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LeoVegas AB Q1: Quarterly report 1 January – 31 March 2021

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“A good start to the year and increased focus on sports”
Gustaf Hagman, Group CEO

first quarter 2021: 1 january–31 march        

  • Revenue increased by 8% to EUR 96.7 m (89.4). Organic growth in local currencies was 8%.
  • Organic growth when excluding Germany was 19%.
  • Adjusted EBITDA was EUR 10.9 m (9.0), corresponding to an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11.3% (10.0%). Reported EBITDA was EUR 10.4 m (9.0).
  • The number of depositing customers was 462,386 (413,269), an increase of 12%.
  • Adjusted earnings per share were EUR 0.07 (0.06).

events during the quarter

  • LeoVegas acquired Expekt from Betclic Group for a total purchase price of EUR 5 m. Expekt is one of the most well-known sports betting brands in Sweden and the Nordic markets, and strengthens LeoVegas’ brand portfolio ahead of the intensive sport event years in 2021 and 2022. The acquisition of Expekt is expected to be completed in May 2021.
  • LeoVegas’ shares were taken up for trading in USD on OTCQX Markets in the USA. This is a way for the company to meet a steadily growing interest from US investors.
  • Via LeoVentures, LeoVegas invested EUR 1.1 m for 25% of the shares in SharedPlay, a company that makes it possible for players to share their gaming experiences with others through the industry’s first multiplayer solution.

Events after the end of the quarter

  • Preliminary revenue in April amounted to EUR 32.7 m (37.5), representing negative growth of 13%. Excluding Germany, revenue grew 4%.
  • The Royal Panda brand has been migrated to the Group’s proprietary technical platform, Rhino. All of the Group’s wholly owned brands are now run on the Rhino platform.
  • LeoVegas has started its own game studio, Blue Guru Games, to develop new and innovative games. The studio will develop exclusive games for LeoVegas as well as for other operators. The first games will be released in late 2021.
  • LeoVegas was issued a sanction fee of SEK 2 m by the Swedish Gambling Authority. The company intends to appeal the decision.

 

COMMENT FROM GUSTAF HAGMAN – GROUP CEO

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FIRST QUARTER
We are pleased with the start of the year and increased our revenue by 8% during the first quarter. Excluding Germany, which has been affected by new restrictions related to the upcoming regulation, revenue increased by 19%. Our growth has been driven mainly by our loyal customer base, which reached a new record level during the period. We have maintained a high pace of investment, and despite this we achieved adjusted EBITDA growth of 22%, driven by our scalability and good cost control.

ACQUISITION OF EXPEKT – increased FOCUS ON SPORTS BETTING
During the first quarter we acquired the well-known sports betting brand Expekt. The acquisition gives us one more leg to grow on and complements the Group’s brand portfolio and product offering in a strategically good way. We are looking forward to Expekt once again becoming a leading sports betting brand in Sweden and thereafter also in other markets. The acquisition is expected to be completed in May in connection with our migration of the brand to our own technical platform. The timing of the acquisition is perfect as we are now facing two years filled with major sports events, and we plan to launch Expekt well in advance of the UEFA European Football Championship, which starts in June.

MarKETS
During the first quarter we saw the full effect of the changes taking place in the German market. Operators in the market are acting differently with respect to implementing the new restrictions, which unfortunately has led to a skewed competitive situation. The assessment is that up to 70%-80% of the German market for casino has temporarily been shifted over to operators that have chosen to not adapt to the coming market regulation. Our hope is that this will soon be sorted out by the German authorities, which is a prerequisite for the licence system’s success, with a high level of channelisation and consumer protection. Germany generated approximately 6% of the Group’s total revenue during the first quarter, compared with 15% a quarter earlier. Despite this development in Germany we delivered good growth at the Group level, which reflects our strong performance in many other key markets, including Italy, Canada and Spain. Our business is more diversified than ever before, and growth at the Group level is proof that our data-driven way of working and allocating marketing investments is effective.

