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BETSSON ACQUIRES SPORTS BETTING AND GAMING OPERATOR BETFIRST IN BELGIUM AND ENTERS INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH GROUPE PARTOUCHE TO LAUNCH ONLINE CASINO OFFERING ON THE BELGIAN MARKET
Betsson AB today announces the Group’s acquisition of the leading Belgian sports betting and gaming operator betFIRST for a total value of EUR 120 million, of which up to EUR 3 million is an earnout payment subject to certain conditions being met, all payable in cash. At the same time, Betsson and Groupe Partouche, the publicly listed leading French casino operator, today announce a new strategic partnership in order to offer online casino services in regulated markets. A first joint online casino offering should be launched in Belgium during 2023, subject to officially obtaining the required licenses. These two strategic initiatives are fully aligned with Betsson’s ambitions to deliver profitable growth, with a preference for growth in locally regulated markets in the long term.
Betsson has agreed to acquire all shares in the betFIRST Group, which operates a sports betting and gaming business under the brand betFIRST in Belgium. The total up-front consideration of the acquisition is EUR 117 million on a cash and debt-free basis, payable in cash. In addition, Betsson may pay up to EUR 3 million as earnout, subject to delivery on certain agreed financial targets. The initial consideration for the acquisition is equivalent to a multiple of 10.0x betFIRST’s estimated EBITDA for the financial year 2023.
Established in 2011, betFIRST is a leading B2C operator in the locally regulated online gaming market in Belgium, offering sports betting and dice games. betFIRST is a leading brand for sports betting in Belgium with a proven track record of successful customer acquisition and revenue growth. betFIRST holds a license for online sports betting and a license for online dice games in Belgium. In addition to the online business, the company also operates across approximately 450 points of sale in Belgium and also owns a gaming arcade. In the last financial year ending 31 December 2022, betFIRST recorded net gaming revenue of EUR 51.2 million and adjusted EBITDA of EUR 10.0 million.
The new partnership with leading French casino operator Groupe Partouche will combine Betsson’s expertise in the online gaming sector and Groupe Partouche’s market leadership in land-based casinos to deliver an attractive online casino offering tailored to the local market. Groupe Partouche operates land-based casinos in France and Switzerland and also holds an offline casino license in Belgium, which can be extended to an online casino license. With such a license, a full range of online casino products can be offered to the Belgian market. Subject to the required licenses being granted by the Belgian regulator, the aim is to launch the online casino offering in Belgium during 2023. Betsson and Groupe Partouche are committed to developing their new collaboration and exploring additional ways to expand the partnership.
The acquisition of betFIRST and the partnership with Groupe Partouche will provide Betsson with critical access to the competitive Belgian market, a further diversified geographical footprint and an increased share of revenue from locally regulated markets. Betsson intends to continue operating the betFIRST sports betting business as it is today while exploring potential synergies in the mid-to-long term.
Pontus Lindwall, CEO and President of Betsson AB, commented: “We are very excited about entering the Belgian market together with our partners Groupe Partouche and see a strong strategic fit with the acquisition of betFIRST. At Betsson, our growth strategy revolves around extending our presence into new markets, particularly in locally regulated or soon-to-be regulated markets. Belgium, where the online gaming market is regulated since 2011, aligns very well with this strategy. Our business model is highly scalable, and these initiatives will add revenue and strengthen our profitability over time.”
Betsson is able to finance the acquisition with existing cash from its balance sheet and within existing credit facilities.
Completion of the acquisition of betFIRST is not conditional on regulatory approvals and is expected to occur on or around July 5, 2023.
Betsson has engaged Lazard as financial advisor and Gernandt & Danielsson as principal legal advisor (together with Van Bael & Bellis and Edson Legal as legal advisors in Belgium) in connection with the acquisition.
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License Fees under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (“LOK”)
Definitions
Certificate Application: The CGA may issue a certificate, for a period of up to three years, to natural persons or legal entities offering gaming-related services or goods to holders of a license. Categories of entities requiring certification will be issued separately by CGA in a Certification Policy.
Domain: The unique address used to identify a website on the internet. A policy regarding the acceptability of Mirror Domains and applicable fees in this regard will be issued separately by the CGA.
Gambling License: B2C Operating license
Listed UBO: a UBO which shares are publicly traded on an exchange.
Qualified Interest Holder: A natural person holding direct or indirect interest of at least ten percent of the subscribed share capital, or a similar interest, or the ability to directly or indirectly exercise at least ten percent of the voting rights, or similar control.
