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Czech billionaire bets on lottos for development

A Czech billionaire who turned a local energy company into an international business empire after the fall of the Berlin Wall is now banking on selling lotto tickets in locations like Chicago and London to drive worldwide growth.

Karel Komarek, the second-richest Czech behind the widow of Petr Kellner and ahead of deal maker Daniel Kretinsky, is pushing lottery operator Allwyn as a flagship for his KKCG financial investment group, telling : Development in lottery-led entertainment is definitely crucial to our broader group technique.

Allwyn is currently Europe's greatest lotto operator, running nationwide plans in Italy, Austria, Greece and elsewhere.

2 recent offers - to run the UK national lottery and the U.S. state of Illinois lottery - have put Allwyn in sight of a larger share of the worldwide market, which is set to grow to $ 425 billion in 2028 from $283 billion in 2023, according to The Organization Research study Business's Lottery game Global Market Report 2024.

We are constantly open to new opportunities-- mainly in Europe and in the U.S.-- especially when we can lean on existing knowledge from within the group to unlock growth possible, Komarek, 55, said in an interview by e-mail.

Allwyn has eclipsed KKCG's energy organizations, generating income of 7.8 billion euros ($ 8.60 billion) in 2023, or approximately 70% of KKCG's overall profits.

It took control of as operator of the UK national lottery in February after winning a tender against incumbent Camelot, the sole operator since the UK plan's launch almost 30 years back. Market sources stated Allwyn's technology offerings and plan to disperse a hefty piece of profits to charitable causes assisted secure the deal.

Rising non reusable earnings and technology such as smart device apps, QR codes and developments to make lottery games more interactive are driving growth in a worldwide market where International Video Game Technology (IGT), Scientific Games and Intralot are amongst the most significant players.

DIGITALIZATION PATTERN

Komarek used a $13,000 loan from his father to start a. valves and piping business in the early 1990s in then. Czechoslovakia before acquiring oil and gas expedition business. Moravske Naftove Doly - a relocation that laid the structure for his. fortune. But it was his 2012 deal to take control of bankrupt Czech. lottery game operator Sazka that moved KKCG's abroad expansion.

It was clear that there was a lot of untapped capacity. and that we could replicate this technique globally and. use it as a platform from which to build, said Komarek, whose. net worth has actually tripled since 2020 to $9.5 billion, according to. Forbes.

KKCG's more current interests include biomedicine and the. group sees opportunities to press deeper into innovation, real. estate, energy and evolving markets consisting of AI and Web3,. Komarek told .

Allwyn aims to broaden even more in the $100 billion U.S. lottery game market, its President Robert Chvatal stated.

Many U.S. states operate their own lottery games however Chvatal. thinks these entities will progressively turn to private. providers like Allwyn to generate more technology-fuelled. profits.

Allwyn, which has not divulged the value of any of its. recent financial investments, also bought a bulk stake in U.S. online. lotto games provider Instantaneous Win Video gaming in February.

The digitalization pattern in this sector is inescapable,. Chvatal informed .

We did not go and acquire the Illinois lottery game because we. only want to remain there for the next 20 years.

In 2022 Allwyn cancelled a deal with blank-check firm. Cohn Robbins Holdings Corp., citing unstable market conditions,. that would have seen its shares list in New york city at an. enterprise worth of $9.3 billion.

Chvatal ruled out a going public for Allwyn for. now, saying the company was well financed through bank loans and. bonds.

We have the size and the product to do an IPO however it. does not mean we need to do it, he stated. The marketplace and timing. need to be right. An IPO is a distraction now..

(source: Reuters)