Slaughter and May is advising The Stars Group (“TSG”) on the merger control aspects of its proposed £10 billion global merger with Flutter Entertainment. TSG is a global gambling and interactive entertainment operator, with leading online and mobile betting, poker, casino and other gaming-related brands. The proposed merger will create a global leader in the online gaming and betting sectors.
On 31 March 2020, the UK Competition & Markets Authority granted unconditional clearance for the proposed merger following a Phase 1 investigation in a climate where many digital mergers are being sent to in-depth phase 2 reviews. This follows approvals in a number of other jurisdictions around the world.
Marlon Goldstein, Executive Vice-President & Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of TSG, said of Slaughter and May’s advice in relation to the proposed merger: “The Slaughter and May team provided key strategic advice and counsel globally, and helped us obtain critical competition approvals from multiple jurisdictions. Simply put, the Slaughter and May team was outstanding in all aspects of this matter.”