Australian gaming giant Aristocrat Leisure Limited says it does not expect Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to have any material impact on earnings with the company currently assisting its local workforce in relocating.
In a Wednesday ASX filing, Aristocrat said it has around 1,000 people working for business units within Aristocrat’s Pixel United organization in Ukraine, of which it has helped around two-thirds voluntarily relocate either internationally or to safer locations within the country in recent weeks.
It has also established a special task force in Poland to assist staff and families on the ground by providing transport, visas and legal help, housing and settling-in assistance for relocated staff.
Despite the upheaval, Aristocrat said it does not anticipate a material impact on earnings as a result of the crisis.
“The business is leveraging its broad network of studios and operations across Europe, the US and Israel, and its combined global capabilities, to put in place effective mitigations and uphold business continuity,” it said.
“Relocated staff are working remotely, supported by existing Pixel United studios across Europe. A new office will open shortly in Wroclaw, Poland, adding to our existing operations in Poland, and supporting further talent acquisition over time.”
The company also revealed that it will suspend the operation of its mobile games in Russia, which it says has historically contributed around 3% of total annualized Pixel United bookings.
“In respect of our Russia based employees, we are exploring our strategic options and we will continue to do what we can to support our Russia based employees,” it said.
