Visualize Group Acquires BMM Testlabs in an Unprecedented Deal

Private investment firm Visualize Group announced that it has acquired BMM Testlabs, one of the biggest names in gaming certification, for an undisclosed sum. This was notably an unprecedented move that was called the “first-ever control acquisition of a major regulated gaming testing laboratory.”

The Deal is an Industry First

While Visualize did not disclose the financial details of the deal, it said that the transaction went through after securing all necessary regulatory approvals across multiple global jurisdictions. The investment firm emphasized that this highlights gaming regulators’ strong trust in Visualize as the new custodian of BMM Testlabs.

Visualize lauded BMM as “the longest established and most experienced leader in testing, inspection, compliance, and certification.” The lab is headquartered in Las Vegas and has, since 1981, supported gaming companies by ensuring their compliance. Now, the company serves operators and regulators alike, reaching across 6 continents via its 16 offices. With a team of some 700 people, BMM has become synonymous with unparalleled reliability when it comes to the certification of gaming content.

Visualize emphasized that this is the first time that a private equity sponsor has acquired a major gaming testing laboratory in North America. The company believes that this is a monumental development since it opens this untapped market, which was previously inaccessible to institutional capital.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Greenberg Traurig acted as legal and regulatory counsel, respectively, to Visualize, while Gadens, BDO, and Cooper Levenson counseled BMM.

An Expression of Visualize’s Commitment to Irreplaceable Businesses

Martin Storm, BMM Testlabs’ CEO, was pleased with the opportunity to open an “exciting and ambitious new chapter” for his company. He was pleased with the overwhelming support the deal received from gaming regulators, saying that this attests to the trust his team has built over the company’s 40+ years of operation.

Storm said that Visualize’s support will accelerate BMM’s growth, allowing it to make aggressive investments in its team, tech stack, and global footprint.

Our customers should expect faster turnaround times, expanded jurisdictional coverage, deeper technical capabilities, and a level of service and partnership that no other testing laboratory in the world can match.

Martin Storm, CEO, BMM Testlabs

Visualize’s founder and managing partner, C. C. Melvin Ike, mirrored Storm’s excitement about the deal and said that the BMM acquisition is a “clear expression” of his team’s dedication to investing in “irreplaceable businesses.”

Ike concluded: “We look forward to backing the entire BMM team, supporting the customers that drive the industry, and preserving the trust of the regulators that protect it.”