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Allwyn Entertainment to Support Growth with New York Stock Exchange Listing in Partnership with Publicly-Traded Cohn Robbins Holdings Corp.

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Allwyn Entertainment to Support Growth with New York Stock Exchange Listing in Partnership with Publicly-Traded Cohn Robbins Holdings Corp.

 

Allwyn Entertainment, the new group-wide brand for SAZKA Entertainment AG, a leading multinational lottery operator, today announced another significant step in its evolution to a global lottery-led entertainment platform: Allwyn’s intention to become a publicly- listed company on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in partnership with NYSE- listed Cohn Robbins Holdings Corp. (CRHC), resulting in an expected total enterprise value for Allwyn of approximately $9.3 billion. As described below and subject to certain limitations, an innovative feature of the Transaction provides CRHC shareholders the opportunity to establish ownership stakes at a maximum enterprise value of approximately $8.7 billion. CRHC is Co-Chaired by its Co- Founders, Gary D. Cohn and Clifton S. Robbins.

-Allwyn’s Total Enterprise Value in Proposed Transaction Expected to be Approximately $9.3 Billion; Transaction Provides CRHC Shareholders Discount to Enterprise Value-

-CRHC’s Sponsor Entity Commits $50 Million of Total PIPE Investment in Excess of $350 Million-

-Allwyn’s Strategy for Growth through Digitization, Acquisitions, License Tenders to be Strengthened by NYSE’s Premier Platform for Brand and Enhanced Capital Access

Karel Komárek, Chairman of the Board of Allwyn and Founder of KKCG Investment Group, Allwyn’s majority owner, stated, “Listing on the NYSE is the next chapter in Allwyn’s history and track record of shared success benefitting players, communities, governments and investors. We forecast the business delivering attractive revenue, profit and cash flow growth, creating attractive long-term value for investors. Going public positions Allwyn to expand its shared success to more markets, while enhancing capital access to fund opportunities for accelerated growth. KKCG has known for years that Allwyn is an amazing business, and I am very proud that global investors will have the opportunity to participate in its further growth.“ Robert Chvatal, Chief Executive Officer of Allwyn, stated, “It is an opportune time for Allwyn to take this exciting step. Jurisdictions in Europe and North America should have higher expectations for the innovations their lotteries can deliver. With consumers expecting the option to experience and pay for entertainment online, Allwyn is building stronger, more individualized and more valuable relationships with our customers. We look forward to applying our experience in developing market- specific, culturally-attuned lottery entertainment to new customers and geographies as an NYSE-listed company.”

A Leader in the Large, Resilient and Growing Lottery Industry

The $300 billion global lottery industry is the largest constituent of the global gaming ecosystem by sales and wagers, with customer demographics and market dynamics characterized by high participation globally; resiliency through market cycles; and expected acceleration in growth from digitization and the trend toward increasing online sales.

With a history of robust organic growth complemented by value-accretive acquisitions, Allwyn’s management team has built a platform whose component businesses (on a 100% basis) collected approximately €16 billion in wagers over the 12-month period ended June 30, 2021. A leading multinational lottery operator, Allwyn operates lotteries in Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus and Italy, and forecasts approximately $810 million (€710 million) in Adjusted EBITDA from approximately $1.7 billion (€1.5 billion) in net gaming revenue in 2022. Pro forma net debt / 2022E Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately 1.6x.

Allwyn is committed to the highest standards of player protection, with all Allwyn- operated lottery businesses currently certified for responsible gaming by European Lotteries and holding the highest level of responsible gaming certification (Level 4) from the World Lottery Association.

NYSE Listing and Capital Investment to Support Growth Strategy

Allwyn expects the NYSE listing to support its global growth strategy by:

– Providing the Company with greater access to capital markets to complement its strong balance sheet and cash flow generation, enabling it to accelerate its successful organic and inorganic growth strategy;

– Enhancing and expanding its global brand, including in highly attractive United States markets; and Building upon its reputation for transparency as a longstanding issuer of publicly-traded bonds with the additional distinctions of being an SEC- regulated company listed on the world’s premier stock exchange.

Trends in developed countries’ lottery, igaming and sports betting markets indicate the potential for significant additional online penetration in markets where Allwyn operates, as well as in those it has targeted for expansion. In markets where online lottery has been introduced, both total market size and the retail lottery market have grown substantially.

Online users of Allwyn businesses have more than doubled in the past two years, enabling the Company to establish customer relationships and implement cross- selling initiatives that it expects to create greater value and benefit from low churn rates and customer acquisition costs.

The Company also has identified new market opportunities in Europe and the United States, via potential acquisitions and license tenders, in markets that represent approximately €129 billion in estimated 2022 lottery wagers.

Messrs. Gary D. Cohn and Clifton S. Robbins, Co-Founders and Co-Chairmen of Cohn Robbins Holdings Corp., stated, “We have worked with hundreds of management teams and invested in hundreds of companies in our careers, but we founded Cohn Robbins to seek out just one. We believe that Allwyn is the right company, in the right industry, at the right time and with the right leadership team. We are excited by the growth opportunities the Company has ahead of it and we look forward to providing our support. We also are very pleased to be bringing this transaction to Cohn Robbins shareholders in an innovative way and at an attractive valuation.”

