Aristocrat antes up on digital growth with $500M Plarium buy

Slot machine maker Aristocrat Leisure has acquired Israeli social gaming company Plarium Global Ltd, reinforcing the Australian company’s status as a technology business.

In a filing to the Australian Stock Exchange, the company announced that it has signed a binding agreement to buy 100 percent of Plarium for a total consideration of US$500 million cash, subject to customary completion adjustments.

Aristocrat plans to fund the acquisition via existing cash and an incremental US$425 million, seven-year term Loan B debit facility.

The deal is expected to boost Aristocrat’s exposure “to the fast growing digital market,” meaning that the company’s digital sources will grow to 22 percent of its overall revenue, based on results for the year that ended in March 2017.