Latest News
Flutter boosts Italian presence with the acquisition of Sisal, Italy’s leading online gaming operator
Flutter Entertainment plc is pleased to announce the acquisition of Sisal (“Sisal”), Italy’s leading online gaming operator, from CVC Capital Partners Fund VI for a consideration of €1.913bn/£1.62bn. This acquisition fully aligns with the Group’s strategy of investing to build leadership positions in regulated markets globally. The transaction is likely to complete during Q2 2022 and is expected to be accretive to adjusted earnings in the first 12 months post-completion.
Sisal is a leading betting, gaming and lottery operator headquartered in Milan. In the 12 months to December 20211, Sisal expects to generate EBITDA of €248m/£211m, with 59% coming from its online offering and the remainder coming from a combination of retail and lottery operations. Approximately 90% of Sisal’s 2021 EBITDA is generated in Italy with the balance coming from regulated lottery operations in Turkey and Morocco. The business employs circa 2,500 people today.
The addition of Sisal to Flutter delivers several key strategic outcomes:
- Secures a gold medal position in Italy by bringing the leading online brand into the Flutter portfolio. The combination of Sisal with Flutter’s existing online Italian presence through PokerStars and Betfair will result in a combined online share of 20%2
- Increases the Group’s exposure to an attractive, fast-growing, regulated online market: Italy is Europe’s 2nd largest regulated gambling market and one that has seen online penetration grow from 10% in 2019 to approximately 20% today. Sisal’s online revenues have grown by a compound annual rate of 34% since 2016
- Sisal’s omni-channel offering will deliver a competitive advantage to Flutter’s business, particularly given Italy’s advertising restrictions and the prevalence of cash deposits and withdrawals through retail
- Increases Flutter’s recreational customer base with the addition of 300,0003 highly engaged online average monthly players and over 9.5m retail customers
- Further diversifies Flutter’s product and geographical footprint and increases the proportion of Flutter’s revenue from regulated markets which in Q3 2021 was over 91%
- Bolsters Flutter’s existing talent pool by adding a proven management team that will continue to lead the business and who have sought to take a leadership position in the promotion of safer gambling in Italy
Peter Jackson, Flutter Chief Executive, commented:
“I am delighted to add Sisal, Italy’s leading gaming brand, to the Group as we look to attain a gold medal position in the Italian market. For some time we have wanted to pursue this market opportunity via an omni-channel strategy and this acquisition will ideally position us to do so. Sisal has grown its online presence significantly in recent years, aided by its proprietary platform and commitment to innovation. I’m excited to see how Flutter can complement these capabilities through our scale, differentiated products and operational capabilities. We look forward to welcoming Francesco and the rest of the Sisal team to Flutter in 2022.”
Francesco Durante, Sisal Chief Executive, commented:
“Over the last five years, thanks to CVC’s support, we have successfully transformed Sisal into a leading digital and international gaming company. Through our commitment to digital innovation, international expansion and safer gambling, we have achieved a leadership position in Italy’s online gaming market and developed our global footprint by winning lottery tenders in Morocco and Turkey. We are delighted to join Flutter and are convinced that through its scale and operational capabilities, we will be able to further strengthen our leadership in the markets we operate in. I look forward to working with Peter and the team on the next chapter of Sisal history.”
Giampiero Mazza, Managing Partner at CVC Italy commented:
“We are very proud of the success achieved by Sisal and its transformation since our acquisition in 2016. Through heavy investment in its digital competencies, Sisal has become Italy’s leader in online gaming while also growing its international operations. Furthermore, the Company is leading the Ital-ian industry in ensuring responsible and safe gaming. We want to thank Francesco and the whole man-agement team for their incredible dedication, focus and ambition, and for leading this successful jour-ney in spite of regulatory challenges and the pandemic. Flutter is a fantastic new partner for Sisal and we wish them the very best.”
Latest News
Play’n GO Music announces release of “Hulkenberg’s Hits” playlist ahead of Monaco Race Weekend
Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, has today announced the release of the third MoneyGram Haas F1 Team playlist, Hulkenberg’s Hits, a playlist of its driver namesake’s go-to songs on race weekends.
Hulkenberg’s Hits follows the successful releases of both Ayao’s Anthems and the Haas’ Tracklist, and was personally compiled by Hulkenberg himself. Modern pop artists such as The Weeknd and Miley Cyrus feature heavily on the playlist, as the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team driver diverts slightly from the musical preferences of his Team Principal and background team.
Hulkenberg’s playlist consists of over 40 songs and affords MoneyGram Haas F1 Team fans the opportunity to share in the soundtrack that inspires one of their heroes as he prepares to line up in the VF-24 on race weekends.
Ebba Arnred, Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder of Play’n GO said: “We’ve been so pleased with the reaction to the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team playlists so far, so we’re ecstatic that Nico Hulkenberg has taken the time to put together his own personal playlist to share with us all. After having the pleasure of meeting Nico in Valletta last week, it’s clear that this playlist really is a reflection of his warm, energetic personality. We wish Nico, and the rest of the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, every success in Monaco this weekend, in what’s arguably the most iconic race on the calendar.”
Nico Hulkenberg, Driver, MoneyGram Haas F1 Team said: “I’m glad to share this playlist of some of the songs that inspire and entertain me every week, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. It’s been a fun experience to put this playlist together, and I hope to have your support this weekend around the streets of Monaco!”