A Valuable and Responsible Community Partner

More than $100 billion, or approximately one-third of worldwide annual lottery sales, has gone toward funding public programming in recent years, according to data collected from their members by the World Lottery Association and European Lotteries. Allwyn uses its platform and skills to the benefit of the communities it serves.

Since 2014, Allwyn’s business has provided major support for the renovation and modernization of Greece’s most important, largest and oldest children’s hospitals. The Company promotes active lifestyles as major sponsors of professional and mass sport, including Olympic teams, professional football and basketball teams, and after-school programs and activities for children. It is the biggest supporter of sports in Austria, with its subsidiary, Austrian Lotteries, making a guaranteed annual contribution of at least €80 million to sports, and having provided approximately €1.7 billion in sports funding since 1986. In the Czech Republic, 150,000 school children each year participate in a Company-sponsored Olympic-style multi-sport contest, and the Company supports more than 3,200 disadvantaged children in pursuing sports through the Czech Olympic Foundation. In Greece, Allwyn sponsors more than 175 sports academies serving more than 18,000 children, 28,000 parents and guardians, and 1,000 coaches.

Transaction Overview

Current Allwyn equity holders are expected to retain approximately 83% ownership in the Company, and no new shareholder of the Company will own a stake of more than 5% immediately following the transaction.

Allwyn’s expected implied pro forma total enterprise value of approximately $9.3 billion represents approximately 11.5x 2022E Adjusted EBITDA. However, due to a bonus pool of up to approximately 6.6 million CRHC shares to be made available exclusively to non-redeeming CRHC shareholders, such shareholders have the opportunity to establish ownership stakes at a maximum expected effective valuation multiple of 10.8x 2022E Adjusted EBITDA, or approximately $8.7 billion in total enterprise value. Bonus shares forfeited by redeeming shareholders will be distributed to non- redeeming shareholders on a pro rata basis, which is variable based on a range of exchange ratios for shares held by non-redeeming shareholders of between 1.08x and 1.40x, to be determined based on redemptions. Assuming a price of $10.00 per share of CRHC common stock at the closing of the transaction, non-redeeming CRHC shareholders would receive, in exchange for each share of CRHC common stock held, shares of the post-combination company with value equating to between $10.80 (assuming no redemptions by CRHC shareholders) and $14.00 (assuming redemptions resulting in the maximum exchange ratio).

CRHC, a special purpose acquisition company, holds approximately $828 million of cash in trust. Concurrent with the consummation of the proposed transaction, investors have committed to purchase more than $350 million of securities of the combined company (the “PIPE investment”). The PIPE investment includes participation from a group of international investors, including $50 million from CRHC’s Sponsor entity. The proposed transaction, which has been unanimously approved by both the Board of Directors of Allwyn and the Board of Directors of CRHC, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to approval by CRHC’s stockholders, gaming regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Upon closing, Mr. Robbins will join Allwyn’s Board of Directors and Mr. Cohn will serve as a Special Advisor to Allwyn’s Board Chairman.

Advisors

PJT Partners is acting as financial advisor to Allwyn and KKCG, and is acting as joint placement agent on the PIPE. Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Clifford Chance are serving as legal advisors to Allwyn and KKCG.

Citi is acting as financial advisor to CRHC and joint placement agent on the PIPE. Credit Suisse is acting as Equity Capital Markets advisor to CRHC. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as legal advisor to CRHC.

Winston & Strawn LLP is serving as legal advisor to the placement agents.

Investor Webcast Information and Additional Materials

Beginning at 6:00 am EST on January 21, an investor webcast, in which management of Allwyn and CRHC will discuss the proposed transaction, will be available here as well as in the Investor Relations section of the CRHC website at www.cohnrobbins.com. An investor presentation also will be available on the CRHC and Allwyn websites.

Beginning at 6:00 am EST on January 21, an investor webcast, in which management of Allwyn and CRHC will discuss the proposed transaction, will be available here as well as in the Investor Relations section of the CRHC website at www.cohnrobbins.com. An investor presentation also will be available on the CRHC and Allwyn websites.

eSports

CAPCOM’S STREET FIGHTERTM 6 GOING TO COLLEGE THIS FALL

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College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025

 

