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Spotlight Sports Group Halves Time Spent on Supplier Management with Rizikon Pro from Crossword Cybersecurity
Processes automated and simplified, with improved visibility of supplier management and compliance.
Crossword Cybersecurity Plc, the technology commercialisation company focused on cyber security and risk management, is pleased to announce that Spotlight Sports Group, the digital publisher and integrated betting platform, has implemented Rizikon Pro, Crossword’s supplier assurance and third-party risk management platform for SMEs. As a result, Spotlight Sports Group has halved the time spent on supplier management, gained better visibility of supplier risks, and cut the costs of maintaining its ISO 27001 Information Security Management certification.
Spotlight Sports Group is the owner of Racing Post, which has been the home of horse racing in the UK and internationally since launching as a newspaper in 1986. Today, its all-digital platform offers breaking industry news, race results, statistics, tips, and betting platform integration. As part of a heavily regulated industry, Spotlight Sports Group invests huge amounts of time and effort to ensure it, and its 40+ suppliers, meet the governance, regulatory and compliance requirements of its industry.
Spotlight Sports Group wanted to automate its supplier management and onboarding processes, so that it could improve the experience for both staff and suppliers. A typical onboarding process requires a supplier to complete a host of forms about every aspect of its business operations. They are time consuming to manage for all parties, leading to delays, complications, and poor visibility of risks. One critical area that Spotlight Sports Group assesses suppliers for is the ISO 27001 Information Security Management certification, and the team could see a clear opportunity for this to be more efficiently managed.
Victor Mihailescu, Head of Security at Spotlight Sports Group, highlighted: “A lot of our team’s time and energy was being taken up by the existing processes – we wanted that time back so staff could focus on higher value tasks. We considered a range of solutions, from simple cloud-based forms, through to well-known third-party risk management platforms, which were expensive and over-complicated. Rizikon Pro, which is aimed at SMEs, offers us by far the best fit for our supplier management needs with its balance between functionality, collaboration features and flexibility.”
Rizikon Pro is a secure, encrypted portal which puts an organisation in control of managing risks in its supply chain and the financial, regulatory and reputational risks they indirectly carry. Rizikon Pro contains standard questionnaires on subjects such as cyber security, GDPR, supplier on-boarding, modern slavery, and anti-bribery & corruption. Customers can also create their own question sets and scoring approaches, enabling a 360-degree view of supply chain risk in a single pane of glass.
A rapid implementation with 50% time saving
Implemented in a matter of weeks, using ‘out-of-the-box’ questionnaires and very little customisation, Spotlight Sports Group was able to move quickly from a trial to a live solution, with immediate efficiency gains for day-to-day process. For example, a new supplier can be added to the Rizikon Pro platform in under five minutes, sending out questionnaires for supplier completion via a Spotlight Sports Group branded, encrypted secure portal. Supplier onboarding has been greatly improved in part by Rizikon Pro’s integration with CreditSafe, which combines questionnaire responses with data on over 320 million companies worldwide, including their credit risk scores, saving staff a huge amount of time.
Mr. Mihailescu added: “All of our supplier onboarding communication and management now takes place in Rizikon Pro. As a result, we have halved the time we spend on supplier management and made the process easier for our suppliers. All the information and discussions about questionnaires is kept in one place and we can clearly see when and by whom forms were completed, removing any non-repudiation risk.”
More savings to come with Rizikon
Spotlight Sports Group can now easily and transparently demonstrate to auditors its compliance processes, which are reinforced by Rizikon Pro. For example, the team can identify suppliers that need encouragement or support to complete questionnaires, which is an important step to ensuring compliance. Spotlight Sports Group predicts even greater time savings in the future, because the anniversaries on which suppliers must review and update their compliance data will be automated by Rizikon Pro. This will further reduce the risk of non-compliance and remove administrative overheads.
Mr. Mihailescu concluded: “Our focus so far has been on our ISO 27001 certification and supplier onboarding, but we are already looking at other areas of compliance that can benefit from Rizikon Assurance. We’ve had a great relationship with the Crossword team, who have been both enthusiastic and responsive to our feedback on ideas and new features for Rizikon Pro. The platform and team have met all our expectations.”
Sean Arrowsmith, Group Sales Director at Crossword, commented: “Good governance and compliance has become increasingly important for companies of all sizes, but can be a real challenge for SMEs. Most companies would be horrified if they calculated the amount of time and risks involved in running poorly implemented supplier management and compliance processes. Spotlight Sports Group implementation of Rizikon Pro, which we launched last year aimed specifically at supporting SME organisations, demonstrates what can be quickly and easily achieved when companies implement the right solution and a robust supplier assurance framework. Ease of implementation alongside successful partnership programmes, has been key in driving a tenfold increase in the use of Rizikon over the last six months, to over 250 users.”
