Industry News

Playtika Acquires 80% Stake in Reworks

Published

3 years ago

September 6, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Playtika Holding Corp. has acquired 80% stake in Reworks Oy, maker of hit Design Entertainment app Redecor, for $400 million in cash.

In 18 months since its launch, Redecor has grown to become the #2 Design Entertainment app based on in-app purchase revenue. Playtika, a leader in mobile gaming, live-ops and technology, will leverage its expertise to further grow Redecor into a leading destination for Design enthusiasts for years to come.

In-app purchase revenue in the Design Entertainment category has grown at a 33% compounded annual growth rate since 2019, based on App Annie. Home Décor comprises 12% of all U.S. e-commerce sales, is one of the most popular categories on Pinterest, and returns more than 100 million Home Décor-related Instagram posts. Home Décor appeals to a similar demographic to that of Playtika’s existing 36 million monthly active users.

“As the fragmented and historically offline market of Home Décor continues to expand onto digital channels, Reworks offers us a compelling opportunity to establish a leading presence in a category that clearly commands a lot of interest and will potentially serve as a foundation to enter further areas beyond traditional gaming. Redecor provides amazing entertainment to design enthusiasts and we intend to utilize our expertise in mobile gaming, live-ops and technology to take it to new heights. Reworks’ talented team will enable us to build new apps in-house to drive future organic growth across the broader digital entertainment and app ecosystems. We are excited to welcome Reworks to the Playtika family,” Robert Antokol, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman of Playtika, said.

“In Redecor, we set out to build a leading entertainment product for the design community and are thrilled to be able to accelerate its growth with a partner like Playtika. Our strong creative capabilities complement Playtika’s expertise in technology and data, a match we think will be very beneficial to our future growth,” Ilkka Teppo, Co-Founder and CEO of Reworks, said.

Reworks, based in Helsinki, will further bolster Playtika’s existing presence in the city, a leading mobile app and game hub. “Adding such a creative team with a history of making successful mobile apps and entertainment products will help us continue to attract the strongest talent in the Nordic region who want to work on amazing mobile experiences,” Antokol said.

Playtika will purchase the remaining 20% of Reworks for up to $200 million, based on 2022 Company EBITDA (as defined in the definitive acquisition agreement). In the event the agreed-upon 2022 Company EBITDA target is not exceeded, the outstanding 20% will transfer to Playtika for $1.

The acquisition is expected to contribute approximately $30 million in revenue to Playtika’s 2021 revenue. This transaction marks Playtika’s 8th acquisition of a mobile game or IP since its founding in 2010. Following this transaction, Playtika remains well-positioned to continue pursuing its M&A strategy, with approximately $1.4 billion in available liquidity for future deals.

Industry News

CogniPlay Launches New Social Casino Platform

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

Niji Narayan

cogniplay-launches-new-social-casino-platform

Reading Time: 2 minutes

CogniPlay has launched its new software product, which aims to provide a robust online sweepstakes or social gaming platform to its clients. The system is designed to be modular, allowing customers to tailor their brand and offering to what they believe will give them optimal performance.

The CogniPlay system has several key integrations which help to deliver the product, including games integrations with the likes of Pragmatic Play, BetSoft, Mascot Gaming and many more, giving them 100s of games for their clients. There are other integration options for their customers to pick from too, including affiliate programme software, CRM platforms and associated products, KYC, ID verification, Geo-IP systems, Gamification and customer support.

They also have a very long and extensive development pipeline which will see the product offering develop at pace, giving clients an extensive list of options and USPs, and of course giving players a great user experience as a result.

As well as the platform itself the CogniPlay team, due to their considerable experience, also offer a whole host of managed services, with almost a menu that clients can choose from to fill any gaps in their own skillsets or experience.

CogniPlay’s Chief Executive Officer Allan Turner said: “We are very proud to take the CogniPlay product to market and are excited that people who want to start a new social or sweeps brand can get in touch with us to see what we can do for them, or in fact established brands that are unhappy with their existing provider.

“Our underlying principles are that we want to provide the most flexible platform in the space, to enable our clients to create the product they want to have, not for us to dictate the product to them. The two other main areas of focus are that we want to be the most future-proof product on the market with plans for any regulatory or legal changes that may arise in the future, and that we have all the right safeguards in place to ensure that we look after both our clients and players with our responsible gaming setup. This of course means having the right tech and processes in the key areas of KYC, Geo-IP tech, anti-money laundering, fraud, risk assessment and ID verification.”

The post CogniPlay Launches New Social Casino Platform appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Hard Rock International

The Mirage Hotel & Casino to Begin Transformation into Hard Rock Las Vegas on July 17, 2024

Published

2 days ago

May 17, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

the-mirage-hotel-&-casino-to-begin-transformation-into-hard-rock-las-vegas-on-july-17,-2024

Hard Rock International (HRI) announced its plans to cease operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino as of July 17, 2024, to begin the transformation of the property into the highly anticipated Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas (HRHCLV).

Hard Rock will develop a new integrated resort featuring a nearly 700 ft. guitar-shaped hotel towering prominently in the center of the famous Las Vegas Strip.

“We’d like to thank the Las Vegas community and team members for warmly welcoming Hard Rock after enjoying 34 years at The Mirage. We’d also like to thank the Unions, community leaders, local and state government organizations and the Gaming Commission for their support and fair negotiations over the past year. Also, we are grateful to MGM for assisting with our transition,” Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, said.

“While we pause for the incredible transformation of this iconic property, I’d like to thank all team members at The Mirage for their incredible commitment and helping us provide memorable experiences for our guests. We are planning to host collaborative hiring events with other employers in the Las Vegas community over the coming months. Connecting the thousands of talented Mirage team members who provide outstanding service with new employment opportunities is a top priority,” Joe Lupo, President of The Mirage, said.

HRHCLV is expected to double the current number of jobs at The Mirage for the Las Vegas community, while the renovation of the property will generate over 2500 construction jobs. Hard Rock will pay approximately $80 million in severance packages for eligible union and non-union employees remaining with the property through cessation of operations.

Industry News

IGT Reports First Quarter 2024 Results

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

International Game Technology PLC has reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024.

“Innovative game, hardware, and systems solutions drove better-than-expected Global Lottery and Gaming & Digital performance in the first quarter. As a result, we are upgrading our full-year 2024 revenue and profit goals, which reflect broad-based momentum across key performance indicators in the balance of the year. We continue to make progress on separating Global Lottery from Gaming & Digital and preparing for the proposed transaction with Everi,” Vince Sadusky, CEO of IGT, said.

Key Highlights:

Announced Gaming & Digital business to be spun off and combined with Everi Holdings Inc.; transaction expected to close in late 2024/early 2025
Recognised with top honours at ICE London 2024 awards programmes including “Lottery Product of the Year” and “Best Diversity and Inclusion Employer”
Received a supply contract extension from the UK National Lottery
Executed licensing agreement with the Maryland Lottery for IGT’s patented Cash Pop draw-based game
Mystery of the Lamp named “Top Performing New Premium Game” at 2024 EKG Slot Awards Show
Awarded contract to provide PeakDual 27 video lottery terminals across Quebec
Launched iGaming content in Rhode Island
Achieved AAA MSCI ESG rating, the highest rating possible, and earned a gold medal sustainability rating from EcoVadis.

“We delivered a record organic profit performance in the first quarter, if we exclude Separation & divestiture costs. The Company is operating from a position of strength with historically low net debt leverage, ample liquidity, and manageable near-term debt maturities,” Max Chiara, CFO of IGT, said.

The post IGT Reports First Quarter 2024 Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.