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LeoVegas AB Q3: Quarterly report 1 July– 30 September 2020
THIRD QUARTER 2020: 1 julY–30 september
- Revenue increased by 1% to EUR 88.9 m (88.2). Organic growth in local currencies was 2%.
- EBITDA was EUR 11.9 m (12.7), corresponding to an EBITDA margin of 13.4% (14.4%).
- The number of depositing customers was 438,691 (347,464), an increase of 26%.
- Earnings per share were EUR 0.04 (0.05) before and after dilution, while adjusted earnings per share were EUR 0.08 (0.09).
Events during the quarter
- GoGoCasino and Livecasino.com launched in Finland. An international launch of both brands is in progress.
- Operations in Sweden have been affected by the temporary restrictions that were introduced on 2 July as a result of Covid-19
- LeoVegas increased its ownership in the e-sports betting operator Pixel.bet to 85% from 51% previously.
- Operating profit for the quarter includes costs of EUR 0.5 m in organisational streamlining and optimisation measures. Yearly net savings from these measures is expected to total EUR 1.5 m starting next year.
Events after the end of the quarter
- Preliminary revenue in October amounted to EUR 33.0 m (26.0), representing growth of 27%.
- Royal Panda has relaunched in Finland on the Group’s proprietary technical platform.
- LeoVegas has launched Bingo as new product category.
- Ahead of the forthcoming regulation of the German market, effective 15 October a number of changes have been made that affect the customer offering. This had a slight negative impact on revenue in October. LeoVegas expects to receive nationwide licences for the German market once they are available.
COMMENT FROM GUSTAF HAGMAN – GROUP CEO
THIRD QUARTER 2020
Once again, we have shown our ability to quickly adapt to new, external circumstances, such as those related to the continuing pandemic and the constant regulatory changes in our various markets. During the third quarter we maintained a high pace of innovation and investment, which is strengthening our long-term position and growth prospects.
During the quarter our customer base again reached a new record level. The number of depositing customers grew 26% compared with the same period a year ago, which confirms the strong development of our business. This is partly attributable to the ongoing structural shift from land-based gaming to online, but above all to our focus on creating the best product and experience for our customers. We continue to optimise scalability and reduce complexity in the organisation. During the quarter, among other measures we realised synergies from previous acquisitions and instituted a clearer organisational and Group structure. This has led to a slight level of staff redundancy, and operating profit was charged with EUR 0.5 m for measures coupled to this. At the same time, we estimate that yearly net savings from these measures will amount to roughly EUR 1.5 m starting with next year. Our efficiency improvement work equips us for continued profitable growth and makes us – combined with greater diversification of the revenue base – more resilient to rapid fluctuations in individual markets.
MARKETS
We had a favourable development in most of our markets during the quarter, with our growing customer base as the main driver. Many markets had double-digit growth compared with the same period a year ago.
In Sweden we are seeing a troubling development in which the unlicensed market continues to grow unhindered. A growing number of operators without licences are actively targeting Swedish players, including those who have been barred by the self-exclusion tool Spelpaus. This has been confirmed by, among others, several organisations that provide help to people with a gambling problem. These organisations have noted that the majority of those seeking help are playing with the unlicensed operators. The problem is big and is shaking the foundation of the entire Swedish licence system. Quick and strong measures are now needed by Swedish politicians and authorities to ensure a well-functioning Swedish gaming market.
In Germany the federal states have agreed to introduce a licence system for gaming, which is expected to be implemented during the second half of 2021. We are looking forward with confidence to Europe’s largest market finally being regulated. Ahead of implementation of the licence system, it is expected that operators will carry out certain limitations in their respective customer offerings in advance. LeoVegas has already begun implementing such limitations, which will initially have a negative impact on revenue. Details on regulation of the German market are provided in the Legal update section in this report. LeoVegas today has a licence in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and expects to receive nationwide licences once they are available. Germany generated approximately 17% of the Group’s total revenue during the third quarter.
technology and products
The quarter was intense for our technology and product organisation, with the completion of a number of major projects. For example, we implemented the German regulatory requirements on short notice and launched the GoGoCasino and Royal Panda brands in Finland on our proprietary platform. We also are seeing higher demand for broader entertainment games among our players and therefore recently launched our Bingo product.
comments on fourth quarter
Preliminary revenue for the month of October amounted to EUR 33.0 m (26.0), corresponding to annual growth of 27%. The changes introduced in the German market on 15 October have had a slightly negative impact on revenue.
