Industry News
NetEnt Releases Interim Report for January–March 2020
Casino content developer NetEnt has released its interim report for January–March 2020.
NetEnt reported a 23.9% year-on-year increase in revenue during the first quarter. Revenue for the three months through to 31 March 2020 totalled SEK518.0m, up from SEK418m in the corresponding period last year.
NetEnt slot games were responsible for 90% of all gaming revenue during Q1, compared to 10% from table games. Meanwhile, the UK was its single biggest market, contributing 19% to total revenue, ahead of the Nordic region on 18%.
Comments by Therese Hillman, Group CEO:
“The pandemic outbreak of covid-19 has put the world in an exceptional situation, leaving nobody unaffected. The health and safety of our employees has the highest priority in the NetEnt Group, while we continue to work hard to secure a good development for the Company both in the shorter and longer term. It is difficult to predict the effects of the covid 19-situation on the economy in general and our sector in particular, but we believe that the underlying trend of digitalization in gaming will continue and offer growth opportunities for NetEnt in the future. So far, the financial performance of our business has not been negatively affected by the outbreak of covid-19.
Revenues for the first quarter of the year amounted to SEK 518 (418) million, supported by a strong finish in March and a weaker Swedish krona. On a proforma basis (including Red Tiger in the previous year’s figures), the Group’s total gaming revenues increased by 12 percent in euro compared to the same period in 2019. Most of the growth came from the US and the UK, while developments in Sweden and Norway continued to be negative. Locally regulated markets accounted for 50 percent of Group gaming revenus in the quarter. The largest locally regulated markets for the Group were UK (19 percent of gaming revenues), Italy (8 percent) and USA (7 percent). Sweden accounted for only 6 percent of gaming revenues, which is significantly lower than before the re-regulation of the Swedish market.
To further strengthen competitiveness and increase efficiency, we implemented organizational changes and initiated a full integration with Red Tiger during the quarter. The changes lead to a reduction in the workforce by approximately 120 employees, mainly in Stockholm, and are expected to result in cost savings of SEK 150 million starting in the second half of 2020. This means that we are increasing our estimate of potential synergies from the acquisition to around SEK 250 million annually, including revenue synergies.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to SEK 229 (196) million in the quarter, corresponding to a margin of 44.2 (47.0) procent. Earnings were negatively affected by SEK 26 million of restructuring costs related to the integration with Red Tiger.
Red Tiger keeps performing above our expectations with its award-winning games and the expansion to new markets continues. During the quarter, Red Tiger games were launched with customers on the regulated markets in Italy and Slovakia, and with large operators like Svenska Spel in Sweden and Sky in the UK.
Within Live Casino we continue our efforts to strengthen the product. For instance, we increased the number of tables in our studio on Malta and upgraded the user interface for mobile gaming in the quarter. We have had new record levels in the number of players every month since December and we see increasing interest for the product by operators and players.
A strong product pipeline, new regulated market entries and the Live Casino opportunity for NetEnt – combined with Red Tiger’s expansion – puts us in a good position to continue delivering profitable growth in 2020.”
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Industry News
New KSA Campaign: Get Your Life Back on Track, Take a Gambling Break
The Dutch Gaming Authority (KSA) launched a new awareness campaign to draw attention to the gambling stop. With the campaign “Pick up your life again, take a gambling stop,” KSA is aiming to increase attention to the risks of gambling and make the Cruks register more well-known.
Insights
The campaign is a follow-up to the pilot campaign from 2023. This pilot yielded many valuable insights, for example that more people are attracted to the word gambling stop. This name is therefore used in the new campaign.
Positive effect
The campaign focuses primarily on young adults who (possibly) no longer have their gambling under control. That is one of the reasons why the campaign is largely running via social media instead of traditional (mass) media. The focus is on the positive effect that a gambling stop has on the life of a person with gambling problems. The powerful moments of young people who pick up their lives again can be seen in online videos, social ads and social posts (Google, YouTube, Meta and Snapchat).
