Meridianbet, a leading sports betting and gaming operator and subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc., announced that the company has completed the acquisition of Fairbet Ltd., a licensed retail gaming operator in Malta.
The transaction sees Meridianbet taking 100% ownership of Fairbet’s operations across Malta and Gozo – the second-largest island of the archipelago – expanding Meridianbet’s physical presence beyond its existing locations.
As part of the transaction, Meridianbet will add nine new retail locations, bringing its total retail footprint to 20. In operational terms, the expanded network is expected to include more than 60 sports betting terminals and more than 120 slot machines.
The two firms’ previous technology partnership will now transition to Meridianbet, which will take full operational control of Fairbet and integrate it immediately under the Meridianbet brand.
Malta’s retail gaming sector operates under one of Europe’s most restrictive regulatory frameworks, with only three licensed operators: Meridianbet, Izibet (the National Lottery operator), and Fairbet, which will now be wholly owned by Meridianbet.
“Completing the acquisition of Fairbet strengthens our position in a market where regulatory barriers create inherent scarcity value,” said Zoran Milosevic, CEO of Meridianbet. “The transaction will enable us to expand our operations and retail infrastructure in Malta, with our technology serving the majority of licensed retail gaming in the country.
“The deal also demonstrates our strategic M&A approach – targeting acquisitions in high-barrier markets where limited licensing to create structural competitive advantages.”
The Fairbet acquisition is part of Meridianbet’s ongoing strategy of combining organic growth with selective M&A in markets where regulatory frameworks favor consolidation. Malta has served as an established operational hub for Meridianbet since 2008, and the Company has maintained a licensed presence in the country since its early regulatory development. The Company ranks among the jurisdiction’s original licensed operators.
Meridianbet’s expanded presence across Malta and Gozo enhances the Company’s retail network throughout the archipelago, serving both the local population and Malta’s significant tourist traffic.
Visitors to the region exceeded three million in 2024, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) of Malta Tourism’s December 2024 report.
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