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BETBY TAKES CENTER STAGE AT NEXT SUMMIT VALLETTA WITH A STANDOUT APPEARANCE BY MAGNUS CARLSEN
From the 7th to the 8th of May, the Mediterranean Conference Center in Valletta, Malta, transformed into the global hub of iGaming innovation at NEXT Summit Valletta, and BETBY made a memorable mark with a powerful blend of star power, strategic thought leadership, and engaging tournament action.
The highlight of BETBY’s presence was the appearance of Magnus Carlsen, five-time World Chess Champion and BETBY’s global brand ambassador, who captivated the audience as the headline speaker of the summit. In an exclusive fireside chat titled “iGaming Chess World Championships – Hosted by Magnus Carlsen & BETBY,” Carlsen joined NEXT.io co-founder and managing-director Pierre Lindh on stage to explore the synergies between chess, poker, and iGaming. The chess GOAT shared personal reflections on his journey from prodigy to world champion, discussed how strategic thinking shaped his mindset, and drew parallels between classic board games and modern betting dynamics, offering a unique perspective that resonated deeply with both chess lovers and iGaming professionals.
Magnus Carlsen’s keynote was followed by a thrilling showpiece: a blindfold chess match against the winner of the inaugural iGaming World Chess Championship, a tournament hosted by BETBY in partnership with the Malta Chess Federation. Open to all delegates, the tournament offered a rare opportunity to go head-to-head in a high-stakes strategic challenge, with the once-in-a-lifetime prize being a live match against Carlsen himself. The tournament underscored BETBY’s commitment to creativity, innovation, and connecting gaming communities in new and exciting ways.
Continuing its thought leadership momentum, BETBY’s Chief Commercial Officer, Chris Nikolopoulos, took the stage on the second day of the event, contributing to a high-level panel discussion titled “LATAM – A flash in the pan or a long-term powerhouse?” Sharing the stage with fellow industry leaders, Nikolopoulos provided insights on the evolving dynamics of Latin America’s iGaming market. Topics included Brazil’s standout role, the growth potential in Colombia and Peru, and strategies for balancing short-term success with long-term sustainability. His participation cemented BETBY’s position as a key voice in the global conversation about emerging market opportunities and investment strategies.
NEXT Summit Valletta 2025 was a celebration of innovation, connection, and cross-industry creativity, with BETBY standing at the heart of it all. From inspiring keynotes and a groundbreaking tournament to meaningful conversations and strategic insights with both existing and potential partners, the event reinforced BETBY’s position as a bold, forward-thinking leader in the iGaming industry.
The post BETBY TAKES CENTER STAGE AT NEXT SUMMIT VALLETTA WITH A STANDOUT APPEARANCE BY MAGNUS CARLSEN appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Charles Gillespie
Gambling.com Group Reports First Quarter Results Including Record Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA
Gambling.com Group Limited (Nasdaq: GAMB) (“Gambling.com Group” or the “Company”), a fast-growing provider of marketing and sports data services for the global online gambling industry, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.
Charles Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Gambling.com Group, commented, “We entered 2025 with our marketing business at all-time highs and with an expanded suite of sports data services having closed the acquisition of OddsJam and OpticOdds on January 1. Since the closing, we have made substantial progress on integrating these offerings into our overall business and the products are performing strongly as expected. With an enhanced sports data services platform, we now have meaningful recurring subscription revenue, which we expect to account for well over 20% of our 2025 revenue, bringing increased revenue visibility and a complimentary, high margin and high growth source of profit and cash flow.
“We are reiterating our full year 2025 guidance despite the unpredictable macro environment, as our services address critical problems for all our customers and our industry is typically insulated from the gyrations of the global economy. We continue to expect 2025 to be another year of record revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and Free Cash Flow as we leverage the skills and expertise of our talented team with a larger product offering to drive growth across all our reporting regions. Each day we are moving closer to our goal of generating $100 million in annual Adjusted EBITDA.”
Elias Mark, Chief Financial Officer of Gambling.com Group, added, “Our first quarter results include record quarterly revenue of $40.6 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $15.9 million, reflecting year-over-year growth of 39% and 56%, respectively. With the solid start to the year, we remain confident in our full year outlook with the midpoints of our guidance for revenue of $172 million and $68 million in Adjusted EBITDA, representing year on year growth of 35% and 40%, respectively.”
Financial Highlights Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 vs. Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
(USD in thousands, except per share data, unaudited)
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, |
|
Change |
|||||
|
|
2025 |
|
2024 |
|
% |
|||
|
Revenue |
40,635 |
|
|
29,215 |
|
|
39 |
% |
|
Net income for the period attributable to shareholders |
11,236 |
|
|
7,299 |
|
|
54 |
% |
|
Net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted |
0.31 |
|
|
0.19 |
|
|
63 |
% |
|
Net income margin |
28 |
% |
|
25 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Adjusted net income for the period attributable to shareholders (1) |
16,490 |
|
|
9,264 |
|
|
78 |
% |
|
Adjusted net income per share attributable to shareholders, diluted (1) |
0.46 |
|
|
0.24 |
|
|
92 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA (1) |
15,864 |
|
|
10,159 |
|
|
56 |
% |
|
Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1) |
39 |
% |
|
35 |
% |
|
|
|
|
Cash flows generated by operating activities |
11,415 |
|
|
8,806 |
|
|
30 |
% |
|
Free Cash Flow (1) |
10,277 |
|
|
8,193 |
|
|
25 |
% |
__________
(1) Represents a non-IFRS measure. See “Supplemental Information – Non-IFRS Financial Measures” and the tables at the end of this release for reconciliations to the comparable IFRS numbers.
