Novomatic’s bid to acquire the remaining shares in Ainsworth Game Technology failed after it did not secure enough minority shareholder support by the extended 6 February deadline. Ainsworth confirmed it had ended the transaction implementation deed, and Novomatic will retain its majority holding.
The failed bid leaves Ainsworth under Novomatic’s existing majority ownership rather than full control.
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The Forest County Potawatomi Gaming Commission renewed Ainsworth Game Technology’s licence at the end of May after reviewing the company’s suitability, according to the commission. The commission said Ainsworth’s responses were complete and timely; the company was not accused of wrongdoing in the review.
Ainsworth Game Technology appointed Ryan Comstock as permanent chief executive, effective immediately, after six months in the acting role, the company said in an ASX filing. Comstock has worked at Ainsworth since 2012 and became its chief operating officer in 2018. His base salary is $625,000 a year, with additional performance-based remuneration to be determined by the company’s committee and board.
Tipico launched a full online casino offering in Schleswig-Holstein, becoming the first private operator to do so under the state’s framework, according to the report. Its platform includes roulette, blackjack and baccarat; Tipico said it uses identity checks, OASIS exclusion-system integration, LUGAS monitoring and ongoing behaviour monitoring. The state introduced its licensing framework in September 2024, and Tipico secured a licence 18 months before the launch.
Ainsworth Game Technology appointed Birgit Wimmer as a non-executive director, the company said. Wimmer will serve until the company’s 2026 annual general meeting, when she will stand for re-election. Ainsworth said she would not be considered independent and that governance measures would prevent her involvement in matters that could present a conflict of interest.
France's competition authority has approved Banijay's planned acquisition of casino operator Joa without conditions. The review, the authority's first of a gambling transaction spanning online and land-based operations, focused mainly on poker and concluded that the deal was unlikely to restrict competition. The authority said its assessment did not account for possible future legalisation of online casino games.