Five consequences of a deal: Playtech buying another sportsbook
Despite buying the Player2Players sports betting platform last year, Playtech is reportedly now on the hunt for an established sportsbook platform with a strong client list. Which one would fit the bill? And what would the impact be?
DESPITE buying and developing the Player2Players sports betting platform last year and recently rollÂing a sportsbook out to licensee Titanbet, Playtech is reportedly now on the hunt for an established sportsbook platform with a strong client list.
Playtech has a history of purchasing mature software platforms rather than waiting to growing organically, as witnessed with its recent buys of games provider GTS and bingo network Virtue Fusion.
Main targets would include Orbis, GTech G2’s Finsoft and LVS.
1) Such an acquisition would help it rival GTech G2 as the leading full service supplier across all four major vertiÂcals. This scenario however makes a sale of Finsoft to Playtech by GTech G2 highly unlikely.
2) An established sportsbook platform with a strong client list would enable it to better compete for online contracts with lotteries via its SciPlay partnership, particularly outÂside of the UK and US, where sports betting is traditionally controlled by the lottery.
3) LVS recently beat Orbis and Finsoft to win the conÂtract with French lottery FDJ, making it perfect for PlayÂtech’s business-to-monopoly (B2M) requirements. But FDJ’s decision last month to acquire LVS has taken it out of the running for the foreÂseeable future.
4) Buying Orbis would give Playtech the strongest poÂsitioning, but as the leading UK supplier, would not come cheap. Orbis is also investing in building games in-house “ adding poker to its client base could see it become a competitor to Playtech, making a sale to the Israeli provider unlikely.
5) Another possibility would be Global Betting Exchange’s Betdaq platform or Betbrain’s Everymatrix, but these may be a step too far from a traditional sportsbook.