I also want to highlight Sweden, where the strength of the LeoVegas brand and our product breadth is appreciated by our customers. Our Swedish customer base set a new record during the quarter, and in March we grew on a yearly basis for the first time since the temporary Covid-19 restrictions were implemented in July 2020.

leoventures
The first quarter was an intensive period for our investment vehicle LeoVentures. Among other things we invested in SharedPlay, a company that makes it possible for players to share their gaming experiences with others through the industry’s first multiplayer solution. For a long time we have created successful,  exclusive games with the help of external providers. We are now taking the next step by starting our own game studio – Blue Guru Games. This venture will give us full control and greater flexibility in developing new games, a unique offering to our players, and also a new revenue stream for the Group.

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COMMENTS ON the SECOND QUARTER
Revenue for the month of April amounted to EUR 32.7 m (37.5), corresponding to negative growth of 13%. Excluding Germany, growth in April was positive at 4%.

Finally I want to urge you to be on the lookout for the new launch of Expekt in Sweden towards the end of May – you won’t be disappointed!

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: 6888544 or join at the web https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/x6q2utt4

This information is information that LeoVegas AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out below, at 08:00 CET on 6th of May 2021.

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Wazdan secures Philippines market entry with SG8 partnership

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Wazdan, the gain-focused developer behind some of the world’s most rewarding casino gaming experiences, has entered the Filipino market after signing with SG8, a leading operator in the country.

A total of 46 Wazdan games will be made available to SG8 players and those across the Philippines for the very first time, including favourites 9 Burning Dragons, 9 Burning Stars™ and a host of the 9 Coins™ series such as 9 Coins™ Extremely Light, 9 Coins™ 1000 Edition and 9 Coins™ Grand Platinum Edition.

A renowned operator in the Philippines since 2006, SG8 is PAGCOR licensed and has quickly emerged as a player-favourite within Southeast Asia due to its diverse slot, live dealer and sportsbook offering, set to be enriched by Wazdan’s innovative iGaming content.

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The Philippines marks the latest market entry for Wazdan, further establishing its presence across Asia following the landmark deal. More partnerships in the country are expected to be announced in due course.

Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales at Wazdan, said: “The Philippines boasts an incredible amount of iGaming potential and so we are delighted to enter the market with SG8, a leading player within the country.

“We’re bringing a range of our top-performing titles to its platforms and are eager to see how Filipino players react to our innovative mechanics. We are in no doubt this is the beginning of a flourishing collaboration.”

Heng Chin Sheng, CEO at SG8, said: “It’s an honour to welcome Wazdan to the Filipino market for the first time as part of this deal – we’ve seen the reception to its innovative slots across the world and are delighted to bring them to our players.”

“Leading titles such as 9 Burning Dragons and 9 Burning Stars™ are just a few of the 46 Wazdan titles that we are sure our players will embrace, and we look forward to seeing the results!”

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Games Global and OROS Gaming add to acclaimed series with Magnificent Power Wolf Fire Spirit™

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Players hunt for free spins and falling wilds in feature-filled title

Games Global’s exclusive studio OROS Gaming, has unveiled Magnificent Power Wolf Fire Spirit™, its latest slot utilising the popular Magnificent Power mechanic that promises captivating gameplay and 4,096 ways to win on a 5×4 grid.

Adorned with bear, eagle and dreamcatcher symbols, this Native American-inspired slot immerses players with every spin of the expanding reels, providing ample opportunity to discover the hidden riches with two or more adjacent high-paying symbols awarding a win.

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When one or more Magnificent Power Wilds land, it triggers the Magnificent Power mechanic that sees all the coins on screen collected. 30 coins collected upgrades the wilds to random multiplier wilds whilst collecting 60 coins unlocks the extra sixth reel and additional fire and spirit symbols for even more exciting ways to win big.

The falling wild feature is activated should a moon wild symbol appear on the reels. During the feature, the moon wild symbol remains on the reels, cascading down one place on every subsequent spin until it exits the reels from the bottom.

