Novomatic purchases UK operator Gamestec

Austrian gaming firm Novomatic has bought UK gaming machines operator Gamestec for an undisclosed sum, in a deal which includes Bell-Fruit Games, RLMS and Mazooma. The purchase is not thought to include Leisure Connections or On Board Leisure, and will be subject to an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading in the UK before completion.

An industry source said that the deal represents a 'seismic shift' in the industry, and creates a level of uncertainty in the market, especially among independent operators who rely on Bell-Fruits hugely successful Deal or No Deal family of AWPs.