Central Europe
Sale of WestSpiel Group initiated
• EU-wide procurement procedure started on 18th December 2020
• Prospective buyers can apply now
On 18th December 2020, a Europe-wide tender procedure for the sale of the shares in the WestSpiel Group was launched by Warth & Klein Grant Thornton AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft as the lead transaction advisor. As a state-licensed casino operator, WestSpiel Group currently has 900 employees and runs four casino locations in Aachen, Bad Oeynhausen, Dortmund-Hohensyburg and Duisburg, holding the exclusive casino monopoly in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. WestSpiel Group, consisting of several legal entities, will be sold in its entirety. The shares in the WestSpiel Group are currently held by NRW.BANK, the North Rhine-Westphalian federal development bank.
Call for competition launched
The government of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia decided on 8 May 2018 to privatise the WestSpiel Group. The Act on the Licensing of Public Casinos in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (‘SpielbG NRW’), which came into force on 3rd June 2020, created an essential precondition for the privatisation. For the first time since then, casinos in North Rhine-Westphalia were permitted to be operated under private ownership. Prospective buyers from Germany and abroad can now qualify for the forthcoming bidding and negotiation phase in a call for competition. The respective tender documents can be accessed via the link quoted in the contract notice as announced in the EU Official Journal (https://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:615286-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML&src=0) or directly via the tender marketplace NRW (Vergabemarktplatz NRW: https://www.evergabe.nrw.de/VMPSatellite/notice/CXPNYH5D573/documents).
Sound and profitable performance
The WestSpiel Group generated a gross gaming revenue of around €117.2 million in the 2019 financial year attracting around 900,000 visitors in total. This represents a significant growth of almost 27% compared to the previous year (gross gaming revenue 2018: around €92.3 million).
The group’s casinos offer around 80 gaming tables and 900 slot machines in total. The casino operated by WestSpiel Group in Duisburg is currently the most successful casino in Germany in terms of number of visits and gross gaming revenue achieved. In January 2020, the F.A.Z.-Institute nominated WestSpiel Group as Germany’s most future-proof company in the casino industry.
Excellent prospects and considerable development potential
The WestSpiel Group holds the exclusive casino monopoly in North Rhine-Westphalia, the economically strongest and most populous federal state in Germany.
Compared across Europe, the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the six economically strongest economies, even ahead of Belgium, Poland and Sweden.
The group’s position in this impressive market has been secured long-term by the amended SpielbG NRW and an exclusive 15-year concession. Furthermore, the new SpielbG NRW principally allows the future owner to also establish two further casino locations in North Rhine-Westphalia with attractive catchment areas each. The presence and availability of casinos in North Rhine-Westphalia is still relatively low for the 18 million inhabitants of the federal state when compared to other federal states. The WestSpiel Group therefore offers considerable potential for further successful growth.
A decision on what form previously unregulated, and thus illegal, online casino gaming will be developed on the basis of the 2021 State Treaty on Gambling has not been made yet. Subject to the structure under state law, WestSpiel Group therefore may have the opportunity to obtain a concession for online casino gambling which, however, has not been regulated to date.
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Central Europe
Apparat Gaming and edict egaming announce partnership
Leading German software provider teams up with Hamburg-born aggregator to make full suite of slots available to customers in regulated markets worldwide
With immediate effect, German iGaming-business Apparat Gaming is teaming up with fellow Hamburg-founded company edict egaming. The former, having forged a reputation for providing premium casino content with a German accent, has thus joined forces with one of the country’s top aggregators in edict, one of the Merkur Group’s subsidiaries.
As a result of the deal, Apparat Gaming’s ever-expanding portfolio of 30+ quality slots, including recent releases like the high-octane Autobahn Alarm and the hotly-anticipated Fishin’ the Biggest, will be joining edict’s already widespread line-up of over 200 titles – making them now available to all operators who choose edict for their game aggregation needs.
This collaboration will give customers access to an even more diverse selection of games, all of which are fully compliant with the latest German regulation and certified for release in multiple markets.
Founded in 1998, edict was one of the industry’s pioneering online casino service providers before it was acquired by the Merkur Group a decade later. In 2021, the company added an aggregator solution to its offering, and it has been steadily developing this product ever since to a point where it now supplies content to over 150 operators and starts 8.5+ billion games per year.
