A pair of sports betting deals has the gaming industry asking, ‘Who’s next?’

A pair of sports betting deals has the gaming industry asking, ‘Who’s next?’


Fanatics founder & CEO Michael Rubin at his office in downtown NYC, Dec. 7, 2022.

The Washington Post | Getty Images

Fanatics’ splashy $150 million acquisition of PointsBet’s U.S. business wasn’t the only deal in gambling in recent days — and it could be a sign of more to come.

Fanatics on Sunday announced it has agreed to buy PointsBet’s U.S. assets, a long-rumored tie-up. Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin previously vowed to launch sports betting operations in every state where it’s legal, except New York.

related investing news

Wynn Resorts delivers the quarter we've been waiting for, bolstered by China

CNBC Investing Club

Buying PointsBet gives Fanatics market access in New York, along with some 14 other states, and importantly its iGaming, or online casino games, business in Michigan.

For Fanatics, the deal really pays off when it comes to upfront licensing fees it would need to pay in new states.

“We’re really able to save tens of millions of dollars worth of upfront license fees by leveraging PointsBets footprint versus going at it with a new footprint,” said Matt King, Fanatics CEO of Betting and Gaming, on Monday.

King also said the cost to enter new markets has declined between 40% and 50% compared to where it was roughly three to five years ago.

Fanatics Betting & Gaming CEO on m&a activity

Now compare that to another blockbuster deal in the sector: the $1.2 billion acquisition of NeoGames by Aristocrat. The deal, announced Sunday, was for $29.50 a share, marking a 130% premium to NeoGames’ closing price Friday.

Aristocrat is a global leader in attention-getting slot machines. With its purchase of NeoGames, it’s declaring its intent to compete in online lottery, casino and sports betting.

As Jeffries gaming analyst David Katz wrote in a note Sunday night, “[NeoGames] and the digital gaming group in general, is undervalued by the US market at present levels.” Still, he doesn’t expect higher valuations in the near future.

Just as importantly, according to Katz, the recent deals raise the question of, “Who’s Next?”

As the buzz over mergers and acquisitions dominates at gaming conferences, speculation has fallen on SportRadar, a global sports data provider, as a potential takeover target, as well as Gambling.com, an affiliate business that provides media content to funnel new depositors toward gaming operators.

Rush Street Interactive, another frequent target of acquisition speculation as of late, is working to flex its muscle as an iGaming operator first, sports betting house second.

At the SBC Summit, a top sports gambling conference, last week CNBC asked RSI CEO Richard Schwartz whether he’s entertaining offers.

“We have an obligation to shareholders and to get the best return we can. And so we’re always open to evaluate opportunities,” he said, before highlighting the reasons why RSI would be attractive.

Rush Street Interactive CEO on M&A opportunities

Fanatics’ King agrees more consolidation is likely on the way.

“There really is no new capital kind of coming into this category,” he said. “Anybody without a sustainable business model is going to be ripe for an acquisition.”

But don’t expect sky-high prices when it comes to gaming acquisitions, King said.

“I think certainly people’s price expectations have started to reflect reality,” he added.

— CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.



Source

Why Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders might opt for Paramount’s offer — and why they might not
Business

Why Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders might opt for Paramount’s offer — and why they might not

Ted Sarandos, left, co-CEO of Netflix, and David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. Mario Anzuoni | Mike Blake | Reuters Hours before Warner Bros. Discovery agreed to sell its studio and streaming assets to Netflix, Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, called WBD CEO David Zaslav to inform him Netflix wouldn’t be bidding any […]

Read More
The NBA is pursuing ownership groups for a potential basketball league in Europe
Business

The NBA is pursuing ownership groups for a potential basketball league in Europe

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver speaks during a news conference following a meeting of the NBA’s board of governors at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Chase Stevens | Las Vegas Review-journal | Getty Images The NBA is looking to […]

Read More
Brick trophies, a life-size pink Cadillac and a team sponsorship: Why Lego is going all in on F1
Business

Brick trophies, a life-size pink Cadillac and a team sponsorship: Why Lego is going all in on F1

Formula 1 cars and a circuit made with Lego are displayed at the 2025 Canadian International AutoShow at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto, Feb. 21, 2025. Nurphoto | Getty Images Lego is rebuilding how consumers engage with motorsport brick by brick. In 2025, Lego kicked off a partnership with Formula 1 that brought officially […]

Read More