El Dorado Partners with Stars Group for Online Betting

Eldorado Resorts Inc. has partnered with The Stars Group Inc to operate online betting and gaming in the states where Eldorado currently or in the future owns or operates casino properties.

The agreement currently covers 11 states (Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, and West Virginia) which, when combined with The Stars Group's existing market access deals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, gives The Stars Group access to up to 13 states.  

The agreement grants The Stars Group the option to own, operate and brand real-money online sports betting, poker and casino offerings in each of the applicable states subject to license availability, state law and regulatory approvals. As it relates to sports betting, The Stars Group's options will provide first skin access in states where Eldorado owns or operates more than one casino property and second skin access in all other applicable states.

Gary Carano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eldorado commented, "The Stars Group is one of the world's largest, most licensed and most geographically and product diverse publicly listed online gaming companies. We are excited to work with The Stars Group to capitalize on their proven ability to leverage their products to gain share in the growing market for online gaming."

Under the terms of the agreement, Eldorado will receive a revenue share from the operation of the applicable offerings by The Stars Group, and The Stars Group will  issue Eldorado approximately 1 million common shares at a price of $23.22 per share for a value of $25 million and an additional $5 million of common shares upon The Stars Group's exercise of the first option and following the satisfaction of certain conditions.