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Playtech Receives Takeover Proposal from JKO-led Consortium

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The bidding war for Playtech has intensified as the company confirmed on Thursday that it has received a preliminary inquiry from JKO Play Limited, which is seeking access to certain due diligence information to explore the terms of the offer.

“Consistent with its fiduciary duties, and in accordance with Rule 21.3 of the Code, the Board further confirms that JKO has been provided with access to due diligence information for this purpose,” Playtech stated.

“Discussions with JKO are at an early stage and ongoing. As such, there can be no certainty that JKO’s approach will result in an offer for the Company, nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made.”

JKO’s interest came after Playtech received a £2.7 billion takeover bid from Australian gambling equipment maker, Aristocrat Leisure. Gopher Investments, which is a Playtech shareholder and is purchasing Finalto, also made a bid for the gaming software company.

JKO is controlled by former Formula One team-owner Eddie Jordan and Keith O’Loughlin, a former executive at U.S. slot machine maker Scientific Games. The offer will be made by a JKO-led consortium called JKO Play.

Despite the competitive bids, Playtech and Aristocrat have already agreed to the terms and the fate of the deal will be decided by shareholders voting on January 12.

“Aristocrat believes that the terms of the recommended acquisition and the compelling strategic rationale provides certainty for Playtech shareholders with no contingent value or other complicated structures for shareholders to realize value. Aristocrat also believes that the combined group will provide greater opportunities to Playtech employees,” Aristocrat said in a statement after JKO’s interest in Playtech.

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RAW iGaming unveils RAW Riches: A site-wide progressive jackpot overlay built for scale

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RAW iGaming announces today the launch of RAW Riches, a site-wide progressive jackpot overlay designed to deliver jackpot moments without adding operational complexity.

Launching as part of the RAWVerse ecosystem, RAW Riches introduces a new approach to jackpots, prioritising seamless integration, player engagement, and operator control.

A fully embedded experience

RAW Riches introduces a multi-tier progressive jackpot layer deployable across an operator’s entire portfolio, regardless of game supplier. Unlike traditional jackpot mechanics that require separate integrations or fragmented systems, RAW Riches operates as a fully embedded experience within the operator’s brand, creating a single, unified jackpot.

Tom Wood, CEO of RAW iGaming, said: “The industry built jackpots in silos. We built one that connects everything.

“RAW Riches gives operators a site-wide jackpot running across every entity and every game supplier, configured to their exact needs and brand, all from a single solution.

“We pride ourselves on producing the industry’s most distinctive and disruptive game concepts and RAW Riches is no different.

“This is the kind of product that changes how operators think about jackpots entirely.”

A seamless player experience

Players opt in and continue playing as normal. When triggered, the jackpot experience takes over instantly. Every trigger results in a win, with no losing outcomes, before the player is returned to their original game to continue playing.

Scaleable without complexity

RAW Riches solves one of the industry’s most persistent operational challenges in scaling jackpots across multiple providers, brands, and markets. Key features include:

 

  • Single deployment across all games and brands

  • Full operator control over jackpot configuration and branding

  • Multiple delivery options, including bespoke branded game builds

  • Seamless deployment within any existing RAW integration or delivery partner

 

RAW Riches is available today across regulated markets in Europe.

The post RAW iGaming unveils RAW Riches: A site-wide progressive jackpot overlay built for scale appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Sportradar Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

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Sportradar Group has announced the financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Carsten Koerl, CEO of Sportradar Group, said: “Sportradar’s first quarter growth reflects our premier position as the scaled leader in the expanding global sports data ecosystem. We continue to deepen our relationships across our expansive distribution network, providing additional content, products and services to our sportsbook, media and technology clients. Our recently acquired portfolio of IMG content has further bolstered our diverse offering and is resonating with customers worldwide while also expanding our margins as we increasingly leverage our existing infrastructure. Maximizing the opportunities our market leadership position and long-standing relationships remains our priority as we also begin to capitalize on new avenues of growth, including prediction markets and iGaming. Driving value for our partners and clients has always been our focus and continuing to do so should build additional shareholder value in the months and years ahead. Our confidence in our trajectory is demonstrated by the increased buyback activity this past quarter as well as the enhanced open market share repurchase program announced today.”

