Industry News
Pollard Banknote Announces Completion of the Previously Announced Acquisition of mkodo
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Pollard Banknote Limited announced that it has completed the previously announced Acquisition of mkodo Limited. Pollard signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the equity of mkodo, a leading provider of digital apps and user interfaces for the lottery and gaming industry worldwide, on December 2, 2019. The Acquisition was subject to certain standard regulatory and third-party consents which have now all been obtained.
mkodo is a global provider of licensed, omni-channel customer facing apps to the lottery, betting and gaming sectors. The company was founded in 2001 and has been recognized for its core strength to develop and deliver successful digital experiences to the target audience of their customers’ online users. mkodo’s clientele include a number of leading lotteries and gaming companies around the world, including the majority of the Canadian lotteries and some of the largest gaming operators in the UK. With offices in England (London and Newcastle), mkodo employs approximately 60 full-time highly skilled staff working exclusively on digital app deployment for the lottery and gaming sector.
“We are very excited to complete the acquisition of mkodo and move into the integration phase of combining these two strong organizations”, stated Doug Pollard, Co-Chief Executive Officer. “mkodo are world leaders in the digital user experience in the lottery and gaming industry. We look forward to leveraging their expertise to help our customers build effective, direct connections with their player base.”
The Acquisition purchase price is £7.8 million (approximately $13.5 million CDN dollars using an exchange rate of $1.73 CDN dollar per pound sterling), prior to standard working capital adjustments and potential future earn-out payments based on certain EBITDA targets. The purchase price will be funded from existing Pollard Banknote cash resources and availability under our existing senior credit facilities. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to Pollard Banknote’s net income prior to amortization of related purchase price accounting adjustments.
About Pollard Banknote:
Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, Schafer Systems and Fastrak retail merchandising solutions, and a full suite of digital offerings, ranging from game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also provides pull-tab tickets, bingo paper, and its Diamond Game and Oasis-branded electronic ticket machines to charitable and other gaming markets in North America. Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 67.5% by the Pollard family and 32.5% by public shareholders and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information please see our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.
Source: Pollard Banknote Limited
Industry News
IGT Achieves Improved ESG Score from FTSE Russell
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International Game Technology PLC announced that it has achieved an environmental, social and governance (ESG) Score of 4.3 out of 5.0 from FTSE Russell, positioning IGT in the 97th percentile within the Travel and Leisure sector of FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores. This was an improvement from IGT’s previous ESG Score of 4.2 out of 5.0 in 2023, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to enhancing ESG performance.
“As a company committed to continually elevating our sustainability practices and leadership, IGT is proud to once again achieve an improved ESG score from FTSE Russell. Through our global Sustainable Play program, we execute sustainable practices and policies throughout our company and this improved score validates our ongoing efforts,” Wendy Montgomery, SVP of Marketing, Communications and Sustainability at IGT, said.
FTSE Russell’s ESG Scores and data model allows investors to understand a company’s exposure to, and management of, ESG issues in multiple dimensions. The ESG Scores are comprises an overall rating that breaks down into underlying pillar and theme exposures. Scores built on over 300 individual indicator assessments are applied to each company’s unique circumstances. The ESG Scores align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all of which are reflected in FTSE Russell’s ESG framework.
The post IGT Achieves Improved ESG Score from FTSE Russell appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
Super Group Appoints Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors
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Super Group has appointed Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors, effective from February 18, 2025.
Mr. Wolman is the Chief Executive Officer of a global finance company and has worked closely with the Super Group executive team for over two decades.
Neal Menashe, Chief Executive Officer of Super Group, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Merrick to the board. His deep understanding of the gaming industry, alongside his wide range of experience in executive roles, will be of great value as we continue to pursue our global growth strategy and build on our successes to date.”
This appointment brings the total directors on Super Group’s board to nine, including five independent directors.
The post Super Group Appoints Merrick Wolman to its Board of Directors appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024
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Kindred Group has reported decline in its share of revenue from high-risk players for the fourth quarter 2024 at 2.7% (Q3 2024 3.2%). The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions showed an improvement at 92.2% (compared to 87.3% in Q3 2024). This positive trend is mainly the result of stricter measures across key markets, improved internal processes, as well as the exit from non-locally licensed markets as part of to the acquisition by La Française des Jeux (FDJ) in October 2024. This shift reflects Kindred’s broader commitment to maintaining high regulatory standards and fostering safer gambling practices.
“It is pleasing to see the decline in high-risk revenue during the fourth quarter of last year. We know that the share fluctuates between quarters, but the long-term trend is showing a steady decline. We remain dedicated and focused on improving our systems and processes to ensure we offer our customers a safe and fun experience,” Esther Scheepers, Head of Responsible Gambling at Kindred Group, said.
“The increased focus on responsible gambling by regulators and the industry is welcomed. From our end, we see that by combining our expertise with emerging technologies, we can further enhance detection capabilities. We are currently working on our existing detection system in combination with an additional system that will enable us to integrate more robust compliance features and optimize our overall approach to safer gambling. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to expand our research efforts, aiming to support data-driven discussions and looking at emerging trends in consumer protection. All these aspects are important to protect the integrity of the licence model and maintain a level playing field,” Esther Scheepers added.
The post Kindred Reports Decline in Revenue from High-risk Players for Q4 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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