Acquisition Deal: Livespins to be taken over by Evolution
Evolution, a leading provider of online casino games, has announced the acquisition of Livespins, a B2B provider specializing in bet-behind live streaming technology for online slots. The move aims to enhance Evolution's live casino offering by integrating social and interactive features that drive player engagement and revenue.
Before the acquisition, Evolution was already a market leader in live casino and online slots, with a strong portfolio including brands like NetEnt, Red Tiger, Big Time Gaming, and Ezugi. The acquisition of Livespins, with its real-time streaming of online slots with interactive chat and betting functionalities, transforms traditional online slots into a more social experience.
The future implications of this acquisition are significant. Evolution plans to expand social and interactive live streaming for online casino games, making them more engaging by blending real-time streaming, betting, and social interaction. This is key to attracting and retaining players in a competitive market.
Livespins' technology will be integrated across Evolution’s extensive portfolio, allowing Evolution to offer bet-behind live streaming features on a wider range of games, including new Hasbro-themed titles launching from 2026 onwards. This integration will strengthen Evolution’s position as a global leader in online live casino innovation by combining proprietary live streaming with exclusive licensed content, thereby setting new standards for interactive online gaming experiences.
The acquisition is expected to drive new revenue streams from enhanced player engagement and longer session times, as social casino features generally increase user retention and frequency of play. Livespins will also strengthen Evolution’s online gaming portfolio with a new social category of live entertainment.
Chris Scicluna, CEO of Livespins, considers this acquisition an unprecedented milestone for their company. The transaction, planned for Q2 2024, subject to certain closing conditions, is a total up-front cash consideration of EUR 5 million, with an earn-out based on Livespins' performance in 2026.
Todd Haushalter, Evolution’s Chief Product Officer, states that playing along with a streamer is a new way to play online casino games. Twitch, YouTube, and other platforms have proven the popularity of live streaming while playing online casino games, and now, with the acquisition, players will be able to play along with their favorite streamers right from the Evolution lobby.
Martin Carlesund, CEO of Evolution, believes Livespins will be a great addition to their portfolio. As a start-up, Livespins has attracted the attention of Evolution with its solid engagement metrics and adoption by players. The acquisition fits into Evolution's "Product Leap" strategy.
In summary, Evolution’s acquisition of Livespins fits into a broader strategy of expanding its live casino innovation and exclusive content partnerships, particularly leveraging Livespins’ live streaming and social betting capabilities to enhance player experience and engagement in the evolving online gaming market. Livespins will continue as a brand within the Evolution Group.
- The integration of Livespins' technology will enable Evolution to offer a more social gaming experience, transforming traditional online slots into interactive areas for real-time streaming, chat, and betting.
- The acquisition of Livespins, driven by the fusion of technology and social interaction, is a crucial step in Evolution's strategy to set new standards in the online gaming market, attract and retain players, and drive new revenue streams.
