Launches and sign-ups 3 June 2015
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (28 May to 3 June 2015)
Sportech sells stake in NYX joint venture for £12m
Operator confirms it has sold its 50% stake in SNG Interactive back to NYX Gaming less than 18 months after joining forces
Sportech has sold its 50% stake in its SNG Interactive joint-venture to partner NYX Gaming for a total consideration of £12m, the two firms have announced.
Sportech said the sale would generate an estimated pre-tax profit of £8.8m for the firm, and the funds would enable the firm to “accelerate it’s near term development plans” while it still maintained a material interested in US egaming.
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with NYX, generating a significant return for the Group in a short space of time,” Ian Penrose, Sportech CEO, said.
“The structure of the deal enables us to reinvest in our US growth activities in the sports gaming market, whilst retaining a material stake in the future of online casino gaming in North America,” he added.
Playtech acquires CFD firm Plus500 in £460m deal
Playtech has agreed a deal to acquire retail CFD trading company Plus500 for £459.6m as the software supplier expands its position in the online financial trading sector.
Under the terms of the deal, Playtech will pay 400p per share for AIM-listed Plus500 and comes on the back of Playtech’s recent £333m deal for a majority stake in foreign exchange and currency brokerage firm TradeFX.
Playtech said group financial officer Ron Hoffman would now assume additional responsibilities and become chief executive of the firm’s growing financial trading business.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
Mybet plots African expansion
Mybet is plotting a digital launch in the African market as it looks to expand its land-based presence in West Africa into new markets such as Nigeria.
Speaking to eGaming Review, mybet chief financial officer Markus Peuler said the firm was exploring a strategy which could initially see mybet extend its Ghana-based retail division into neighbouring countries ahead of the launch of a digital product.
“We currently have an offline business in Ghana which has been very successful because we have adjusted the product to the local needs of the market,” Peuler said.
Sky Bet bids to extend Football League deal
Sky Betting and Gaming has submitted an offer to extend its sponsorship of the English Football League for a further two seasons while at the same time reaching an agreement which prevents the governing body from awarding the package to a rival betting company.
The operator’s flagship Sky Bet brand has been title sponsor of the League’s three divisions; the Championship, League 1 and League 2, since the start of 2013-14 season, however, with the headline deal due to expire at the end of the next campaign, Sky Bet has been keen to trigger options to extend the contract.
As part of the negotiations, Sky Bet has reached an agreement which enables the Football League to speak to other parties, provided the Football League does not discuss the deal with alternative betting and gaming companies.
PokerStars signs Ronaldo as brand ambassador
PokerStars has signed football mega-star Cristiano Ronaldo as a brand ambassador as the operator pushes ahead with plans to double the size of the global poker market over the next five years.
The partnership will see the flamboyant Real Madrid striker promote PokerStars in advertising campaigns, and make special appearances in major live events and online poker tournaments as the firm looks to reach out to mainstream consumers.
“Ronaldo is one of the most famous names in the world and PokerStars is thrilled to partner with him,” Michael Hazel, PokerStars interim CEO, said.
Dafabet scores Premier League sponsorship deal
Asian online gambling operator Dafabet has struck a deal with Sunderland AFC to become the Premier League football club’s official sponsor for the next two seasons.
The Gambling Commission-licensed firm will sponsor the Black Cats’ home and away shirts from the 2015-16 football season, taking over from food distribution company Bidvest, which had sponsored the club for the past two seasons.
Dafabet managing director of online betting and gaming Dimitris Karatzas said the deal formed part of wider plans to ramp up the firm’s presence during the next football season.
Microgaming expands into Indian poker market
Microgaming has expanded into the Indian online poker market after signing up Thrill Poker to its recently launched MPN India poker network.
India-facing online poker operator Thrill Poker was launched in 2013 and has now migrated all its players to the egaming supplier’s new poker platform.
Microgaming’s expansion into the unlicensed market follows recent cases in the Indian courts which sought to pass judgement on whether online poker should be considered gambling or a game of skill.
Optimal acquires mobile developer FANS
Optimal Payments has snapped up mobile platform developer FANS Entertainment for US$13m (£8.5m) as part of a strategy to improve its mobile payments offering.
FANS supplies a white-label mobile platform to venues, arenas and content providers to help them engage and monetise consumers, with clients across the sports and entertainment sectors.
Optimal said the acquisition “further strengthens” its position in the mobile payments sector and also provides an entry point into the events market.
PMU kicks-off brand modernisation project
Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has today kicked off a new multi-channel advertising campaign as part of the France-facing firm’s two-year strategic modernisation plan.
The operator’s latest advertising campaign was created in partnership with ad agency Publicis Conseil and includes advertising across print media, web, social networks and TV, as well as a new visual identity developed by Dragon Rouge.
Its four new TV adverts aim to demonstrate the various emotions customers feel when placing a bet and features a new logo and sound identity composed by Sixth Son.