KKCG sells part of its stake in Allwyn International
The Czech investment group’s stake sale values Allwyn’s share capital at €11.2bn.
Czech Republic.- The investment group KKCG has sold a 4.27 per cent stake in the gambling operator Allwyn International to J&T Arch Investments, a qualified investor fund listed on the Prague Stock Exchang. The transaction values Allwyn’s share capital at €11.2bn, and the total proceeds to KKCG are €500m.
The transaction was structured as a sale of equity in Allwyn by KKCG’s wholly-owned subsidiary Allwyn AG. After the transaction, KKCG’s interest in Allwyn stands at 95.73 per cent. Allwyn said the deal reflects the strength of Allwyn’s track record, its solid financial profile and continued confidence in its strategy and future development.
Karel Komarek, Allwyn’s Chair and founder of KKCG, commented: “This is another significant step for Allwyn. It demonstrates the positive impact of KKCG’s vision and support for the business, and investor confidence in Allwyn’s successful growth-led strategy. I see many opportunities ahead for significant and sustainable value creation for Allwyn and I’m delighted that a wider range of investors can now join us on that journey.”
Robert Chvatal, Allwyn CEO said: “At Allwyn, we’re on a mission to become the leading global gaming entertainment company. We have demonstrated that our platform delivers, and there is real momentum behind our exciting future growth strategy.”
Patrik Tkáč, co-founder of the J&T financial group and Chairman of the J&T ARCH Investment Committee, said: “J&T ARCH’s entry into Allwyn is the culmination of many years of business relations with Karel Komárek, who, with his team, has built an international entertainment platform out of a domestic player. This is another great story of a leading Czech entrepreneur’s business, and the opportunity for our investors to participate in its future growth.”
Adam Tomis, a member of the J&T ARCH Investment Committee, added: “Allwyn’s geographical footprint as the operator of national lotteries makes it unique. Our portfolio thus gains an investment in a sector characterized by strong market positions, resilience to economic cycles, and high conversion of profits into free cash flow. Allwyn is in an excellent position to continue expanding and growing.”
Allwyn was previously known as Sazka Group and initially operated under state control as the Czech national lottery operator. KKCG took a majority state in 2011. Subsequently, a joint venture was established with EMMA Capital and Allwyn expanded into Greece with OPAP, Italy with Lottoitalia and Austria with Austrian Lotteries.
KKCG bought EMMA Capital’s 25 per cent stake in 2019. The group rebranded as Allwyn after winning the tender for the UK National Lottery, which it took over in February 2024.
More recently, the Czech gaming giant announced the sale of its German and Australian casino assets and entered an agreement to acquire the remaining 15.51 per cent minority interest in the Greece and Cyprus-facing online sports betting and igaming business Stoiximan.
Earlier this month, Allwyn announced the appointment of Kresimir Spajic as CEO of a new business unit called Allwyn Digital, a new global business area of the group that Allwyn says will support its ambition to “evolve in a more digitally-led and connected way, and deliver engaging experiences Allwyn customers cannot get anywhere else”.
