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Aquisitions/Mergers

Stake expands into Italy through strategic acquisition of Idealbet

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Stake has acquired Italy-based sports betting and remote gaming operator Baldo Line s.r.l, a company previously part of the Octavian Group, and will acquire Idealbet.it, aiming to bolster global expansion efforts and strengthen its market position, furthering its commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment to players.

This pivotal strategic acquisition marks Stake’s continued growth into new markets, following its acquisition of Betfair Colombia in November 2023, which announced its entry into Latin America.

Through this acquisition, Stake will introduce a portfolio of innovative gaming options to players in Italy. The combination of Idealbet’s established presence and Italy’s mature, substantial market provides Stake with a robust foundation for growth in the region.

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Following the acquisition, Stake will establish a local presence in Italy by opening an office in Italy to expand on its team of employees. Idealbet will continue to operate under its own brand within the Stake portfolio.

Commenting on the significance of the acquisition, Brais Pena, Chief Strategy Officer at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind Stake, said: “This acquisition aligns with our strategic ambitions to increase our global footprint, particularly in an established region like Italy, and marks a significant milestone for Stake. We’re thrilled to work with Idealbet to provide the best experience for our customers.”

Commenting further on the acquisition, Simone Pachera, Chief Executive Office at Octavian said: “We’re excited to collaborate with Stake and usher in a new experience for our customers, further expanding the market in Italy. Since acquiring Baldo Line, we have built a strong foundation for Idealbet through our AGP gaming platform and HubCasino aggregator.

“Now, we are thrilled to transition operations to Stake, a globally renowned brand with a proven track record of delivering exceptional player experience. We are confident that Stake will significantly enhance the growth of Idealbet and bring renewed energy to our players, as well as the entire Italian online gaming market.”

Stake is the world’s leading brand in the betting and gaming category. Since 2017 Stake has introduced cutting-edge technology and innovative gaming options for players. Stake is committed to player safety, keeping gambling fun, safe and entertaining by providing comprehensive tools and resources aimed at helping customers understand and manage their gambling activities.

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Aquisitions/Mergers

Nazara’s subsidiary Absolute Sports acquires TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com

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Absolute Sports, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies and the parent company of Sportskeeda.com, announced today that it has signed definitive agreements, subject to closing conditions, to acquire two IPs, TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com. These business assets will be acquired from Titan Insider Digital. These IPs add to the already dominant global position of Absolute Sports in the combat sports publishing industry.

TJRWrestling and ITRWrestling established in 2009 and 2020 respectively, have built a robust audience base within the wrestling fan community through their high-quality and in-depth combat sports news and content coverage. Together, they currently attract 1.7 million monthly active users and generate 4.6 million monthly pageviews, predominantly from North America. They generated $722K (~INR 6.1 crore) in revenue in 2024.

The transaction, valued at $1.25 million (~INR 10.5 crore), will be an all-cash asset purchase via the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Sportskeeda Inc., and is expected to close within the next 45 days.

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This strategic acquisition bolsters Sportskeeda’s position in the combat sports segment and expands its presence in the U.S., home to the world’s largest pro-wrestling fanbase. The integration of these platforms will also create deeper engagement opportunities for fans and advertisers across digital formats.

Ajay Pratap Singh, CEO of Absolute Sports, commented: “ITRWrestling and TJRwrestling are two of the most respected voices in the global wrestling community. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our vision to be the leading go-to destination for wrestling content worldwide. It also reinforces Absolute Sports’ dedication to expanding its footprint in the fast-growing U.S. media market through a targeted and impactful M&A strategy.”

The post Nazara’s subsidiary Absolute Sports acquires TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Affiliate Industry

Already Media acquires Live Casino Comparer

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Tech-driven affiliate and media company Already Media has acquired Live Casino Comparer for an undisclosed sum.

Live Casino Comparer is a well-established review portal focused on the live dealer niche. It was founded in 2014, and its team brings more than 30 years of casino experience to every review it publishes.

The site’s founder, Neil Walker, will stay on both as an advisor and an active part of the content team, helping to scale Live Casino Comparer’s output across both the B2C and B2B verticals.