The post Play’n GO Music announces release of “Hulkenberg’s Hits” playlist ahead of Monaco Race Weekend appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
ESL FACEIT Group releases documentary detailing the fight for women’s equality in esports and the efforts of the ESL Impact circuit
The ESL FACEIT Group, the world’s largest esports and gaming company, has released “Making an Impact 2023” [available here], a documentary highlighting the work done via ESL Impact toward promoting women’s esports and levelling the playing field—revealing a powerful narrative that shatters barriers, defies stereotypes and fosters an environment that’s representative and inclusive for all.
The documentary follows teams of women competing at ESL Impact live events and Global Finals at DreamHack Dallas and DreamHack Valencia. The esports athletes featured discuss the ups and downs of competition, team dynamics and the pressure to win before a backdrop of toxicity and sexism endemic to esports, including Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, Ksenia “vilga” Klyuenkova and Mounira “GooseBreeder” Dobie.
ESL Impact was launched at the beginning of 2022 as part of ESL FACEIT Group’s (EFG) #GGFORALL program. For over two years, it has set a standard for supporting DE&I in Counter-Strike esports by providing women teams, broadcast talent, and support staff additional opportunities to follow their dreams of being a part of the professional esports scene.
Over the past four seasons, the ecosystem has cemented itself as the hold for premier women’s Counter-Strike competition, and created critical pipelines for players and teams to grow – the league has increased participation in women’s esports by 25 percent and empowered women to break into the traditionally male-dominated industry.
Happy to connect you with a member of the ESL Impact team to learn more about what’s revealed in the documentary, the broader issues of toxicity within gaming and the powerful effect the circuit is having on women’s esports.
The post ESL FACEIT Group releases documentary detailing the fight for women’s equality in esports and the efforts of the ESL Impact circuit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
Move and earn leader STEPN drops new app and gaming token
FSL, the global gaming and development studio behind web3 lifestyle app STEPN, NFT marketplace MOOAR, and social-strategy game Gas Hero, has officially announced the launch of STEPN GO. The new product is a social lifestyle app that rewards your daily movement and social interactions. Today marks an exciting milestone with the release of the STEPN GO Whitepaper and Tokenomic model. The game introduces a new token, GO GAME TOKEN (GGT), which users can earn by walking, jogging, and running with digital NFT Sneakers. There will also be a PvP game feature that allows users to earn GMT, the FSL Ecosystem token.
The original STEPN app was launched in 2021 and remains the world’s leading ‘Move and Earn’ application, pioneering the genre of gamified web3 fitness applications. With over 5.6 million registered users and over 1 million Sneaker NFTs owned by players, STEPN achieved monumental success, acquiring a global community. STEPN has partnered with prolific brands over the years including ASICS, Steve Aoki, and most recently adidas. STEPN was also the first blockchain gaming app to integrate Apple Pay, creating a seamless onboarding experience for web2 native users.
Yawn Rong, Co-Founder of FSL commented, “The STEPN community has been requesting social features within the app since the early days of STEPN. Therefore, we’re so excited to reveal these new features, which will propel STEPN GO into mainstream adoption. In addition to the Haus Mechanism and Interactive Map, we will also implement PvP elements within the app. Community is at the heart of everything we do at FSL, and we are ecstatic to announce this monumental milestone today, reinforcing our commitment to empowering and engaging our users.”
Building on the success of STEPN, FSL has designed unique social features within STEPN GO. The first key social element is the ‘Haus System’, which is a lending system that allows users to share their Sneaker NFTs with friends and family members who are new to the app, and split their earnings. This system will enable easy onboarding for new users to enjoy the app and kickstart their fitness journey. Another unique feature will be the ‘Interactive Map’, which will allow users to see other players’ avatars and even add them as friends within the platform. This Interactive Map will also allow users to drop messages that can be found by other players out doing STEPN GO runs.
Jerry Huang, Co-Founder of FSL added, “With STEPN GO, anyone can onboard their friends and family to web3 without needing to create a wallet or even buy NFTs. Exercise will be more fun and rewarding. We will combine fitness with many enjoyable experiences, including having your own customizable avatars with unique outfits!”
The Alpha Version of STEPN GO is set to launch by Q3 2024 with a Sneaker NFT Alpha Prize Draw lasting one month. A total of 3,000 Sneaker NFTs will be distributed within the app. To enter, users will be required to lock GMT. Access to the Alpha Prize Draw will be limited to FSL ID users, ensuring the most loyal FSL community members are rewarded. An additional 2,000 Sneakers will also be given away via the STEPN X account and STEPN GO Discord. Make sure to follow STEPN on X for your chance to win a Sneaker and gain early access.
The post Move and earn leader STEPN drops new app and gaming token appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Latest News3 months ago
Fairplay Exchange signs as new sponsor of Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips
-
Latest News3 months ago
Gods Reign Announces Groundbreaking Partnership with LG Electronics
-
Latest News3 months ago
European Gaming Q1 2024 Meetup: Exploring Innovation, Marketing, and the iGaming Industry Hubs
-
Latest News3 months ago
French Publisher TapNation tops Financial Times FT1000 list of Europe’s Leaders in Tech Media
-
Latest News3 months ago
Hölle Games Go Live on Bet-at-home.de
-
Latest News3 months ago
Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – February 19-25
-
Latest News3 months ago
Fast Track’s Simon Lidzén Wins Best CEO 2024 Award at Sigma Eurasia
-
Latest News2 months ago
Stakelogic’s Slot and Live Casino Content is now live with L&L Europe
You must be logged in to post a comment Login