Industry News

Evolution Gaming Reports Positive H1 2020 Results

Published

5 years ago

July 20, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Evolution Gaming has reported positive H1 2020 results. The company’s operating revenue increased 48% year-on-year to €243.5 million during H1.

EBITDA also increased by 85% to €145.3 million, corresponding to a margin of 59.7% (47,7), while profit for the period amounted to €124,6 million (63,1) and earnings per share amounted to €0.69 (0.35).

During the second quarter, operating revenues increased by 50% to €128.3 million (85,7), EBITDA increased by 90% to €81,1 million (42,7), corresponding to a margin of 63,2% (49,8). Profit for the period amounted to €70,4 million (34,5) and earnings per share amounted to €0.39 (0.19).

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

Evolution CEO Martin Carlesund said: “The strong development for Evolution continued during the second quarter. The quarter has been eventful with several product launches and a very high demand, partly due to the lack of sports betting games through a large part of the period, but we also see strong underlying growth. At the end of June, we announced a recommended offer to the shareholders of NetEnt with the aim to expand Evolution’s offering with market-leading slots and to continue towards our vision to become the global leading provider of online casino.

“Revenues for the second quarter amounted to EUR 128.3 million (85.7), an increase of 50 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. EBITDA amounted to EUR 81.1 (42.7) with a margin of 63 percent. The margin has been positively affected by high demand and that we have operated fewer tables due to the pandemic. However, the lower number of tables has had a negative effect on revenue both through lower fees from our dedicated environments and through lower capacity than normal. For the January-June period, the margin was 60 percent, meaning we have a good distance to our previous prediction of improving the margin level this year compared to 2019.

“Evolution’s vision is to become the leading B2B provider in online casino. An acquisition of NetEnt means that we can accelerate the pace towards this vision. To add NetEnt’s leading slots to Evolution’s strong Live Casino offering will create a very strong market position significantly faster, especially in the USA, and together with clear synergies we believe this to be a strategic and highly attractive acquisition. A future Evolution with two verticals as the foundation will increase cash flow and reduce risk, while the growth potential increases. The bid process continues according to the previously announced time schedule.

“During 2020, Evolution has continued and strengthened its focus on products and innovation. Our ability to develop new unique games while at the same time creating new variants of traditional games is important to further strengthen our leading position in Live Casino. So far, we have launched 8 out of the 12 games that we will launch this year. After the end of the quarter, we launched another one – Crazy Time – which is the most expensive and time-consuming game that we have developed to date. The reactions were instant, and we are overwhelmed by the positive reception among both players and operators.

“All new titles, especially in the Game Show category, contribute to a generally higher interest in Live Casino. To meet the increasing demand, it is vital that we continue to expand our studio capacity. Our Pennsylvania studio will be our 9th studio. Upcoming additions include a studio in Michigan and an English speaking studio in Lithuania.

“During the quarter we signed an agreement with Golden Nugget that will see Evolution’s US Live Casino services to be added to their existing online offering in New Jersey. The agreement consolidates Evolution’s leading position in New Jersey, while also providing a strategic platform to explore additional opportunities together with Golden Nugget in other states as the regulation of online casino in the USA continues.

“It has been an intense first half of the year impacted by Covid-19, which has entailed here-and-now problem solving. Since a few months back, we have a more stable virus situation and we have been able to devote more time to look forward while also preparing Evolution for a possible future second wave or similar pandemics. We are now working intensively with next year’s product launches and how Evolution will play a role in the continued digitalisation of the casino industry. I believe that our focus on the best game experiences and a relentless approach to always improve as a company will continue to be important pieces as we move ahead. We shall become slightly better each day, and every day shall take Evolution another step forward.”

Industry News

FDJ UNITED Confirms Strong Half-Year Progress and Maintains 2025 Guidance

Published

9 hours ago

August 1, 2025

Niji Narayan

fdj-united-confirms-strong-half-year-progress-and-maintains-2025-guidance

Reading Time: 2 minutes

FDJ UNITED, a leader in lottery, betting and gaming in Europe, announced its results for the first half of 2025.

• First-half revenue of €1867m: up +31% compared with H1 2024 reported and down -2% on a restated basis

• Buoyant performance by the French lottery and retail sports betting BU with revenue of €1290m, up +4% on a restated basis

• Lottery revenue rose by +6% to €1065m. This performance can be attributed to the whole range of games and all distribution channels, particularly digital, which rose by +16% to €160m

• Point-of-sale sports betting revenue fell by -6% to €225m. This change reflects unfavourable sports results for the operator, despite stakes boosted by an attractive football offering (+4%)

• Online betting and gaming BU2 revenue of €466m, down -12% on a restated basis

• This change reflects a very unfavourable 2024 comparison base, due in particular to the Euro football tournament, as well as tax and regulatory impacts in 2025, particularly in the Netherlands and the UK. Excluding these two markets, revenue would be up 5% thanks to the performance of other countries, including France

• Second-quarter revenue came to €235m, up +2% compared with the first quarter of 2025

• Recurring EBITDA of €441m, representing a margin of 23.6%, or 24.4% excluding the cost of the employee share ownership plan (€14m)

• Adjusted net income of €222m

• This reflects the impact of the financing of the Kindred acquisition on the financial result and the one-off tax contribution on the profits of large French companies

• 2025 objectives reiterated: stable revenue versus 2024 pro forma, with a recurring EBITDA margin of over 24%

• Successful employee share ownership plan bringing the share of capital held by employees to 4.6%

• Taken up by more than half of employees and largely oversubscribed

“2025 stands as a transition year for FDJ UNITED, with the integration of Kindred well on track. In this context, our first-half performance is in line with the expected full-year trajectory. Besides, we are pleased by the success of the employee share ownership plan launched by the Group, reflecting our long tradition of sharing FDJ UNITED’s value creation with all stakeholders,” Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of FDJ UNITED.

