Canada
Esports Entertainment Group Reports Fiscal First Quarter 2021 Financial Results
Esports Entertainment Group, Inc., an esports and online gambling company, announced its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2020, as well as an update on several key business initiatives.
Business Highlights
- Signed agreement to acquire Helix eSports and ggCircuit in deal valued at $43 Million
- Acquired Argyll Entertainment and its SportNation brand, adding Tier 1 gambling license covering UK and Ireland; Malta gaming license secured in May 2020
- Acquired assets of FLIP Sports, providing ownership and control of tech stack
- Acquired Esports Gaming League, with a history of partnerships that include Microsoft, Red Bull Arsenal FC, and Activision; subsequent to acquisition EGL announced first-of-their kind deals with LA Kings, LA Galaxy, and Philadelphia Union to be official esports tournament provider
- Partnered with Allied Esports as title sponsor of the VIE.gg CS:GO Legend Series tournament; the two-week competition drew 1.7 million unique viewers and generated 1 million hours watched, making it the most-watched Legend Series event since tournament was created in 2017
- Expanded partnership with Dignitas, an esports asset of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, securing naming rights to famed CS:GO team; partnership includes strategic digital and physical activations in New Jersey marketplace as core focus
- Partnered with Twin Rivers Gaming to launch VIE.gg wagering platform in New Jersey in calendar Q1 2021
- Working with the New Jersey Gaming Commission to launch pilot skill-based player-to-player wagering platform, LANduel
- Opened corporate office at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ
“We have achieved many significant milestones since uplisting to the NASDAQ in April,” commented Grant Johnson, CEO of Esports Entertainment Group. “The COVID-19 pandemic has absolutely accelerated the rapid growth of esports leading to mainstream broadcasts to national TV audiences on ESPN and Fox. These trends helped us set new record audience viewing stats with our partner Allied Esports for the globally recognized Legend Series, just one of many accomplishments during the quarter. We believe the successes achieved this year provide an extremely strong foundation for long-term growth while offering investors a true pure play opportunity in the burgeoning world of global esports.”
Johnson continued, “We have structured our business to deliver a diversified esports and online gambling company via three key business pillars and believe this multi-tiered approach provides investors broad exposure to two major trends, the rise of competitive gaming and the legalization of online gambling in the US.”
“As we look ahead, we believe the acquisitions we have made as well as those we plan to make, combined with a growing list of world-class partnerships, Esports Entertainment is in a great position to accelerate the monetization of our robust three pillar strategy,” concluded Johnson.
F1Q21 Financial Results
Revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2020 totaled $222,392, an increase of $222,392 over the $0 recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2019 (this includes only 2 months of contribution from Argyll because the deal closed on August 4th). The increase was primarily attributable to the acquisition of Argyll Entertainment as we are now revenue a generating company.
Post F1Q21, October has seen a significant uptick, with levels of turnover, Gross Gaming Revenue and Net Revenue returning to pre-COVID levels. Total handle was above $16 mil for the month of October and revenues for the month were above $600K.
Total operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2020 totaled $3.7 million, an increase from the $0.7m recorded for the three months ended September 30, 2019. The increase was primarily attributable to the increased payroll, stock compensation, marketing, legal and professional services fees related to increased business activity.
Total net loss for the three months ended September 30, 2020 was $1.8 million, driven principally by reduced revenues related to the measures taken post the regular UK Gambling Commission audit of Argyll Entertainment, partially offset by a change in fair market value of warrant liability of $2.1m.
As of September 30, 2020, the Company had total current assets of $10.4 million and total current liabilities of $8.2 million, resulting in working capital of $2.3 million. Cash and cash equivalents totaled $8.9 million and shareholders’ equity was $16.8 million at September 30, 2020.
Guidance
The Company reaffirms its guidance of $13 million in revenue in fiscal 2021 and $25 million in revenue in fiscal 2022 from its core Argyll and VIE platforms. On a proforma basis, including the acquisitions of Helix Esports and ggCircuit, the Company expects to report $42 million in revenue in fiscal 2022 with positive EBITDA of $2 million.
Fiscal First Quarter 2021 Conference Call
The Company will host a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its F1Q21 financial results. Participants may join the conference call by dialing 1-855-327-6837 (U.S. Toll-Free) or 1-631-891-4304 (International). A live webcast of the conference call will also be available at http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=142485.
For those unable to participate in the conference call, a telephonic replay of the call will also be available shortly after the completion of the call, until 11:59 pm ET on Monday, November 30, 2020, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering the replay pin number: 10011948.
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Bragg Gaming Group, a leading global B2B iGaming content and technology provider, announced it has entered into a new financing agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO), a leading North American financial institution, pursuant to which BMO has made available to the Company certain credit facilities in a maximum aggregate amount of up to US$6.0 million to support its ongoing working capital and general corporate requirements (the BMO Facilities).
In connection with the closing of the BMO Facilities, Bragg has successfully repaid in full the outstanding promissory note with entities controlled by Doug Fallon (the Prior Note Indebtedness). The new BMO Facilities replace the Prior Note Indebtedness, signalling a significant step in the Company’s financial strategy to partner with a major commercial bank to support its growth.
“We are very pleased to establish this new relationship with the Bank of Montreal, a recognized leader in financial services. This new credit facility strengthens our balance sheet and provides us with a flexible capital structure to execute our strategic plan. The ability to secure financing from a major North American bank underscores the confidence in our business and our long-term growth prospects. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with BMO,” said Robbie Bressler, CFO of Bragg Gaming Group.
