Caesars in talks to sell interactive games unit to Chinese group

It appears that Caesars Entertainment is close to sealing the deal for its interactive unit.

U.S. gaming holding company Caesars Acquisition Co (CAC) is reportedly in “exclusive talks” with a Chinese consortium over the possible sale of Caesars Interactive Entertainment’s (CIE) online games business.

People familiar with the matter told Reuters the struggling casino operator granted the consortium, which includes online games developer Giant Interactive Group, “a short exclusivity period earlier this week, following an auction that also included U.S. toymaker Hasbro Inc and South Korean mobile game company Netmarble Games.”

In May, reports surfaced that Caesars Entertainment has been mulling to sell the interactive games unit, even though it’s one of the few branches of the Caesars family tree that actually makes money. In 2015, CIE’s casino-themed online games division reported a 23 percent rise—to reach $766 million—in annual revenues.