Industry News
Better Collective Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Playmaker Capital
Better Collective has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Toronto-based Playmaker Capital, a leading digital sports media group that owns and operates a number of strong sports media brands in the US, Canada, and across South America. Upon closing of this transformational transaction, Better Collective is expected to become the market leader in South America with the largest audience across its sports media brands and will also strengthen its leading position in North America.
Acquisition Highlights
- Better Collectiveâs second largest acquisition with a total price consideration of 176 mEUR
- Transformational acquisition to take market leadership in South America and enhance North American market leadership
- Acquiring strong digital sports media brands with a combined monthly audience of more than 200 million visits from across the Americas
- Experienced leadership team to stay onboard to help drive the business forward
- Clear path to synergies post integration bringing EV/EBITDA of 2026e to below 5x, implying an EBITDA margin in line with Better Collectiveâs publishing business of +40%. Positive synergistic effects are expected to expand further in the years thereafter
- The transaction will be funded by 65% Better Collective shares (partly by the transfer of 1,387,580 treasury shares and up to 1,713,300 newly issued shares) and 35% cash, corresponding to a dilution of approximately 3.1%. Better Collective shares will be settled at 270.48 SEK/share
- Upon closing of the transaction Better Collective will revisit its long-term financial targets for the period 2023-2027.
Playmaker Capital is a leading digital sports media group operating a strong portfolio of sports media brands across the Americas. Following the closing of the transaction, Playmaker Capital will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Better Collective. Once integrated, Better Collective expects to significantly ramp up its media capabilities and expand its audiences across its sports media portfolio.
Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & CEO of Better Collective, said: âAcquiring Playmaker Capital is in many ways transformational for Better Collective and will be an important milestone in our journey towards becoming the leading digital sports media group. Upon closing of the acquisition, we will significantly grow our audience and reach a larger segment of generalist sports fans. For years, Playmaker Capital has built incredibly strong sports media brands and excited sports fans across the Americas with high-quality sports content, cultivating a loyal and dedicated following. The skilled team behind Playmaker Capital brings a unique set of media competencies that will boost our organization. Saying that I am excited to welcome the new team to the Better Collective group would be an understatement.â
Jordan Gnat, Co-founder & CEO of Playmaker Capital, said: âOver the past 12 months I have been talking a lot about a transformational deal for Playmaker and its shareholders that will take this company to the next level. Todayâs announcement does exactly that and I could not be more excited for the Playmaker family to join the Better Collective family. Their success is undeniable and their vision to become the leading digital sports media group aligns with us exactly. The cultures of our companies are very similar and I see the integration and synergies to be incredibly accretive to shareholders.â
The closing of the transaction is subject to approval by the shareholders of Playmaker Capital, court approval, applicable regulatory approvals and certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature. The transaction is expected to close before the end of Q1 of 2024, whereafter Playmaker Capital will be consolidated into the Better Collective group.
Industry News
Scientific Games Announces Mike Cardell as Senior Vice President, Americas Systems
Scientific Games announces the appointment of Mike Cardell as the companyâs Senior Vice President of Americas Systems. As the industryâs fastest-growing lottery systems supplier globally, Cardellâs appointment is another example of the companyâs continued investments in people and products to innovate for its customers.
Mike Cardell.jpgCardell is an accomplished business technology leader with more than 17 years of experience and a proven track record in innovating technology-based products and services, including enterprise and consumer-facing applications, transaction processing platforms, large-scale IT conversions, strategic growth and impactful results.
He will lead all aspects of the companyâs Americas lottery system business, driving incremental revenue and expanding product offerings while nurturing existing client relationships to grow lottery profits responsibly. Cardell will also be executing product and business development strategies as well as overseeing central and regional operations, service and contract management.