The BMO Facilities are secured by, amongst other things, a first-ranking security interest over all of the assets of the Company and certain of its key operating subsidiaries, and are uncommitted and are repayable upon the earlier of (i) demand by BMO, (ii) the occurrence of certain insolvency events, and (iii) on the one-year anniversary of the closing date, unless a one-year extension is granted at BMO’s discretion.
The agreement includes customary legal and financial covenants, including a requirement for the Company to maintain a Total Funded Debt to EBITDA ratio not exceeding 2.50:1.00, and a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.25:1.00. These financial covenants are to be tested on a consolidated basis at the end of each fiscal quarter.
The Company currently expects to draw on the BMO Facilities in Canadian dollars, which would result in estimated borrowing costs of 6.9%–7.9% for Prime-based loans or 5.9%–6.9% for CORRA-based loans, depending on the period of the draw and the Company’s leverage ratio. Standby fees on the unused portion of the revolving facility will range from 0.75% to 1.75% per annum, depending on leverage.
Management believes that based on the terms of the BMO Facilities, the Company’s borrowing costs on an annualized basis will be less than half of its Prior Note Debt.
Matevž Mazij, CEO of Bragg Gaming Group, said: “Securing this BMO facility represents a critical milestone in our strategic plan to strengthen Bragg’s financial foundation and accelerate value creation for our shareholders. With our cybersecurity incident contained and our borrowing costs cut by more than half, we are laser-focused on executing our strategic shift toward higher-quality earnings. The Company is prioritizing margin and cash generation over lower-margin revenue, and synergies realized post-quarter end to become a leaner operation. We’ve already realized EUR 2 million in annualized synergies and are on track to achieve our 20% Adjusted EBITDA margin target for the second half of 2025.
“Our recent leadership additions in AI and innovation, combined with our expanding partnerships with operators like Fanatics and Hard Rock Digital, position us to pursue highly accretive growth opportunities methodically. The Company remains focused on growing the business in a sustainable and margin-accretive manner, with strong momentum in the proprietary content and technology pipeline positioning Bragg for long-term profitable growth.
“We understand the importance of delivering results for our shareholders, and our board and management team are fully aligned and committed to executing the strategic initiatives that will drive value. With improved financial flexibility, a strengthened operational foundation, and clear milestones ahead, we believe we have the right strategy and team in place to unlock Bragg’s full potential. We remain committed to maximizing shareholder value as we build sustainable, profitable growth and ensure our strong operational performance translates into appropriate market valuation.”
Cyber Breach Update
The Company has also provided an update on its previously announced cybersecurity incident initially detected on August 16, 2025.
Immediately following detection, Bragg took appropriate steps to mitigate any potential impact of the breach. With the assistance of independent cybersecurity experts, the Company has followed industry best practices and considers that the incident is now resolved.
There continues to be no indication that any personal information was affected and the breach has had no impact on the ability of the Company to continue its operations. Bragg has also provided assurances to its customers regarding the security of its game titles. The Company has experienced no negative impact on its revenue or profitability and does not expect that the cost of responding to the incident will have a material financial impact on the Company.
The Company has already applied knowledge gathered from the investigation of the event to enhance its cyber security defenses.
The post Bragg Gaming Group Enteres into New Financing Agreement with Bank of Montreal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Independent slots studio Thunderkick has agreed a deal with Ontario-based operator Betty to supply the rapidly growing online casino with a diverse collection of globally popular titles.
Betty, an official partner of sporting franchises Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, has risen to prominence since its 2022 establishment, when it was built following the consultation of 300 casino players to create the optimal iGaming environment.
Distinguishing itself from North American competitors by catering specifically to slot enthusiasts rather than sports bettors, the operator has curated a portfolio of 2,800 games, hand-picked to deliver customers maximum entertainment value.
Thunderkick’s content is the latest to be integrated into Betty’s online casino, and the agreement will see a selection of its most popular titles, including The Wildos 2, Midas Golden Touch 3, and Esqueleto Explosivo 3, made available to a greater number of Ontarian players.
Thunderkick marked its debut in the Canadian province in Q2 of 2024, and has since partnered with a network of leading operators to improve its market position. The collaboration with Betty will further amplify its visibility in a key jurisdiction as the provider looks to reinforce its reputation as a global slot developer.
Svante Sahlström, CCO at Thunderkick, said: “It’s our mission at Thunderkick to go deeper, not wider, in 2025. That means forging meaningful, lasting relationships in target markets as opposed to securing as many commercial deals as possible.
“Since entering Ontario over 12 months ago, we have worked tirelessly to enhance our presence in the province, and working with leading brands such as Betty allows us to bring our unique games to a deeper pool of Canadian players.”
Paraskeva Smirnova, Casino Operations Manager at Betty, added: “Betty’s USP has always been our drive to build a slot portfolio with the very best titles from the industry’s most creative suppliers.
“Thunderkick’s passion for slot development is there for all to see, and the introduction of its games to our casino further elevates the consumer experience.”
The post Thunderkick commits to growth in Ontario with Betty partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
BCLC is pleased to announce the return of the New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference, taking place November 2–4, 2026, at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver.
This global event brings leading voices in research, policy and industry together to explore innovative approaches to safer gambling. Attendees can expect two days of forward-thinking dialogue, evidence-based insights and collaborative solutions to help shape the future of player health.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available
New to the 2026 conference, BCLC is excited to offer sponsorship opportunities to organizations that share BCLC’s passion for safer gambling. Benefits of sponsoring New Horizons 2026 include industry visibility, leadership recognition and meaningful engagement with a global audience. To learn more about sponsorship, please e-mail [email protected].
Registration and program details will be released later this fall.
The post Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference Returns November 2026 appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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