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LeoVegas AB Q4: Year-end report 2020
“Yet another record year for LeoVegas with a strong close” – Gustaf Hagman, Group CEO
fourth quarter 2020: 1 october–31 december
- Revenue increased by 13% to EUR 98.4 m (87.1). Organic growth in local currencies was 14%.
- Adjusted EBITDA was EUR 11.5 m (9.2), corresponding to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.7% (10.6%). Reported EBITDA includes EUR -3.5 m (5.3) in items affecting comparability.
- The number of depositing customers was 461,983 (372,032), an increase of 24%.
- Adjusted earnings per share were EUR 0.08 (0.06).
Events during the quarter
- LeoVegas was the first company in the gaming industry to offer payments via Open Banking.
- During the quarter the Group’s unique and record-large jackpot was launched under the name LeoJackPot.
- LeoVegas secured long-term and diversified financing through a combination of a bank credit facility (RCF of EUR 40 m) and a bond issue of SEK 500 m under a total framework of SEK 800 m.
- During the quarter, LeoVegas repurchased its own shares for approximately EUR 5 million.
- Ahead of the forthcoming regulation in Germany, a number of changes were implemented. This led to lower revenue during the quarter, with the greatest effect during the month of December.
- LeoVegas has changed its interpretation of the calculation of gaming taxes in Denmark for earlier periods. This resulted in a self-correction, and a one-off cost of EUR 3.5 m has been charged against EBITDA.
- Decision has been taken to migrate the Royal Panda brand to the Group’s proprietary technical platform.
Events after the end of the quarter
- Preliminary revenue in January amounted to EUR 32.5 m (29.9), representing growth of 9%.
- The Board of Directors proposes a raised dividend totalling SEK 1.60 per share (1.40), an increase of 14%, to be paid out on four occasions during the year.
COMMENT FROM GUSTAF HAGMAN – GROUP CEO
STRONG CLOSE TO 2020
LeoVegas concluded the record year 2020 with its strongest fourth quarter ever. And we did this despite frequent changes to the gaming requirements in our markets in addition to finding ourselves in the midst of a global pandemic. I am proud of our ability to quickly adapt to changed conditions through a high capacity for innovation at the same time as we are building an increasingly solid and diversified business. It is a demonstration of strength that LeoVegas delivered adjusted EBITDA growth of 25% for the full year while the operating cash flow increased almost 90 %. This was achieved despite maintaining a high investment pace with launches of new brands, new markets and product improvements.
During the fourth quarter we increased our revenue organically by 14%. Growth was mainly driven by a continued rise in depositing customers, which grew 24% to a new record level. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 25% during the quarter to EUR 11.5 m. Reported EBITDA was charged with a one-off provision of EUR 3.5 m related to a changed interpretation of the calculation of gaming taxes in Denmark for earlier periods.
MarkETS
With the exceptions of Sweden and the UK, our core markets showed high double-digit growth during the quarter. Above all I want to highlight Italy, which has now become one of our five biggest markets. During the quarter we launched the Pink Casino brand in Canada. The launch is part of our multibrand strategy, where we are utilising existing resources and our technical platform to expand through scale.
In the German market, LeoVegas has implemented a number of changes ahead of the forthcoming licence system in July 2021. As expected, this affected revenue during the period. Operators in the market are acting differently with respect to the new restrictions, and at present necessary clarity is lacking in the ongoing transitional period, which unfortunately has led to a skewed competitive situation until the licence system has been fully implemented.
TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCTS
During the quarter we carried out and launched several major projects and innovations. In particular I want to highlight our new exclusive jackpot – LeoJackpot – where our customers can win over SEK 50 m directly from their smartphones. We were also first in the industry to offer payments via Open Banking. This will benefit LeoVegas and our customers in many ways, including through more secure and faster payments and lower transaction costs.
During the quarter we began the migration of Royal Panda to our joint technical platform. As a result, in 2021 all brands will be operated on the same platform. The migration will lead to cost synergies such as lower platform and product costs and a more efficient organisation. The decision has also resulted in impairment of intangible assets attributable to Royal Panda’s platform, which was charged against EBIT in the amount of EUR 1.9 m.
FINANCING AND INVESTMENTS
At the end of the year we secured the Group’s long-term financing needs through the combination of a renewed bank credit facility of EUR 40 m and a newly issued corporate bond of SEK 500 m.
Stable financing combined with a strong balance sheet gives us a solid base for continued expansion, both through organic initiatives and potential acquisitions. During the fourth quarter we carried out share repurchases for approximately EUR 5 m. In addition, the Board of Directors proposes an increase in the dividend to SEK 1.60 per share.
COMMENTS ON FOURTH QUARTER
Revenue for the month of January amounted to EUR 32.5 m (29.9), corresponding to annual growth of 9%. In January revenue was fully impacted by the changes carried out in Germany ahead of the forthcoming regulation.
On the tailwinds of a strong 2020 we are now looking forward to a year with many exciting growth initiatives and an even stronger customer offering.
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Betshield
Bets, vapes e a ilusão da proibição
A discussão sobre a proibição de apostas online no Brasil ressurge em um momento sensível do debate público, marcado por soluções simplistas para temas complexos.
Neste artigo, Thiago Iusim, fundador e CEO da Betshield Responsible Gaming, analisa os paralelos entre o mercado de cigarros eletrônicos e o setor de ‘Bets’, destacando como a tentativa de eliminar uma atividade por decreto tende a empurrá-la para a informalidade.
Para ele, a experiência brasileira mostra que proibir não extingue mercados — apenas reduz a capacidade de controle do Estado e amplia riscos para o consumidor.
O Brasil já viu esse filme antes.
