Gambling.com Group has expanded its media portfolio in North America after reaching a binding agreement to acquire NDC Media, the publisher of BonusFinder.com, for $69m.
Under the terms of the transaction, Gambling.com will pay an initial purchase price of $13.92m, of which $11.14m will be paid as a cash reward, with the remaining $2.86m to be paid to NDC in newly issued Gambling.com ordinary shares.
NDC’s buyout offer has been further sweetened by Gambling.com applying earnout incentives based on financial performance for 2022 and 2023.
The Group’s forecast sees the total consideration, including purchase price paid at close and both earnout payments, is expected to be approximately $47m – a figure that implies a multiple of under 3.5 times expected 2023 revenue.
Gambling.com has capped its acquisition offer at $69m, dependent on the outcome of earnout incentives, in which the buyer holds the option to “pay up to 50% of each of the earnout payments in unregistered ordinary shares at its sole discretion”.
The acquisition was formally closed on January 31 and was consolidated on Gambling.com accounts from February 1.
Gambling.com CEO, Charles Gillespie, commented: “We believe that the combination of these two complementary businesses is immediately accretive to our fiscal 2022 earnings and establishes a foundation for a leadership position in North America which will drive value creation for our shareholders.”
The acquisition of BonusFinder gives Gambling.com additional scale in the North American online gambling market. BonusFinder’s strong Canadian presence is expected to drive increased market share for the Group ahead of the April launch Ontario online sports betting and igaming market launch.
Amsterdam-based NDC launched its flagship portal BonusFinder.com in 2019, providing a bonus and sportsbook comparison service for customers within newly liberalized US states.
NDC is founded by long-term industry affiliate and former Google igaming industry lead Fintan Costello, who commented on the deal – “These organizations complement each other well as partners within the North American market. Gambling.com has demonstrated its leadership position within the online sports betting and igaming industry, and its proprietary technologies and experience will provide BonusFinder with the tools to maximize growth in this exciting new era of North American regulation.”
