The global sports betting, gaming and interactive entertainment group, Entain plc, announced the completion of the acquisition of the leading gaming and sportsbook operator in Croatia, SuperSport Group.
Entain Expands Reach to Croatia
The announcement came Wednesday and sees the company’s venture dedicated to growth in the European region, Entain Central and Eastern European (Entain CEE), complete the acquisition of SuperSport. Entain CEE was established back in August this year under a partnership between Entain and the leading investment firm Emma Capital.
The establishment of Entain CEE sought to boost the company’s strategic expansion in the Central and Eastern European region and tap into new growth opportunities. Ultimately, by forming Entain CEE, Entain is after capitalizing a regulated online gambling market estimated at €5.0 billion ($5.16 billion).
Now, the latest acquisition boosts this strategic plan, considering that SuperSport holds approximately 50% of the regulated gambling market share in Croatia. Besides online sports betting, the operator offers iGaming services as well. Additionally, Entain will supercharge the operator’s offering delivering its leading technology solution under the terms of the acquisition. It’s no surprise that SuperSport’s CEO, Radim Haluza, was selected to spearhead Entain CEE’s efforts. Entain acknowledged that Haluza has significant industry experience in the region.
The Company Plans Further Growth
Entain’s recent announcement comes after back in October, the company announced it successfully secured a $1 billion loan. The leading gaming and entertainment group explained that the new term loan would be “partially used to finance the acquisition of SuperSport.” At the same time, the loan sought to “maximize Entain’s liquidity and provide further balance sheet flexibility,” the company explained.
“We are very pleased to have completed the acquisition of SuperSport, which is the first by the newly created Entain CEE.“
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, CEO at Entain
Jette Nygaard-Andersen, Entain’s CEO, said that the completion of the acquisition of SuperSport marks an exciting moment for the company. Moreover, she pointed out that the takeover is Entain CEE’s first achievement in this vertical.
“We look forward to working with Radim and the SuperSport team alongside EMMA Capital as we execute on this exciting opportunity,“
added Nygaard-Andersen
Nygaard-Andersen added that thanks to the latest acquisition, the company expands its presence by entering the regulated gambling market in Croatia which holds significant potential. At the same time, she added that the acquisition establishes “Entain CEE as a strategic growth platform into the wider region.” Finally, Entain’s CEO said that the company is looking forward to further collaborating with Haluza, SuperSports’ dedicated team and Emma Capital.