Scientific games acquires Sideplay

Scientific Games recently made the announcement that it has finalised an agreement for the acquisition of content studio Sideplay Entertainment, in a move geared at broadening Scientific Games’ collection of iLottery content and its market reach. The deal is awaiting final regulatory approval and is expected to boost player engagement and accelerate the growth of the Company’s iLottery solutions across international markets.

Scientific Games Lottery Group is currently a global industry leader in the provision of iLottery solutions that it provides to over 20 lotteries. Sideplay is the main supplier of digital eInstant games to the UK National Lottery which is one of the world’s largest interactive lotteries. Scientific Games is the sole distributor of Sideplay’s premium content for leading iLottery programs in North America, including the Pennsylvania Lottery and Loto-Québec.

Scientific Games Lottery Group anticipates that the acquisition will assist in increasing its presence in digital lottery markets while also showcasing Sideplay’s catalogue of content to potential iLottery clients. Scientific Games also expects that the integration of digital game server content distribution technology to its current digital tech stack will allow for more rapid distribution.

Pat McHugh, Lottery Group Chief Executive for Scientific Games said,

“We’re excited to welcome Steve Hickson and the entire Sideplay team to Scientific Games Lottery Group to help us advance our strategy as a growth company delivering the best retail and digital content, platforms and game category services that maximize proceeds for our lottery customers.“

“Sideplay’s highly-experienced digital game developers have a proven track record of delivering exceptional iLottery content to market quickly. We have already integrated Sideplay’s digital games into our iLottery platforms, and combining their unique approach to game development for Scientific Games’ more than 20 iLottery customers worldwide will accelerate our iLottery offerings for our customers and their players.”

Steve Hickson, the Founder and Director of Sideplay, whose full team will be carried over in the acquisition, added,

“All of us at Sideplay are thrilled to be joining forces with Scientific Games Lottery Group, one of the world’s leading lottery suppliers,” said Hickson. “Our goal has always been to be the best at what we do, and this transaction shows that we have in fact achieved that level of success. We are excited to leverage Scientific Games’ global lottery footprint and create the future of iLottery together.”

Sideplay has released over 270 instant win games for leading lottery and gambling operators globally since 2003. These games have been played more than 100 million times, generating plenty of income for Sideplay’s customers.

The launch of Scientific Games’ first digital instant game in the U.S. happened in 2014, and the company is the leading provider of lottery interactive games, mobile apps, player loyalty programs, and more for the U.S. lottery industry.