Allwyn, a prominent player in the gaming industry, is set to acquire IWG, a leading supplier of online instant win games.
While the specific financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Allwyn has confirmed its intention to complete the purchase in the latter half of the year.
The acquisition will be financed using Allwyn’s existing financial resources.
IWG boasts a diverse portfolio, offering online instant win games to over 25 national and state lotteries worldwide, featuring more than 250 titles.
In the fiscal year ending on April 30, 2023, IWG reported an impressive £18.2 million (€21.3 million/$22.9 million) in EBITDA.
Allwyn’s Chief Investment Officer, Stepan Dlouhy, expressed enthusiasm about the agreement, emphasizing its potential to create and leverage high-quality content across the group.
Dlouhy stated, “This demonstrates our ambition to deliver the best user experience to players across our international markets and to be the operator of choice.”
In this deal, IWG’s co-founders, Rhydian Fisher and Simon Bucknall, will retain their current roles within the company, with Fisher serving as CEO and Bucknall as Chief Operating Officer.
Dlouhy praised their expertise and creativity, highlighting the exciting collaborative opportunities ahead.
Fisher expressed his excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Allwyn to take IWG’s success and proposition to the next level.
Allwyn’s deep expertise and knowledge of the lottery consumer will help us to deliver immediate and significant value for our existing partners, while this step will also create new opportunities for the brilliant games our team develops.”
This acquisition follows Allwyn’s recent takeover of the UK National Lottery, replacing Camelot and assuming responsibility for all National Lottery operations and products.
Notably, Allwyn secured the fourth license amidst stiff competition, including bids from Camelot and The New Lottery Company.
Camelot, however, will continue its association with the National Lottery as part of the enlarged Allwyn business, following several acquisition deals.
In February 2023, Allwyn purchased Camelot UK, which provided invaluable insights into the lottery’s operations before taking over its responsibilities.
Additionally, Allwyn acquired Camelot Lottery Solutions (now rebranded as Allwyn North America), a US-facing business.
In related news, Scientific Games recently unveiled plans to support Allwyn in managing the National Lottery.
Their collaborative efforts will focus on responsible lottery growth and environmental impact mitigation, marking an important milestone in their strategic partnership.