Further details and reactions have emerged regarding Friday’s news that UK-listed online gambling operator Bwin.party digital entertainment had accepted rival operator 888 Holdings‘s £898m acquisition offer.

888’s exec chairman Brian Mattingley told Reuters the deal was “all about scale … When you’ve got critical mass you can ride storms and take advantage of opportunities as they come along.”

Had the two parties been joined at the hip in 2014, their combined revenue would have approached £700m, around £80m more than Canada’s Amaya Gaming, whose joint bid with GVC Holdings was rejected by Bwin.party’s board in favor of 888.

Speaking to analysts following the deal, 888 COO Ital Freiberger emphasized the minimal overlap between the two companies’ core businesses, with 888 being predominantly UK-facing while Bwin.party derives the bulk of its revenue from Germany.