First Quarter 2024 and Recent Business Highlights
- Delivered more than 138,000 new depositing customers (“NDCs”)
- Completed accretive acquisition of Odds Holdings, Inc. on January 1, 2025 for initial consideration of $70 million in cash and $10 million in ordinary shares
- Expanded credit facility to $165 million with a new syndicate
Three Months Ended March 31, 2025 Results Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2024
Revenue rose 39% year-over-year to a record $40.6 million. Revenue from marketing services increased 13% year over year to $30.7 million as the Company delivered more than 138,000 NDCs to clients, a 29% increase over the prior-year period. Revenue from sports data services increased 405% year-over-year to $9.9 million, primarily due to the contribution of OddsJam and OpticOdds following the acquisition on January 1. Recurring subscription revenue represented 24% of total 2025 first quarter revenue.
Gross profit increased 42% to $38.4 million, due to strong revenue growth while cost of sales was in line with the prior-year period reflecting lower cost of sales for media partnerships offset by the addition of cost of sales related to OddsJam and OpticOdds.
Total operating expenses increased 49% to $28.4 million, primarily as a result of increased people costs and higher amortization related to the acquisition of Freebets.com and related assets on April 1, 2024 and the acquisition of Odds Holdings on January 1, 2025.
Net income attributable to shareholders increased $3.9 million to $11.2 million and net income per share was $0.31 compared to $0.19 in the prior-year period. Adjusted net income rose 78% to $16.5 million and Adjusted net income per share increased 92% to $0.46.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 56% to a record $15.9 million, reflecting an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 39% as compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $10.2 million and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 35% in the prior-year period.
Operating cash flow grew 30% to $11.4 million. Free cash flow increased 25% to $10.3 million, reflecting growth in Adjusted EBITDA partly offset by working capital movements.
2025 Outlook
Gambling.com Group today reiterated the 2025 full-year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance originally provided on February 19, 2025. The Company expects full year revenue of $170 million to $174 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $67 million to $69 million. The midpoints of the new full year revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance ranges represent year-over-year growth of 35% and 40%, respectively, and an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 39.5%.
The Company’s guidance assumes:
- Incremental Adjusted EBITDA contributions of approximately $14.5 million related to the acquisition of Odds Holdings, Inc. that was completed on January 1, 2025.
- No additional North American markets coming online over the balance of 2025. While online sports betting is expected to begin in Missouri in the second half of 2025, the Company’s guidance policy excludes any benefits from new state launches until such time as a definitive start date is announced by the appropriate regulatory body.
- An average EUR/USD exchange rate of 1.10 throughout 2025.
Conference Call Details
|
Date/Time: |
Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. ET |
||
|
Webcast: |
https://www.webcast-eqs.com/register/Gamb051525/en |
||
|
U.S. Toll-Free Dial In: |
877-407-0890 |
||
|
International Dial In: |
1 201-389-0918 |
The post Gambling.com Group Reports First Quarter Results Including Record Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
SolutionsHub is pleased to announce the promotion of Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations, a leadership role central to delivering operational efficiency and scalable business infrastructure across its expanding portfolio.
A former legal professional, Zita brings a unique combination of expertise, operational insight, and leadership maturity to the role. Since joining SolutionsHub, she has steadily expanded her remit—taking on increasingly complex responsibilities in areas such as treasury, governance, and regulatory coordination. Her promotion recognises her significant contributions and the critical role of operations in SolutionsHub’s continued growth.
As Head of Operations, Zita will oversee the day-to-day functioning of the group and lead the refinement of internal systems and processes, while ensuring alignment with the strategic objectives set by the Board.
Zita’s background in legal services informs her disciplined, process-oriented approach, while her aptitude for optimising workflows and driving cross-functional collaboration has already resulted in meaningful improvements to the company’s internal efficiency and governance capabilities. In addition to overseeing essential operational functions, she continues to play a key role in supporting clients with complex governance requirements.
“Zita’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for SolutionsHub,” said Nick Wright, Chief Operating Officer. “Her attention to detail, governance expertise, and ability to bring structure to fast-moving environments make her an invaluable part of our leadership team. This promotion not only recognises her past performance but underscores the central role operations plays in keeping SolutionsHub agile, compliant, and future-focused.
It strengthens our operational foundation and positions us to support growth across both established and emerging service areas.”
The post SolutionsHub Promotes Zita O’Kelly-Hills to Head of Operations Amid Continued Growth appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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