  • CSMG will create and operate College Street FighterTM Tour in North America for the 2024-25 academic year
  • College conference Street Fighter 6 champions will punch their ticket to the national Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) & May Madness in 2025
Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) announced today during the kick-off of its Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) Texas presented by McDonald’s that it has joined forces with Capcom to launch the College Street FighterTM Tour during its 2024-25 academic year with the finalists competing at CECC Texas in 2025 throughout its May Madness event. Street FighterTM 6  will join Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Overwatch 2®, Rocket League, and VALORANT as part of the official game titles for CECC.
“We are immensely excited to welcome Capcom into the CECC family and provide a path to glory for student athletes to showcase their skills in Street Fighter 6,” said Michael Schreck, Chief Executive Officer for CSMG. “In our fourth year of building May Madness, we continue to listen to our players, coaches and fans on how to make our event more inclusive, and the partnership with Street Fighter 6 is a resounding success.”
“The Street Fighter franchise is a multi-generational and global game series, so it’s important for us to continue to grow that fandom at the collegiate level,” said Michael Larson, Head of Esports at Capcom USA. “CECC continues to set the standard for competition and community, so it’s a natural format for expansion, and we’re eager for College Street Fighter Tour competitors across North America to show off their skills and join us in Texas next year.”
”The vision for the College Street Fighter Tour is a publisher backed esports series that integrates into the existing infrastructure of The Collegiate Esports Commissioners Cup, a bracket style event series that takes place every year and has been coined May Madness. The path to championship includes invitational bids to national and regional level conferences as well as official CECC qualifiers held regionally,” said Angela Bernhard Thomas, Chief Esports Officer for CSMG’s ESPORTSU.
Every college or university from a 2-year or 4-year institution can participate through their conference or through select qualifiers. Wim Stocks will serve as the Commissioner of the College Street Fighter Tour and bring his 20 years of experience in college esports to create a dynamic and engaging format of competitive gaming.
“Since the launch of Street Fighter 6 in June of ’23, it is clear the rich legacy of Street Fighter is stronger than ever and helping lift the fighting game community to still greater heights,” said Stocks. “Having a structure now for a national collegiate competitive series, league, and events, Capcom and ESPORTSU are building a phenomenal ecosystem and mechanism for developing up and coming Street Fighter 6 competitors.”
More details on the College Street Fighter Tour will be shared later this year.
CSMG welcomes 84 teams (up from 64 in 2023) this weekend from a record breaking 19 conference champions to the largest scholastic esports festival globally. They will compete at Esports Stadium Arlington on May 3-5 for the chance to hoist one of the coveted trophies. Fans can watch the CECC Texas on ESPORTSU’s Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/esportsu.
CECC Texas 2023 was also recently awarded LAN Event of the Year during the inaugural Scholars Awards in Las Vegas, which are produced in partnership with the Esports Awards.
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Gambling in the USA

Clark County residents can bring a friend for free to next week’s Super Bingo $160,000 tournament at the Plaza Hotel & Casino, May 6-8

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Happening Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8 in the Plaza’s expansive ballroom, Super Bingo is expected to draw nearly 1,000 people from the local Las Vegas valley and across the country and Canada

 

Home to downtown Las Vegas’ only bingo room, the Plaza Hotel & Casino is offering Clark County, Nevada residents who register to play in next week’s Super Bingo tournament the opportunity to bring a friend for free.

Happening Monday, May 6 through Wednesday, May 8 in the Plaza’s expansive ballroom, Super Bingo is expected to draw nearly 1,000 people from the local Las Vegas valley and across the country and Canada for the opportunity to win big playing fun-filled games of bingo over two days, with a $50,000 super coverall both days while socializing with like-minded bingo players.

Bingo-only registration is $160 per person, and Clark County residents who register can bring a friend for free. Registration is available online at https://www.plazahotelcasino.com/bingo/super-bingo-registration/. Hotel-and-bingo packages start at $300 for a four-night stay with no resort fee.

All Super Bingo players receive one 6-on paper pack for both days, two daubers, free drinks via an open bar at all sessions, boxed lunch both days, and $10 in free slot play after the first day’s session.

The Plaza’s Bingo room offers six daily bingo sessions at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and is located on the 3rd floor. By parking on the third floor of the Plaza’s self-parking garage, guests have convenient and direct access to the Plaza’s bingo room and parking is validated for bingo players.

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Gambling in the USA

Kambi Group plc extends Mohegan partnership with on-property sports betting agreement in Pennsylvania

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Kambi Group plc (“Kambi”), the world’s trusted sports betting partner, has agreed a long-term on-property sportsbook partnership with Mohegan to provide its award-winning sportsbook at two retail locations in the state of Pennsylvania.

The partnership will see Mohegan utilise Kambi’s cutting-edge retail sportsbook offering across more than 20 kiosks in sportsbook locations at Mohegan Pennsylvania and Mohegan Pennsylvania at Lehigh Valley Race and Sportsbook.

The deal further strengthens Kambi’s relationship with Mohegan, which already utilises Kambi’s suite of sports betting products at ilani in Washington, as well as online and on-property in the Canadian province of Ontario at Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara.

Kristian Nylén, Kambi CEO and Co-founder, said: “With several successful partnerships with Mohegan already in place, we are pleased to agree this new partnership as we continue to build on our strong relationship.

“This latest deal further reinforces Kambi’s position as the sportsbook provider of choice for tribes across North America, and we look forward to our ongoing collaboration with Mohegan.”

Tony Carlucci, President & GM of Mohegan Pennsylvania, said: “Mohegan Pennsylvania is excited to continue utilising the same Kambi technology platform that existed under our Kindred partnership, which will help to create a seamless process as the Sportsbook at Mohegan Pennsylvania fully rebrands later this Spring.”

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