John Schulz, President, Americas & Global Instant Products, said, âWith a keen understanding of developing strategies for sustainable growth, Mike will be instrumental in growing our systems business and ensuring innovation and operational excellence in our existing system operations. His strategic mindset and leadership experience make him a valuable addition to Scientific Games. We are excited to welcome him to our team.â
Before joining Scientific Games, Cardell spent more than 11 years at Fiserv where he most recently served as the global fintech and payments companyâs Vice President and General Manager of Next Gen Solutions: Signature and Cloud Solutions. In this role, he managed the modernization of legacy enterprise account processing software solutions and cloud transformation solutions for large financial institutions and financial technology companies. He also spent five years managing business development and marketing for Hewlett-Packard.
Cardell holds a B.A. in Public Relations from Texas Tech University.
Scientific Games is a trusted partner to 150 lotteries in 50 countries around the globe, providing games, technologies, analytics and services that responsibly drive maximum returns to their beneficiary programs.
Industry News
Navajo Gaming Honors 186 Team Members for Employee Milestones
This month The Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise (Navajo Gaming) honored 186 of its total 1200 team members for reaching significant employment milestones including 15, 10, and 5 years of service for the enterprise. The event at Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort in Flagstaff, Ariz. showcased the impact and journey of each hard-working team member, with a special highlight for 29 employees who have served for 15 years.
Less than 10 years after Navajo Gaming was created by the Navajo Nation and charged with the mission of creating jobs, increasing revenues, and stimulating incremental economic development within the Navajo Nation, the gaming enterprise created over 7425 direct, indirect and induced jobs with an overall economic output of over a billion dollars.
âNavajo Gaming employs 1200 people, 85 percent of whom are Navajo citizens. The award-winning AAAâs coveted Four Diamond Twin Arrows Casino Resort shares Navajo Culture through architectural nuances and local artists. Each of the property dining eateries feature âNavajo Beef,â and traditional cuisine of the Navajo people, and our invitation to stay, play and relax at one of our four properties or Travel Center is an open welcome to the Navajo Nationâs beautiful scenic transformation,â Matthew Shunkamolah, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Navajo Gaming, said.
Team members recognized for 15 years of services have worked their way up to a wide variety of position within the enterprise from General Manager and Executive Director of Slots, to Director of Security, Food and Beverage Supervisor and Executive Director of Government Affairs.
Industry News
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) Announces 2024 International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C.
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 41st International Gaming Summit Monday, May 27 through Thursday, May 30, 2024 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.
As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing gaming.
âWe are looking forward to holding this yearâs 41st Annual International Gaming Summit in Washington, D.C., and are pleased to announce an agenda that includes a specific focus on some of the key sports betting issues the rapidly expanding US market is facing. As part of this focus, we will bring together representatives from global sports betting operators, regulatory agencies, professional sports leagues and other experts to discuss how the industryâs sports betting stakeholders can better work together to ensure a sustainable, responsible sports betting environment that is built on best practices lessons learned from other markets,â John Stawyskyj, President of IAGA, said.
âBeyond our sports betting focus, our diverse agenda includes discussions on other issues of importance including the growing impact of fraud and cyber breaches on regulated operators, a look into the federal and state lobbying process, an update on whatâs happening in other gaming markets outside North America, a deep dive into new technologies and how they might impact gaming and more. I look forward to welcoming our delegates to Washington and participating with them in lively discussions about these critical issues and more,â Stawyskyj added.
-
Gambling in the USA4 days ago
INFRONT BETTOR EXPANDS NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RUSH STREET INTERACTIVE AGREEMENT
-
Latest News2 days ago
RG24seven Virtual Training Collaborates with Gambling Policy Expert Brianne Doura-Schawohl to Offer New Responsible Gaming Courses
-
Latest News6 days ago
South African Online Casino Player Strikes Gold with R189,000 Win at Tusk Casino
-
Latest News3 days ago
The International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA) and CGS Events sign Cooperation Agreement to enrich future conferences
-
Compliance Updates5 days ago
Spinomenal is now a registered provider in Peru
-
Canada6 days ago
Soft2Bet strengthens integrity monitoring with IBIA membership in Ontario
-
Canada3 days ago
IBIA and PFA Canada join forces to provide sports integrity education to the Canadian Premier League
-
Gambling in the USA4 days ago
EveryMatrix live on DraftKings in the US with Supremeland Gaming