Amid external doubts about the integration progress of LeoVegas and Tipico US sports betting platforms, Adrian Vella, the company's Chief Technology and Product Officer, recently denied any delays in the integration process in an interview. He emphasized that the integration itself is a highly complex technical migration, which is currently progressing in phases as planned.
LeoVegas completed the acquisition of Tipico's US betting platform in June 2024, marking a key step in its transformation to a fully autonomous technology platform. Vella pointed out that the phased rollout strategy is designed to ensure that each phase is thoroughly tested, transitions smoothly, and complies with local regulatory requirements, ultimately delivering an exceptional user experience.
Despite MGM's parent company's earlier projection that the new platform would be fully launched in core markets by the second quarter of 2024, LeoVegas's first deployment of its in-house sports betting product in the Danish market is scheduled for July 2025. This has led to speculation about a delay in integration progress.
In response, Vella said: "An integration of this scale naturally has complexities. Our pace is to ensure stability and quality, and to ensure that our talent and culture seamlessly integrate with the new platform."
It is reported that LeoVegas's integration not only includes the transfer of the technology platform but also involves the overall integration of Tipico's technical and operational teams in the US, Colombia, and Europe. Vella believes that this integration will bring deep localization capabilities, including more flexibility in responding to regulatory changes, language differences, and payment habits, laying the foundation for future expansion into markets such as Germany and the Netherlands.
It is worth noting that LeoVegas has also renewed its agreement with the veteran data provider Kambi until 2027 and has integrated its Odds Feed+ solution. The renewal was once interpreted by the outside world as a signal of integration obstacles, but Vella stated that it is to ensure business continuity, "and does not conflict with the integration strategy."
"Our goal is to build a highly differentiated, responsive, and globally diverse sports betting experience centered on an autonomous platform. This is not only a product upgrade but also a core driver of our global growth strategy."
LeoVegas stated that it will continue to advance the integration as planned and will launch its in-house sports betting platform in more markets in the future.