Another online gambling acquisition for Amaya Group

Montreal-based online gambling software provider Amaya Gaming has inked a full acquisition deal for private US company Diamond Game Enterprises, a designer and manufacturer of gaming-related products for the casino gaming and lottery industries.

Amaya will pay US$25 million for the company, deploying cash on hand, and retire its debt.  The deal is expected to complete after regulatory and shareholder approvals around Q4-2013.

“Diamond Game’s sale to Amaya exemplifies the hard work and dedication of our management team and employees over the past 19 years, who have established the company as an innovative supplier to the gaming industry,” said Jim Breslo, president and chief executive of Diamond Game.

“The transaction unlocks value for both companies by pairing our patented technology, products and key contracts in the lottery segment with a well-capitalized entity in Amaya, which possesses a solid foundation of expertise throughout its organization as well as key relationships throughout the industry.”

Amaya CEO David Baazov commented: “Diamond Game’s lottery technology will increase our lottery footprint in North America. We see upside for its latest lottery product, the LT-3, which has already been placed in Maryland and Ontario and which Diamond Game expects to be placed in new jurisdictions in the near future.

“Our extensive game library can be integrated with their lottery technology.”

Concurrently with the execution of the definitive purchase agreement, Amaya has agreed to make available to Diamond Game credit facilities of up to 2.5 million dollars to support equipment acquisition needed to fulfil existing contracts.

Baazov said he expected benefits of the transaction to include:

* Accretive to adjusted EBITDA

* Several synergies have been identified, including the integration of Amaya online games into Diamond’s lottery product; leveraging Amaya’s contacts to improve revenues and opportunities for Diamond; expanding Amaya’s opportunities through Diamond’s US lottery relationships.

Established in 1994 with headquarters in Los Angeles, California, Diamond Game began as a producer in the Class II Native American casino market but, since 2004, has expanded into public gaming, commercial casino, racetrack and bingo markets utilising the Lucky Tab II, and its successor LT-3 gaming machine.

The company has around 1,800 machines installed in over 40 locations across seven jurisdictions, and is organised in two business units:

* Diamond Game’s Lottery Products division creates products for the public gaming and charity markets, most notably its patented LT-3 instant ticket vending machine. Diamond Game has two existing lottery contracts with machines deployed in Maryland and Ontario.

* The company’s Casino Products division develops products for the VLT, Class II bingo, Class III commercial casino and racetrack markets.

In addition to its headquarters in the metro Los Angeles area (Chatsworth, CA), Diamond Game operates two sales, assembly and service centres in Oklahoma City and Hamilton, Ontario.

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