Intralot has formally denied reports suggesting it wants to acquire Max Gaming from Tabcorp, amid speculation about the Greek gaming technology firm’s interest in the Australian gaming monitoring business.
The company issued a public statement asserting it is not engaged in any negotiations concerning an Australian acquisition. “Currently, Intralot is not conducting any negotiations relating to any acquisition in Australia,” the statement said.
The denial follows a report by The Australian claiming Intralot had made a preliminary approach to Tabcorp regarding Max Gaming’s purchase. The gaming monitoring division could be valued as high as AU$610 million ($378 million), with unnamed sources claiming Macquarie Capital is advising Tabcorp.
This marks the second time in recent weeks that Intralot has denied reports of potential international acquisitions. In April, the company issued a similar denial regarding claims of a cross-border merger.
Tabcorp, Australia’s largest gambling and entertainment company, initiated a strategic review of its assets in August 2024 after posting a substantial financial loss of AU$1.37 billion ($849 million) for the 2024 fiscal year. Max Gaming had reportedly been identified as a potential divestiture candidate during this review.
However, Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan said earlier this month that while a strategic review is ongoing, the company is under no financial pressure to divest assets. He emphasized that Tabcorp does not need to sell Max Gaming to reduce its debt burden.
Intralot’s historical footprint in Australia includes its previous operation of a lotteries licence, which it relinquished in 2014. Since then, its involvement has been largely limited to gaming monitoring services. Any expansion would represent a significant strategic shift given Australia’s competitive and tightly regulated gambling sector.
