NEW YORK, July 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Z Capital
Partners, L.L.C., the private equity arm of Z Capital Group, L.L.C.
("ZCG"), a leading privately-held asset manager, today announced
the completion of the merger of its affiliated portfolio companies,
Affinity Gaming ("Affinity"), a diversified national casino gaming
operator, and Sports Information Group, LLC ("SIG"), a New York-based B2B and B2C global omnichannel
sports, technology, digital, media and wagering business, creating
Affinity Interactive (the "Company"). The transaction was
previously announced on June 14,
2021.
Affinity Interactive has offerings in regional gaming and horse
wagering, and is soon to launch social gaming, iGaming, and sports
betting, reaching one million customers across the U.S. alone. With
leading regional casinos in Nevada, Missouri
and Iowa, and its advanced technology,
digital and media platforms and online betting presence, the
Company is positioned to capitalize on the continued momentum in
sports betting and iGaming globally. Mary
Beth Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Affinity Gaming,
and Itay Fisher, Chief Executive
Officer of SIG, will continue to lead their respective business
units. For more information, please visit
www.affinityinteractive.com.
"We are pleased to complete this transaction, which establishes
Affinity Interactive as a leader in today's gaming industry with a
world class digital offering and significant growth
opportunities," said James
Zenni, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZCG
and Chairman of Affinity Interactive. "With the rapid expansion of
online gaming in the U.S. and abroad, and the continued growth of
the sports and online betting industry, Affinity Interactive will
be positioned to accelerate its growth with acclaimed casino
properties and best-in-class technology and proprietary sports data
and intelligence available to nearly one million customers
worldwide. We look forward to delivering on the many opportunities
ahead as we leverage Affinity Interactive's offerings and become
the premier gaming, digital and media platform."
About ZCG
ZCG is a leading New York City based, privately held, global
investment firm with approximately $4.0
billion of assets under management across complementary
private equity and credit businesses. ZCG has industry leading
track records in private equity and credit for over twenty-five
years. ZCG's investors are some of the largest and most
sophisticated global institutional investors including pension
funds, endowments, foundations, sovereign wealth funds, central
banks, and insurance companies. For more information please visit
www.zcg.com.
About Affinity Gaming
Affinity Gaming is wholly owned
by ZCG affiliates and is a diversified casino gaming company
headquartered in Las Vegas,
Nevada. The Company's casino operations consist of eight
regional casinos, five of which are located in Nevada, two in Missouri, and one in Iowa. The company has a total of 230,000
square footage of casino floor, more than 3,000 slot machines, 30
table games, 1,375 hotel rooms, 25 F&B outlets and a renowned
entertainment venue. For more information about Affinity Gaming,
please visit its website: www.affinitygaming.com
Affinity Gaming's parent, Affinity Gaming Holdings, also
recently sponsored Gaming & Hospitality Acquisition Corp.
(NASDAQ: "GHAC", "GHACU" and "GHACW") ("GHAC"), a blank check
company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock
exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or
similar business combination with one or more businesses. GHAC's
initial public offering was $200
million. While GHAC may pursue acquisition opportunities in
any industry or sector, it intends to primarily focus on the
identification of an acquisition target within online gaming,
sports betting, regional gaming, distributed gaming and gaming
technology and equipment. For more information, please visit its
website www.gamingandhospitality.net.
About Sports Information Group
Sports Information
Group, LLC is wholly owned by ZCG affiliates and is a New York
based global omnichannel, gaming, technology, media and digital
information company dedicated to providing premium data driven
content and in-depth information to the horse racing industry. The
Company's flagship brand, Daily Racing Form is "America's Turf
Authority since 1894" for horse racing enthusiasts, breeding and
sporting and professionals throughout North America. Launched in 1894, Daily Racing
Form is the only data provider in the U.S. dedicated solely to the
coverage of a single sport. Its companion website, www.DRF.com is
the most heavily-trafficked horseracing destination, providing
players with the most extensive data coverage in horse racing,
interactive past performances, proprietary handicapping tools, and
access to DRF Bets™, one of America's fastest growing online and
mobile wagering platform. Additionally, Daily Racing Form provides
DRF Harness Eye, the data provider for standardbred racing since
1964, offering news, handicapping products, and online wagering
functionality specifically for harness players. In 2012, Daily
Racing Form introduced DRF Breeding, a business dedicated to
serving the breeding industry, bringing expanded information and
tools to horseplayer and breeding enthusiasts alike. DRF also
offers DRF Sports, a sports statistics and content offering to
sports betting enthusiasts. DRF Sports will be relaunching with new
and expanded features prior to the 2021 NFL schedule. For more
information, please visit www.DRF.com www.DRFbets.com and
www.sports.drf.com
Forward Looking Statements
Portions of this press
release may constitute forward-looking statements and assumptions
underlying such forward-looking statements within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "PSLRA"),
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including with respect to
the GHAC's plans with respect to the target industry for a
potential business combination. No assurance can be given that the
GHAC will ultimately complete a business combination transaction.
In addition, any such forward-looking statements are made within
the "safe-harbor" protections of the PSLRA, should not be relied
upon as representing Z Capital's, the Company's, or GHAC's views as
of any subsequent date, and Z Capital, the Company, and GHAC are
under no obligation to, and expressly disclaim any responsibility
to, update or alter these forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise. Such
forward-looking statements are based on information available to Z
Capital, the Company, and GHAC as of the date of this report and
involve a number of risks and uncertainties, some beyond their
control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Such risks
include uncertainty surrounding certain events, including the
following: (1) the Company may be adversely affected by economic,
business, and/or competitive factors; (2) the ability to
recognize benefits of the transaction; (3) risks that the
transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential
difficulties in employee retention as a result of the transaction;
and (4) whether GHAC will ultimately complete a business
combination transaction.
Security holders of Affinity or GHAC and other readers are
cautioned not to put undue reliance on any forward looking
statements, which reflect ZCG's, Affinity's, SIG's, and GHAC's
current beliefs and are based on information available to them as
of the date a forward-looking statement is made.
Media Contact
Jonathan
Keehner / Kate Thompson /
Tanner Kaufman
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer
Katcher
212-355-4449
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SOURCE Z Capital Group, L.L.C.