Kenneth Morton, Group Chief Financial Officer of Allwyn International, is determined that the company's track record on money generation can not be matched by competitors after the closure of the OPAP merger today.

The management of Allwyn International thinks that it has crafted the greatest financial investment case in international gaming, following its transformation into an openly noted business through its integration with OPAP.

By market close on Tuesday 24 March, Allwyn was trading as the world's second-largest lottos and video gaming company, sealing its position among the leading tier of listed betting operators.

The deal will unite Allwyn International with OPAP, the enduring steward of the Greek national lottery and retail wagering franchise - marking the conclusion of a six-month tactical effort to reshape the group's monetary and corporate identity.

Creating value in a new-look Allwyn

At its core, the brand-new Allwyn profile is defined by money generation, scale and consistency, while strengthening its status as one of the largest contributors to good causes throughout its markets.

However, for Group CFO, Kenneth Morton, who spoke specifically to SBC News following closure of the merger, the story extends well beyond scale to one of trust, distinction and sustainable value production.

"We're not brand-new to this market," Morton stated, indicating Allwyn's historical partnership with Athens-listed OPAP. "OPAP financiers already know what we've done. Total shareholder returns have actually gone beyond 500% because 2013."

He included that this performance has been driven by disciplined execution, consisting of the doubling of OPAP's EBITDA over the past five years.

Crucially, that track record has equated into strong financier confidence in the entity, with more than 93% of OPAP shareholders staying invested.

"We've made them a lot of cash - and that reliability matters as we inform the Allwyn story globally," he kept in mind.

Redefining lottery

Morton has positioned Allwyn as a distinct outlier to name a few listed gaming companies.

From its origins in the Czech Republic with SAZKA, the group has developed into what he refers to as a special entity within the sector - one that has actually successfully created a brand-new classification of operator by scaling and modernising the lotto model across numerous jurisdictions.

"What we have is a quite distinguished service," he said. "We have actually constructed something that didn't actually exist before - a scaled, lottery-led platform."

This distinction is rooted in a mix of retail strength, digital capability, proprietary technology and increasing content combination. All of this intends to extend the relevance of lotteries within a contemporary home entertainment landscape.

A central pillar of Allwyn's financial investment case is its ability to deliver both development and shareholder returns - a balance that Morton argued is unrivaled in the sector.

He continued: "Since 2019, we've basically tripled the size of business throughout every metric. At the exact same time, we have actually produced a lot of cash and paid significant dividends."

For Morton, this double efficiency underpins Allwyn's appeal in equity markets: "That's a really compelling and appealing proposition."

In his conversation with SBC, he explained the business as a rare example of a video gaming company that can scaling, while likewise keeping financial discipline and delivering constant returns.

Diversification is strength

Diversification is another defining strength of Allwyn's brand-new PLC profile, especially in the context of unsure and cyclical market conditions.

"If you look at gaming stocks, we are among the most varied," Morton said. "That's a huge positive - both from a disadvantage viewpoint and in regards to growth optionality."

Unlike operators heavily exposed to single markets or item verticals, Allwyn's multi-market, multi-channel structure offers a more durable profits base while offering versatility to pursue brand-new development chances.

A new-look Allwyn

Looking ahead, the business's ambitions extend well beyond Europe. While OPAP and other continental properties supply a strong structure, Morton determined North America as an essential strategic frontier for the operator, along with emerging opportunities in South America.