SIS expands into number games with 49’s acquisition
Betting services supplier Sports Information Services (SIS) has expanded into the number games market with the acquisition of the full shareholding of draw-based and virtual sports developer 49’s from GVC Holdings and William Hill.
Terms of the deal, which will see SIS take ownership of 49's full range of fixed-odds number games, were not disclosed.
SIS will also take over the virtual horseracing brands Portman Park, Sprint Valley and Steepledowns, as well as the virtual greyhound brands Brushwood and Millersfield.
The supplier said the acquisition of 49’s is a “perfect strategic fit” for its product portfolio, adding that it is also in the process of developing a range of new numbers and virtual content that will sit under the 49’s brand umbrella. It has already worked with the supplier for a number of years, most recently agreeing an extension to this relationship in April 2018, offering the games as part of its racing coverage in Great Britain and international markets.
“49’s has a long history of supplying high quality, market-leading content to UK and Irish bookmakers and the product range is much loved by consumers,” SIS chief executive Richard Ames said.
“Over recent years, SIS has successfully extended the brand worldwide and it makes perfect sense to now take the further step of acquiring the business. We have great plans for the brands and will announce shortly a range of new and extended products as part SIS’ numbers product strategy.”
49’s chairman Mike Jones added: “We’ve worked in partnership with SIS for the last 20 years and they are uniquely positioned to be able to further expand the 49’s brand internationally.
“We look forward to seeing how they build on the excellent work the team has done over the last few years to position 49’s as a leading numbers product.”
The acquisition comes after SIS earlier this expanded its horse racing portfolio through agreements with Czech racetrack operator LAB, and Kincsem Park, the home of Hungarian racing.
The deals see SIS become the exclusive distributor of live pictures and data of horse races in the two countries. SIS’s operator partners will benefit from at least 300 races per year from four of the Czech Republic’s biggest racecourses, and 265 races per year from Hungary’s Kincsem Park.