Each week, CasinoBeats breaks down the numbers behind some of the industry’s most interesting stories. Today’s issue includes a Google wake-up call, key tribal casino deal and multi-million dollar acquisition.
7.8
Pollard Banknote has completed the previously announced £7.8m (CDN $13.4m) acquisition of digital products provider mkodo.
The firm signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the equity of mkodo, a provider of digital apps and user interfaces for the lottery and gaming industry, on December 2, 2019. The acquisition was subject to certain standard regulatory and third-party consents which have now all been obtained.
The acquisition purchase price of £7.8m is 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 amortisation of related purchase price accounting adjustments.
“We are very excited to complete the acquisition of mkodo and move into the integration phase of combining these two strong organisations”, stated Doug Pollard, co-chief executive officer.
107
Online gambling super affiliate XLMedia is to increase the speed at which its strategic initiatives are implemented after the group reported that changes to Google‘s search algorithm could hinder revenues.
In a statement on its website, XLMedia confirmed that it is ‘continuing to work with Google’ to outline the reasons why the changes have resulted in the demotion of certain websites, wit the affiliate publisher planning to ‘restore the rankings of these online assets as quickly as possible.’
As a result of the changes, 107 of XLMedia’s websites have been impacted by the changes, of which 84 are tier 3 or tier 4 sites.
XLMedia stated that it is ‘therefore taking steps to remove or de-index such sites, which are seen as most likely to have been regarded by Google as having insufficient content, with the expectation that it will assist in the re-ranking of the premium sites.’
The company added that ‘until these actions are completed and some of the premium sites are successfully resubmitted, it will not be possible to be certain that the issue will have been resolved.
722
During its first year of operations, Danish regulator Spillemyndigheden has revealed that the number of calls that its StopSpillet helpline received during 2019 was ‘more than expected.’
Throughout 2019, 722 people reached out to the helpline, which the regulator said shows ‘that there is a great need for a national helpline providing advice and counselling about responsible gambling.’
Head of division at StopSpillet, Linda Lomborg, said: “Compared to other types of addiction, compulsive gambling is not immediately visible and may be hidden for a long time to the outside world.
“This emphasises the need for a helpline such as StopSpillet, offering confidential conversations about a problem that can be associated with a lot of guilt and shame.”
450
Sports betting software and trading services provider Amelco has lauded the signing of a “key tribal casino deal” that will see the firm produce sportsbooks for 450 properties in 28 US states.
Undertaken through a link-up with Atlantis Gaming Corporation, the agreement will create a turnkey solution for sportsbook operations across retail, mobile, online and self-service sports wagering channels, pursuant to Tribal Gaming Network’s approval to operate across its jurisdictions.
Also hailed “a historic first,” the deal will be one of the first in the US to see AGC’s Pro Football Hall of Fame partnership powered by Amelco’s technology to offer regulated betting for the first time.
AGC’s Pro Football Hall of Fame partnership features its ‘Ask-a-Pro’ format, allowing customers to obtain advice from some of the greatest players and coaches from the sport, in a bid to enable customers to place more informed bets than ever before.