Total revenue for the first quarter was €347 million, up €35 million, or 11% year-over-year, driven by 15% growth in Betting Technology & Solutions, partially offset by a 4% decline in Sports Content, Technology & Services.

Betting Technology & Solutions revenues of €288 million were up 15% year-over-year primarily driven by a 20% increase in Betting & Gaming Content due to contributions related to the acquisition of IMG ARENA, uptake of the Company’s content and products, as well as U.S. market growth, partially offset by the significant impact of foreign currency movements. Managed Betting Services revenues declined 2%, as higher turnover in the Managed Trading Services business was offset by unfavourable sporting outcomes during the quarter.

Sports Content, Technology & Services revenues of €59 million declined 4% year-over-year primarily driven by a 9% decline in Marketing & Media Services, due primarily to a reduction in marketing campaigns from certain existing customers during the quarter, partially offset by increased revenue from Integrity Services.

The Company generated strong revenue growth globally with Rest of World up 14% and the US up 4%. Foreign currency movements, particularly due to the U.S. dollar relative to the Euro, continue to negatively impact earnings. As a percentage of total Company revenues, US revenue represented 26% of total Company revenue in the first quarter as compared to 28% in the prior year quarter.

Loss for the period was €6 million, down €31 million, compared to a profit of €24 million in the same quarter a year ago, as the Company’s strong operating results were more than offset primarily by a foreign currency loss of €9 million versus a gain of €28 million in the same period a year ago, due principally to unrealised currency fluctuations mainly associated with U.S. dollar-denominated sports rights. The first quarter of 2026 also included higher depreciation and amortization and finance costs primarily related to the acquisition of IMG ARENA, partially offset by lower income taxes.

Adjusted EBITDA

First quarter Adjusted EBITDA was €66 million, up €7 million, or 12% compared to €59 million in the same quarter in 2025. The increase was largely driven by the 11% revenue growth, primarily offset by the inclusion of costs related to IMG ARENA, most notably sport rights.

Business Highlights

Announced key addition to Sportradar’s leadership team, naming Sameer Deen as Chief Operating Officer, commencing May 18, 2026.

Launched Playradar, a dedicated iGaming brand delivering hybrid sports-casino content to global operators across slots, table games, virtual sports, arcade and crash games, operating exclusively in regulated markets.

Expanded the Company’s multi-year partnership with Hard Rock Bet, adding official PGA TOUR and UFC data and enhanced in-play betting capabilities including 3D shot tracking and micro markets.

Extended and expanded the Company’s integrity services agreement with FIFA for an additional five years through 2031, providing AI-driven bet-monitoring, intelligence and investigation support, and risk assessment services across FIFA’s 211 member associations and competitions worldwide.

Announced a multi-year partnership with the Liga Nacional de Basquete for worldwide rights for official data as well as audiovisual betting, completing Sportradar’s presence across Brazil’s three most popular sports.

The post Sportradar Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Microgaming rolls out Link & Merge mechanic with three-slot launch on 29 April

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Microgaming is launching a new slot mechanic, Link & Merge, on 29 April via the simultaneous release of three titles: Almighty Zeus Wilds Link&Merge, Lucky Twins Wilds Link&Merge and 123 Soccer Link&Merge.

The Link&Merge feature is positioned as a variation on Hold & Spin-style gameplay. When five or more adjacent Coin symbols land, they link and merge into a single higher-value symbol. The merge then triggers one of three bonus outcomes: Jackpot, Multiply or Spread, with the potential for additional Coin symbols to land and create further merges.

Microgaming is pairing the mechanic with three themes at launch: Almighty Zeus Wilds Link&Merge, Lucky Twins Wilds Link&Merge and 123 Soccer Link&Merge. The supplier said each title uses the Link&Merge bonus within a shared core framework that includes cluster wins, Wild Meter progression, Free Spins and Multiplier Trail functionality.

A Microgaming spokesperson said: “Link&Merge gives us a mechanic with real forward momentum. Each merge has the potential to change the shape of the feature, open up new opportunities and keep the round moving in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. By launching three games around it simultaneously, we are able to give the mechanic a much bigger stage from day one and show the range it can bring to the Microgaming portfolio.”

The post Microgaming rolls out Link & Merge mechanic with three-slot launch on 29 April appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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