Industry News

Playtech Receives Takeover Proposal from JKO-led Consortium

Published

4 years ago

November 19, 2021

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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.

executive-moves

Swintt appoints Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director

Published

48 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

swintt-appoints-etienne-azzopardi-as-managing-director

Swintt has appointed Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director, confirming its former COO in the permanent role after a three-month interim period that began in January. The move follows the departure of outgoing CEO David Mann, as the company continues a wider strategic restructure.

Swintt said Azzopardi will lead product strategy, future market expansion and team development. During his interim term, the company said it released 12 titles, including three games under its Elysium Studios label.

The supplier also pointed to two partnership deals signed during the same period: NetBet adding Swintt content for Greece, and SkillOnNet taking Select, Premium and Elysium Studios games across its .com, UK and MX brands.

Looking ahead, Swintt said it plans to maintain monthly content output and pursue further growth in regulated jurisdictions. The company added that Switzerland is scheduled to be its next major market target in 2026.

Etienne Azzopardi, Managing Director at Swintt, said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed Managing Director at Swintt. Since joining the company in 2021, I’ve had a hand in everything from operational management and roadmap optimisation to market licensing and game certification, and the experience I’ve picked up in those four and a half years will prove crucial in my new role.

Having spent three months acting as Interim Managing Director, I feel very privileged to be taking the role on a permanent basis and believe this will be the catalyst for Swintt to continue its outstanding recent growth in regulated markets worldwide. With a packed product roadmap already planned for 2026, it’s going to be an amazing journey and I’m excited to continue growing the Swintt brand.”

The post Swintt appoints Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Free spins

3 Oaks Gaming adds Flexible Free Spins to its promo tools

Published

2 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

3-oaks-gaming-adds-flexible-free-spins-to-its-promo-tools

3 Oaks Gaming has added a new bonus mechanic, Flexible Free Spins, to its promotional tools offering, the company said.

The feature allocates free spins based on a total value rather than a fixed number of spins at a set stake. Players can then select how to use the award from up to 20 options, choosing between different combinations of bet size and spin count while staying within the same budget.

3 Oaks Gaming said each option is mathematically pre-calculated to remain within the defined value. When the award is issued, players see a modal pop-up with the available choices, with the default selection set to the median option.

Anna Nozdran, Acting Product Owner at 3 Oaks Gaming, said: “Flexible Free Spins deliver a fresh take on the traditional bonus setup within an online slot, providing players with greater control over their gameplay experience that suits their preferences.

“Every option is pre-calculated within the same budget, ensuring consistency for operators while offering a more dynamic experience for players. We firmly believe this new addition will complement the existing 3 Oaks Gaming portfolio and deliver greater value for our partners.”

The post 3 Oaks Gaming adds Flexible Free Spins to its promo tools appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

blask

Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand

Published

5 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

blask-data:-lottery-drives-78%-of-france’s-gambling-search-demand

New category-level analysis breaks down non-branded iGaming demand by vertical across France, Brazil, India, Italy and Switzerland.

Blask says lottery-related queries account for around 78% of total gambling search demand in France, outweighing online casino (~10%) and live dealer, betting and poker (each ~4%). The company positions the data as evidence that sports betting is not the primary driver of gambling demand in every market.

Blask said the figures come from non-branded search data and are part of a new category-level analysis feature designed to break down demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. The tool is intended to help operators compare player intent across jurisdictions, including “lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India.”

Outside France, Blask’s data shows Brazil is more betting-led, with online betting at ~52% of demand, which the company attributes largely to football. Lottery represents ~25%, fantasy sports ~11%, while casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain smaller segments.

India is described as more evenly distributed, with lottery at ~35% and live dealer at ~29%, and online casino, betting and fantasy each at roughly 10%. In Europe, Italy’s demand is reported as seasonally influenced by football, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland is presented as casino-first, with online casino at ~38%.

Across the markets analysed, Blask said two themes recur: older categories often remain the biggest, and regulation heavily shapes demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, the company said interest tends to shift into adjacent or offshore segments rather than disappearing.

The post Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.