CIRSA demands that Ladbrokes offload stake in Sportium joint-venture
Thursday 02 de May 2019 / 13:40
⏱ 1 min read
(Spain).- Spanish business news source Economia Digital reports that Grupo CIRSA has sued joint-venture partner Ladbrokes (GVC Holdings) in relation to the ownership structure of its ‘Sportium’ subsidiary.
Economia Digital reports that, in July 2018, CIRSA governance filed a Madrid Court challenge against Ladbrokes stating that Sportium joint-venture terms and agreements had been completely altered by GVC Holdings £4 billion takeover of Ladbrokes Coral Plc (deal completed March 2018).
CIRSA, who in 2018 was acquired by US private equity group Blackstone, said that Ladbrokes can no longer fulfil its joint-venture role as its owner GVC Holdings is considered a ‘Spanish market competitor of CIRSA’.
In its court filing, CIRSA governance details that Sportium cannot maintain a 50/50 JV partnership with GVC Holdings, a company operating direct competitors Bwin.es and partygaming assets.
Blackstone and CIRSA Chief Executive Joaquim Agut have therefore demanded that the Madrid Court order Ladbrokes to sell its 50% equity in Sportium at a ‘fair price’.
GVC has branded CIRSA dispute as dishonest, underlining that the Spanish Gambling firm had changed ownership during 2018, forcing Ladbrokes to make necessary partnership adjustments.
When Sportium was launched in 2013, Ladbrokes consolidated its Spanish sports betting brand LBpuestas, while CIRSA moved to relaunch its Spanish market betting proposition under the Sportium domain. The operator has since expanded its betting network to +3,000 betting points across Spain, becoming the nation’s biggest retail bookmaker.
In further related news, Blackstone confirmed this week that it had acquired Spanish market fruit machine and gaming halls operator Giga Games, an asset that will be absorbed by CIRSA’s enlarged Spanish market portfolio.
Categoría:Gaming
Tags: CIRSA, Sportium, GVC Holdings Plc, Ladbrokes, Sports Betting, Sportsbook ,
País: Spain
Event
SiGMA North America 2026
01 de September 2026
"Technology can be global, but execution in LATAM must be local": Borut Leban on Timeless Tech's Regional Expansion
(Mexico City, SoloAzar Exclusive).- Following a highly successful showing and a 'Best Aggregator 2026' award at SiGMA North America, Timeless Tech CEO Borut Leban reflects on the company's strategic growth across LatAm. In this interview, Leban discusses the necessity of deep market localization, concrete new business opportunities, and the upcoming launch of their unified retention ecosystem, Timeless Arena.
Friday 18 Sep 2026 / 12:00
BSW Highlights Validation and Growth Opportunities in the LATAM iGaming Market
(Mexico City, SoloAzar Exclusive).- In Q&A with SoloAzar, Betting Software (BSW) Head of Digital Marketing Ilia Chumak discussed the company's standout showcase in SIGMA North America. Highlighting the incredible energy of the region, Chumak noted that the event was a major success for BSW, resulting in active negotiations and verifying multiple deals straight from their booth.
Friday 18 Sep 2026 / 12:00
SiGMA North America Explores Affiliate Marketing After Sports Events
(Mexico City, SoloAzar Exclusive).- At SiGMA North America 2026, Fernanda Figueroa, Affiliate Manager at 1win Partners, examined how affiliates can monetize sports events in LATAM beyond the initial traffic spike. During the conference “Beyond the Spike: How Affiliates Monetize Sports Events in LATAM All Year Round,” she discussed sports betting traffic, player retention, campaign localization and audience segmentation as key elements for extending the value of major sporting events.
Friday 18 Sep 2026 / 12:00
SUSCRIBIRSE
Para suscribirse a nuestro newsletter, complete sus datos
Reciba todo el contenido más reciente en su correo electrónico varias veces al mes.