Local, foreign investors announce interest in Turkey’s national lottery

PRAGUE/ISTANBUL - Reuters

Both local and foreign investors have lined up to win the right to operate Turkey’s national lottery, Milli Piyango, the pre-qualification application deadline for which ends today.

Yesterday was the deadline for pre-qualification applications and the final bids are due on June 27.
A consortium of Czech investment group KKCG, Emma Capital and Italian gaming company GTECH has announced that it will bid for the 10-year Milli Piyango license offered by Turkey’s Privatization Administration.

KKCG and Emma Capital, part of the Emma Group owned by Czech investor Jiri Smejc, joined together with other investors last year to buy a controlling stake in Greek betting monopoly OPAP, the first major privatization under that country’s international bailout plan.

KKCG said the bidding group may include a Turkish partner.

Turkish tourism company Net Holding also said its unit Net Şans Oyunları Yatırım will bid for the privatization tender, in cooperation with Hitay Yatırım Holding.