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Aspire Global’s Year-End Report 2019 – Another Year of Strong Growth

Published

6 years ago

February 19, 2020

FOURTH QUARTER 2019 (OCT-DEC)
• Revenues decreased by 2.0% to €32.2 million (32.9).
• B2B revenues increased by 10.0% to €21.2 million (19.3), constituting 66.0% of total revenues.
• EBITDA decreased by 33.6% to €4.4 million (6.6).
• EBITDA for B2B decreased by 21.0% to €3.4 million (4.4), constituting 78.8% of total EBITDA.
• The EBITDA margin amounted to 13.5% (20.0%)
• EBIT amounted to €3.1 million (6.0).
• Earnings after tax amounted to €-12.1 million (4.6), impacted by the tax settlement of €13.7 million related to the fiscal years 2008–2018.
• Earnings per share after tax amounted to €-0.26 (0.10) including, and €0.03 (0.10) excluding, a one-off tax item.
• First time depositors in thousands (FTDs) decreased by 14.6% to 105.6 thousand (123.7).

FULL YEAR 2019 (JAN-DEC)
• Revenues increased by 26.0% to €131.4 million (104.6).
• B2B revenues increased by 43.4% to €81.1 million (56.6), constituting 62.0% of total revenues.
• EBITDA increased by 2.4% to €21.7 million (21.2).
• EBITDA for B2B increased by 29.0% to €15.9 million (12.4), constituting 73.4% of total EBITDA.
• The EBITDA margin amounted to 16.5% (20.3%)
• EBIT amounted to €17.7 million (19.3).
• Earnings after tax amounted to €0.4 million (16.2), impacted by the tax settlement of €13.7 million related to the fiscal years 2008–2018.
• Earnings per share after tax amounted to €0.01 (0.36) including, and €0.31 (0.36) excluding, a one-off tax item.
• First time depositors in thousands (FTDs) increased by 20.0% to 444.5 thousand (370.4).
• The Board proposes the AGM that no dividend is paid out for 2019 following the tax settlement and the continued search for M&A opportunities. The long-term dividend target of 50% of net profit remains.

SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING AND AFTER THE FOURTH QUARTER
• October 7th, Aspire Global finalized the acquisition of the leading game aggregator platform Pariplay for €13.3 million in cash, according to the initial conditions. With the acquisition Aspire Global has gained control of yet another crucial part of the iGaming value chain – creating synergies, broadening the game portfolio and providing a channel to distribute propriety games outside the partner network. The transaction had a positive effect on the company’s EBITDA already in Q4 2019.
• Aspire Global appealed against the lawsuit made by the Swedish Consumer Agency (“KO”) in October claiming that the company violated the marketing provisions of the Gaming- and Marketing acts.
• November 1st 2019, Aspire Global announced the coming entering into the regulated US market as Pariplay signed an agreement for New Jersey with longstanding partner 888casino.
• December 31st 2019, Aspire Global reached an agreement for a settlement with the Israeli Tax Authority in the previously disclosed tax audit.

STATEMENT FROM THE CEO
I am pleased to conclude that we have delivered another year of strong growth, despite changes in the market environment. Revenues increased by 26% to €131.4 million with an EBITDA margin of 16.5%, in line with our financial targets. We have proven that our strategy is efficient, and we have a solid foundation to continue to expand our business through organic growth and M&A.
We had a somewhat disappointing last quarter of the year due to new regulatory requirements in regulated markets, such as the UK, as well as markets to become regulated. Compliance is top on our agenda and we swiftly adapt to new regulatory requirements, knowing that our longer-term benefits are larger than the short-term impact. Our settlement with the Israeli tax authorities had a significant impact on net income and EPS in the quarter. Nonetheless, I am satisfied with the settlement as it provides the market with clarity around the outcome of the audit. The additional tax charge of €13.7 million is reported as a one-off tax item.

Growth for Pariplay in 2020
One of the highlights in the quarter is the successful integration of Pariplay where we already have realized some of the synergies. Pariplay contributed to revenues and EBITDA in the quarter with €3 million and €0.5 million respectively. The acquisition will create further cost synergies, strengthen our market presence in B2B, serve as our first footprint in the US and generate revenue streams outside our existing partners on our platform. The technical integration is completed, and we are happy to have all main third-party suppliers on board from the start. During the fourth quarter, Pariplay signed two new operator deals. We expect Pariplay to generate significant growth in 2020 with a positive effect on the Group’s EBITDA.

