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The international agency Standard & Poor's has decided to raise the rating of NOVOMATIC AG Group from "BB" to "BB+." This was announced by NOVOMATIC itself, which pointed out that the decision was made based on the Group's demonstrated strength and stability during 2022. The NOVOMATIC AG Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of gaming technology, has operations in about 50 states, 23,900 employees, and exports gaming equipment and solutions to about 100 countries. The Group has a presence in more than 2,100 gaming facilities, and operates 214,000 gaming terminals and VLTs worldwide.
Standard & Poor's analyzed NOVOMATIC's strengths and risks compared to international competitors and justified the rating upgrade from "BB" to "BB+" with NOVOMATIC's solid operating performance in fiscal year 2022 and debt reduction.
As the market for gaming technology segments and gaming operations recovered with the lifting of COVID restrictions in all markets, multiple acquisitions as part of the international expansion strategy contributed to earnings growth in fiscal 2022.
"The improvement of our rating once again confirms not only the success of our dual strategy as a manufacturer and operator, but also that of our strategy of growth and investment in our target markets.[...] The improvement of our rating once again demonstrates the success of our investment and expansion strategies and propels us into second place among the world's best gaming companies, with a reputation and credibility of the highest level," commented Johannes Gratzl, NOVOMATIC AG Executive Board Member.
Also recognized the commitment to corporate sustainability
NOVOMATIC has also received major awards and top ratings relative to its non-financial reporting, for its great commitment to environmental sustainability as in the Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating. In addition, NOVOMATIC was recently voted 'Best Employer in Lower Austria' by the MARKET Institute, demonstrating NOVOMATIC's commitment to its employees. With its own training programs, such as the 'Corporate Coding Academy' for future developers or the 'Casino Manager Program,' the Group has received numerous other awards such as the 'berufundfamilie " seal of approval from the Ministry of Family Affairs, Austria, as a family-friendly employer, as well as for promoting the health of corporate employees.
NOVOMATIC in Italy: employment, sustainability and responsibility
The Group has been present in Italy since 2007 and has a workforce of more than 3,000 resources in the country, distributed in the registered office in Rome, in the operations and production center in Rimini, up to the offices in Bolzano, Busto Arsizio and Imola, in addition to the numerous branches and more than 300 ADMIRAL-branded gaming venues throughout the National Territory. The Group operates in all segments of Legal Gaming, being able to rely on public concessions for the collection of gaming, thanks to installation rights for AWP and VLT, bingo halls, betting points and online gaming. As of today, NOVOMATIC Italia is one of the most important players on the Italian market and the Group's flagship in Europe, and has recently obtained the international G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group) certification attesting to its commitment to consumer protection in the area of Responsible Gaming.
NOVOMATIC Italia was the first company in Italy to obtain certification for its network of venues. NOVOMATIC Italia's commitment to sustainability passes de facto first and foremost through the promotion of responsible gaming and the fight against gambling disorder among its customers, which finds fulfillment through its continuous efforts towards three pivotal directions: technology, legality and security. The Group consists of several state-licensed companies for the authorized collection of public gaming. NOVOMATIC's presence in the territory is also realized through actions aimed at strengthening the relationship with territorial communities: this is the inspiration behind the various initiatives in which NOVOMATIC Italia has intended to show its support for the communities where the business and main offices are established. Recently, for example, Novomatic intended to show its support for the people affected by the flooding in Emilia-Romagna through a direct donation to the Civil Defense, in the immediate aftermath of the emergency
