Pierre Hofer, CEO of pferdewetten.de AG, said they expect to integrate a mid-double-digit number of shops. They will complete this within the next three months.
Playtech, the leading online gambling platform, content, and service provider is handing over the reins of Happybet, its German sports betting brand to NetX Betting, a subsidiary of pferdewetten.de AG, a German gambling operator.
The move marks a key milestone in shift away of Playtech from consumer-facing operations as it keeps on focusing only on Business-to-Business technology services.
As part of the deal, pferdewetten.de AG will have the opportunity to negotiate directly with the franchisees. These franchisees are currently operating Happybet’s retail outlets across Germany.
The company will also take ownership of certain physical assets. This includes around 600 hardware units like betting terminals and POS systems.
The handover depends on the success of negotiations with franchise partners and final approval of German regulator.
A transition period is currently underway. During this time, pferdewetten.de will work to finalize deals and secure approval to proceed.
Playtech stated that the German firm will shut down any assets not acquired. Made in March 2025, the agreement follows the company’s earlier announcement that it was looking to offload the remaining portion of the Happybet business. This comes after winding down its Austrian operations in late 2024.
This acquisition represents a strategic expansion of its growing retail footprint for pferdewetten.de.
The Düsseldorf-based company has steadily expanded its presence in the broader sports betting market since 2018. It is primarily known for its horse racing betting platform.
Pierre Hofer, CEO of pferdewetten.de AG, said they expect to integrate a mid-double-digit number of shops into their network within the next three months.
Hofer added that the growth would correspond to an additional annual revenue of roughly €7 million ($7.93 million). It is also expected to contribute a positive EBITDA of over €1 million ($1.13 million).