With a positive start to the fourth quarter, a record-large customer base and many exciting initiatives I am looking forward to a strong end to the full year.
Presentation of the report – today at 09:00 CET
- To participate in the conference call, and thereby be able to ask questions, please call one of the following numbers: SE: +46 (0) 8 50 69 21 80, UK: +44 (0) 20 71 92 80 00, US: +1 63 15 10 74 95, Confirmation code: 2874453 or join at the web https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/budae7ar
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Eastern Europe
Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating
“We weren’t just present — we were participants of Runfest. And that’s one of the most important aspects,” said Artak Ashkhatoyan, Deputy CEO of Totogaming.
On July 6, Totogaming joined the Cernica Pantelimon Runfest in Romania, once again emphasizing the importance of promoting amateur sports and a healthy lifestyle.
“Supporting such initiatives is a priority for TotoGaming. First, 50% of the proceeds from RunFest will be donated to the CLOVES Romania Foundation, supporting children affected by CLOVES Syndrome. And second, we’ve always believed in showing our passion for sports through actions, not just words. Have you noticed how we’re constantly rushing through life, yet when we look back, it often feels like we haven’t moved at all? It’s important for us to lead by example and show the importance of participation. This is exactly the message we’re promoting through our team’s active involvement in the marathon. After all, there can never be too much sport in our lives,” said TotoGaming’s Deputy CEO, Artak Ashkhatoyan.
A Simple Concept, a Powerful Impact
The concept of this sports event is straightforward: choose a distance between 1 to 21 kilometers and run. The goal? Make sport an integral part of everyday life. The crowd certainly embraced that, gathering as early as 8:30 a.m. — on a Sunday morning.
Totogaming contributed in two distinct capacities: as an official sponsor and as an active participant. A dedicated team of 13 employees represented the company at the Cernica Pantelimon RunFest, with 7 of them proudly taking part as runners.
More Than Just a Run
It wasn’t an easy challenge — especially because among Totogaming’s runners were people for whom running isn’t a daily habit, or even part of their life at all. Yet they couldn’t miss the opportunity, not least from the perspective of corporate responsibility.
“We just finished the 7.5-kilometer race!” shared Petrut-Adrian Toea from the Totogaming team.
“It was amazing, honestly. Around the 2-kilometer mark, I had this little battle with myself — I told myself I had to finish the race, no matter what. And I did it! I came in around 60th place out of over 100 runners, which for me is a really good result.”
“I see my participation as a small contribution toward promoting a healthy lifestyle. In my close circle, everyone knows I’m not exactly the sporty type. I’m not athletic, and I usually prefer having fun in other ways. But showing up here, early in the morning, in this intense heat, and completing almost 8 kilometers with just one short break — I think it set a good example.”
“I hope seeing someone like me finish this challenge motivates my friends to try something similar for their own health. I believe that’s a meaningful contribution”, – added Petrut-Andrea.
Totogaming also made it possible for every attendee to bring sport into their lives — quite literally. At the Totogaming tent, participants could ride stationary bikes and receive prizes based on the number of points they earned through their efforts.
Whether they were running, cycling, or simply cheering for friends, the goal for everyone was the same: to reach the destination of champions — by bringing sport into everyday life.
The post Totogaming Joins Cernica Pantelimon RunFest: Not Just Present, But Fully Participating appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BMM Testlabs, the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and certification services, today announced the promotion of Sacha McLaughlin to Vice President of Global Quality Assurance.
BMM’s President of Land-Based Gaming & Inspections, Kirk White, said, “Sacha has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-first attitude. Her experience and passion will be critical as we continue to grow our QA services to meet the always-evolving needs of the global gaming industry.”
