Tipico Group has officially finalized its acquisition of ATLAS Group GmbH, the parent company of Admiral in Austria, from Novomatic AG. The deal, first announced in January 2025, required clearance from the Austrian Federal Competition Authority before it could be completed. The transaction marks one of the most significant mergers in the German-speaking betting and gaming market this year.

Tipico Completes Takeover of Admiral Austria

The acquisition expands Tipico’s reach in Austria while broadening its portfolio, as Novomatic directs its focus toward pursuing international growth. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Admiral operates more than 200 retail branches across Austria, provides sports betting through over 100 franchise partners, and runs Admiral.at, its online platform. In addition, Admiral manages more than 2,000 gaming machines within the Austrian market.

As part of the conditions set by Austrian regulators, Tipico must divest a major share of its retail outlets. The shops it retains will be integrated into Admiral’s established retail network and rebranded under the Admiral name. Despite this restructuring, both Tipico and Admiral brands will continue to offer online products in Austria.

Axel Hefer, CEO of Tipico Group, described the completion as a milestone in the company’s long-term strategy. “We are delighted about the successful completion of this transaction. Admiral is a leading Austrian company with a strong legacy, and clear potential for future growth. Both companies are synonymous with state-of-the-art technology, innovative products and a high focus to player protection. Our future collaboration is very good news for our customers,” he said in the company’s press release. Hefer also emphasized: “This investment marks an important step in Tipico’s growth strategy and underscores our leading role in the German-speaking markets.”

Novomatic Refocuses on Global Expansion

For Novomatic, the divestment represents a deliberate shift toward scaling its business abroad. The company highlighted that this sale aligns with its long-term objective of building its presence in international growth markets. Stefan Krenn, Executive Board Member at Novomatic, commented: “The completion of this transaction marks an important step in our global expansion strategy with a clear focus on international growth markets. Admiral has developed into an established market leader over the past decades, and we thank all Admiral employees for their great commitment. We are pleased to have found a strong and reliable technology partner in Tipico, who will successfully continue the company’s operations in Austria.”

Novomatic’s global ambitions have been underscored by its parallel pursuit of full ownership of Australian supplier Ainsworth and its recent acquisition of French operator Vikings Casinos. The company has made clear that its strategy is now centered on reinforcing its role as an international innovation leader in the gaming industry.

The combination of Tipico’s resources with Admiral’s established retail and online presence is expected to reshape Austria’s betting landscape. The dual-brand approach in online gaming ensures that both operators retain visibility with players, while the integration of retail shops under the Admiral banner consolidates physical market presence.

This acquisition also arrives shortly after Tipico launched its Tipico Million product in August, which offers players the chance to win up to €1 million by predicting seven sports outcomes with a fixed €3 stake. Together with the Admiral deal, the product launch illustrates Tipico’s intent to expand its offering and strengthen customer engagement.