Butler’s Bingo Owner to Acquire Entire 888 Bingo Business in $50m Deal

Snapping Up the Competition for Growth

On Wednesday December 15^th, The Broadway Gaming Group, operator of one of the largest UK Bingo Networks, made the announcement that they are set to buy 888’s entire B2C bingo business and B2B bingo business (Dragonfish), in a deal reportedly worth $50million.

The acquisition is part of the operator’s growth strategy as it further enhances its position in the UK bingo market. The purchasing of the B2C and B2B offerings could result in a potential earnout of $4million, if certain (predicted) performance criteria is met.

Butler’s Bingo, Dotty Bingo and Rosy Bingo are three of the most popular online bingo sites owned by The Broadway Gaming Group, and one of those hit the headlines in 2012 for producing (at the time), the biggest progressive jackpot ever paid at an online bingo site! Player John O couldn’t believe his luck when landing a mega £5.8million win from a stake of less than £1! The record-breaking payout is one of many that have been won across the network.

Mega Deal, Mega Potential

Responsible gaming will continue to be a dominant feature across the brands along with multiple bingo offers and free play opportunities. The acquisition will also open up further growth opportunities and not just in the UK regulated market. Broadway’s purchase will bring onboard all of 888’s exclusive technology, assets, operations, B2B clientele and consumer-facing brands too.

David Butler, CEO at Broadway Gaming, said: “We are delighted to reach an agreement with 888 to acquire its bingo business and platform. By combining these with our existing business and brands, which include ‘Butlers Bingo,’ we will be able to achieve an even stronger global footprint in key regulated bingo markets.

We have worked intensively with the 888 Group over the course of the last few months and have been very impressed by the quality of the bingo platform and product, the B2C and B2B businesses, its approach to safer gambling and player protection, and above all the management team. We see significant further expansion opportunities in both the B2C and B2B segments and are very excited about our plans for the future, as we work closely together to become the preeminent online bingo business globally.”

What does this mean for both brands? Will there be significant changes to Dragonfish sites as we know them? Currently, there is a world of difference between both operators; Dragonfish powered sites offer a range of games from scores of different software providers, whereas Broadway Gaming sites rely on Microgaming. One houses multiple bingo rooms with plenty of bingo variants while the other offers only a handful of rooms.

It’s safe to say we don’t know what will happen until the changes (if any!) take effect! Let us know your thoughts on the deal below.