Industry News

NeoGames makes bid to acquire Aspire Global for SEK 111 per share

Published

4 years ago

January 18, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

NeoGames, the global leader of iLottery solutions and services, has made a bid to acquire Aspire Global, the leading supplier of gaming solutions, for SEK 111 per share.

On 17 January 2022, a public tender offer was made by NeoGames S.A to the shareholders of Aspire Global to tender all their shares in the Company to NeoGames for a consideration consisting of a combination of cash and newly issued shares in NeoGames . Aspire Global’s main shareholders, who in aggregate own shares corresponding to 66.96% of all shares and votes in Aspire Global, have entered into irrevocable undertakings that enable the other shareholders in Aspire Global to tender their shares to NeoGames and receive 100 percent cash consideration corresponding to SEK 111.00 per share tendered in Aspire Global representing a premium of 41% compared to today’s closing price of SEK 78.5 for Aspire Global’s share.

This value of the company is between 500-600 million US Dollars.

For the shareholders who elect to receive 100 percent of the consideration in cash, the Last Twelve Month (LTM) EBITDA multiple) would be 16.8x which compares very favorably to the comparable multiples in the space.

For those shareholders electing to take the mix of equity and cash on a 50:50 basis, the EV/EBITDA multiple will be 13.6x due to the proposed share price ratio which, whilst a lower multiple, also compares well to industry comparables. The latter option will be subject to change based on the movement of NeoGames share price pre closing of the Offer.

The synergies between the companies expend more the control in the value chain of gaming and lottery and will allow the group to become a true online leader in regulated markets.

NeoGames will gain access to Aspire Global proprietary products and world leader in the managed services offering, also to big volumes in regulated markets such as Europe, Latin America and Africa.

Aspire Global will be able to accelerate its US entry plans through the existing presence of NeoGames.

Aspire Global will continue to act independently and as an iGaming division in the whole group.

All the employees are expected to continue as usual in both Aspire Global group and NeoGames.

Tsachi Maimon will remain as the CEO of Aspire Global group and will be appointed to be the president of the NeoGames group.

Tsachi Maimon, CEO Aspire Global:

“Aspire Global is a high quality, leading supplier with a one stop shop in the regulated gaming industry. Following the acquisition of Btobet, Pariplay, the recent investment in bingo and the divestment of the B2C division and now this potential merger with NeoGames, we will create a leading global supplier for the entirety of the iGaming and iLottery space overnight. I strongly believe that the two companies are well matched with a solid cultural connection forged over many years of working together which will facilitate meaningful revenue synergies. The deal will allow us to leverage NeoGames’ presence in the U.S. to grow even further in this market whilst continuing to roll out new products and support the growth of our regulated clients in Europe, Latin America, Africa and North America. Setting aside the value creation from a financial perspective, both NeoGames and Aspire Global will be able to offer a state-of-the-art enhanced gaming solution as well as supporting growth for existing and new clients. This is an exciting new chapter for my management and employees as we look to lead the space with high quality and innovative products”

Moti Malul, CEO NeoGames:
“This is a highly strategic and transformational transaction for NeoGames that represents perhaps one of the more important milestones for us as a company. We believe that the combination of our two very successful companies will create a leading global provider across all forms of online lottery, sports betting and gaming that would have significant global active presence in many key markets. As a pure-play iLottery provider, we have experienced first-hand the strong convergence and expansion trend of lotteries in many countries globally into online gaming verticals and we believe that with this transaction we will become an even better strategic partner to our existing and future customers. We are excited to also be able to become a leading global provider to regulated gaming operators through the vast experience and product set that Aspire Global brings to our combined entity, together with profound operational experience which is a crucial success factor. The strong ties and cultural fit between the companies, where significant parts of our management teams have worked together and cooperated along the years, provides a great platform for future collaboration and success”

Champions League

Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action

Published

7 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

flashscore-reveals-data-behind-thrilling-night-of-champions-league-action

New data from Flashscore, the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content, reveals that almost 34,000,000 users tuned in yesterday for one of the most dramatic nights in UEFA Champions League history.

