According to a report in a gambling industry online news service - the Fantini Gaming Report - Novomatic is considering an initial public offering in the UK.
The IPO would value the company at US$6.3bn. The report, which is said to have emanated from the Reuters news agency, would be a London listing and that Novomatic is working with Macquarie, the global banking group, to prepare it.
Reuters did not rule out the sale of a minority stake to a private equity group. But Novomatic is reported to have told Reuters that there are no plans currently on future financing projects.
The Austrian-based group is active in virtually all sectors of the gaming industry, from manufacturing machines and tables to operations in the street market and in casinos as well as an online business. It was recently in the news for its acquisition of 53 per cent of the Ainsworth slot machine manufacturing company in Australia - a deal which is still awaiting regulatory clearance.
