Poll results: Sportingbet deal good for both Hills and GVC
Majority of readers believe both operators have plenty to gain from the proposed joint bid, while just 16% believe neither will see benefit from it.
The majority of eGaming Review readers believe both William Hill and GVC have plenty to gain from their proposed takeover of Sportingbet.
While a formal bid is yet to be launched, some 51% of those polled believe an estimated £350m deal, if completed, would benefit both of the operators.
Any deal would see Hills take over Sportingbet’s regulated activities, including the Australian business which contributed 90% of the operator’s profits in its most recent financial results, and a further 22% of readers believe that the London-listed business would gain from the deal even if GVC would not.
As well as Australia, William Hill would see the benefit of the Danish-facing Danbook and Scandic brands – acquired by Sportingbet late last year – as well as Spanish-facing Miapuesta.
Just 11% believe GVC – whose B2B partner East Pioneer Corporation acquired Sportingbet’s Turkish business last year – is the only one of the proposed bidders likely to see a benefit from the deal. eGR anticipates that the proposed offer in its current format would result in GVC predominantly increasing its South American presence, where its Betboo brand saw revenues increase by 32% year-on-year in July’s H1s.
However the consensus is that this would represent a good fit for at least one of Hills and GVC, if not both. A mere 16% of those polled believe the deal suits neither operator.