The intensity of the matches generated a massive wave of digital engagement, with 18 matches all taking place at the same time on the final day of the league format.

From the football-mad streets of Brazil to the frozen research stations of Antarctica, fans across 239 countries and territories checked their phones as Benfica’s goalkeeper scored a 98th-minute header and Real Madrid crashed into the playoffs.

Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “Yesterday wasn’t just a matchday; it was a global event and we were well prepared. When game-changing moments decide matches – from a goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to last-minute winners across Europe – the world doesn’t just watch, it reacts. Flashscore sent out over 700 million push notifications to our users as drama unfolded across the continent.

“Our data shows unprecedented engagement from all over the world, and I am glad we could bring these extraordinary moments to fans from Brazil to Antarctica.”

TOP MATCHES ranked by number of users

The drama at the Estádio da Luz dominated the global conversation, with nearly 10 million users following the Benfica-Madrid clash alone.

1 Benfica vs. Real Madrid (9,7M users): The undisputed main event. Fans flocked to the match detail as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a historic 98th-minute header to seal a 4-2 win, sending Real Madrid to the playoffs.

2 Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen (8,3M users): Massive interest as Barcelona thrashed the Danes 4-1 to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.

3 Napoli vs. Chelsea (5,9M users): A rollercoaster in Naples. Chelsea fought back to win 3-2, eliminating Napoli despite a stunning “Maradona-esque” pirouette goal from Antonio Vergara.

TOP PLAYERS ranked by number of users

1. Jorginho (995K users): The Kairat Almaty midfielder trended globally after scoring a penalty against his former club, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium—a major talking point that drove nearly 1 million profile views.

2. Anatoliy Trubin (725K users): The unlikeliest hero. The Benfica goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid sent his profile traffic into the stratosphere.

3. Andreas Schjelderup (368K users): The 21-year-old Norwegian announced himself to the world with a brace against Real Madrid.

4. Kylian Mbappé (317K users): Even in defeat, the superstar commanded attention and ranked 4th. He scored twice for Madrid, but his team’s collapse was the bigger story.

TOP TEAMS ranking by users:

1. Real Madrid (1,6M users): The “Kings of Europe” falling into the playoff round after a chaotic 4-2 loss drove massive traffic.

2. Benfica (1,1M users): The victors of the night. Their miraculous comeback and “goalkeeper goal” made them the second most-clicked team worldwide.

3. Barcelona (930K users): Solid interest as they cruised to victory and the next round.

Flashscore Global Reach

While Brazil was the single most active nation, the traffic was evenly split across continents: In Europe the huge engagement was driven by fans in Italy, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Africa’s continent showed massive interest, led by Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Football fever also swept across Asia, with significant user numbers from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The obsession reached the most remote corners of the Earth. Flashscore recorded active users from Antarctica and Christmas Island, proving that even in the most isolated locations, fans refused to miss the drama.

The post Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Hunter Hunstock

Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere

Published

11 hours ago

January 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Playersoft has announced Remote Enrollment, a progressive web app that allows casino teams to enroll guests from virtually any location using any mobile hardware. By leveraging a cloud-driven architecture, Remote Enrollment supports true off-site capability for prospecting and remote sign-up.

Why it matters

Traditional enrollment workflows often depend on specific hardware, on-property connectivity, or fixed stations that can create bottlenecks and limit enrollment opportunities outside the property. Remote Enrollment removes those constraints with a hardware-agnostic progressive web app and cloud-driven architecture—while retaining the consistent, intuitive user experience Playersoft is known for.

What Remote Enrollment delivers

• A progressive web app that runs on virtually any mobile hardware—no special devices required.

• Cloud-driven operations to support off-site prospecting and remote signups.

• A dedicated prospecting feature that enables customer communication and information capture without creating accounts or introducing incomplete data into the player system.