Existe uma solução mágica que sempre reaparece no debate público brasileiro, normalmente em período eleitoral, quando um tema se torna politicamente incômodo: proibir.
A lógica é sedutora. No discurso, o “problema” desaparece. Na prática, ele apenas muda de endereço.
O caso dos cigarros eletrônicos mostra isso com clareza.
Os vapes nunca foram autorizados no país. São oficialmente proibidos desde 2009. Em teoria, portanto, não deveriam existir em terras tupiniquins. Na prática, estão por toda parte, sem controle sanitário, sem fiscalização efetiva e sem qualquer garantia sobre a procedência do produto.
A proibição não eliminou o mercado. Apenas eliminou a possibilidade de cercá-lo com regras.
Uma reportagem recente da CNN sobre o avanço das apreensões de cigarros eletrônicos ajuda a dimensionar esse fenômeno. O país não acabou com os vapes. Apenas empurrou esse mercado para um ambiente onde o Estado perdeu capacidade de controle.
O Estado proibiu. O crime organizado agradeceu e aplaudiu de pé.
Essa experiência ajuda a entender o momento atual do debate sobre apostas online no Brasil.
As bets já existiam antes da Lei 14.790/2023. Durante anos, o país conviveu com um mercado ativo, acessível pela internet e operando a partir do exterior, sem arrecadação, sem supervisão e sem instrumentos efetivos de proteção ao consumidor.
A atividade não surgiu com a lei. A lei surgiu porque ela já existia.
Regular foi a forma racional de trazer esse mercado para dentro de um ambiente controlável, com licenças, outorgas, identificação de usuários, prevenção à lavagem de dinheiro, regras de publicidade, mecanismos de proteção ao jogador.
Dezesseis meses depois, o debate público volta a flertar com a mesma solução simplista aplicada aos vapes: a ideia de que proibir faria a atividade desaparecer.
A essa altura, já deveríamos saber que não funciona assim.
No caso das apostas, o Brasil havia escolhido um caminho diferente: regular para controlar. Proteger o cidadão e a economia popular.
Voltar agora a discutir proibição como resposta para um mercado que já existe seria mais do que um erro regulatório.
Seria uma contradição histórica.
Ou, talvez, apenas a manifestação mais confortável de um certo moralismo público que prefere empurrar a atividade para a clandestinidade em vez de reconhecer sua existência.
No plano do discurso, a proibição pode soar vitoriosa. Na prática, ela serve apenas como embalagem moralmente confortável para soluções apressadas e politicamente convenientes.
Isso não passa de fantasia eleitoral. E, desta vez, ninguém poderá dizer que não conhecia o roteiro.
Thiago Iusim
Fundador e CEO da Betshield Responsible Gaming
The post Bets, vapes e a ilusão da proibição appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
bets
Sports Betting, E-cigarettes and the Illusion of Prohibition
The debate over banning online betting in Brazil is resurfacing at a sensitive moment in the public discourse, marked by simplistic solutions to complex issues.
In this article, Thiago Iusim, founder and CEO of Betshield Responsible Gaming, analyzes the parallels between the electronic cigarette market and the ‘Bets’ sector, highlighting how attempts to eliminate an activity by decree tend to push it into informality.
According to him, the Brazilian experience shows that prohibition does not eliminate markets — it merely reduces the State’s ability to control them and increases risks for consumers.
Brazil has seen this movie before.
There is a magic solution that always seems to return to public debate, especially in election season, whenever an issue becomes politically inconvenient: ban it.
The logic is seductive. In the political narrative, the issue disappears. In real life, it simply moves elsewhere.
E-cigarettes make that point painfully clear.
Vapes have never been authorized in Brazil. They have been officially banned since 2009. In theory, they should not exist. In practice, they are everywhere, sold through social media, messaging apps, marketplaces, street vendors, and small retail shops, with no sanitary controls, no effective oversight, and no real guarantee of origin.
Prohibition did not eliminate the market.
It only eliminated the possibility of surrounding that market with rules.
A recent CNN report on the surge in e-cigarette seizures helps show the scale of the problem. Brazil did not get rid of vapes. It simply pushed the market into an environment where the state lost the capacity to control it.
The state banned it. Organized crime applauded.
That experience helps explain the current debate around online betting in Brazil.
Bets existed long before Law 14,790/2023. For years, Brazil lived with an active market operating online and from abroad, with no local tax collection, no regulatory oversight, and no effective consumer protection tools.
The activity did not emerge because of the law. The law emerged because the activity already existed.
Regulation was the rational response. It was the way to bring an already existing market into a controllable framework, with licenses, concession fees, user identification, anti-money laundering requirements, advertising rules, and player protection mechanisms.
And yet, just eighteen months later, public debate is once again flirting with the same simplistic solution applied to vapes: the fantasy that prohibition would make the activity disappear.
By now, Brazil should know better.
In the case of betting, the country had chosen a different path: regulate in order to control. Protect consumers. Protect the broader economy.
To now return to prohibition as a response to a market that already exists would be more than a regulatory mistake.
It would be a historical contradiction.
Or perhaps simply the most comfortable expression of a certain kind of public moralism that would rather push an activity into the shadows than acknowledge its existence.
In political discourse, prohibition can sound like victory.
In practice, it often functions as morally comfortable packaging for rushed and politically convenient decisions.
This is nothing more than electoral fantasy. And this time, no one will be able to say they did not know how the story would end.
Thiago Iusim
Founder and CEO of Betshield Responsible Gaming
The post Sports Betting, E-cigarettes and the Illusion of Prohibition appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Bichara e Motta Advogados
Los nuevos desafíos de la industria del iGaming en 2026
The post Los nuevos desafíos de la industria del iGaming en 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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