Specialising in engaging titles that are supplied by some of Germany’s most popular studios, Apparat Gaming’s releases will certainly look right at home among the aggregator’s prestigious game portfolio – and both parties are already looking forward to a highly successful collaboration.
Martin Frindt, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Apparat Gaming, said: “Given Apparat Gaming’s German roots, we’re delighted to be teaming up with a Hamburg-born business-like edict. Adding our titles to their line-up will give operators access to our over 30 top slots that all come with our signature German accent, and we can’t wait to hear how they’re received by customers.”
Dominic-Daniel Lienard CEO at edict, said: “Since launching our aggregator solution, edict has compiled a stellar portfolio of releases from some of the top developers in Germany and beyond – and adding Apparat Gaming titles will strengthen this roster further. With great graphics, unique themes, and innovative bonus features, we’re sure their slots will be a huge hit with our operators.”
The post Apparat Gaming and edict egaming announce partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch
Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences has further expanded in the regulated Swiss market, taking its games live with Swiss4Win.
The collaboration enhances Wazdan’s profile in the country with Swiss4Win’s leading online gambling platform revolutionising player experiences with the introduction of the studio’s exciting range of games.
As Wazdan continues to deliver the world’s most rewarding casino game experiences, this new partnership heralds a new era of entertainment. Players can look forward to a diverse selection of captivating slots designed to appeal to Swiss players.
In conjunction with this partnership, Swiss4Win unveils its new website, meticulously crafted to enhance user engagement. The platform boasts a cutting-edge SEO-oriented design, complemented by a sleek dark mode interface. With a heightened focus on slot providers, the website features a dedicated page showcasing premier gaming offerings.
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wazdan, said: “We’re excited to join forces with swiss4win.ch to introduce our latest games to players worldwide. This collaboration represents a shared commitment to innovation and excellence in the iGaming industry.”
Paolo Sanvido, Chief Executive Officer at Casino Lugano and Swiss4Win, added: “Wazdan’s distinguished reputation stems from its exceptional graphics and innovative features, which have resonated with players globally. Its dedication to crafting enriching casino experiences offers players greater control over their gaming preferences and seamlessly aligns with our audience’s interests.”
The post Wazdan amplifies Swiss presence with Swiss4Win launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
Aleatrust Signs Up as Supporting Member of the Austrian Sports Betting Association
The Austrian Sports Betting Association (OSWV) has welcomed Aleatrust as a new supporting member on board.
Above all, the comprehensive training offered by the E-Casino Academy launched by Aleatrust, which also focuses on the needs of the sports betting industry, is an important asset that will also be available to OSWV members from now on. Central topics such as money laundering prevention, data protection, data security and compliance, including anti-corruption, whistleblower protection and code of conduct, are of central importance here and are comprehensively covered by the E-Casino Academy.
Sharif Shoukry, Managing Director of OSWV, said: “The new active supporting membership of Aleatrust is an important step forward for the OSWV and its members. It provides access to tailor-made training that is specifically tailored to the requirements and challenges of our industry. We are convinced that this cooperation will make a significant contribution to professionalization and security in the Austrian sports betting market.”
A significant benefit of the partnership is the availability of their training programs online, allowing OSWV members to access essential knowledge anytime and anywhere. This flexible learning environment offers an optimal solution to meet the need for continuous education and training without relying on traditional, time- and location-bound training formats. This type of training not only saves valuable resources, but also allows for consistent and high-quality training of employees, regardless of their individual schedules or the location of the company.
“To be accepted into the circle of supporting members of the OSWV is a great recognition for Aleatrust. It confirms our commitment and expertise in developing and delivering world-class training programs that are specifically tailored to the gambling and sports betting industry,” Niklas Sattler, Managing Director of Alatrust, said.
Particularly noteworthy is the specialised course on money laundering prevention, developed in collaboration with the renowned expert Dr. Elena Scherschneva. Given their extensive experience and recognized expertise in training employees of numerous sportsbooks, the availability of this course online represents a unique opportunity for members to benefit from the highest level of expertise. This underscores the OSWV’s commitment not only to strengthen the industry in terms of compliance and security, but also to promote a responsible and honest betting environment.
The post Aleatrust Signs Up as Supporting Member of the Austrian Sports Betting Association appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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