• Conversion tracking from prospect to enrolled player to support measurable outreach efforts.

• Configurable security and policy controls aligned to property requirements.

• Integration with Playersoft ONE for operational oversight and reporting.

“Remote Enrollment is about making it easy for our clients to capture new players wherever the opportunity arises—without sacrificing control, data quality, or usability,” said Hunter Hunstock, President at Playersoft.

Availability:

Remote Enrollment is available now as part of the Playersoft ONE ecosystem.

The post Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

casino industry

Poll: Mississippians Deliver Resounding “No” to Mobile Sports Betting and iGaming

Published

11 hours ago

January 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

poll:-mississippians-deliver-resounding-“no”-to-mobile-sports-betting-and-igaming

As Mississippi lawmakers again debate legislation that would expand gambling beyond existing casino properties, new statewide polling and a formal letter from the casino industry deliver a unified message to state leaders: Mississippi voters and casino operators alike oppose the legalization of Online Sports Betting (OSB) and iGaming.

Polling commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) in January finds broad resistance to online gambling expansion among Mississippi voters. Nearly three-quarters of voters (74.2%) oppose legalizing mobile sports betting after learning it would allow wagering statewide on smartphones and other devices, an increase from an already negative baseline once voters understand how the proposal would work. Opposition to iGaming is even stronger, rising from 74.1% at baseline to 80.8% after voters learn it would allow 24/7 remote access to casino-style games.

That opposition is echoed in a formal letter issued to state leadership by a coalition of prominent Mississippi casino operators, joined by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Pearl River Resorts. In the January 21 letter, the coalition warns that legalizing OSB and iGaming would undermine the multi-billion-dollar capital investments made by Mississippi’s traditional gaming industry since 1992 and threaten long-term local jobs.

“This data proves that online gambling is a product Mississippi simply does not want. When residents envision what this policy means in practice—the ‘casino in your pocket’ at all hours—they move decisively away from legalization,” said Oliver Barie, Government Relations Director for the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG).

Polling by the Bradley Research Group for NAAiG also shows majority opposition to both proposals across every congressional district and major demographic group, before and after voters receive additional information.

Economic Siphoning and Job Protection

In their letter, the casino coalition highlighted a significant divide within the gaming industry itself. Operators opposing expansion have a substantially greater long-term stake in Mississippi, owning an average of 55% of their total properties in the state, compared with just 22% for operators supporting online expansion.

The coalition identified several key economic risks associated with legalizing OSB and iGaming:

• Revenue Loss: Unlike retail casinos, where revenue stays in-state, OSB allows out-of-state operators to cover corporate overhead first, leaving only minimal fees for in-state partners.

• Job Cannibalization: “In-play” mobile betting threatens to reduce physical foot traffic, leading to weakened casino operations and a reduction in the hospitality workforce.

• Minimal State Benefit: Estimated incremental tax revenue is projected at only $11 million—a figure the coalition deems “not a material amount” against a $7 billion state budget.

A Public Health Crisis

Coalition members also raised serious public health concerns, citing a 67% increase in gambling addiction-related search interest in states with legalized online sports betting and a 30% rise in bankruptcies among low-savings households. Research indicates legalization has led to a 372% increase in irresponsible gambling behavior.

“The people of Mississippi are speaking clearly: they value their communities, their local jobs, and their families more than the minimal tax revenue promised by out-of-state tech companies,” the coalition said.

Letter Signatories

The letter opposing online gambling expansion was signed by representatives from:

Churchill Downs (Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, River Walk Casino Hotel)

Foundation Gaming & Entertainment (Fitz Casino Hotel, WaterView Casino Hotel)

Full House Resorts (Silver Slipper Casino Hotel)

Gulfside Casino Partnership (Island View Casino Resort)

Palace Casino Resort

Pearl River Resorts (Golden Moon Hotel and Casino)

Saratoga Gaming (Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel)

Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel.

The post Poll: Mississippians Deliver Resounding “No” to Mobile Sports Betting and iGaming appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.