Paf has acquired Swedish family-owned Bell Casino AB, expanding its gaming presence across European passenger ferry routes. The deal gives Paf a much larger Land & Ship business covering around 80 vessels.
Bell Casino operates onboard gaming entertainment on more than 50 ships. Paf already operates on 26 vessels, mainly in the Baltic Sea and North Sea regions.
Deal adds more ferry routes
Bell Casino’s vessels operate on routes linking Sweden with Germany, Poland, the Baltic countries, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands.
The acquisition gives Paf more destinations and a wider ferry gaming network. Together, the two businesses will operate around 1,500 gaming machines and 450 arcade games onboard passenger vessels. Financial terms were not disclosed. Bell Casino officially became part of the Paf Group on June 1.
Bell brand and staff will stay
Bell Casino will continue under its existing brand and business model. The company’s 28 employees will also remain with the business.
Founder Morgan Eliasson, who started Bell Casino in 1973, will continue as senior adviser. Marcus Eliasson will stay on as chief executive of Bell Casino AB. That setup lets Paf expand while keeping Bell’s customer relationships and onboard operating model in place.
Paf strengthens Land & Ship business
Paf’s Land & Ship division covers gambling operations on ferries and physical venues. The Bell acquisition gives that division more scale in Europe.
The larger network could also support investment in newer gaming machines, arcade products and onboard technology. For ferry operators, a bigger supplier may offer more consistent service across routes and vessels.
Paf’s shipboard business is separate from its online gambling operations, but both are part of the Paf Group. The company is owned by the Åland regional government and has long operated gaming on passenger ships in Nordic and European waters.
Bell brings long ferry casino history
Bell Casino has operated in the ferry gaming market since 1973, giving Paf access to a business with more than five decades of onboard gaming experience. Its work has focused on casino and amusement products for passenger vessels across Europe.
The acquisition also adds established ferry operator relationships to Paf’s Land & Ship division. That could help the group standardise machine supply, service support and entertainment products across a larger ship network.
