Launches and sign-ups 1 March 2017
Launches and sign-ups from the egaming industry in the last seven days (23 February 2017 to 1 March 2017)
Kindred Group to acquire 32Red in £176m deal
Acquisition of the AIM-listed firm will see Kindred “considerably strengthen” its position in the UK market
Kindred Group has agreed a deal to acquire 32Red for £176m as the operator looks to significantly increase its UK footprint and build on its multi-brand strategy
The deal will see Kindred pay 196p per share for the AIM-listed firm but it is unknown whether 32Red founder, Ed Ware, will remain at the company post-acquisition.
In a statement, Kindred said 32Red represented a strong “strategic and cultural fit” for the company and that the deal would “considerably strengthen” its position in the UK market.
It also said it expects the deal to lead to cost and revenue synergies following the integration of 32Red into the business, with plans to migrate 32Red on to Kindred’s proprietary platform in the future.
BetStars makes DFS play with new jackpot tournament format
BetStars has launched a new DFS-style product that combines a simplified version of daily fantasy with jackpot tournaments.
The new product, Sports Jackpots, asks competitors to pick which football player in each of several pre-selected groups will score the most fantasy points that day.
Each fantasy point scored by a player’s selections is totalled and ranked against other users on a leaderboard.
Seven days in launches and sign-ups:
Fortuna strengthens Eastern Europe presence with €135m acquisition
Fortuna has announced a deal to acquire 100% of Hattrick Sports Group for a maximum consideration of €135m.
Hattrick is the owner of the Romania betting operator Casa Pariurilor, the Croatian operator PSK, and is a joint venture partner in Spanish firm Luckia.
The initial consideration to be paid by Fortuna is €85m, with potential earn outs up to €50m, and will be funded mainly via bank loans.
LeoVegas ramps up UK marketing efforts with new TV campaign
LeoVegas has unveiled Johnny Vegas as its new brand ambassador, with the British comedian set to appear in the firm’s new UK TV advertising campaign.
The operator’s new advert hit TV screens last week and features Vegas and Leo the Lion as dolls on a Japanese shopping TV channel, as well as jumping out of helicopters over the Vegas strip.
The 90-second spot will be shown on mainstream channels, including ITV and Channel 4, and is the first part in a year of planned activity for the operator, with the pair set to star in a number of promotions throughout 2017.
Playtech boosts omni-channel offering with BetTracker app
Playtech’s BGT Sports division has launched a new app that lets customers transfer their SSBT bets to their mobile phones.
The new BetTracker app lets retail punters scan their betslip into their phone, enabling them to track and cash out their bets.
“We’re pleased to introduce BetTracker, a revolutionary product which will provide a real boost to the retail sector, improve the user experience, and increase operator revenues,” said John Pettit, UK, Ireland and Australia managing director for Playtech BGT Sports (PBS).
Heather Graham fronts new £10m Foxy Bingo campaign
GVC Holdings has announced plans to launch a new £10m brand refresh and marketing campaign for Foxy Bingo and Casino, fronted by Hollywood actress Heather Graham.
The campaign will see Graham become the new face of Foxy until 2018 as part of a brand realignment strategy after it recently ended its long-standing partnership with The Jeremy Kyle Show.
The American actress has starred in numerous Hollywood films including Boogie Nights, The Hangover and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.