreement To Acquire Novomatic UK's Gaming Technology GroupReading Time: 4 minutes

 

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

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19

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The ESL Pro League (EPL) returns to St. Julian’s, Malta, for Season 19 on April 23 – May 12, 2024. The world’s biggest Counter-Strike league will see teams from around the world arrive on-site for three weeks of non-stop action, and only one team will emerge victorious as Champions.

Here is all you need to know about ESL Pro League Season 19

The 19th Season of the ESL Pro League will see the 32 best Counter-Strike teams compete for a total prize pool of $750,000, a win in the race to secure Intel® Grand Slam V, and a spot at IEM Cologne 2024. Commencing on April 23, contenders from around the globe will face off in Malta for a spot in the Playoffs. There, the six best teams will compete live in front of an intimate live audience at the InterContinental Malta on May 10 – 12, 2024.

Starting with the upcoming season, EPL will see some improvements to its schedule. While the number of teams and the tournament structure remain the same compared to recent seasons, the duration of the tournament has been adjusted to three weeks instead of five. To accommodate this change, two groups will be played simultaneously during the Group Stage, resulting in a more intense story for fans to follow.

Schedule and Format

Group Stage (April 23 – May 5):

  • Four groups of eight teams will compete in separate triple-elimination brackets
    • All matches are best-of-three
  • The top four teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs
    • Group Stage winners advance to the Quarterfinals
    • The Group Stage runner-ups advance to the Round of 12
    • The Group Stage third and fourth-place teams advance to the Round of 16

Playoffs (May 7 – 12):

  • The top sixteen teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
    • All matches will be best-of-three, excluding the Grand Final which will be best-of-five
    • The third and fourth Quarterfinals, as well as both Semifinals and the Grand Final will be played out live on stage in front of an audience

Teams Attending

  • Astralis (Partner Team)
  • BIG (Partner Team)
  • Complexity (Partner Team)
  • ENCE (Partner Team)
  • FaZe Clan (Partner Team)
  • Fnatic (Partner Team)
  • FURIA (Partner Team)
  • G2 Esports (Partner Team)
  • HEROIC (Partner Team)
  • MOUZ (Partner Team)
  • Natus Vincere (Partner Team)
  • Ninjas in Pyjamas (Partner Team)
  • Team Liquid (Partner Team)
  • Team Vitality (Partner Team)
  • Monte (ESL Challenger Jönköping winner)
  • Virtus.pro (ESL Challenger Atlanta winner)
  • SAW (ESL World Ranking)
  • Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking)
  • GamerLegion (ESL World Ranking)
  • BetBoom Team (ESL World Ranking)
  • Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking)
  • 3DMAX (ECL S46 Europe winner)
  • FORZE (ECL S46 Europe runner-up)
  • M80 (ECL S46 North America winner)
  • BOSS (ECL S46 North America runner-up)
  • The MongolZ (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific winner)
  • TYLOO (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific runner-up)
  • Imperial Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
  • Sharks Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
  • Pera Esports (European Conference winner)
  • Bad News Kangaroos (Oceanic Qualifier winner)
  • FlyQuest (ANZ Champs winner)

Prize Money (USD)

TOTAL $750,000
1st $170,000
2nd $80,000
3rd-4th $45,000
5th-8th $32,000
9th-12th $23,500
13th-16th $17,500
17th-20th $12,000
21st-28th $7,000
29th-32nd $3,500

Broadcast Talent

  • Hosts
    • “Tres “stunna” Saranthus
    • Freya “Freya” Spiers
  • A Stream
    • Jason “moses” O’Toole
    • Janko “YNk” Paunović
    • Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
    • Harry “Harry” Russell
    • Hugo “Hugo” Byron
    • Henry “Henry” Greer
    • Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
    • Alex “Machine” Richardson
  • B Stream
    • Neo “Ne0kai” Caine
    • Harvey “Skriv” Rodgers
    • Lucy “LucyLuce” Eastwood
    • Brandon “BDog” Rawlings
    • Travis “Trav” Landaw Mott

Where to Watch

The live broadcast will be available on FACEIT Watch, ESL FACEIT Group’s premier esports viewing platform created by esports fans for esports fans and open for all.

Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, a live chat, a kill cam, live-generated replays of key moments, a sound mixer, a rewards program, and more, FACEIT Watch revolutionises esports streaming by putting fans in control of their viewing experience.

Fans can also watch the action on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.

For more information about ESL Pro League Season 19, and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website, and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

 

 

The post Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt

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Another incredible new market launch for Hacksaw Gaming, this time we’re taking a trip to Portugal with Solverde.pt. Exclusively showcasing our content until the 30th of April, this new partnership looks to be one with an exciting journey ahead.

Fan favourites Wanted Dead or a Wild, 2 Wild 2 Die, R.I.P City, Le Bandit and many more are now featured on the Hacksaw exclusive section of the Solverde.pt platform. At long last, Portuguese players can now immerse themselves in the Hacksaw experience, exploring a large catalogue of our games that demonstrate our creative mechanics and stunning visuals.

“Hacksaw has been a top request from Portuguese casino players and we always aim to know the market preferences and deliver what the customers want” says Américo Loureiro, Solverde.pt Director “We’re very proud to bring this groundbreaking studio to Portugal for the first time and have no doubt it will be a success”

Part of Solverde Group, which boasts more than 50 years of history, Solverde.pt was launched in 2017.