Supplier License: B2B platform/software license
UBO: A natural person who is the ultimate owner, or has ultimate control, of a legal entity, by directly or indirectly holding more than ten percent of the shares, voting rights, or ownership interests in that legal entity.
Application Fee
B2C Applications (Gaming license)
A non-refundable fee must be paid prior to a license application being processed by the CGA.
Application fee for B2C license | One-time | EUR 4,592 |
UBO | Each person, one-time fee | EUR 150 |
Qualified Interest Holder | Each person, one-time fee | EUR 150 |
Listed UBO Addition | Each entity | EUR 2,551 |
B2B Applications (Supplier license)
A non-refundable fee must be paid prior to a license application being processed by the CGA.
Application fee for B2B license | One-time | EUR 4,592 |
UBO | Each person, one-time fee | EUR 150 |
Qualified Interest Holder | Each person, one-time fee | EUR 128 |
Listed UBO Addition | Each entity | EUR 2,551 |
Annual Fees – B2C
First Invoice
Initial Annual Fees are calculated pro-rata for the year of issuance. These are required to be paid within 14 days of notification by the CGA to the local director of the company of the license grant.
Annual Fees
Annual Fees are for all subsequent years are payable in full by January 15th on receipt of invoices by the CGA.
There will be two invoices simultaneously issued. One for the Curacao government (National Treasury) (the License Fee) and one for the CGA (the Supervisory Fee) each payable in full electronically in accordance with banking instructions specified on each invoice.
All fees are non-refundable.
License Fee (to National Treasury) | Annually in full by 15th January | EUR 24,490 |
Supervisory Fee (to CGA) | Annually in full by 15th January | EUR 22,960 |
TOTAL | EUR 47,450 | |
Annual Fee – B2B
First Invoice
Initial Annual Fees are calculated pro-rata for the year of issuance. These are required to be paid within 14 days of notification by the CGA to the local director of the company of the license grant.
Annual Fees
Annual Fees for all subsequent years are payable in full by January 15th on receipt of invoice by the CGA.
The fee is payable in full electronically in accordance with banking instructions specified on the invoice.
All fees are non-refundable.
License Fee to National Treasury | Not applicable for B2B | EUR 0 |
Supervisory Fee (to CGA) | Annually in full by 15th January | EUR 24,490 |
TOTAL | EUR 24,490 | |
Other Administrative Fees
Addition of domains | One-time payment on | EUR 250 |
application to add domain to | ||
license | ||
Certificate Application | One-time payment on | EUR 383 |
application | ||
Change or addition in UBO | Per person | EUR 128 |
Change or addition of Qualified Interest Holder | Per person | EUR 128 |
Transition Period 2025
Under the NOOGH (the legislation prior to enactment of the LOK) there was only one single type of fee of ANG 120,000 for any issued license; which was charged by way of an initial fee, followed by monthly fees.
Under the LOK both B2C and B2B fees exist. To this end transition fees will apply to holders of licenses issued under the NOOGH.
- No further invoices under NOOGH will be issued.
- No further monthly invoices will be issued.
IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ABOVE POINTS 1 AND 2, ANY LICENSE HOLDER (B2C, B2B2C and B2B) WITH OUTSTANDING INVOICES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED MUST BE PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INVOICE IN ORDER FOR CONTINUITY OF LICENSE HOLDERS OPERATIONS.
NOOGH B2C License Holders – Green Seal
For avoidance of doubt regarding this transition period a B2C license holder under NOOGH includes both B2C and B2B2C.
To facilitate the transition license holders at the point of LOK enactment (i.e. Green Seal holders) will be issued with four individual invoices over the course of 2025.
Annual License fee to Curacao Government | Jan – Jun: EUR 12,245 (Invoiced Feb 2025) |
(National Treasury) | July – Dec: EUR 12,245 (Invoiced June 2025) |
Annual Supervisory fee to CGA | Jan – Jun: EUR 11,480 (Invoiced Feb 2025) |
July – Dec: EUR 11,480 (Invoiced June 2025) | |
Each invoice must be paid in accordance with the terms of that invoice. For clarity, the separation of invoices in this manner (Payable for periods of 6 months) is for 2025 only in order to accommodate the transition period of LOK provisional licenses – which allows a period of 6 months to reach compliance with the LOK (followed by an additional 6 months as required and if permitted by the CGA). In July provisional license holders who are non-compliant and are not granted the further 6-month period to become complaint will not be issued with the second invoice and their license will be revoked.
