MELBOURNE - [AAP] Strong growth in the Americas has helped boost Aristocrat Leisure's (ASX: ALL) annual profit, and the company will expand its digital gaming operations with the acquisition of Seattle-based social gaming company Big Fish Games for $US990 million ($A1.4 billion).

Aristocrat's net profit for the year to September 30 has jumped 41.3 per cent to $495.1 million on the back of a strong performance across its global operations, especially in the Americas market, and significant growth in the digital business.

The poker machine supplier said it anticipates continued growth in fiscal 2018.

Chief executive Trevor Croker says Aristocrat has delivered high-quality results over the year despite mostly flat markets and increasing competition.

"Industry-leading content, hardware and technology, coupled with effective execution focused on our highest-value opportunities, once again underpinned our performance," Mr Croker said in a statement on Thursday.

"Going forward, Aristocrat will continue to target high-quality growth, with the benefit of our established performance momentum, broadening capabilities, strong balance sheet and growing recurring revenue base."

Aristocrat said the acquisition of Big Fish Games would make Aristocrat's digital business the second biggest provider of social casino games by revenue globally.

Big Fish is a global publisher of free-to-play games that focus on specific segments, including social casino, social gaming and premium paid games.

Its social gaming titles include Gummy Drop! and Fairway Solitaire.

Big Fish will operate as a stand-alone business alongside Aristocrat's other social gaming operations, Product Madness and Plarium.

"The strategic and financial benefits from the acquisition are highly compelling," Mr Croker said.

"The acquisition of Big Fish will immediately provide scale across our entire digital platform, following the recent acquisition of Plarium, which expanded our digital business into the fast-growing social gaming market."

For the year to September 30, Big Fish generated revenue of $US458 million ($A605 million) and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $US83 million.

Aristocrat expects Big Fish will add to earnings per share in the first full year of ownership.

Big Fish has about 700 employees and five studios in Seattle and Oakland in the US.

Shares in Aristocrat were 5 cents, or 0.21 per cent, higher at $23.65 at 1029 AEDT.

STRONG GLOBAL PERFORMANCE LIFTS ARISTOCRAT

* Annual profit up 41.3pc to $495.1m

* Revenue up 15.3pc to $2.45bn

* Final dividend of 20cps, fully franked, up from 15 cps

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