Material organic growth in 2019
In 2019 we continued to deliver on our growth strategy and accelerated the number of partners and brands as well as strengthened our offering. In the quarter, three new partnerships were signed, and seven new B2B-brands were launched. By year-end, we had 77 B2B-brands and 44 partners operating on our platform, which is a material increase from 2018. The B2B-segment grew by 43.4% in 2019, constituting 62.0% of Group revenues, while growth for B2C was around 5% following weaker performance due to new regulatory requirements, although partially compensated by other markets.
We see great interest in our recent verticals  sports and bingo  and several partners are looking to broaden their offering. Four B2B-brands are currently offering sportsbook and three launches are soon to come. Bingo is live with one B2B-brand and three launches are near, including Karamba.

Competitive advantages in the regulated landscape
We have given clear proof of our ability to grow with good profitability in regulated markets. In 2019, more than 50% of our revenues came from regulated and taxed markets. We welcome the trend where more markets become regulated. We believe it benefits companies like ours, with a sustainable growth strategy rather than a more opportunistic approach and we consider it to be a business opportunity. We will continue to strengthen our market position in the regulated landscape by expanding in the value chain. It grants us a unique, competitive advantage as current and future partners wish to enhance their potential in any jurisdiction. Thus, we continue the active search for acquisition opportunities and new projects across various parts of the value chain, in Europe as well as other parts of the world. We are confident in our integration skills and we have the financial strength to execute on our M&A-strategy.

Continued sustainable profitable growth
Our broad market presence and product offering give us a solid foundation for sustainable profitable growth. We will continue to enhance our multi-vertical offering while maintaining the search for M&A-opportunities, supported by our strong balance sheet. We are confident in our ability to meet our financial targets for 2021, €200 million in revenues and €32 million in EBITDA.

Tsachi Maimon, CEO Aspire Global

Related Topics:Aspire Global Tsachi Maimon CEO Aspire Global

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Ho-Ho-Hold onto Your Wins! Booming Games Takes Festive Fun to the Next Level with Santa in Vegas!

Published

4 minutes ago

November 20, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: < 1 minute

This holiday season, Santa’s traded in his sleigh for a private jet and touched down on the Vegas Strip! Santa in Vegas delivers festive fun and flashy riches in a vibrant 5×4 slot packed with luxurious symbols, glittering lights and that famous Booming Games excitement. Spin through jets, limos, watches and shimmering gifts as you chase down wild wins in the city that never sleeps.

Look out for the Santa Collect feature in the base game: Red Santa collects Coin symbols to trigger the Coin Collection bonus, while Golden Santa gathers Scatter symbols to randomly trigger the coveted Free Spins feature.

Trigger the Free Spins bonus and experience the exciting symbol upgrade feature. With every spin, low-paying symbols can be eliminated and high-paying symbols can be upgraded, boosting your chances for bigger and brighter wins!

The excitement peaks in the Gift Spin, a guaranteed spin at the end of Free Spins where every Wild you’ve collected during Free Spins is dropped onto the reels in a powerful finale, with up to 20 Wilds unleashed for explosive win potential.

With seasonal cheer, golden glamour and a sleigh-full of win potential, Santa in Vegas brings you the ultimate Christmas party on the Strip. Time to jingle all the way to jackpot city!

Play Santa in Vegas now!

“Santa in Vegas is all about turning up the holiday cheer with a Vegas twist,” said Craig Asling, Director of Games at Booming Games.

“We’ve mixed bright visuals, exciting features and plenty of win potential to deliver a game that’s both festive and full of fun, it’s Christmas with a touch of Vegas sparkle.”

The post Ho-Ho-Hold onto Your Wins! Booming Games Takes Festive Fun to the Next Level with Santa in Vegas! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

2025 Global Regulatory Awards

Vixio Announces Winners for the 2025 Global Regulatory Awards

Published

1 hour ago

November 20, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, unveiled its 2025 Global Regulatory Awards (GRAs) winners last night during an event in London.

More than 300 industry leaders, regulatory experts, and esteemed professionals of the global gambling industry attended the prestigious event. The independently judged GRAs recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals, teams, and organisations in the gambling industry who have excelled in compliance, corporate social responsibility, and safer gambling.

The ninth annual awards ceremony recognised winners across 22 categories.
Notable winners on the evening included Playtech, Casino Guru, and Kambi.

