Business Wire

FINALTO-S.P.V.-LTD

Share
The Consortium Welcomes Playtech’s Confirmed Recommendation for Its Binding Agreement to Acquire Finalto and Urges Investors to Vote in Favour at the Playtech Adjourned General Meeting on 18 August 2021

Finalto S.P.V. Ltd, the consortium led by Barinboim Group and backed by Leumi Partners Limited and Menora Mivtachim Group, together with key members of the Finalto Business' management team (together the "Consortium"), welcomes the announcement by Playtech plc (“Playtech”) confirming its recommendation that shareholders vote in favour of the Consortium’s binding agreement for Finalto Group (“Finalto) (the “Binding Agreement”).

Playtech announced today that following its engagement with Gopher Investments (“Gopher”) over the past three weeks, it has not received responses from Gopher to a number of its questions and therefore Playtech has not yet been able to achieve the necessary clarity on Gopher's ultimate ownership and funding structure, source of funds or ability to obtain the required regulatory clearances .

Shareholders should ask why Gopher continues to hide and should also be suspicious of Gopher’s credibility, particularly given that disclosure is crucial when buying a highly regulated business. Furthermore, the firm associated with Gopher, TT Bond Partners, is a small boutique brokerage that raises money from Chinese investors. Gopher’s behaviour has not been well received by the market; since it first announced its interest, Playtech’s share price has fallen by nearly 17%1 .

The Consortium’s Binding Agreement for Finalto offers considerable value and certainty and puts an end to the arduous 18-month sale process

  • Voting in favour of the Consortium’s Binding Agreement, which has been unanimously supported by Playtech’s board of directors, ensures Playtech receipt of the considerable sale proceeds soon allowing it to focus on its core gambling business. The Binding Agreement was agreed after beating other rival bidders in a lengthy, arduous and transparent sale process that was run by UBS and offers far greater certainty that the transaction will complete and pass the stringent regulatory approvals.
  • The level of volatility and risk that the Finalto business is subject to and the performance headwinds that it faces, led to the ultimate price that was agreed and Playtech recommending the Consortium’s Binding Agreement to acquire Finalto. Indeed, in the original circular to shareholders, Playtech itself comments on Finalto’s tumultuous performance in 2021, underlining the businesses underperformance relative to prior years.
  • If shareholders vote against the Binding Agreement the Consortium will fall apart. Should this happen, shareholders need to reflect on the likelihood that Gopher would follow through on its indicative interest at the level they purport to offer for Finalto.
  • Voting in favour of the Consortium removes the considerable risk, delay and additional costs associated with yet another sale process, which would not be concluded until late 2022 at the earliest. Such a delay would be considerably destabilising to the Finalto business, which has already been subject to a lengthy sale process and significant market speculation.
  • From the outset of the transaction, the Consortium’s Binding Agreement was and remains fully financed by the three blue chip multinationals comprising the Consortium and a reputable senior lender. Completion is subject to Playtech’s shareholders’ approval and final regulatory approvals only, which the Consortium is already six months into and has submitted the required arduous change of control paperwork to each of the regulators in multiple jurisdictions.
  • The Consortium welcomes shareholders and proxy advisors ISS and Glass Lewis to engage with it in order to answer any questions regarding its Binding Agreement, which it believe provides the best value to Playtech.

The Consortium urges shareholders to follow Playtech’s Board recommendation and vote in favour of its Binding Agreement to acquire Finalto at the General Meeting due to take place on 18 August 2021.

The Original Circular, the Supplementary Circular and the Notice of Adjourned General Meeting are available on Playtech's website at www.investors.playtech.com/shareholder-information/general-meeting.aspx . Shareholders who have already submitted their proxy electronically at www.investorcentre.co.uk/eproxy and wish to change their voting instruction, may do so by submitting a revised Form of Proxy electronically at www.investorcentre.co.uk/eproxy .

The Consortium’s previous announcements are available here (7 July 2021) and here (9 July 2021).

-ENDS-

About the Consortium

The Consortium is a company incorporated in Israel, established for the purpose of acquiring the Finalto Business. The Consortium is being funded by a group consisting of Barinboim Group, Leumi Partners Limited and Menora Mivtachim Group and by senior secured debt financing from The Phoenix Insurance Company Limited and certain of its affiliates. The Consortium will be supported by key members of the Finalto Business' management team that will transfer with the Finalto Business, including Ron Hoffman (Chief Executive Officer of the Finalto Business) and Liron Greenbaum (Chief Operations Officer of the Finalto Business).

Barinboim Group is a private equity and venture capital firm based in Tel Aviv. Barinboim Group invests in companies operating in the media sectors.

Leumi Partners Limited is the merchant and investment banking arm of Bank Leumi (TASE: LUMI), one of the two largest banking groups in Israel. Leumi Partners Limited is based in Tel Aviv and offers direct equity investment in sectors such as technology media and telecom, consumer & retail, and healthcare. Leumi Partners Limited's line of business includes conducting investments and providing services such as underwriting, financial analysis and research, strategic advice, mergers & acquisitions, and raising equity and debt.

