Scientific Games acquires online betting provider Parspro
Deal sees US lottery systems specialist able to offer scalable sports betting solution to clients.
Scientific Games has acquired the assets of Icelandic online and mobile sports betting solutions provider Parspro for an undisclosed amount.
The deal will see the US lottery specialist integrate Parspro’s scalable system, which provides lotteries and sportsbook operators with the ability to launch and run an online betting site including software, state-of-the-art hosting, traditional sports wagering and live betting propositions.
Parspro’s assets also include a full-service internet platform, integrating casino, poker and other gaming content from multiple third-party providers.
For Scientific Games the move represents an attempt to diversify its services after the firm’s chief executive Lorne Weil revealed in January that the Nasdaq-listed company was in talks with its customers about how best to take advantage of online opportunities. At the time he explained the company was “expanding [its] portfolio of internet solutions and content to better meet [its] customers’ needs”, with the intention of taking advantage of December’s Department of Justice opinion on the Wire Act.
Bill Huntley, president of Lottery Systems for Scientific Games, said: “Given the rapidly liberalising regulatory landscape, we believe sports wagering is a significant opportunity for regulated operators in Europe and other jurisdictions over the next few years. Parspro’s experienced development team, who will be joining Scientific Games, and its comprehensive risk management tools and strong track record will be key advantages for Scientific Games’ existing customers as well as potential new lottery and commercial customers.”
Sigurdur Baldursson, founder and chief executive of Parspro, added: “Teaming up with Scientific Games, a global leader in the lottery and gaming industry, is a win-win for our company and our customers. Scientific Games has integrated our sports betting interactive system with their venue-based lottery system, which supports nearly 4,000 retail points of sale in Norway for Norsk Tipping.”
In June Parspro launched a sports betting site for Cirsa in the newly-regulated Spanish market. The operator went live with an online and mobile sportsbook, featuring pre-match and in-play betting, making it the first native land-based operator to launch an online offering in the market.