The Romanian gambling group Superbet have recently announced that it will acquire 100% of the shares of Napoleon from its current owner. The Belgium sports and casino group is currently owned by the investment fund Waterland Private Equity investments. Superbet reached a takeover agreement with the European private equity fund, where both parties choose not to disclose financial terms of the transaction. It is reported that this transaction is to be valued above €350 million.
New opportunities
Superbet have said that this new deal will help its growth across Europe and beyond by gaining access to the regulated Belgian market. The CEO of the Superbet Group, Johnny Hartnett, has recently stated that “Napoleon’s market and brand positioning is the ideal acquisition opportunity that contributes significantly to Superbet’s global expansion.” Not only will the new acquisition allow Superbet to gain access to a new market, but it will also allow them to utilise Napoleon’s staff. When discussing the addition of Napoleon’s staff to the company, Hartnett stated “We’re looking forward to welcoming a hugely experienced and talented team to the Superbet family, who we believe are exceptionally well placed to deliver on market share gains in Belgium and beyond.”
A new chapter
The chief executive of Napoleon Sports & Casino, Tim de Borle, has said the acquisition made sense as both businesses share similar strategies, such as a focus on data. He also stated, “We are very excited to be joining Superbet Group on a mission to offer the best sports and gaming entertainment to millions of users”. This ultimately proves that the acquisition is beneficial for both Superbet and Napoleon. Borle also said “At Napoleon, we look forward to embarking on this next chapter of thrilling projects and international experience. Finally, I’d like to express our gratitude to Waterland for their support in the past 6 years.”
