ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK sweepstakes market

Rapid market entry in the UK strengthens ZEAL’s geographical and product diversification

Germany-based ZEAL Network has signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of the remaining 96.5 per cent of the shares in SevenCanyon, in which ZEAL already holds a 3.5 per cent stake, for £33.8m.

With the acquisition, the German market leader for online lotteries will enter the UK market and gain direct access to the largest market for digital lottery offerings in Europe.

“SevenCanyon is one of the most successful competition operators in the UK – we have known the company for many years. With this acquisition, we have succeeded in entering a highly attractive and growing market directly. At the same time, we are accelerating the targeted diversification of our business model through new products and new markets,” said Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE.

SevenCanyon operates several established UK competition platforms, including 7days Performance, Redline Competitions and UK Carp Competitions. This market segment includes digital competition offers with high-quality non-cash prizes such as houses, cars and lifestyle products. In the past fiscal year 2026, SevenCanyon generated an operating result (EBITDA) of more than £10m.

The transaction opens up potential for further scaling of the UK business through ZEAL’s strengths in acquisition marketing, monetisation, customer retention, data analytics, regulatory professionalisation and platform operations. In addition, ZEAL expects the British competition market to become further professionalised in the future. Operators such as ZEAL with strong compliance expertise and experience in regulated markets are likely to benefit from this in particular.

“SevenCanyon is a highly profitable company with a proven business model. The purchase price will be financed mainly through a new loan agreement. This will allow us to maintain our financial flexibility in order to continue a growth-oriented and shareholder-friendly capital allocation in the future,” says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL Network SE.

The transaction includes a cash purchase price for the remaining 96.5 per cent of the shares of approximately illion (subject to post-closing adjustments, including an adjustment for vehicle inventory in the single-digit million range) and an earn-out payment of up to £4.8m to be made over a period of six months from closing.

The acquisition financing will be supported by a €40m final loan with a maturity of seven years arranged by Deutsche Bank.

The Management Board expects SevenCanyon to make a significant contribution to ZEAL’s revenue and EBITDA after the consolidation. ZEAL will make the necessary adjustments to its revenue guidance once the IFRS presentation of SevenCanyon’s revenue has been finalized.

For EBITDA, ZEAL confirms the range of €70m to 75m, assuming a normal jackpot environment in Germany. The updated forecast takes into account one-off expenses in the mid-single-digit million euro range in connection with the transaction.

For the first full financial year after completion of the transaction, ZEAL expects a positive EBITDA contribution in the high single-digit million euro range.