Vixio also recognised outstanding individuals, such as Bill Curtis of DraftKings, named Compliance Professional of the Year, Corinne Valletta of Betsson Group, awarded Chief Compliance Officer of the Year, and Wes Himes, who was recognised with the Special Award for Compliance Lifetime Achievement.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us at last night’s Global Regulatory Awards in London,” stated Mike Woolfrey, CEO of Vixio. “This year has seen significant regulatory change across the industry, making the quality of entries even more impressive. Our independent judges did a fantastic job in selecting the winners, who truly represent the highest standards in regulatory compliance. Congratulations to all, and we look forward to welcoming you to the 10th annual Global Regulatory Awards next year!”

Awards were presented by category sponsors: Docaposte, DraftKings, eCOGRA, Gaming Associates and White Bullet.

The award evening was associate-sponsored by: Greentube, San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission, Scientific Games, and Soft2Bet.

The 2026 Global Regulatory Awards presentation will celebrate the 10th annual GRA event and is set to take place on November 18th, returning to the historic Grand Connaught Rooms in Central London.

The official 2025 winners are as follows:

AML or MLR Professional of the Year
Eleni Panagiotopoulou, SOFTSWISS

Award for Commitment to Compliance by a Supplier
GeoComply

Award for Commitment to Compliance by an Operator
Tipico Games

Chief Compliance Officer of the Year
Corinne Valletta, Betsson Group

Compliance Innovator of the Year
Sharp Vision

Compliance Lifetime Achievement Special Award
Wes Himes

Compliance Professional of the Year
Bill Curtis, DraftKings

Compliance Rising Star Special Award
Medisha Moodley, Games Global

Compliance Team of the Year
Playtech

Head of Regulatory Affairs or Government Relations of the Year
Devon Dalbock, GLI

Legal Team of the Year
Kambi

Marketing Compliance Team of the Year
Catena Media

Outstanding Contribution to Safer Gambling
Casino Guru

Outstanding Contribution to Sports Betting Integrity
ALTENAR

Outstanding Individual Contribution to Safer Gambling
Dr. Michael Auer, Neccton

Payment Service or Solution Provider of the Year
Paysafe

RegTech Provider of the Year
Mindway AI

Regulatory Initiative of the Year
Gambling Regulatory Authority (URHH SK)

Regulatory Law Firm of the Year
Bird & Bird

Regulatory Lawyer or In-House Counsel of the Year
Behnam Dayanim, Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Responsible Gambling Service or Solution Provider of the Year
BetBlocker

Testing Service or Solution Provider of the Year
BMM Innovation Group

The post Vixio Announces Winners for the 2025 Global Regulatory Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

BGaming

Feel the Chill in BGaming’s Divine Queen: Heart of Ice

Published

1 hour ago

November 20, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Rapidly expanding content provider puts you in the presence of royalty in Divine Queen: Heart of Ice

Popular iGaming content provider BGaming invites players to wrap up warm and explore an icy kingdom in Divine Queen: Heart of Ice. Watch the wins snowball in this Olympus-genre pay-anywhere game.

Divine Queen: Heart of Ice pulls inspiration from the iconic Bonanza gameplay mechanics, repackaging them in a winter retro style. The game’s cinematic visuals, combined with a mesmerising soundtrack, help immerse players in this frosty, beautiful world.

The Ice Queen herself also graces players with her presence. This stunning character stands to the right of the game grid, watching over the reels as they spin. She appears as the game’s Scatter symbol and is the key to the Free Spins bonus.

Her carefully curated design should appeal to European and US audiences, while the game’s winter theme makes it accessible year-round.

Players will find the Multiplier Reel on the right of the grid in Divine Queen: Heart of Ice. This starts at x1 and progresses by one with each winning cascade. The multiplier does not reset during the free spins bonus, helping the wins to pile up. Players can also use the Buy Bonus feature to enter the Free Spins round and gain instant access to the action.

The bonus features are not the only magic conjured up in Divine Queen: Heart of Ice. The slot serves up a tantalising maximum win of x5,000, and rounds out an impressive maths model with an attractive 97% RTP.

Ruslan Shakhlovich, Game Designer at BGaming, said, The game has been designed to be highly engaging, with progressive mechanics and a proven math model that will keep players returning. Divine Queen: Heart of Ice arrives just in time for the winter months, and we are confident it will do an excellent job of distracting players from the cold.”

The post Feel the Chill in BGaming’s Divine Queen: Heart of Ice appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.