PROVIDENCE, R.I., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bally's Corporation
(NYSE: BALY) (the "Company"), a leading U.S. provider of land-based
gaming and interactive entertainment, today announced that it
acquired SportCaller, one of the leading B2B free-to-play (F2P)
game providers for sports betting and media companies across
North America, the UK,
Europe, Asia, Australia, LATAM and Africa. With deep technology and product
expertise, SportCaller's core products consist of prediction,
quiz/trivia, pay-to-play, bespoke and turn-key app games. In 2020,
SportCaller received the Acquisition and Retention Partner Award
from both SBC and EGR B2B.
As a leading global F2P sports game provider, SportCaller
complements Bally's recently announced acquisitions of Bet.Works
and Monkey Knife Fight, and its media partnership with Sinclair
Broadcast Group. Together with Bet.Works' proprietary technology
stack, SportCaller is expected to enable Bally's to launch its own
suite of F2P games this year. The acquisition will also allow
Bally's to leverage Sinclair's media
reach to expand its player database in states that currently do not
permit sports betting, as well as generate excitement for Bally's
sports betting app.
Further, SportCaller will allow Bally's to use F2P games as an
additional player engagement and retention tool in states that
authorize sports betting. With more than 100 games in over
20 languages, and over 30 sports across 37 countries,
SportCaller's platform is expected to considerably expand Bally's
strong geographic presence beyond national borders.
"I am delighted to welcome SportCaller to Bally's Interactive
alongside Bet.Works and Monkey Knife Fight," said George Papanier, Bally's President and Chief
Executive Officer. "F2P products represent a core component of our
interactive strategy to drive user acquisition to Bally's
ecosystem. SportCaller offers unique products and I am confident
that its pioneering platform and deep international expertise will
significantly contribute to our growing interactive platforms."
Together with Bet.Works and Monkey Knife Fight, SportCaller and
its technology development center, which consists of more than 40
dedicated technology resources, will join the Bally's Interactive
division. This combination will augment Bet.Works' development
resources and support accelerated innovation and deployment of new
products that are already underway.
"Joining Bally's is a milestone moment for the SportCaller
team," said Cillian Barry, Founder
and MD at SportCaller. "I look forward to working with Bally's
talented team as we continue to create an innovative F2P product
that engages sports fans on a global scale."
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Advisors
Jones Day served as legal advisor
to Bally's Corporation. Maples Group served as legal advisor to
SportCaller and its shareholders. Oakvale Capital served as
financial advisor to SportCaller.
About Bally's Corporation
Bally's Corporation currently owns and manages 11 casinos across
seven states, a horse racetrack and 13 authorized OTB licenses in
Colorado. With more than 5,900
employees, the Company's operations include 13,260 slot machines,
459 game tables and 2,941 hotel rooms. Following the completion of
pending acquisitions, which include Tropicana Evansville
(Evansville, IN), Jumer's Casino
& Hotel (Rock Island, IL), and
MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa (Lake
Tahoe, NV), as well as the construction of a land-based
casino near the Nittany Mall in State
College, PA, Bally's will own and manage 15 casinos across
11 states. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under
the ticker symbol "BALY."
About SportCaller
SportCaller is the leading free-to-play sporting game provider,
whose platform allows fans to connect and compete across a variety
of sports. It provides free-to-play and jackpot games for operators
and media owners, generating new accounts allied to trackable
levels of increased player-activity and loyalty. SportCaller works
with clients in UK, Europe,
Asia, Australia, Africa and North
America. SportCaller recently retained its crown for Best
Acquisition & Retention Partner at the EGR B2B 2020 Awards
cementing its status at the forefront of the emerging F2P
vertical.
Forward Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking" statements
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
All statements, other than historical facts, including future
financial and operating results and Bally's Corporation's plans,
objectives, expectations and intentions, legal, economic and
regulatory conditions and any assumptions underlying any of the
foregoing, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are sometimes identified by words like "may," "will,"
"should," "potential," "intend," "expect," "endeavor," "seek,"
"anticipate," "estimate," "overestimate," "underestimate,"
"believe," "could," "project," "predict," "continue," "target" or
other similar words or expressions. Forward-looking statements are
based upon current plans, estimates and expectations that are
subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Should one or more
of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially
from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking
statements. The inclusion of such statements should not be regarded
as a representation that such plans, estimates or expectations will
be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations
include, among others, (1) uncertainty surrounding the ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic, including uncertainty regarding its extent,
duration and impact, the resulting closure of Bally's properties
(all of which have re-opened at some limited level of capacity) and
the risk that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic may require Bally's
properties to close again for an indeterminable period of time; (2)
the time it will take Bally's to return its facilities to full
capacity and the restrictions applicable to its facilities until
then; (3) the costs to comply with any mandated health requirements
associated with the virus; (4) customer responses as Bally's
facilities continue to operate under various restrictions including
the time it takes customers to return to the facilities and the
frequency with which they visit Bally's facilities; (5) the
economic uncertainty and challenges in the economy resulting from
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including the resulting reduced
levels of discretionary consumer spending; (6) challenges Bally's
may face in bringing employees back to work upon re-opening of its
facilities; (7) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting
from the recently completed acquisitions; (8) uncertainty of the
expected financial performance of Bally's, including the failure to
realize the anticipated benefits of its acquisitions; (9) Bally's
ability to implement its business strategy; (10) evolving legal,
regulatory and tax regimes; (11) the effects of competition that
exists in the gaming industry; (12) the actions taken to reduce
costs and losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could
negatively impact guest loyalty and our ability to attract and
retain employees; (13) risks associated with increased leverage
from Bally's recently completed and proposed acquisitions; (14) the
inability or unwillingness of the lenders under our revolving
credit facility to fund requests that we may make to borrow amounts
under the facility; (15) increased borrowing costs associated with
higher levels of borrowing, (16) the risk that contemplated
acquisitions, and the expected benefits therefrom and the timing
thereof, do not occur as planned or at all; and (17) other risk
factors as detailed under Part I. Item 1A. "Risk Factors" of
Bally's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2019 as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on March
13, 2020 and Bally's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
fiscal quarter ended September 30,
2020 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
November 6, 2020. The foregoing list
of important factors is not exclusive.
Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of
this communication. Bally's does not undertake any obligation to
update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result
of new information or development, future events or otherwise,
except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on any of these forward-looking statements.
Bally's Corporation
Investor Contact
Steve Capp
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
401-475-8564
InvestorRelations@twinriver.com
Media Contact
Richard Goldman / David Gill
Kekst CNC
646-847-6102 / 917-842-5384
BallysMediaInquiries@kekstcnc.com
SportCaller
Media Contact
Romilly Evans
Red Knot Communications
Rom@redknotcomms.com
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SOURCE Bally's Corporation