The post FDJ UNITED Confirms Strong Half-Year Progress and Maintains 2025 Guidance appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Industry News

EGT Launches Linked United Platform

Published

1 day ago

July 31, 2025

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

EGT has launched Linked United, an innovative platform aiming to redefine profitability and immersion in gaming establishments in Spain. This product marks a significant milestone in the company’s strategy to enhance the performance of bingo and gambling halls across one of the most important European markets.

Linked United enables the seamless interconnection of numerous products at a single station, thus creating a more dynamic and engaging entertainment network. The platform enables operators to integrate popular titles from EGT’s portfolio, such as Bell Link Plus, Gods & Kings Link and Sands Princess, along with exciting new offerings. The company plans to include all releases launched on the local market from now on in Linked United.

A key differentiator of the platform is its innovative shared Grand Jackpot system: a single, progressive level, involving all interconnected games within a group. This way, players’ chances of hitting enormous winnings increase manifold, which generates unparalleled vibrancy in the gaming hall.

Along with enriching the gaming journey, the product also contributes to increasing operational efficiency through space optimization, allowing a greater variety of games to be offered in a smaller area. Linked United also stands out with its impressive flexibility in terms of installation, as it enables venues to adjust the game mix based on performance and tailor it to the specific preferences of their customers.

Linked United brings a number of advantages for operators. First, it increases perceived value for players thanks to the wider diversity of game offerings and the irresistible appeal of the unified GRAND Jackpot, which results in enhancing the overall experience and building loyalty. Second, this leads to extended playing sessions, as more dynamic and connected entertainment encourages players to prolong their visits. Third, it allows for maximum leveraging of existing hardware investment, as Linked United integrates with current infrastructure, which optimizes costs while extending equipment lifespan. Finally, operators benefit from significant cost savings by proposing more games per station and utilizing space efficiently.

Diego Scotti, Sales Director of EGT Spain, said: “We are at a turning point in our market strategy. With Linked United, we are not just connecting games; we are opening the doors to an ecosystem of unlimited possibilities. It’s a strategic response to our operators’ demand for solutions that not only captivate their clients but also maximize their return on investment in a tangible way.”

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FanDuel Sports Network

Main Street Sports Group Appoints Jim Keller as EVP of Advertising and Sponsorship Sales

Published

2 days ago

July 30, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

main-street-sports-group-appoints-jim-keller-as-evp-of-advertising-and-sponsorship-sales

Main Street Sports Group, owner of FanDuel Sports Network, announced the appointment of Jim Keller as Executive Vice President of Advertising and Sponsorship Sales. In this new role, Keller will lead the entire ad sales portfolio for FanDuel Sports Network, overseeing linear, digital, and programmatic efforts. He will report directly to Eric Ratchman, Chief Revenue Officer of Main Street Sports Group.

Keller brings more than two decades of experience driving innovation, operational excellence, and revenue growth across every layer of the media ecosystem, from national networks to digital-first platforms. Most recently serving as Chief Revenue Officer at Fuse Media, Keller previously held executive roles at Warner Bros. Discovery, Hulu, and NBC Universal, leading cross-platform sales teams through industry-shifting transformations and high-growth phases. His background includes oversight of digital, streaming, mobile, addressable, and data-driven advertising, as well as advanced monetization strategies across premium content portfolios spanning sports, entertainment, and news.

“Jim is a proven leader with an exceptional track record across linear, streaming, and digital platforms. As FanDuel Sports Network redefines what local sports media can be – more dynamic, more engaging, and more impactful – Jim’s leadership will be key in creating smarter advertising experiences that deliver real value to our brand partners and local fans alike,” said Eric Ratchman, Chief Revenue Officer of Main Street Sports Group.

“There’s nothing more powerful than the connection a fan has with their local team, and FanDuel Sports Network is building a platform that truly honors that connection. From my earliest days as a sports seller at NBC Sports, to leading some of the industry’s most innovative ad strategies, I’ve always believed that the strongest media experiences are rooted in content and community. FanDuel Sports Network’s focus on building relevant, local, multiplatform fan experiences is exactly what the industry and advertisers need right now, and I couldn’t be more excited to help drive the next phase of growth,” said Keller.

Keller’s deep expertise in building modern ad operations, forging high-impact partnerships, and unlocking value across multiplatform products will be instrumental as FanDuel Sports Network continues to evolve into the future of local sports media. Main Street Sports Group’s continued transformation is rooted in reimagining local sports coverage, not just distributing games, but uniting the brands, features, and experiences fans want, tailored to each market.

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