With over 18 years of experience in software implementation and seven years in the gaming industry, McLaughlin brings extensive knowledge of both agile and waterfall development methodologies, test planning, project management, and cross-regional team leadership. She is recognized for her ability to build and scale QA organizations that deliver quality, speed, and value to customers.
McLaughlin joined BMM in 2018 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Company, most recently serving as Senior Director of Quality Assurance. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in expanding BMM’s QA capabilities and helping customers launch products into the global gaming market more quickly, with a focus on regulatory compliance, functionality, fairness, and security.
The post BMM TESTLABS PROMOTES SACHA MCLAUGHLIN TO VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL QUALITY ASSURANCE appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Major findings from the newly launched report include playable ads having the potential to deliver impression-to-install rates 16 times that of non-playable formats for emerging gaming apps and a 20% increase in spending on interactive ads year over year.
Liftoff, a leading AI-enabled growth platform for the mobile app economy, has published its seventh annual Mobile Ad Creative Index. The report explores top creative trends that are attracting and scaling in ad spend across consumer apps and games. It also highlights the expanding role of AI in creative production, testing, and optimization.
This year’s Mobile Ad Creative Index specifically analyzes creative concepts that have excelled in scale for Liftoff’s highest-spending advertisers over the past 12 to 48 months. It is based on findings from over 4.7 trillion impressions, 263 billion clicks, and 1.1 billion installs between 1 January 2023 and 31 May 2025.
Highlights from the report include:
Top consumer apps are investing in interactive ads to compete for engagement
In 2024, the share of spend on interactive ads for top apps increased by 20% year over year. The share of spend increased by 2% for spenders outside the top tier. Top-spending apps differentiate their campaigns by adding innovations to evergreen concepts such as social scrollers, carousels, and scratch-offs.
Playable ads deliver returns across ad budgets for mobile game advertisers
In 2024, the share of spend on playable ads for top games averaged 35% higher than other games. Across all ad budgets, however, playable ads delivered higher conversion rates. Impression-to-install rates were 8 times that of non-playable formats for top spenders and 16 times that of non-playable formats for other game advertisers.
Tailoring “metaplay” elements to motivations can improve performance
“Metaplay” elements—gameplay that diverges from an app’s core design to appeal to a broader audience—are widespread, but top games gain an edge by tailoring their metaplay ads to the publisher audience. The report found that aligning “metaplay” creative with publisher audiences resulted in a 93% increase in installs-per-mille.
UGC is becoming a key differentiator in driving scale for consumer apps
The share of spend on user-generated content (UGC) increased 11% for top-spending apps, with social and utility apps seeing the most significant jump of nearly 30% between 2023 and 2024.
Widespread adoption of Gen AI leads to more customized ad experiences
Creative teams increasingly leverage AI to enhance top-performing assets with 3D and motion and to create and test variations. Top advertisers also use AI to recombine their assets in customized ad experiences that break away from standard video to playable formats.
Yann Zeller, Chief of Staff, Creative at Liftoff, said: “Today’s creative landscape is shaped by a single, powerful truth: attention is the commodity, and brands, games, and influencers are all vying for it. Great mobile ad experiences can earn attention by aligning context with behavior. As ad formats become richer and AI expands our ability to personalize and adapt creatives at scale, we’re able to unlock new insights into user behavior and motivation. We see users spend meaningful stretches with the right content, sometimes 60 to 90 seconds when the ad feels personal or prompts meaningful participation. This isn’t just a better way to advertise—it’s a better way to tell stories and the most exciting brief we’ve had in years.”
Soren Steelquist, Director of Creative Production, said: “The proof is in the data—more and more consumer apps are incorporating UGC into every stage of their marketing, and programmatic is no different. UGC works because it’s authentic and relatable, and users are more likely to be influenced by ad when it’s coming from a trustworthy source. To see higher impact from UGC creatives, work with a partner that can match the right creator with your brand and develop winning concepts that resonate with audiences.”
The post Liftoff’s 2025 Mobile Ad Creative Index Reveals UGC Is a Key Differentiator for Top Apps appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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