Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. In our latest edition, we take a look at Bally’s, Scientific Games, and Betsson, acquisition, an AGA outlook, and a potential BetMGM buyout.
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Bally’s completed its $2bn acquisition of Gamesys Group, following the receipt of all necessary regulatory requirements and shareholder approvals.
Lauded as a “strategic combination,” Bally’s said that Gamesys technology platform will enable the continued expansion of its interactive offerings in North America, including real-money gaming options in online sports betting and igaming.
Furthermore, the unity of the player databases and tech of both parties is to provide the Providence, Rhode Island, headquartered group with “one of the largest portfolios of omni-channel cross-sell opportunities, consisting of land-based gaming, online sports betting, icasino, poker, bingo, daily fantasy sports and free to play games”.
Following the completion, Bally’s, whose M&A spree has been well documented, is looking to further capitalise on the “significant” growth opportunities within US betting and gaming.
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Almost half of American Gaming Association member CEOs are expecting improved business conditions into 2022, shows the group’s newly launched ‘Gaming CEO Outlook’.
The survey, conducted between August 16 and September 14, 2021, and seeing a total of 24 executives respond, also saw positivity stressed in increasing new hires (71 per cent), wage growth (63 per cent), and capital investment (39 per cent).
Despite the widespread positivity, more than two-thirds (71 per cent) of CEOs responding cited supply chain issues as a factor limiting operations.
Further challenges cited as impeding short-term growth were labour force shortages (63 per cent), consumer health concerns (46 per cent), and lagging meetings and events demand (38 per cent).
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Scientific Games enhanced its suite of cashless gaming solutions, with the firm signed a definitive agreement to purchase ACS‘s PlayOn.
The cashless table game solution, whose product line will be renamed Access To On Demand Money, or AToM, provides players with a seamless debit solution at live table games.
Scientific Games praised the acquisition as establishing “an immediate leadership position in cashless applications for table games,” with AToM currently live on 600 tables across California, Nevada and New Mexico.
The solution augments the company’s existing suite of cashless products, including its Unified Wallet, a solution that lets players digitally access funds to play EGMs and tables through the use of a mobile app.
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Talks of a potential buyout of BetMGM has been hinted at by MGM Resorts’ CEO, Bill Hornbuckle, following DraftKings’ $22bn offer on Entain.
Reported by Bloomberg, Hornebuckle made the comments on BetMGM, currently co-owned and operated with Entain, during his appearance at the Global Gaming Expo casino industry event and, in a separate interview, pinpointed ‘a lot of ways’ for a potential agreement that would see MGM, DraftKings and Entain co-exist.
According to Hornbuckle, MGM will pursue a majority takeover of BetMGM in the event that DraftKings successfully purchases Entain, with the goal of accessing the unit’s technology.
Confirmed on September 21 by Entain, DraftKings made a proposal for a $22.4bn takeover of the betting firm, which generated net gaming revenue of $357m in the first six months of 2021.
One day later, MGM stated that “any transaction whereby Entain or its affiliates would own a competing business in the US would require MGM’s consent’.
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Betsson strengthened its presence in South America as its subsidiary, SW Nordic Limited, completed the acquisition of B2C online gambling business Inkabet.
A sportsbook and casino operator that targets the western region of South America, the purchase of Inkabet is noted as a “strategically important region” for Betsson and enhances the company’s position in Latin America.
Moreover, Betsson expects the acquisition to increase scale in the business and to “unleash synergies”, being both revenue and earnings accretive from the fourth quarter 2021 onwards.
The initial consideration of the acquisition, which will see SW Nordic absorb the business activities, operations and all the related assets used for operating the Inkabet brand, is $25m.
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Codere Online reported strong revenue trends in key global markets, after the online sports betting and igaming firm documented its second quarter performance after entering into a business combination agreement with DD3 Acquisition Corp.
The online gaming subsidiary of casino operator Codere Group entered into the deal with the publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company in June.
The transaction, valued at approximately $350m, will result in Codere Online becoming a public company and trading on the US Nasdaq stock market.
Total net gaming revenue for the sixth months ending June 30, 2021, finished up at €41.7m, 33 per cent up from €31.4m, nudged along by a 43 per cent Q2 gain to €21m (2020: €14.7m).
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Everi rolled-out a tightened outlook for 2021’s full year net income and adjusted EBITDA to the top end of the previously provided range.
This updated guidance, says the provider of land-based and digital casino gaming content and products, financial technology and player loyalty solutions, reflects “meaningful ongoing annual growth” compared to the prior year and pre-pandemic 2019 results.
The company now expects an outlook that will see 2021 full year net income finish between $90m and $95m, with adjusted EBITDA set to in the region of $337m to $342m.
Everi had previously detailed that it was anticipating revenue of $615m to $635m, net income of $87m to $95m, adjusted EBITDA of $332m to $342m, as well as free cash flow of $168m to $177m.
