Following three very recent acquisitions of three casinos from Eldorado Resorts, the Colorado-based Century Casinos company listed on the NASDAQ as CNTY has revealed details about another important business partnership. The company’s officials revealed that the Cicra Sports has agreed to become one of Century Casinos’ online sports betting operators to support the company’s operations planned for the state of Colorado.

It was also revealed that the latest business agreement between the two companies is actually a fifteen-year sportsbook agreement which will see the brand operated by Downtown Las Vegas casino owner Derek Stevens debut in the state of Colorado at the Century Casino and Hotel Cripple Creek with an innovative mobile sports betting application. Commenting on the news, Circa Sports’ CEO said that his company is extremely excited to be at the forefront of Colorado sports betting alongside its partner Century Casinos.

Century Casinos Going Strong Since 1992

Century Casinos is a prominent gaming company with headquarters in Colorado Springs, the state of Colorado. The company was founded twenty-eight years ago in 1992 and today it employs almost two thousand individuals. Moreover, the company operates eleven casino facilities in England, Alberta, West Virginia, Missouri, and Colorado.

Besides operating eleven casinos, Century Casinos also operates several casinos located on cruise ships for Windstar and Diamond Cruise International and it owns a sixty-seven percent share in the Casinos Poland entity that both owns and operates seven casino venues in Poland. When it comes to the company’s beginnings, everything started back in 1992 when the firm was founded by Casinos Austria executives.

Less than a year from its founding, the firm signed a proposed St. Charles Parish riverboat casino in the state of Louisiana. However, this proposal was blocked by parish officials. Later on, the company bought out management agreement back in 1995 and relocated this entire project that eventually opened its doors as Isle of Capri Casino Lake Charles.

In the state of Indiana where riverboat casinos were legalized relatively recently, Century Casinos revealed two major proposals in September of 1993. However, the company was forced to abandon these plans within months. One year after its establishment, the company merged with Alpine Gaming while its cruise casino ship business started in April that same year.

Today, the company operates Century Casino Bath, Century Casino Calgary, Century Casino Central City, Century Casino Cripple Creek, Century Casino Edmonton, Century Casino St. Alberta, Century Downs Racetrack and Casino, Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, Lady Luck Casino Caruthersville, and Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort.

Century Casino and Hotel Cripple Creek

The company’s latest business partnership with Circa Sports concerns its Century Casino and Hotel Cripple Creek which is located around forty-five miles of Colorado Springs. It is located in one of just three state jurisdictions that include Cripple Creek, Central City and Black Hawk where such facilities are legal.

Today, the state of Colorado is home to only Class III Vegas-style tribal casino facilities which are operated in the southwestern areas of the state including Ute Mountain Casino and Hotel in Towaoc and Sky Ute Casino Resort located in Ignacio. Commenting on the news, Circa Sports Colorado LLC’s CEO said that this partnership enables his company to finally expand outside of Nevada.

He also added that Colorado has proven to be a perfect place to mark his company’s official expansion thanks to the state’s pro-growth environment. Lastly, he proclaimed that the Colorado Division of Gaming has also done a great job to ensure an easy, seamless application and sports betting launch process. The Circa Sports Colorado mobile sports betting app should be available for download by the 1^st of May this year.

After many months of chatter, Eldorado Resorts finally decided to buy Caesars for around $18 billion in a stock deal as stated recently. This news about two major powerhouses merging arrives several months after it emerged on the scene that Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have engaged in some kind of consolidation discussions. This deal values Caesars Entertainment at $13 per share as stated by reliable sources.

The same sources state that ownership of the merged facility would be split in half between the two powerhouses while the actual price is in line what Caesars Entertainment has expected from its potential buyer. Before this deal was finally sealed, several reports emerged on the scene stating that the biggest Las Vegas stakeholder, Carl Icahn who is a prominent New York businessman pressed Caesars Entertainment to finally finalize Eldorado Resorts merger talks.

It was also revealed that Carl Icahn as a member of the company’s board was at odds about the ultimate sale price. However, as reported, Mr. Icahn pressed the company’s board to offer an even lower price than that of $13 per share in order to finally finalize those merger talks. Despite his pressures, other members of the company’s board decided to stick with a higher price which will benefit all of the company’s stakeholders.

Merger Talks Began in March

As mentioned previously, the very first merger talks including Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment started at the beginning of March following Caesars Entertainment allowing Eldorado Resorts to access all of its financial information. Prior to these specific merger talks, Caesars Entertainment has been pressed to either merge with another company or to sell itself mainly by Mr. Icahn who is among the biggest company’s stakeholders with almost 29% of Caesars shares.

Icahn began building his Caesars stake at the beginning of this year and according to him and several other activist investors, a merger deal or a sale was the best way forward for the company that at the moment is struggling with a mountain of debt and needs to find new ways for cutting its increasing costs. When it comes to the merged Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment company, it is most likely to be split in half between the two operators.

The Combined Company with Tom Reeg as CEO

It was also reported earlier that the combined entity is most likely to see Tom Reeg who is the Eldorado Resorts’ CEO as the combined entity’s CEO as well. Both sides believe that Tom Reeg possess remarkable leadership skills and these skills are highly valued by Caesars Entertainment’s biggest stakeholder, Mr. Icahn. It also should be noted that last year, the hospitality and gaming operator bought Tropicana Entertainment from an activist investor for around $1.9 billion.

It also should be noted that Eldorado Resorts has an impressive market value of $4 billion while it operates twenty-six properties located in twelve states. Moreover, the company just recently get his permanent operating license for its recently purchased Tropicana Atlantic City. When it comes to Caesars Entertainment, the company’s business portfolio includes fifty-three both non-gaming and gaming resorts located in fourteen states and five more countries.

In the United States, Caesars Entertainment also operates several other brands including the Harrah’s and Horseshoe casinos. Hence, the combined facility would create a massive land-based gambling powerhouse with major ambitions to expand its business across other jurisdictions outside of the United States as well as cementing its reputation in its native country.