50% share for OPAP and Stoiximan on the internet

By Matina Harkoftaki

Within the third quarter of the current financial year, the transaction for the sale of the minority holding of 36.75% held by OPAP in Betano to Kaizen Gaming is expected to be completed. The proceeds from this transaction will be used to finance the remaining amount to be paid by the listed company under the agreement for the acquisition of 85% of Stoiximan.

Since August 2021, when the new legislation came into force and new players entered the market, OPAP has managed to double its share of the internet from 3% to 6%, while launching live casinos, as noted by the CEO of OPAP, Jan Karas, in the context of informing analysts about the financial results for the first quarter. “Now together with Stoiximan, the group holds a 50% share in the domestic online gambling industry while we believe that online gaming will continue to grow,” said the head of the listed company. In our field of internet activities, we are also trying to develop the terrestrial network. “5 million players, who bet on the internet but also visit physical stores for different reasons. Thus, the dynamics of online activities and the terrestrial network are formed”.

The performance of the chain of stores was particularly encouraging in the first quarter, despite the restrictive measures for the pandemic that were in force and the inflationary pressures. According to Mr. Karas, OPAP stood by its partners, implementing a comprehensive business plan, aimed at achieving high levels of customer attraction and retention, and adopting new measures of financial support for the stores.

The strengthening of the activities of the retail network of the company is based on initiatives that focus on the customer and strengthen the attractiveness of games and shops as entertainment destinations. Among other things, the loyalty program “OPAP Rewards” is further utilized, which recently completed a year of presence and about 700,000 registered customers. In addition, the product portfolio is further upgraded, with new SCRATS games, new options in the popular Powerspin etc. In addition, the company implements integrated promotions and special events in the network of OPAP and PLAY stores.

It is noted that, from the beginning of May, customers enter the OPAP and PLAY stores without the presentation of certificates of vaccination, disease or negative diagnostic test, while from today, June 1, the mandatory use of the mask is suspended.

Targeted promotions, such as the Golden 21 of Pamestoixima.gr, but also the positive reception of the onlinelivecasino of OPAP played an important role in this.

Also, the renewed tzoker.gr is available from mid-March, offering customers a modern user interface, enriched content and new features that make the game more fun. In addition, OPAP will focus in the near future on the redesign of the front-end environments of the online betting platform. Overall, the group’s dual strategy for the online market continued to pay off, as the growth of the active customer base continued in the first quarter of 2022, both for the online activities of OPAP and for Stoiximan.

Completion of a breath-taking project for Greek society

During the presentation, the CEO of OPAP stood at the completion of the company’s initiative for the renovation of the two largest pediatric hospitals in Greece.

In total, within eight years, OPAP implemented 30 renovation projects in the children’s hospitals of Agia Sofia and Panagiotis & Aglaia Kyriakou, which now offer state-of-the-art health infrastructure and a pleasant therapeutic environment. The renovated hospitals were recently handed over to the Greek State. As Mr. Karas stressed, this initiative highlights in practice OPAP’s commitment to social contribution, which remains extremely strong and focuses on children and the younger generation, who are the future of the country.