SAZKA Group has announced four new executive hires bolstering its UK leadership team, as the Czech gambling conglomerate aims to win the Fourth National Lottery Competition. Having formally submitted its application to compete for the UK’s next 10-year National Lottery concession (starting 2023), this month SAZKA revealed that its bid team would be formally led by Sir Keith Mills, the …
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New York private equity fund Apollo Global Management has terminated its pursuit of a William Hill Plc buyout. This morning, Apollo stated that it would not disclose any formal bid for William Hill to rival the £2.9 billion cash offer made by Caesars Entertainment – a deal which has been accepted and recommended to shareholders by William Hill’s board of …
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SAZKA Group has accepted a €500 million ($590m) investment from New York private equity firm Apollo Global Management to advance its European and North American growth options. The transaction has been approved by SAZKA holding company KKCG AG, the investment fund of Czech billionaire Karel Komárek, who is the majority shareholder and Chairman of SAZKA Group. Apollo’s €500 million fund …
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Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group has officially confirmed that it has entered the UK Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) competition for the 4th licence to operate the National Lottery. Since the UKGC published its competition timetable at the start of the year, SAZKA has long been viewed as a ‘National Lottery suitor’ seeking to win the multi £ billion operating contract from …
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SAZKA Group has hired London public affairs consultancy Flint Global to serve as a ‘special advisor’ as the Czech gambling conglomerate bids to become the new operating firm of the National Lottery in 2023. This story featured in today’s SBC News 90. To view the latest round-up, watch today’s edition here. Co-founded by Sir Simon Fraser, the former Head of the …
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STS has completed the takeover of Czech betting software company Betsys, already its main provider of IT solutions for both online and retail channels in Poland. For STS, the largest bookmaker in Poland with over 47% market share, this takeover represents the next stage of its ‘dynamic development’. Having dominated the betting industry in Poland, STS expanded its business to …
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As reported by The Daily Telegraph, a six-month contract extension is set to be granted to National Lottery license holder Camelot Group as regulators look to temporarily suspend the tender for the rights to run the contest. The official decision of Camelot’s license extension is now expected to be formally announced by the UKGC within the coming weeks according to …
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Citing novel coronavirus impacts across its European network, Czech gambling and lottery conglomerate SAZKA Group saw its consolidated Q1 revenues decline by 11% to €405m (Q1 2019: €458m). In an overview of Q1 performance, the group cited trading under unprecedented circumstances, in which subsidiaries OPAP Greece, Casinos Austria and LOTTO Italia have been forced to suspend their entire retail presence …
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Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group has agreed to terms on a ‘cooperation agreement’ with Austrian state fund Österreichische Beteiligungs (ÖBAG) related to the ownership structure of Casinos Austria. ÖBAG had come under fire from Austrian political parties for not using its ‘pre-emption rights’ to challenge SAZKA’s bid to secure a majority +50% stake in Casinos Austria. Last summer, maintaining a 37% …
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Australia ASX-listed Tabcorp Holdings will renew an ambition to establish its presence within UK gambling, as it prepares to bid for the 2023 National Lottery operating contract. The Daily Telegraph reports that Tabcorp governance has held discussions with investment bank Rothschild, one of four strategic advisors forming the UKGC’s tender evaluation body. A turbulent 2019 saw Tabcorp governance criticized by …
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