Lottomatica and Cirsa agree merger

Lottomatica and Cirsa have agreed a blockbuster merger that would create the second-largest listed gaming and sports betting operator in the world.

Announced on Wednesday, the all-share deal is expected to close in Q2 2027, forming a combined group with a pro forma adjusted EBITDA of around €2 billion ($2.3 billion).

Cirsa’s implied pro forma value, before synergies, corresponds to an multiple of approximately 6x its expected 2026 EV/EBITDA which will be between €800 million and €820 million, according to the operator’s most recent earnings.

According to a joint press release, the combined company would hold “undisputed leadership positions” in both Italy and Spain, with the group set to hold a duel listing on the Milan and Spanish stock exchanges.

The group is expected to have an addressable market of up to €34 billion when combining all its available markets, including Portugal, Mexico and Colombia.

Lottomatica’s online and omnichannel capabilities are expected to accelerate Cirsa’s expansion in online gaming.

Lottomatica chairman and CEO Guglielmo Angelozzi noted the combination would create a more diversified business with significant opportunities for growth.

“With the combination of Lottomatica and Cirsa, two extremely successful companies, we create the undisputed leader in Italy and Spain, among the best gaming markets globally, complemented by leadership positions in other very high growth geographies,” he said.

Cirsa CEO Antonio Hostench added: “I am delighted to embark on this exciting journey together. The combination of Cirsa and Lottomatica creates a world-class diversified gaming leader with leading positions across its core markets and significant opportunities to accelerate profitable growth.”

Lottomatica to absorb Cirsa

Lottomatica will absorb Cirsa though an EU cross-border statutory merger, with Lottomatica continuing as the surviving entity.

Once the deal is completed, current Lottomatica shareholders are expected to own around 67.5% of the share capital, with Cirsa’s shareholders owning the remaining 32.5%.

Cirsa shareholders will receive 0.668 newly issued Lottomatica shares for each of their shares in Cirsa.

Meanwhile Blackstone, Cirsa’s largest shareholder, is expected to become the largest shareholder of the combined company, maintaining around 24% of the share capital.

The deal is expected to provide around €115 million of pre-tax cash synergies per year from opex and interest cost savings. These synergies are expected to be realised by the third full year following completion.

Who will lead the combined company?

Angelozzi is set to serve as the combined company’s chairman and CEO, while Lottomatica’s deputy CEO and CFO Laurence Van Lancker will assume the same role.

Hostench and Cirsa CFO Antonio Grau will also continue to lead the teams at Cirsa.

Following the deal’s completion and approval by Lottomatica’s general shareholder’s meeting, the combined company’s board would consist of the existing 11 Lottomatica directors, as well as two new directors nominated upon designation by Blackstone.

Where would the combined company rank?

The companies delivered a presentation that detailed their plans to create a “global gaming champion”.

Lottomatica generated revenue of €2.26 billion in its FY2025, while Cirsa’s FY2025 group revenue reached €2.34 billion.

The combined company would overtake the likes of Bally’s Intralot, Entain and Allwyn to become the second-largest listed global operator, behind only Flutter Entertainment in terms of combined adjusted EBITDA.

Some 80% of its EBITDA is expected to come from Italy and Spain, with 97% of its total EBITDA coming from markets in which it is the market leader.

Online sports would make up 48% of its adjusted EBITDA, followed by distributed gaming (27%) and casinos (25%).

Van Lancker said the merger would combine the strengths of both businesses to create a larger and more diversified company with “greater scale and enhanced capabilities” to accelerate growth and create value.

The enlarged group could deliver up to €4 billion in capital returns over the three years following the completion of the deal.

Cirsa’s acquisition drive

Cirsa has followed an aggressive acquisition strategy in recent years, most recently entering the land-based casino market in Portugal by acquiring a majority stake in Sociedade Figueira Praia, S.A., the owner and operator of Casino Figueira.

Prior to that, Cirsa entered the Paraguay market through an acquisition of the online slots operator Slots del Sol, while it also acquired the leading Peruvian operator Apuesta Total in 2024.

As of June 2025, the company had completed over 130 acquisitions since 2015.