BETSSON ACQUIRES BETSAFE

Betsson AB acquires Betsafe, a private gaming company based on Malta, offering sports betting, casino and poker to clients primarily in the Nordic countries. Through the acquisition, Betsson strengthens its platform in the Nordic region, which creates a strong base for future growth.

“This deal will fuel our growth. We strengthen our position in the Nordic region as well as our organization when merging two profitable companies, each of which has proven its ability to gain market share in a highly competitive market environment”, says Pontus Lindwall, CEO of Betsson.

In 2010, Betsafe increased its revenues with 119 per cent, and during the period
1 May 2010 – 30 April 2011, revenues amounted to EUR 33.4 million and operating profit (EBIT) amounted to EUR 6.9 million. During March 2011, the number of real money players amounted to 84,000 and the number of employees was 148. In addition to incremental earnings, Betsson believes that it will benefit from synergies that will materialize as the result of e.g. integration of platforms and supplier contracts.

Betsson acquires Betsafe from a number of private individuals, some of whom are founders and employees. Betsson pays an up-front purchase price of EUR 32.5 million, of which around half is payable in cash and the other half in Betsson B shares based on a historical 30 day average price of the Betsson share. The up-front purchase price consequently corresponds to 4.7 times EBIT during the last 12 months. In addition to the up-front purchase price, an additional purchase price, based on the development of the acquisition and the integration thereof during 2011, may become payable by Betsson. Such additional purchase price, if any, will amount to a maximum of EUR 27.5 million, which implies that the total maximum purchase price is EUR 60 million. If the outcome of the acquisition results in the full additional purchase price becoming payable, the total purchase price is expected to correspond to approximately 5-6 times Betsafe’s EBIT for 2011. Betsson is entitled to choose to pay any additional purchase price in cash or in Betsson B shares, based on the share price prevailing at the time of such payment. Completion of the transaction is conditional upon customary regulatory approvals.

Betsson intends to retain all staff of Betsafe as well as all the brands of both companies. Betsafe’s management, including the founders André and Christer Lavold and the CEO Henrik Persson, will become part of the Betsson operational management team in Malta.

”This is an attractive solution for Betsafe as we share views with Betsson on how to become successful on the global gaming market. Two strong cultures, with common values and goals, now join forces with the aim to further develop the business and eventually become one of the largest and most profitable players in the market” says Henrik Persson, CEO of Betsafe.

Unaudited financial information and key ratios for the Betsafe-Group (EUR millions)

Betsson invites to a press meeting today at 10.30 CET at Betsson’s offices, Regeringsgatan 28, Stockholm.

To participate by phone please call: +46 (0)8 505 598 53 (Sweden) or +44 (0)203 043 24 36 (UK).

To participate by Webcast at 10:30 a.m. (CET) (by audio, image and power point presentation) visit www.betssonab.com or http://storm.zoomvisionmamato.com/player/betsson/objects/c8ngr974 

Carnegie Investment Bank acts as financial adviser to Betsson in connection with the transaction and Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå acts as legal advisers.

For further information, please contact

Pontus Lindwall, CEO Betsson AB (publ)
mail: pontus.lindwall@betsson.com

tel: +46708275155

[1] Adjusted for comparison based on the accounting principles applied by Betsson

Betsson AB’s Core Business consists of investing and administering shareholding in companies, which through partners or by themselves, offers games to the end users via the internet. Betsson AB owns Betsson Malta which operates games through partnerships and the websites www.betsson.com, www.casinoeuro.com and www.cherrycasino.com. Betsson Malta offers Poker, Casino, Sports betting, Scratch Cards, Bingo and Games. The customers mainly orginate from the Scandinavian countries and other parts of Europe. Betsson AB is listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic Mid Cap List, (BETS).

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