After acquiring New Gambling Solutions (NGS), Evoke will own between 51% and 57% of the business, with option to increase ownership to 100% after the third anniversary of the completion of the deal. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

On Friday, August 23, Evoke PLC announced it had acquired New Gambling Solutions SRL, the operator of Winner.ro, an online betting and gaming operator in Romania.

According to Sharecast.com, the move will expand Evoke’s Romania business in exchange for a 51% share in the combined company. The move will combine 888.ro with Winner, creating a combined market share of around 7% and increasing holdings such that Evoke will be the fourth largest group in the Romanian market.

Evoke said: “Based on a 2026 earn-out calculation, Evoke will own between 51% and 57% of the business, with an option at its sole discretion to increase ownership to 100% from the third anniversary of completion.”

expects the betting market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13% through 2026

Winner.ro is the seventh largest online betting and gaming operator in Romania. The move confirms Evoke’s confidence in the Romanian betting market, with Evoke saying it expects the betting market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13% through 2026. The market generated around €1.1bn in net revenue in 2023.

Evoke added: “The attractive market dynamics are creating rising barriers to entry, with strict local regulations and high levels of localisation.”

Winner Chief Executive Officer Nicklas Zajdel said: “This is an incredibly exciting transaction… Winner has a strong leadership team and we are building on our success in the market through our highly localised approach, and competitive advantages such as our product platform, our enhanced personalisation, and wide network of deposit points.”