Spanish gambling rivals Orenes and R Franco to merge
Grupo Orenes and R Franco have agreed on a merger that will create Spain’s biggest gambling machines manufacture and distributor.
Spain.- The Spanish heritage gaming firms Grupo Orenes and R Franco are to merge to create a new company that will dominate the manufacturing and distribution of gambling machines for casinos, arcades and cafes across the country.
The deal was seen as needed as Spain’s government prepares to enforce new country-wide laws on land-based gambling.
Madrid-based Recreativos Franco is Spain’s biggest manufacturer of fruit machines for leisure enterprises. It was founded in 1965 by the brothers Joaquin and Jesus Franco Munoz.
Its rival, Grupo Orenes was founded in 1968 and is based in Murcia, in the south. It offers a full catalogue of land-based gambling machine components and systems as well as managed services for gambling and entertainment venues.
The companies said the merged entity would launch an internationalisation strategy with the objective of achieving rapid growth in Latin America.
Grupo Orenes currently operates casinos in the provinces of Chihuahua, Querétaro and Guanajuato in Mexico. The companies’ online units intend to create a new digital offering for R Franco’s Wanabet.es and Orenes’ VERSUS sportsbook brands.
R Franco founder and president Jesus Franco Munoz said: “Both companies are united by very strong personal ties and a long history of success. This merger strengthens us in the face of the challenges we want to tackle and assures us of a promising future.”
Grupo Orenes president Eliseo Orenes added: “This union reinforces us and guarantees our future positioning as one of the main global operators in the sector. We are going to continue working to improve our customers’ experiences and generate value for society as a whole.”
Alberto Garzón, Spain’s minister for consumer affairs, has warned gambling operators to expect more changes to regulations in order to raise consumer protection standards.
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