The acquisition of Tombola by Flutter was announced in November 2021. This acquisition strengthens Flutter’s position in the bingo vertical, an area where the operator has historically been weaker.
Tombola, which has been operating in the UK for 16 years, has approximately 400,000 players per month. It has also expanded into Italy and Spain. The company is known for being an early adopter of enhanced player protection efforts, such as mandatory staking and deposit limits.
In September, Tombola was selected as one of ten operators to receive Dutch online gaming licenses in the Netherlands. They also joined the Netherlands Online Gambling Association, an advocate group for responsible gambling in the country. Other prominent licensees include Bet365, Holland Casino, and Netherlands state lottery Nederlandse Loterij.
Flutter’s CEO, Peter Jackson, expressed admiration for Tombola’s product expertise, recreational customer base, and focus on sustainable play. With the acquisition, Flutter plans to combine its digital marketing expertise with Tombola’s operational capabilities in the UK and Ireland division.
In addition to acquiring Tombola, Flutter has also struck a deal to acquire Italy’s Sisal for €1.91bn (£1.62bn/$2.20bn). This acquisition is set to be completed in Q2 2022. Sisal is currently one of four operators bidding for the fourth UK National Lottery Licence and also operates Italy’s national lottery.