NOOGH B2C Approved (No Green Seal yet)
An approved license holder is only formally granted the license and issued with the Green Seal on payment of their initial invoice. If the CGA approved a B2C operator in 2024 but their initial invoice was not paid prior to December 24TH the following applies.
- The license holder must pay the outstanding invoice (if they have not already)
- The amount paid for that invoice will be credited against the first 2025 invoice to the National Treasury (i.e. The annual LOK license fee is EUR 24,490).
- This operator will subsequently receive an invoice during 2025 for the amount outstanding to complete the whole amount of the LOK license fee. (the remaining balance of the License Fee to the National Treasury)
- The operator will receive the invoices of the Supervisory Fee to the CGA. (i.e. The annual supervisory fee is EUR 22,960)
B2B License Holders
No further invoices will be issued under NOOGH fees in 2025. However, any invoices that have already been issued in 2024 with payment outstanding by should be paid by the license holder.
B2B license holders
Annual Supervisory fee to CGA
Jan – Jun: EUR 11,480 (Invoiced Feb 2025)
July – Dec: EUR 11,480 (Invoiced June 2025)
Each invoice must be paid in accordance with the terms of that invoice. For clarity, the separation of invoices in this manner (Payable for periods of 6 months) is for 2025 only in order to accommodate the transition period of LOK provisional licenses – which allows a period of 6 months to reach compliance with the LOK (followed by an additional 6 months as required and if permitted by the CGA). In July provisional licensed holders who are non-compliant and are not granted the further 6-month period to become complaint will not be issued with the second invoice and their license will be revoked.
Please note, the CGA is aware that due to fee reduction for B2B license holders under the LOK that some license holders will have overpaid during 2024. The CGA will inform the operator on a case-by-case basis about how the CGA and/ or the National Treasury will handle any overpayment done in 2024, by crediting future invoices.
Changing license type
Existing license holders who wish to change their license type (from B2C or B2B2C to a B2B) will be required to follow an administrative process once the CGA portal re-opens in mid-March. Further information on the administrative process and fees will be announced shortly.
Invoicing Process
The CGA will email the invoice to the email address provided by the local director and will also send a ticket in the online portal announcing that an invoice has been issued.
Notice
- Please note that in the event of any discrepancies between this announcement and the LOK, the LOK will always take precedence.
- The amounts mentioned in this document may be modified by national decree containing general measures.
The post License Fees under the National Ordinance on Games of Chance (“LOK”) appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Grow the Xing Fú Fortune™ Money Trees and collect golden prizes with FBM®!
Prosperity, Strength, and Fortune are the foundations of the Xing Fú Fortune™ Money Trees’ entertaining power. The latest addition to FBM®’s slots portfolio offers a fresh gaming experience with a bonus mode where players can try up to seven gaming dynamics based on three money trees and conquer four jackpots. Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees is a 243-ways game introducing novelty and value to FBM®’s slot lineup. Its unique mechanic, centered around three money trees, keeps players guessing what gaming dynamic they will experience in the link bonus. This element of surprise increases the players’ engagement and retention levels, allowing casino operators to offer a product that blends an exciting gameplay with compelling payouts.
Three Money Trees open a fortune-filled bonus
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- Fortune – the Fortune coins are green, and have the collector effect. When they appear on the reels, they accumulate the value of all the other coins.
When two or more money trees activate the bonus simultaneously, their effects combine, enabling players to secure impressive wins. But that is not all about the rewarding power of the Xing Fú Fortune link bonus.
This game mode is also the gateway to obtain one of the four jackpots: Mini, Minor, Major or Grand. To obtain a Mini, Minor, and Major jackpot, players just need to get jackpot coins during the bonus rounds and wait for the final revelation. The Grand jackpot is achievable through a single coin and by filling all the 15 positions available in the reels during the bonus.
An Oriental-themed slot to play on two casino cabinets
Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees immerses players in a world inspired by Oriental culture, featuring bonsais, dragons, frogs, carps, ema plaques, and fans. The sounds and graphics developed for the game merge with these visual references to deliver an authentic Asian gaming experience.
Available for the Galaxy II and Auria casino cabinets, this slot game ensures a friendly integration on different casino floor layouts.
Following the recent launch of Jin Qián Link Spirits™, FBM® continues to expand its offer to slots fans in Mexico. Xing Fú Fortune Money Trees reinforces the brand’s commitment to bringing disruptive, trustful, and high-performing casino games that can add value to the casino operator’s portfolios.
The post Grow the Xing Fú Fortune™ Money Trees and collect golden prizes with FBM®! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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