On 17 January 2022, NeoGames S.A.1 announced a recommended public offer to the shareholders of Aspire Global plc2 to tender all their shares in Aspire Global to NeoGames for a consideration consisting of a combination of cash and newly issued shares in NeoGames in the form of Swedish depository receipts (the “Offer”).
Regulatory approvals
Regulatory approvals from both the Gibraltar Gambling Commission and the North Macedonia Competition Authority have been received on terms which, in NeoGames’ opinion, are acceptable and Aspire Global has maintained its licenses. This condition for completion of the Offer is thus met.
Acceleration and acquisition of options
The completion of the Offer is also conditional upon that Aspire Global, prior to the end of the acceptance period in the Offer, resolves to accelerate the current incentive programs in Aspire Global, and that all outstanding options thereunder, as well as any other warrants/options issued by Aspire Global, are converted into new shares in Aspire Global resulting in the creation of not more than 828,094 new shares in Aspire Global. Aspire Global has resolved to accelerate unvested options which together with all other outstanding options in Aspire Global could be converted into not more than 809,264 new shares in Aspire Global.
NeoGames has, with the approval by Aspire Global’s independent bid committee, entered into option purchase agreements with 53 employees and consultants in Aspire Global who in aggregate held all outstanding options under Aspire Global’s various incentive programs. The purchase agreements were subject to the Offer being declared unconditional. All of the options remain unexercised. The purchase price for the options corresponds to the value that the option holders had received should they have exercised the options and tendered the underlying shares in Aspire Global in the Offer (SEK 111.00 in cash or 0.320 shares in NeoGames in the form of Swedish depository receipts per share in Aspire Global in accordance with the Base Case Alternative and Mix & Match Facility, as defined in the offer announcement published by NeoGames on 17 January 2022; the “Offer Announcement”). Consequently, NeoGames has provided the option holders in Aspire Global a fair treatment outside of the Offer.
Should all options acquired be exercised and converted into new shares in Aspire Global, they would represent 1.67 percent of the total number of shares in Aspire Global on a fully diluted basis.3 Considering the above, NeoGames deems the condition for completion regarding acceleration of options under Aspire Global’s various option programs to be met.
Outcome of the Offer; Offer declared unconditional
At the end of the acceptance period on 25 May 2022 and including late but approved acceptances, in total 45,860,537 shares in Aspire Global have been tendered in the Offer, corresponding to 98.25 percent of the shares and votes in Aspire Global on a non-diluted basis. Shareholders holding 13,431,065 shares have accepted the Base Case Alternative with a maximum cash component under the Mix & Match Facility, shareholders holding 55,055 shares have accepted the Base Case Alternative with a maximum share component under the Mix & Match Facility, shareholders holding 1,131,807 shares have accepted the Base Case Alternative with no election under the Mix & Match Facility and shareholders holding 31,242,610 shares4 have accepted the Conditional Alternative.
Should the options acquired by NeoGames be exercised, NeoGames would together with the tendered shares control 46,664,516 shares in Aspire Global representing 98.27 percent of the shares and votes in Aspire Global on a fully diluted basis.
Considering that the Offer has been accepted to such extent that NeoGames has become the owner of shares representing not less than 90 percent of the total number of outstanding shares in Aspire Global, the condition regarding a 90 percent minimum acceptance level has been fulfilled. Accordingly, and as all other conditions for completion are met, the Offer is declared unconditional in all respects and NeoGames will complete the acquisition of the shares in Aspire Global tendered in the Offer.
Settlement
Settlement of the shares in Aspire Global tendered in the Offer under the original acceptance period will commence on or about 14 June 2022, to allow for simultaneous settlement against cash and/or newly issued shares in NeoGames in the form of Swedish depository receipts.
Squeeze-out and delisting
NeoGames will initiate compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in Aspire Global and propose that Aspire Global’s board of directors applies for delisting of Aspire Global’s shares from Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market.
Extension of the acceptance period
In order to provide the remaining shareholders in Aspire Global the opportunity to accept the Offer, NeoGames has decided to extend the acceptance period of the Offer until and including 14 June 2022 at 5.00 p.m. (CEST). Shareholders in Aspire Global accepting the Offer during the extension of the acceptance period will receive the Base Case Alternative, as defined in the Offer Announcement, consisting of 50 percent cash and 50 percent NeoGames shares in the form of Swedish depository receipts. Settlement for shares tendered during the extension of the acceptance period is expected to commence on or around 30 June 2022. The acceptance period will thereafter not be further extended and late acceptances will not be accepted. Since the Offer is now unconditional, shareholders in Aspire Global who accept the Offer during the extension of the acceptance period have no right to withdraw their acceptances.
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