Already Media will also rebuild the site’s platform and has plans to enter into new geos and content formats.

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The deal was brokered by Corfai, the specialist M&A advisory founded by Ben Robinson.

Alina Famenok, CEO at Already Media, said: “This is another landmark for Already Media, as we continue to acquire brands that expand our reach and can benefit from our technology. We’re excited to get to work alongside Neil to take Live Casino Comparer to new heights. Huge thanks to Ben and the Corfai team for helping us close this deal in just two weeks, which is surely the fastest M&A deal in iGaming history.”

Neil Walker, founder at Live Casino Comparer, added: “I couldn’t be more excited to begin this new chapter for Live Casino Comparer as part of the Already Media team. They bring the technical and operational firepower to scale globally, while keeping the spirit of honest, expert-driven reviews at the core.”

The acquisition aligns with Already Media’s strategy of acquiring trusted affiliate brands and elevating them through its technology-led approach.

Last year, the company acquired PokerListings, and has since migrated it to a new platform, entered new regions and developed a vibrant community around the brand.

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Aquisitions/Mergers

Sportradar Announces Agreement to Acquire IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights

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 Will Strengthen Company’s Global Offering for Most Bet Upon Sports Including Tennis, Soccer and Basketball     

Expected to Accelerate Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow Growth and Will Be Accretive to Adjusted EBITDA Margins   

Sportradar Group AG, a leading global sports technology company focused on creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. to acquire IMG ARENA and its global sports betting rights portfolio. IMG ARENA’s portfolio will enhance Sportradar’s content and product offering and further strengthen its strategic position as a leading content provider in the most bet upon global sports, including tennis, soccer and basketball.

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Adding these betting rights to its content portfolio increases Sportradar’s depth and breadth in key global sports, expanding the Company’s content distribution and further fueling product development. With its highly scalable technology platform and extensive client network, Sportradar will seamlessly integrate and monetize these rights driving incremental value for clients, partners and shareholders.

Upon closing, the acquisition will provide a number of key benefits:

  • Enhances margins: Immediately accretive to Sportradar’s adjusted EBITDA margins, aligning with our disciplined investment approach;
  • Accelerates growth: Further accelerates Sportradar’s robust revenue, adjusted EBITDA and cash flow growth;
  • Unique structure: Sportradar will not be required to pay any financial consideration; Transaction provides financial consideration totaling $225 million comprised of $125 million paid to Sportradar and up to $100 million cash prepayments made by Endeavor to certain of the sports rightsholders;
  • Highly strategic portfolio: Basketball, soccer and tennis account for approximately 70% of the rights which are the top three most bet on global sports, complementing our existing sports portfolio.

This incoming portfolio of global betting rights comprises strategic relationships with over 70 rightsholders covering approximately 39,000 official data events and 30,000 streaming events across 14 global sports on six continents. Prominent global properties include Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Roland-Garros, Major League Soccer, EuroLeague basketball and PGA Tour. Combined with existing tennis rights, Sportradar will now hold betting rights to three of the four Grand Slams.

The unique structure of this transaction will further strengthen Sportradar’s already robust balance sheet and enhance its significant liquidity position, allowing for continued strategic investments and opportunities for incremental shareholder returns, including an anticipated acceleration on the pace of its existing buyback program.

Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, stated: “Sportradar’s success is driven by the breadth of its sports coverage, its broad product portfolio and leading technology, and its global distribution network.  Given our proven track record of maximizing ROI through our global betting rights deals and our strengthened position across tennis, basketball and soccer, we are confident in our ability to realize the full economic potential of this portfolio. In addition, the unique structure of this transaction accelerates our revenue and cash flow profile and will be immediately accretive to our margins. The addition of these strategic rights will unlock new growth opportunities, enabling us to deliver exceptional value to our partners, clients and shareholders.”

The transaction is currently expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025, subject to receipt of regulatory approvals and satisfaction of closing conditions. UBS Swiss Financial Advisors is acting as exclusive financial advisor and Brandl Talos served as transaction counsel to Sportradar.

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