Menora Mivtachim Group is one of Israel's five largest insurance & finance groups. The group specializes in asset management, manages the largest pension fund in Israel - and is the largest General Insurer in Israel and the market leader in Motor Insurance sector. The group operates through its subsidiaries, in all sectors of Life Insurance, Long/Mid/Short -Term Savings, General Insurance and Health Insurance. In addition, the group is active in the capital markets and finance sectors, including, Financial Portfolio Management, Underwriting and worldwide real estate investments.


1 Source: Capital IQ. July 30 close price over July 2 close price

About Business Wire

Business Wire
Business Wire
101 California Street, 20th Floor
CA 94111 San Francisco

http://businesswire.com

Subscribe to releases from Business Wire

Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Latest releases from Business Wire

Greenland Resources Signs MOU With German GMH Gruppe for Molybdenum Supply20.1.2026 04:19:00 CET | Press release

Greenland Resources Inc. (TSX:MOLY, FSE:M0LY) (“Greenland Resources” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that as a follow up to its December 3, 2025 press release where the European Commission presented RESourceEU, and mentioned the Company’s Malmbjerg project in Greenland as a priority EU project, the Company has signed a memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) for long term molybdenum supply with GMH Gruppe SE & Co. KG, (GMH), a leading European producer and processor of steel long products, special bar quality, tool steels, forgings and castings. GMH is a pioneer in sustainable steel production using electric arc furnaces based on scrap recycling thus generating 80 percent fewer CO2 emissions than conventionally produced steel. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119648070/en/ The MOU sets the path for a long-term supply agreement covering ferro-molybdenum, molybdenum-oxide and briquettes produced from moly

Doha Debates Reflects on a Landmark Year of Global Dialogue and Youth Engagement19.1.2026 17:02:00 CET | Press release

In 2026, Doha Debates addresses the world’s most pressing questions through global dialogue that engages diverse audiences, including youth In 2025, Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates strengthened its role as a global platform for truth-seeking dialogue, bringing students and leading thinkers together to explore ideas shaping today’s most urgent questions––from freedom and justice to identity and belonging. Its reach continued to grow, surpassing 13.8 million video views and engaging nearly seven million followers across social platforms, including more than one million YouTube subscribers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119796451/en/ In 2026, Doha Debates addresses the world’s most pressing questions through global dialogue that engages diverse audiences, including youth. (Photo: AETOSWire) A major milestone came with season four of The Negotiators, which earned international recognition, winning the Folio A

Evernote Releases v11, Marking a New Chapter in AI-Powered Productivity19.1.2026 17:00:00 CET | Press release

Evernote today announced the release of v11, its first major product update in five years. The new version includes three powerful AI features—AI Assistant, Semantic Search, and AI Meeting Notes—creating smarter ways to capture, retrieve, and manage information in Evernote. With the release of v11, these features are now available to all Evernote customers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119103272/en/ Two years of work culminating in a major update V11 is a recognition of Evernote’s evolution under Bending Spoons’ stewardship. Since 2024, Evernote has released more than 250 new features and improvements while also greatly enhancing sync, speed, and reliability. With v11, Evernote ushers in an exciting new phase of development and innovation, bringing customers novel ways to engage with their preferred productivity tool. “Evernote has been part of people’s lives for years, often decades. They’ve always insp

Esmark Expands Global Sports Commitment With Sponsorship of Slovakian Professional Hockey Team19.1.2026 14:00:00 CET | Press release

Sponsorship unites local talent and gives the people of Košice a team of their own Esmark Sports Management and Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Esmark Inc., announced today it is the team sponsor and co-owner of a newly established professional hockey team in Košice, Slovakia. This partnership underscores Esmark’s commitment to supporting sports development and strengthening community connections through the unifying power of athletics. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119104207/en/ Esmark Sports Management and Entertainment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Esmark Inc., is the team sponsor and co-owner of a newly established professional hockey team in Košice, Slovakia. The Hockey Club Esmark Košice team began competing in the 2HL division of professional ice hockey in Slovakia in the 2025-2026 season. The roster features players from Košice who have been competing for clubs across Slovakia. “The cr

WHOOP Becomes Official Health and Fitness Wearable Partner and Team Partner of Scuderia Ferrari HP19.1.2026 13:38:00 CET | Press release

A First in Formula 1: WHOOP to Deliver Health Insights Across the Scuderia Ferrari HP Team WHOOP, the human performance company, today announced a new, global partnership with Scuderia Ferrari HP as the Official Health and Fitness Wearable Partner and Team Partner. Starting in the 2026 season, Scuderia Ferrari HP cars and drivers will host the WHOOP logo, while WHOOP will be provided to members of the team to unlock insights on their health, recovery, and fitness. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260119602892/en/ This partnership also unlocks a first-of-its-kind integration in which the medical team supporting Scuderia Ferrari HP will work closely with the WHOOP Performance Science team, led by Dr. Kristen Holmes, on enhancing the physical efficiency and recovery for the entire Scuderia Ferrari HP organization. Together, they will work on the foundational elements of health and fitness with a unique human optim

In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.

Visit our pressroom
World GlobeA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.HiddenA line styled icon from Orion Icon Library.Eye