NOVOMATIC Italy is pleased to announce the merger of the group’s car dealerships ADMIRAL Gaming Network (AGN) and HBG Connex, historic operators in the Italian gaming market, which, through the combination of two leaders, today form one of the largest concessionaire companies at national level.
Following the acquisition of the HBG Gaming Group companies at the end of 2022, NOVOMATIC is taking new steps to consolidate and increase its presence and commitment in the Italian market and VLT by strengthening the company that holds the network concession for AWP.
“We believe that the role of network concessionaire within the regulatory framework is crucial and fits perfectly with our group’s goals of providing safe and legal entertainment around the world,” he explains Markus Buechele, CEO of the parent company NOVOMATIC Italia -. For this reason, we have worked and will continue to work to ensure that ADMIRAL Gaming Network continues to make its network stronger in terms of services, reliability and technology.”
Within the new reality, the value system and objectives in managing business strategies remain the same: “AGN – underlines the President Antonio Porsia – will continuously and actively work to ensure the safety and compliance of the services provided under the State Concession and strive for ever higher technological standards in order to protect tax revenues and end users of the products. It is the clear intention of everyone to pursue these objectives so that the concessionaire continues to make a positive contribution to the Italian public gaming sector and to civil society, ensuring transparency and reliability.”The new ADMIRAL Gaming Network draws on over ten years of know-how, which as of today expands to a network of 41,000 AWP rights and over 8,000 VLT installation rights.
The operation, which begins today, consolidates the NOVOMATIC Italia Group’s presence as a top player in the Italian concession system, thanks to the direct control of various concession companies.
In addition to AGN, they also have public concessions Allstar, HBG Entertainment (concessionaire for bingo games) e HBG Online Gaming (concessionaire for online and land-based betting). In addition, NOVOMATIC holds a 2% stake Lotto Italy srl, the company that holds the concession to participate in the lottery game in Italy.
In addition to the concessionaires, the group has 7 companies operating in retail gambling: an important corporate management that today permanently employs more than 4,000 people in all Italian regions.
“Our firm intention to represent a certain reference point for the internal market and the country’s economy,” comments Buechele, “is confirmed by the holding company’s enormous investments in concessions, but also by the presence of several historic companies in the group.” Direct management of the ADMIRAL branded venues. Among our strengths is our payment institution ADMIRAL Pay, authorized by the Bank of Italy in 2018 and offering gambling services thanks to payment systems fully compliant with current laws. Today’s merger seals NOVOMATIC’s 17th presence in Italy.”
The board of AGN consists of the CEO Giuseppe Calzolaio, three representatives of NOVOMATIC Italia Holding, Markus Buechele (Chief Executive Officer), Karl Plank (Chief Operation Officer) and Raffaele Gnazzi (Legal & Compliance Director) as well as President Antonio Porsia.
THE RENEWAL OF BRAND IDENTITY
The merger of the two historic car dealerships creates a single large reality with a renewed, future-oriented brand identity that at the same time retains its roots in the ADMIRAL brand, which stands for entertainment worldwide.
“The acronym AGN – he explains Mara Di Lecce, communications and marketing manager from NOVOMATIC Italia – will finally become an integral part of a complete and mature brand that has written the history of the Italian concession system and is based on a solid reputation. The concessionaire has always stood out over the years for making great efforts in dialogue with all market participants and with the territories, especially by concretely responding to the needs of local communities and by guaranteeing the monitoring of the ADMIRAL Gaming Network services They are present and will be in the future.
The new company website www.admiralgn.it is online and communications related to responsible gambling activities are renewed in accordance with the requirements of the 2024 Development Plan, in order to respond both to the new corporate identity and to the high requirements of the G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group) certification, obtained by AGN in Year 2022. The new responsible gaming kits will be distributed in all arcades connected to the concession and are further proof of the central importance of responsible entertainment in the value system of the entire NOVOMATIC Group. lp/AGIMEG
