This week’s State of the Union, in partnership with Segev LLP, includes take-Two’s $12.7bn deal to buy Zynga, as well as Q1 results from Super Group and the launch of interstate online poker in Michigan.
Take-Two completes $12.7bn acquisition of Zynga
Video game giant Take-Two Interactive Software has completed its acquisition of social gaming operator Zynga for $12.7bn.
Take-Two – which owns Grand Theft Auto publisher Rockstar and NBA 2K developer 2K Games – agreed in January to pay $3.50 in cash and 0.0406 shares of its own common stock in exchange for each Zynga share.
Interstate poker launches in Michigan
Michigan players may now legally play online poker against players from other US states, after officially joining the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement.
Michigan joins Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey as a party to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement, which allows for liquidity to be shared for online gaming between member states.
Super Group revenue up 7.3% in Q1, but warns it may miss 2022 targets
Super Group’s revenue grew by 7.3% to $344.5m (£274.4m/€322.5m) in Q1 – its first quarter as a publicly listed business – as growth in the operator’s Betway brand offset declines from its casino-first brand Spin.
However, in its earnings call, chief executive Neil Menashe said it could be “tough to meet or exceed our 2022 revenue guidance”.
OLG becomes first Canadian lottery to launch affiliate program
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has launched a new affiliate program in partnership with Income Access, the marketing technology and services provider of specialised payments platform Paysafe.
Under the arrangement, the organisation’s new OLG.ca affiliate program will be powered by the affiliate software of Income Access.
Fanatics files trademark application for BetFanatics
US sports apparel supplier Fanatics has filed a trademark application for the brand name BetFanatics.
In two trademarks filed to the US Patent and Trademark Office, BetFanatics is listed as a “downloadable mobile application for betting and gaming”, as well as for use in fantasy sports leagues and for providing previews, alerts, replays, video clips of sporting competitions, and webcam feeds of sports.
Playmaker acquires The Props Network
Playmaker has acquired creator agency and podcast network TPN Media Group, which owns sports betting information site PropsHQ.com, known as The Props Network.
The Props Network was founded in January 2020 and publishes bookmaker reviews, sports and betting information from across the US. It also broadcasts creator content from its podcast network.
Bragg edges closer to Spin Games acquisition with PA licence approval
Bragg Gaming Group has taken a step closer to completing its acquisition of B2B gaming content provider Spin Games after it was approved for a licence in Pennsylvania.
Authorisation from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) was the final regulatory approval Bragg required to proceed with the $30.0m (£24.0m/€28.4m) acquisition that was agreed in May last year.
Smarkets’ SBK secures market access in Iowa with Affinity Interactive
Betting exchange Smarkets has entered into a market access agreement with omni-channel gaming business Affinity Interactive in Iowa for its SBK product.
Under the agreement, Smarkets will launch its SBK sportsbook app in the US state, offering betting exchange services across a range of sports.
MA court orders further scrutiny of regulator’s steps in licensing Wynn
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ordered a lower court to examine more closely what it called the “highly unusual” actions of the state’s Gaming Commission around the granting of a licence to Wynn Resorts to operate a casino in the state.
The court’s statement came in response to a lawsuit filed by FBT Everett Realty against the regulator, which began in 2016 and stems from a land deal between FBT Everett and Wynn Resorts.
Coolbet becomes latest operator to join IBIA
GAN-owned Coolbet has become the latest operator to join the International Betting integrity Association (IBIA), soon after it was approved to launch in the Ontario regulated market.
As an IBIA member, Coolbet, which was acquired by GAN last year, will share its integrity-related data with a network of operators across the globe in order to help flag suspicious betting activity to sporting bodies.