William Hill airs concerns over NYX-Scientific Games deal

William Hill has said that it is to consider its options regarding Scientific Games’ proposed acquisition of NYX Gaming Group.

In September, Scientific Games agreed to acquire NYX for approximately CAD$775m (€525m/US$609.2m), in a deal it said would lead to the creation of a “global digital gaming and lottery powerhouse”.

However, William Hill has now said it will look in detail at the deal in regards to contractual rights it obtained when it enabled NYX to purchase OpenBet.

William Hill said “no decision has been made at this time” and, despite reports, “refutes in the strongest terms that any anti-competitive measure have been requested or is being demanded”.

The company added: “William Hill confirms that it has issued a conversion notice to convert its holding of convertible preference shares and has commenced legal action in order that it may also vote such shares at the special meeting of shareholders.

“William Hill does not wish to make any further comment on those proceedings at this time, other to confirm that it will continue to act in the best interests of its shareholders.”

William Hill owns and controls 6,800,000 ordinary shares of NYX and £80m of preference shares of NYX Digital Gaming, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of NYX.

Theses shares are initially convertible into approximately 40,723,339 ordinary shares of NYX, based on an initial conversion price of CAD$3.67 per ordinary share.