OPAP investors eye Casinos Austria

The majority takeover sale of part state-owned Casinos Austria, owner of lottery business Österreichische Lotterien (see previous report), has caught the interest of the Epic Consortium led by Viennese investor Peter Goldscheider in partnership with two other investors none other than Karel Komarek and Czech businessman Jiri Smejc.

Smejc is the founder and owner of KKCG and Emma Delta, the equity fund that purchased a 33 percent stake in Greek gambling firm OPAP for Euro 652 million.

According to the Associated Press Agency Austria (APA), Epic leads the consortium with 49 percent, Goldscheider wants to personally hold 2-4 percent, while the remainder will be divided between the two Czech groups.

With a majority stake in Casinos Austria, Goldscheider told CTK agency APA, that he and his Czech partners intend building “a leading European enterprise engaged in gambling”.

“We are very well prepared, we are doing something for 14 months,” said Goldscheider.

According to analysts, the two-thirds stake in Casinos Austria could exceed Euro 280 million.