Online casino and poker firm 888 Holdings PLC yesterday won the battle for larger rival Bwin.party Digital Entertainment PLC, clinching a cash and stock deal worth almost ￡900 million (US$1.4 billion).
888, which itself rejected a takeover by Britain’s biggest bookmaker, William Hill, in February, had been battling against a ￡908 million offer from GVC Holdings PLC for Bwin, which put itself up for sale last year.
The recommended deal is the latest in a flurry of merger-and-acquisition activity in the industry, a trend set to continue as firms expand to help offset increasing taxes and tighter regulation and fund higher marketing and technology spend.
“We believe the deal creates one of the world’s leading online gaming operators,” 888 executive chairman Brian Mattingley said.
“It’s all about scale... When you’ve got critical mass, you can ride storms and take advantage of opportunities as they come along,” he added.
888’s offer of ￡1.0409 per share, made up of ￡0.3945 in cash and 0.404 new 888 shares, is 16.4 percent higher than Bwin.party’s share price of ￡0.8940 before talks began on May 14.
While lower than the ￡1.10 face value of GVC’s rival offer, Bwin.party said it carried fewer risks, with better prospects and an experienced management team all factors.
Shares of 888 were up 6.8 percent by 8:45 GMT. Bwin.party, up 30 percent in three months, fell 0.4 percent.
888, which offers casino, poker and bingo games, has enjoyed strong growth as gamblers move online via tablets and mobiles. In acquiring Bwin.party, the firm will significantly boost revenues from its fledgling sports betting business and can apply its stronger technology platform and management to Bwin.party’s business.
The two companies said the deal, which would be earnings enhancing in its first full year, would lead to cost benefits of at least US$70 million per annum by the end of 2018 by removing duplicated costs, technology and administration fees.
888 currently has a market capitalization of ￡572 million versus ￡848 million for Bwin.party, which has struggled with the decline of regulated poker markets in Europe and to make cost savings since its creation via a merger of sports betting group bwin and online poker group PartyGaming PLC in 2011.
Bwin.party had faced pressure from US activist investor Jason Ader’s Spring Owl vehicle, its second-biggest shareholder.
Mattingley said 888 had a “very good” relationship with Ader.
A combined group will have revenue of more than US$1 billion and be a leading online gambling operator in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
Bwin shareholders, who will be able to vary the amount they receive in cash and new 888 shares under a “mix and match” facility, will own 48.9 percent of the new firm.
The two companies said they would also considering spinning-off Bwin.party’s “Studios” technology business.
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