The Stars Group has agreed with the minority shareholders of BetEasy, its Australian-based sports betting business, to acquire the remaining 20 per cent interest in the company for AU$151m.
As part of the agreement, The Stars Group also agreed to pay $100m to settle the previously disclosed performance payment under the agreement for its 2018 acquisition of the initial 80 per cent interest.
Rafi Ashkenazi, CEO of The Stars Group, said: "I'm delighted to reach this agreement for our BetEasy business. The launch of BetEasy through our acquisitions of CrownBet and William Hill Australia in 2018 created one of the leading operators in Australia and increased our exposure to a high-growth regulated market.
“Matt Tripp's entrepreneurial spirit and vision has guided BetEasy since he founded the business and we are glad he will oversee the transition as non-executive president.”
The Stars Group expects to complete the minority acquisition within 90 days following the earlier of either the issuance of The Stars Group's audited financial statements for the year-ended December 31, 2020, or the completion of the all share combination of The Stars Group with Flutter Entertainment.
The purchase price will be settled in cash unless it follows the completion of the combination, in which case Flutter may elect to settle in cash, Flutter ordinary shares or a combination of the same.
In addition to the acquisition of the remaining interest, The Stars Group will settle the performance, or earn-out, payment to the minority shareholders for $100m. The performance payment, which could have reached $232m, was subject to certain performance conditions primarily related to BetEasy's EBITDA.
Also as part of the agreement, The Stars Group will repay $56.9m of outstanding BetEasy minority shareholder loans.
Matt Tripp, BetEasy's CEO, will provide ongoing leadership as the non-executive president from the start of next year, with Andrew Menz, who previously served as BetEasy's director of strategy and regulatory affairs, as his successor in the CEO role.
Menz was previously the legal and corporate affairs director of Betfair Australia and was at the forefront of the establishment of Responsible Wagering Australia, a key group for Australia's online wagering industry.
Tripp said: "I'm pleased to see our long-term succession plan come to fruition. Andrew Menz brings deep commercial and regulatory experience which leaves BetEasy in a strong position to continue delivering profitable growth."