Landing three red dream catcher symbols triggers the Fire Free Spins in which players collect paw symbols that are added to the collection meter. The more paw symbols collected, the higher the prize value at the end of the bonus round with a jackpot of up to 250x up for grabs.

Landing three blue dream catcher symbols triggers the Spirit Free Spins bonus. During this feature, a falling wild moon symbol makes its way onto the reels, one for each spin with a win multiplier of either 2x or 3x. The multiplied wild only leaves once it reaches the bottom of a reel.

With OROS Gaming’s widely acclaimed Magnificent Power series resonating strongly with players globally, Magnificent Power Wolf Fire Spirit™ builds upon this success, with a variety of innovative mechanics designed to immerse and thrill players.

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OROS Gaming prides itself on understanding the needs of the end-user, keeping up to date with industry trends and the type of content that resonates the most with players. Through this focus, the company aims to produce high-quality slots that deliver on player expectations.

Ryan Cuddy, CEO at OROS Gaming, said: “The Magnificent Power franchise just leveled up with Fire Wolf Spirit! From its stunning wolf symbol to the beautifully intense soundtrack, our team has outdone itself, crafting a game that’s serving our passion for making every game better than the last!”

Andy Booth, Chief Product Officer at Games Global, said: Magnificent Power Wolf Fire Spirit™ is a clear demonstration of OROS Gaming’s continued commitment to innovation.

“We are thrilled to feature OROS Gaming’s latest creation on our platform, and with its captivating gameplay, expanding reels and falling wilds, this slot showcases the innovative mechanics and features that promise to immerse players.”

The post Games Global and OROS Gaming add to acclaimed series with Magnificent Power Wolf Fire Spirit™ appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Raketech Announces Q1 2024 Results

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Raketech has announced its Q1 2024 financial results.

Q1 2024 Financial Highlights

  • Revenues in Q1 of 2024 totaled EUR 19.0 million (EUR 15.8 million), reflecting an organic growth increase of 20.1% (24.4%), driven by continued strong performance from sub-affiliation partially offset by weaker-than-expected results within affiliation marketing.
  • EBITDA, adjusted for restructuring costs, was EUR 5.1 million (EUR 6.1 million), impacted by a weaker performance in Sweden compared to the previous year and soft performance of the Casumba assets following the Google Core update during the quarter. Other regions and products performed well, with sub-affiliation delivering a strong quarter in terms of EBITDA contribution.
  • Operating profit, adjusted for costs related to re-structuring, amounted to EUR 2.0 million (EUR 3.8 million).
  • Free cash flow before earnouts increased to EUR 6.5 million (EUR 5.6 million) with a positive working capital development from trade receivables.
  • Earnouts settled during the quarter amounted to EUR 13.0 million.

Full-Year Outlook

Current trading, including April, implies an adjusted EBITDA of around EUR 20.0 million for the full year. Free cash flow before earnouts for the full year is estimated to come in just below adjusted EBITDA.

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Subsequent Events After the End of the Period

On May 14, 2024, the board decided to withdraw its previously announced proposal to distribute dividends in 2024, in line with its commitment to maintaining financial flexibility and supporting the company’s long term growth ambitions. The primary focus is delivering value to shareholders and continuing to evaluate opportunities to enhance shareholder returns in a way that aligns with the Company’s long-term value-creation objectives.

Current Trading

Revenues in April 2024 amounted to EUR 5.9 million (EUR 5.9 million).

Raketech Acting CEO Johan Svensson said: “In the first quarter of 2024, we delivered EUR 19.0 million in revenues, representing an organic increase of 20.1%, primarily driven by Sub-affiliation. Adjusted EBITDA came in at EUR 5.1 million, while EBITDA was EUR 4.3 million, consistent with our trading update published on 1 May. We remain confident in our market-leading product offerings and see promising growth opportunities through our strategic initiatives in sports offerings, exclusive partnerships, and media deals. These efforts will position us well for continued growth in the coming years, and we remain committed to maximizing shareholder value.”

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