Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group has agreed to terms on a ‘cooperation agreement’ with Austrian state fund Österreichische Beteiligungs (ÖBAG) related to the ownership structure of Casinos Austria. ÖBAG had come under fire from Austrian political parties for not using its ‘pre-emption rights’ to challenge SAZKA’s bid to secure a majority +50% stake in Casinos Austria. Last summer, maintaining a 37% …
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Australia ASX-listed Tabcorp Holdings will renew an ambition to establish its presence within UK gambling, as it prepares to bid for the 2023 National Lottery operating contract. The Daily Telegraph reports that Tabcorp governance has held discussions with investment bank Rothschild, one of four strategic advisors forming the UKGC’s tender evaluation body. A turbulent 2019 saw Tabcorp governance criticized by …
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Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group has confirmed the appointment of Kenneth Morton as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective from 1 February 2020. Morton is the former Head of Corporate Finance for SAZKA Group’s main investor KKGC – a private equity vehicle led by Czech billionaire Karel Komarek. As a KKGC executive, Morton is reported to have spearheaded a number of …
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Industry observers will be monitoring closely the first publication of Française des Jeux (FDJ) corporate results as a public enterprise, scheduled for release on Thursday 13 February 2020. Closing 2019, the French government hailed the success of FDJ’s oversubscribed IPO on the Paris Euronext Exchange, as the French lottery operator doubled its corporate valuation to €3.8 billion. Raising capital of …
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SAZKA Group Chief Executive Robert Chvátal has confirmed that the growth-hungry gambling conglomerate will launch an official 2020 bid competing to win the UK’s fourth National Lottery contract starting in 2023. Stating SAZKA’s intent, Chvátal underlined that ‘investing in the UK is the next stop’, following a busy 2019 in which the Czech gambling fund secured majority shareholdings in OPAP …
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Novomatic AG has agreed to sell its 17% stake in Casinos Austria to Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group. Issuing a short statement, Novomatic confirms that it has reached a binding agreement with SAZKA dependent on regulatory approvals. The transaction will see SAZKA increase its shareholding in Casinos Austria to 55% (formerly 38%), after securing majority investment rights in the leading …
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Greece’s markets & competition authority HCC has granted its approval for market leader OPAP to acquire a majority stake in online bookmaker Stoiximan Group. The transaction initiated at the start of 2019, sees OPAP agree to acquire a 51% stake in Stoiximan for €95 million, a Greek and Cypriot online sportsbook property operated by Malta-based European online gambling group GML …
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Italy’s AAMS – Customs & Monopolies Agency has confirmed that Gruppo SISAL will maintain the concession of the SuperEnalotto weekly numbers lottery. The decision was confirmed by AAMS Secretary Dr Benedetto Mineo, who submitted an update through the government’s Official European Gazette to confirm that SISAL will maintain its position for a further nine years. AAMS’ decision is undertaken following …
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Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group has clarified its intentions to secure ‘full control’ of Athens-listed OPAP SA, Greece’s largest lottery and sports betting operator. On Monday, the Athens Securities Exchange temporarily suspended OPAP’s listing, announcing that the gambling group anticipated a ‘major imminent corporate event’. This morning, Reuters disclosed that SAZKA governance had submitted a formal Athens Exchange filing detailing …
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The Athens Securities & Exchange Commission has this morning moved to temporarily suspend the listing of OPAP SA, in light of speculation of a ‘major imminent corporate event’. Greek business news sources this morning report that Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group seeks to significantly expand its holdings in OPAP, the former state-owned enterprise and Greece’s largest lottery and sports betting …
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