They strive to offer the widest casino portfolio in Portugal, prioritising all the fun of casino games with the top quality and safety that SolverdePT users have come to know them for.

Marcus Cordes, Hacksaw Gaming CEO is certain that Hacksaw enthusiasts in Portugal will be ecstatic with this new launch – “Being able to bring yet another growing market our games is what drives us forward! Saúde to a promising future partnership and to the teams who made this happen.”

With this latest launch marking our third new market entry in the past month alone, Hacksaw Gaming’s quest to introduce our collection to players worldwide is rapidly becoming reality. Are we setting the tone for even more groundbreaking ventures in the months ahead? Stay tuned, as we’re on a mission to grow our Hacksaw Community far and wide.

 

The post New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Week 16/2024 slot games releases

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Here are this weeks latest slots releases compiled by European Gaming

Habanero, is introducing the Reel Rewards feature in its new 6×3 reel slot Golden Taj Mahal. Paying homage to Indian culture, the game sees tigers, candles, precious gemstones, the prince and princess as well as the magic lamp Wild fill the grid as the slot’s symbols. At the top of the board, there are six empty spots which can be filled by the Reel Rewards mechanic on any spin, awarding a prize ranging from 2x, 3x or 5x multipliers to a Wild, which transforms all symbols below it.

 

After releasing the frenzy of a slot game that was Brick Snake 2000, the award-winning slot provider is now set to release Tombstone No Mercy an upgraded refresh of its 2019 hit slot, Tombstone. The 2024 refresh stays true to the original game and introduces Nolimit Bonus Buys and Nolimit Booster into the mix. With the introduction of Nolimit Bonus Buys, players can buy right into the bonus rounds; Justice Spins, Gunslinger

 

 

Games Global exclusive studio PearFiction Studios has unveiled its latest release, Cerberus Gold, incorporating three engaging LockNWin bonuses that can be combined for great win potential. This mythological title boasts an exciting triple collection mechanic that sees each collection pot protected by a head of the fearsome guardian of the underworld, Cerberus, who precariously sits above the reel set.

 

4ThePlayer in collaboration with Yggdrasil is unveiling its new release, 4K Ultra Gold MoneyWays, through the YGG Masters platform. This game evolves 4ThePlayer’s popular MoneyWays mechanic as seen in the top-performing 4 Fantastic series where cash on the reels is won by forming ways wins without the need for additional symbols or features. In 4K Ultra Gold, every cash symbol is boosted when it lands on the reels, creating additional excitement and anticipation.

 

Push Gaming has released the second in its series of DJ games, DJ Cat, which brings a range of new features to amp up engagement. Following the success of DJ Fox, this new follow-up retains the easy-to-understand, win-what-you-see gameplay, adding in larger win multipliers. Lining up CD symbols helps players to build big prizes while VIP icons grant access to spin the decks and feed the Multiplier Meter. Arrow symbols crank the volume and unlock more reels using the iconic Push-Up feature.

 

Inspired Entertainment is thrilled to announce its latest slot game, Spin 2 Riches™, now available the UK B3/LBO market. Offering players an unparalleled gaming experience filled with mystery symbols and Fortune Spins. Spin 2 Riches invites players to embark on a thrilling adventure where every spin brings the promise of untold riches.

 

PG Soft, a world-class digital mobile games company, is on target again with its latest fun-filled game release, Piñata Wins. Set against a vibrant fiesta backdrop, Piñata Wins is a five-reel and three-row title offering players a colourful gaming experience with plenty of features with an opportunity to make big returns from multipliers up to x100. The reels are brought to life with symbols that celebrate Mexican culture including tacos, maracas, skulls, sombreros and chillies.

 

Endorphina, has announced the release of its latest slot game, Moon Tiger, on April 17th. Featuring 5 reels, 3 rows, 25 fixed paylines, and cool bonuses, the slot will soon join Endorphina’s portfolio of over 150  games. Inspired by Chinese mythology, this slot embodies the legendary White Tiger, a creature born from a rare occurrence in the heavens.

 

Blueprint Gaming is inviting players to live like royalty and reign over Phrygia in its latest scatter-pay release, the Greek mythology-themed Midas King of Gold. Players attempt to turn every touch into gold in this 6×5 scatter pays title, with the King himself appearing in symbols on the game’s richly coloured board alongside royal pillars and ancient artifacts.

 

Playson, the fast-growing digital entertainment supplier, has combined the striking themes of its most successful games in its latest title Energy Joker: Hold and Win. With coins, electricity and a grinning joker, this fast-paced release has lightning running through its reels. The blue Collect feature strikes the cells and gathers all values, including the Mini, Minor and Major jackpots and Bonus symbols.

 

 

Spinomenal has released its new hit, Queen of the Amazon. Set amongst the lush rainforest, this 5×4 slot welcomes players on an adventure where treasure awaits intrepid explorers. A majestic Amazon headdress, tiger, gorilla, and snake, make up the Medium symbols on the reels. At the heart of the story stands the queen herself, representing the Wild symbol.

 

 

Embark on a thrilling journey across continents in 80 Day Escapade, the dramatic new slot from Boldplay that offers multiple features for endless excitement and rewards. With its 5×3 reels and 243 ways to win, players will enjoy a world of adventure and fortune but the real excitement begins with the set of exciting bonus features.

 

 

The post Week 16/2024 slot games releases appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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