The post New KSA Campaign: Get Your Life Back on Track, Take a Gambling Break appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Industry News
EGBA: Record Participation As European Safer Gambling Week Expands to 26 Countries
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) announced record-breaking results from its fourth annual European Safer Gambling Week, held 18-24 November. The initiative – which included a social media campaign and events programme – demonstrated the broader European sector’s strengthening commitment to safer gambling through new levels of participation and expanded geographic reach.
The campaign saw record engagement with 195 partners actively participating – a 20% increase from 2023. Eight national gambling authorities participated, more than double the previous year, by either joining the social media campaign or speaking at the various events.
The campaign’s reach also expanded significantly to 26 countries – a 30% increase from 2023 – with partners in Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine joining for the first time, reflecting the growing pan-European dimension of the campaign. This was helped by social media graphics being made available in the local languages of 27 countries.
The social media campaign reached 3.1 million users across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X platforms, generating 1169 social media posts – a 67% increase from the previous year.
A cornerstone of this year’s campaign was its comprehensive events programme, featuring 20 specialised events – an 11% increase from 2023. The events attracted record participation with 4500 registrations and 3000 attendees. Key discussions explored trends in AI, problem gambling prevalence reporting and innovations in safer gambling tools and messaging. The events featured 105 speakers, including senior representatives from gambling authorities in Belgium, Denmark, France and the UK.
The initiative builds on EGBA members’ year-round commitment to safer gambling, which in 2023 resulted in 67 million safety messages sent to their European customers. This dedicated week amplifies these ongoing efforts while encouraging greater collaboration between operators, regulators and harm prevention organisations.
“The success of this year’s edition reflects the sector’s deepening commitment to player protection. The significant increase in participation, especially from health organisations and regulatory authorities, demonstrates the common purpose and growing unity in our approach to safer gambling. Through this collaboration, we’ve reached a record number of Europeans with crucial safety messages during the campaign. Together, we’re making gambling safer and we already look forward to building on this success in next year’s edition,” said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA.
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Industry News
CT Gaming to Participate in ICE Barcelona 2025
CT Gaming is going to participate in ICE Barcelona 2025, which will take place from 20 to 22 Jan 2025.
“It is always a pleasure to kick off the year at ICE. This year is particularly special as we explore a new location, which we anticipate will bring fresh connections and exciting opportunities,” said Biser Bozhanov, Director of Business Development and Strategies at CT Gaming.
Positioned at stand #3C56, CT Gaming will present an impressive lineup of its signature products alongside exciting new additions, including the multigame Diamond King 4.
“We are eager to showcase our latest offerings and engage with clients, colleagues, and industry professionals to gather their valuable feedback. This year’s selection is a strong testament to CT Gaming’s enduring legacy and commitment to excellence,” added Bozhanov.
Among the products displayed at stand #3C56 will be the slot cabinet NEXT, known for its ultimate comfort and functionality. This cabinet comes with 27″ or 32″ high-definition screens, an optional premium stand, a USB phone charger, a bill validator with a stacker and an enlarged CMS panel for seamless operation. Other representatives from the slot cabinet family are EZ Modulo 32/32/32 and EZ Tower. Both of these cabinets combine sleek designs with advanced technology set to deliver an unparalleled gaming experience.
Alongside the slot cabinets, the company will showcase its staple multigame titles, such as Diamond King 3, Mermaid’s Quest, Tower Link and the newest addition to the multigame portfolio – Diamond King 4. With 40 exciting games, 20 of which are linked to a progressive jackpot, the multigame takes player engagement to new heights. Unlike previous versions, players can now win any of the three jackpot levels directly from the base game, while the cascading white and pink diamonds promise thrilling rewards at every turn. Designed with the next generation of players in mind, Diamond King 4 features enhanced graphics, modern themes and an immersive experience that’s perfectly in sync with today’s gaming landscape. The newly conceptualized linked progressive jackpot, Diamond Tree Deluxe, presents an elevated reward experience with its upgraded features.
Last but not least, CT Gaming will unveil the latest updates to its Casino Management System – Rhino, designed to enhance operator functionality and player engagement.
The post CT Gaming to Participate in ICE Barcelona 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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