Supplier News
UK – Playtech buys 90 per cent of Best Gaming Technology
By Phil - 14 July 2016
Playtech has bought 90 per cent of rival Best Gaming Technology for €138m.
The remaining 10 per cent retained by Best Gaming’s Chief Executive and Founder Armin Sageder, who will remain with the company for at least three years from completion.
Based in Vienna, Best Gaming provides sports betting software for gaming and sports betting operators, with customers including Ladbrokes, Paddy Power Betfair and William Hill. BGT’s main product is its proprietary software for self-service betting terminals (SSBTs). Its offering combines class-leading technology with a digital terminal that revolutionizes the traditional over-the-counter experience with other products including ePOS and till systems for betting operators as well as an omni-channel web and mobile betting platform. The investment by Playtech will provide BGT with additional funds to develop these products and systems, both organically and through investment which will only accelerate all aspects of development, innovation and differentiation.
In 2015, Best Gaming generated revenue of €41.6m, pretax profit of €6m and adjusted Ebitda of €12.9m.
Chief Executive Mor Weizer said: “BGT is the leading provider of sports betting software and solutions for gaming and sports betting operators in what is one of the fastest growing verticals of our industry. BGT offers the market’s most sophisticated retail sports solution which is also both modularised and flexible, allowing Playtech to quickly integrate with its own platform. As the only company that will offer FOBTs and SSBTs, all integrated with the world’s leading online platform and products, Playtech will realise the potential of a true omni-channel offering for the benefit of both consumers and operators.”
SSBTs and ePOS systems that digitise retail betting businesses form one of the fastest growing areas for betting companies. This collaboration will enhance the Playtech ONE omni-channel offering as the BGT integration will allow players to enjoy a seamless, anywhere-anytime gaming experience across any product, channel and device, all using a single account and wallet. In addition to providing a retail solution to Playtech’s many UK customers, the acquisition will provide Playtech with greater penetration into the Spanish and Italian markets.
As part of the acquisition, Armin Sageder, Chief Executive Officer of BGT remains focused exclusively on the BGT business and will continue to hold his position for at least three years, together with retaining 10 per cent of the business. All members of the existing BGT Management team, including John Pettit (MD – UK & Ireland), Markus Hütter (Chief Technical Officer) and Dietmar Wiesinger (Chief Operations Officer) are also committed to staying with the business for the same three year period. Furthermore the BGT Offices in Vienna, London and Bremen will remain and continue to operate as normal.
Armin Sageder, Chief Executive Officer of BGT, said: “When I founded BGT in Vienna, Austria, in mid-2005 I had the vision of a high-end provider for the land based sports betting industry with a focus on self-service systems. Having worked through some challenging years in the beginning, BGT has become the number one sports betting technology provider for land based products worldwide. I believe that BGT, and myself have now found the ideal investor in Playtech to enable us to take all retail betting systems, including tills as well as omni channel and digital solutions to the next level. I am genuinely excited to work with the existing team at BGT and new colleagues at Playtech to accelerate investment and realise these ambitions.”
