Allwyn establishes global lottery lead as OPAP merger closed
Allwyn has set itself up as the world’s largest publicly listed lottery company after the merger with OPAP – the operator that is responsible for the Greek lottery – concluded yesterday.
The combination merges Allwyn’s portfolio of lottery licences including the UK, Czech and Austrian national lotteries, as well as its role as a partner in an Italian lottery consortium, with OPAP’s status as holder of the Greek National Lottery licence.
Orchestrated by Allwyn parent company KKCG, a Czech investment firm, the merger was first agreed in October 2025. Allwyn and OPAP already had a close association, with KKCG having secured a stake in the Greek firm in 2013.
The combined business will be listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, with KKCG hodling 78% of voting rights. ALl signs are now pointing to Allwyn listing on a larger stock exchange in the coming years, either the LSE or NYSE.
Karel Komarek, Founder and Chair of both KKCG and Allwyn, said: “Today, Allwyn moves into a new chapter – one that builds on the momentum that already characterises our business.
“Over the past 13 years, we’ve shown the significant and sustainable value we create for shareholders, for society, and through the experiences we deliver to players. That progress has been grounded in partnership, trust, and a genuine commitment to innovation.
“Allwyn has exceptional potential in the rapidly evolving world of consumer entertainment, and we have the strategic clarity, scale, capabilities and ambition to define the future of the industry.”
Following the M&A closure, Allwyn stated that it is in a ‘market-leading position’ with greater capabilities across technology, content, digital platforms, product diversification and geographic reach. It is also confident that it has a ‘more resilient financial profile’.
More M&A to come?
Last year was a transformative one for the company. The merger with OPAP came off the back of a majority acquisition of PrizePicks, an American daily fantasy sports (DFS) platform which later expanded into the emerging predictions markets space.
Further M&As could be on the horizon, as Allwyn is now back on the hunt for a sportsbook asset after being forced to withdraw from a planned majority acquisition of Novibet, another Greek firm.
Robert Chvatal, Allwyn Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is a major strategic milestone for Allwyn, and we start our journey as a publicly listed global leader with a strengthened platform, enhanced financial flexibility and a world-class team.
“We are very confident that our leading market positions, high degree of diversification, and strong cash generation position us well to drive sustainable growth and continued value creation as we invest in innovation and future opportunities across our markets.
“I would like to thank our shareholders, employees and regulators for their support as we bring together two best‑in‑class organisations to create the second‑largest listed lottery and gaming operator globally.”
https://lotterydaily.com/2026/03/25/retail/allwyn-opap-merger-closed/