NOVOMATIC signs deal to acquire remaining stake in Ainsworth

Austrian gaming technology giant NOVOMATIC has signed an agreement to acquire the remaining stake in Ainsworth for AUD1.00 ($0.64) per share. 

Ainsworth’s Independent Board Committee has unanimously recommended that Ainsworth shareholders vote in favour of the transaction. NOVOMATIC holds an existing stake of 52.9% in Ainsworth, which it purchased in 2016 from founder Len Ainsworth.

A meeting for Ainsworth shareholders to vote on the proposal is due to take place after July. This will happen after shareholders receive an independent expert report on the deal. If the deed is approved, the deal will be submitted for final court approval. Ainsworth expects this in August.

Should shareholders vote in favour of the scheme, it would, however, still be subject to several other approvals. These include sign-off from the Australian Securities Exchange, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, and the Federal Court of Australia. If Novomatic secures these approvals, it expects to complete the acquisition in the second half of 2025. 

Stefan Krenn

Stefan Krenn, Member of the Executive Board of NOVOMATIC AG Group, stated: "The acquisition of Ainsworth is consistent with our international growth strategy and the expansion of our presence across the Asia-Pacific and the US region. As a long-term shareholder, we are familiar with the business and believe that integrating Ainsworth into our operations is in the best interest of this strategy."

"We look forward to welcoming the highly qualified and experienced Ainsworth employees into the NOVOMATIC family to become part of our international growth and success," he added.

Ainsworth is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Its headquarters are in Newington, Sydney, and it has operations worldwide. The company provides gaming machines in Australia, Asia, and the Americas. 

For its part, NOVOMATIC is a full-service provider in all segments of the gaming industry through its around 300 international subsidiaries. The company is active in over 130 countries and employs more than 26,200 employees.