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Visitors to charitable gaming facilities in multiple US states could soon see familiar titles from game developer Light & Wonder among their entertainment choices. Light & Wonder has agreed to acquire Grover Charitable Gaming and its 10,000 machines operating at multiple facilities in five states.
Light & Wonder is a leading supplier of games for retail and online casinos. Although the electronic pull-tab machines it is acquiring function differently from slots, the deal will allow the company to adapt some of its top brands like 88 Fortunes for use with the devices.
Light & Wonder CEO Matt Wilson briefly discussed bringing the company’s content to players at these venues. However, details about exactly which player-favorite brands might be converted into electronic pull-tab formats remain scant. Though, if electronic pull-tab players react to Light & Wonder’s brands as enthusiastically as casino-goers have, it could be great news for the charities using the devices to raise funds.
Light & Wonder announces Grover acquisition
A Feb. 18 press release from Grover Gaming provides some details about the forthcoming transaction. The acquisition could cost Light & Wonder as much as $1.05 billion and the transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025.
Grover Gaming’s sole proprietor, Garrett Blackwelder, manages the enterprise that includes more than 10,000 licensed electronic pull-tab terminals spread over five states, with those being:
Electronic pull-tab machines can resemble traditional slot machines at Class III casinos but instead of using a random number generator to determine the results of plays, the terminals are automatic ticket dispensers. Players pay to access the next ticket in the progression without knowing what their potential payout will be, if anything at all.
Grover Gaming does not operate charitable gaming facilities but rather provides those facilities with the pull-tab machines and maintains them. Along with the operations of all of the machines, Light & Wonder stands to acquire all of Grover Gaming’s intellectual property (IP).
Pull-tab terminals allow for the incorporation of disparate themes like Gopher Gold and Piñata Party to differentiate the various terminals. With Light & Wonder taking over, that variety could expand.
Light & Wonder IP coming to charity casinos
In the press release, Wilson stated that “there are exciting incremental revenue opportunities to be realized by leveraging Light & Wonder’s proven land-based gaming content to a new and loyal customer base.” The release does not mention any specific content or potential timelines for adding new games but Light & Wonder has the rights to many player favorites.
Among those popular franchises that Light & Wonder has developed are 88 Fortunes, Dancing Drums, and Foxin’ Wins. Light & Wonder has also licensed other companies’ IP like Monopoly for use in gambling.
The distribution potential for Light & Wonder’s content is about to expand and the portfolio of IP in Light & Wonder’s library has grown as a result of this transaction. Players stand to gain new playing experiences at facilities that contract with Grover Gaming.
